CROWEN

"When the Darkness Falls" (Inverse Records; 2024)

Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton

Crowen is a melodic death metal band out of Norway, and their "When the Darkness Falls" EP is six tracks of epic walls of sound that surge through your speakers like an audio tsunami. Loaded with devastating blast beats and breakneck paces, most of the tracks on this EP will explode into your face as though you're standing in front of a Claymore mine, staring at the words FRONT TOWARD ENEMY.

I say "most of the tracks" above because the EP ends with the eerie, melancholy, "Veri on nimeni mun," which translates to "Blood Is My Name." This song has a different tone than the previous tracks—it's slower, it's vocals are cleaner, it's got a different atmosphere. Its heavier moments stab at you like a knife but it ends the EP on the perfect note.

One thing I found a little distracting is that occasionally the vocals faded down into music mix. It didn't happen often but, when it did, it took me out of the moment. Maybe it was just my music player; hell, maybe it was just my imagination but I thought it worth mentioning here. It wasn't a major detraction, just noticeable. Overall, I found "When the Darkness Falls" to deliver the goods and that's good enough for me.

Performing on "When the Darkness Falls" are: Esa Uusimaa - Vocals, guitars, synths, samples; Tuomas Saukkonen - Bass; Mikko Merilinna - Guitars; Samuli Peltola - Guitars on "No Man's Land"; Jouni Uusimaa - Clean vocals on "Where The Darkness Falls"; Jenni Niemi - Vocals on "Self-Destruction."

For more information, check out https://www.facebook.com/CrowenOfficial.  

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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