Crows: Better Off Dead

Irish hardcore posse strike a firekeg in the gloom

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Crows are a dark-tinged hardcore band rising out of Dublin.

To date, there hasn’t been a lot heard from them, bar the release of Severence in 2011 and the split seven-inch with fellow Irishmen, Drainland.

Heavy, urgent, abrasive and blessedly full of variety, the 10 songs delivered here prove that these guys know how to write album-worthy material as convincingly as they can deliver the rage that inspires it. Pleasingly full of moshpit-inducing tracks, this new release is smartly produced too and does considerable justice to the walls of fury, volatile fretwork, and occasional breakdowns or clouds of dark, murky gloom that this band capture in often unpredictable but ultimately cohesive waves throughout the album. There are some more poignant guitar tones, stoner-inspired riffs and the screams are effectively frantic, but each lyric is stressed and their message never lost. Closing track Death Crownado is particularly glorious with its spoken samples and churning tempos. At nine minutes, it’s the lengthiest track, and it still feels mean. Crows’ quiet period is over.

Via Superfi