Kruger: Adam And Steve

Switzerland’s post-metallers finally get parity with their peers

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Swiss outfit Kruger have

Coming from the same scene as their countrymen Knut, they’ve never experienced the same sort of critical love, despite the patronage of Gojira, Converge’s Kurt Ballou and Cult Of Luna. However, maybe now it’s finally their turn to join their peers in the league above, as the Magnus Lindberg-mixed Adam And Steve is all you could ever want from an intelligent, post-metal album. There is the driving, angular intensity of Botch on opener Bottoms Up, the slow, monolithic sludge of Neurosis on Discotheque and the rattling, punk-rock-on-downers sound that Unsane and Breach used to such unnerving effect. It’s definitely an intoxicating mix. But if there is a criticism, then it would be that these sounds have now become so familiar that they can no longer inspire the same levels of shock and awe as they did when we first heard them 10 years ago. This isn’t Kruger’s fault, though – they’ve certainly been slugging away long enough to reap the benefits, and Adam And Steve firmly deserves any accolade that may be thrown its way.

Via Listenable

Stephen joined the Louder team as a co-host of the Metal Hammer Podcast in late 2021, eventually becoming a regular contributor to the magazine. He has since written hundreds of articles for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Louder, specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal. He also presents the Trve. Cvlt. Pop! podcast with Gaz Jones and makes regular appearances on the Bangers And Most podcast.