Demise of the Crown – Demise of the Crown (Album Review)

Power metal is hazardous to my health. It causes me to drive too fast and I cannot seem to turn the volume up high enough. But, oh, how I love it! It is always a thrill to find younger bands releasing new music in this genre, so I was excited to listen to the debut, self-titled album from Demise of the Crown. This Montreal quintet formed in 2014 with the vision to shake the foundation of power metal, although I find it difficult to pin them to just one genre. With stated influences ranging from Duran Duran to Cradle of Filth, the plan might be to avoid being limited to only one style of music.

The album grabs you by the throat with their first single “We Are Invincible”, an intriguing mix of melodic power metal with just a hint of death metal. Vocalist Darren Beadman makes it seem easy to switch between guttural screams to beautiful harmonies. Not quite as heavy as the previous track, “Sides of the Wave” does still march along to a rock rhythm and a fantastic guitar solo. “Save Me” highlights their classic metal influences, alternating from melodic to metallic, soft vocals to powerful screams. If you are looking for something closer to thrash metal, “Human Denial” might fit the bill. From the driving beat of the double bass drums to the blazing guitar licks to the growled lyrics, the song definitely makes me want to drive too fast while I blow out my eardrums. The album loses a bit of steam with “Eons”, which leans a bit more to the style of a hard rock ballad without being too soft. The guitar riffs are back in a big way on the catchy “Don’t Worry” which also features a chorus that will be stuck in your head for days. Although the final track features some amazing guitar work, “Cold Dead Eyes”, has a pop metal feel to it.

Consisting of a mere seven songs, Demise of the Crown is a strong first effort from the band of the same name. There are some issues in the mixing on this album, however. Although the guitars are very loud and present in the mix, the percussion doesn’t pack the punch it should while the bass player completely disappears. The band is already back in the studio working on their next album with a different producer, so one can hope these problems will be fixed in the mastering of that. With the eclectic array of musical styles, there is something for everyone here and Demise of the Crown is an up-and-coming band to watch.

~~Metal Mama

Buy: DEMISE OF THE CROWN – DEMISE OF THE CROWN