4th August 2023

Review: “All Of This For Nothing” by The Crawling

“Life is a journey through a bleak, cold, harsh reality that ends in a void of nothingness” ~ Andy Clarke

That is the bleak and unforgiving philosophy is what lies beneath “All Of This For Nothing” along awaited third album from Northern Ireland based trio The Crawling; a band who self describe as being misery fuelled Death Doom. Adorned by fittingly stunning cover artwork created by Travis Smith (Death, Nevermore, Opeth), it brings to an end the five years since 2018’s critically acclaimed album “Wolves And The Hideous White” appeared. That offered a masterful blend of rumbling Death Metal, inseparably entwined with emotive and Atmospheric Doom and makes this an intriguing prospect.

Gary Beattie pounds the War drums as “March Of The Worm” opens the arteries with all the horror of the blood spilled in the muddy trenches of the Somme. A thunderous affair with hints at Carcass influenced riffs and gravelly unclean vocals, it’s the punch in the guts that says The Crawling are back having never really departed. The beast roars once again, as powerfully as ever, age having only severed to enrage, the fury poured into this vessel for the world to witness. “Another Vulture” conjures sinister atmospheres from melodies that bleed melancholia, the band toying in Scandinavian influences as they paint the white to grey. A crisp and clean mix gives another dimension to the bands sound, the resonating leads and powerful kit work having enhanced impact while the quality of the writing and musicianship is nothing short of stunning. Exposing the thoughts of a wounded animal “Thy Nazarene” has a raw and emotive quality that shines through the gruff exterior, the power of the pummelling rhythms preventing the spiral onto despair. It maybe a cruel world but there is solace in the knowledge you are not alone and this is the kind of album that you can cling to in desperate times. Heavy enough to bang your head to, melodic enough to stir the soul with thought provoking lyrics that permeate the cerebral cortex.

“Bound To The Negative” is a magnum opus of a centre piece, infusing rich, dark melodies which entrance with punchy heavier passages, the rise and fall incredibly well crafted so that none of the brooding atmosphere is lost in the process. Sombre and sobering it represents a call to the void of eternal rest with glorious dark power that sends a shiver down the spine. The Max Cavalera like gruff uncleans of “Leaving The Skin” give it psychological Death Metal edge but The Crawling have far more than that to offer, interweaving some delicate guitar offset some of the crushing heavier moments. This one has an intriguing clean verse, buried in the mix so it’s not the brave and bold moment that you might have expected, instead having a haunting quality before a final brutal breakdown. Tribal drum patterns return in the skull battering opening of “A Light We Cannot See“, the band once again playing with melodies as they switch from crushing Gojira like sounds to something darker and back with the kind of slick transitions that make other musicians jealous. An almost remorseful lyrical narrative soaked in regret is in the bitter black heart of this one, thinly veiled by blasting and majestic Death Doom riffs. A reworking of 2021 single “Sparrow” draws the album to its inevitable conclusion with fitting style and grace, shafts of light puncturing the dark clouds overhead in the process. The world weary nature of this should feel like a weight on the shoulders but instead it resonates, sharing the dull ache in an uplifting fashion… [8.5/10]

Track Listing