21st October 2023

Review: “Self Titled” by Crown Of Anguish

They say that the first bite is with the eye and with one look at the cover art for the self titled record from Preston Death Metal act Crown Of Anguish, we’re immediately transported into a realm of nightmares based on the Alien series. Eerily, the temple reminds of a pyramid of Aztec origin which found beneath a sheet of ice by thermal imaging after a heat bloom is detected in Bouvetøya, 1000 miles off the cost of Antarctica. The place where Predators come every hundred years in a rite of passage to hunt Aliens certainly feels like a fitting playground for members of Apostate and Ageless Summoning to perform Death Metal with World music influences and strange harmonies in a soundtrack to an acidic bloodbath…

Creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere from the very first moments of opening cut “Ebon“, the feeling that something wicked this way comes is inescapable despite the melodic leads. The nightmare becomes a reality after 60 seconds with the venomous vocals of Ali Lauder bursting through the guitars as a beastly rampage begins, a moment of seemingly ethnic origin the only fleeting respite from the full on Groove Death assault on the senses. Playing with tempo makes “Serpent Column” a viscous little ditty, the slower parts soaked in dirge laden riffs that scrape the bowels of hell like a trawler in search of souls while the faster parts pummel them into submission. A drawn out solo has roots in 80’s and 90’s American Death Metal, perhaps taking influence from the early works of Morbid Angel before the throat splitting death growls take another turn in the limelight. A flamenco style acoustic interlude in “Lament Of The Dreamless” paints in melancholic atmosphere and cleanses the palate in doing so, allowing the ethereal orchestrally enhanced brutality of “In The Shadow Of A World Unclean” to burn the place down. An impressive slab of black polished concrete, this one has a couple of impressive lead parts which raise the hairs on the back of the neck, the orchestral flirtations a nice touch that elevates without becoming overpowering.

Interestingly the band don’t name a drummer or a drum programmer in their line up, however there are a couple of inhuman moments that suggest the latter. Either way it makes no difference as it doesn’t detract from a brutal display of dark ritual and strange harmonies. Another flamenco interlude, “Great Winding Path Of The Sorcerous Ones” proves the band have another string to their bow, while setting the scene for skull crushing “Malachite” to wipe the floor with what remains of the rotting carcass of the discerning listener. A pulverising cut with ancient lore, this one also has a little evil melodic flare to it, almost a dichotomy of Skeletal Remains and Carcass. When you’ve nailed classically crushing Death Metal with old school flavours and added elements of intriguing nuance, what is there left to do? Thinking outside of the box, Crown Of Anguish bring in a gong to “Tempestborn” to add something a little different and it works incredibly well when surrounded by the serrated edges of the riffs… [7/10]

Track Listing