Some nice surprises: The Crown & Lilitu

[JayKeeley]

OK, how about a thread where we talk about metal? Pulled these out from a pile somewhere:

The Crown - Crowned Unholy
I've only ever heard bits and pieces of The Crown before but essentially this is "Crowned in Terror" with Johan Lindstrand instead of Tomas Lindberg on vox. And it's got a new mix or something. Anyway, pretty cool music and I'm still getting over the Lindberg 'Great Deceiver' thing, so this Lindstrand guy seems rather apt. I know, I know, I'm late to The Crown, and yes, I realize they split because they weren't making enough $$ and this re-release is a cash in. Just talking about the music as someone new to the band....

Lilitu - The Delores Lesion
Dare I say it, 'progressive melodic death metal'? For some strange reason, I'm really digging this new signing from The End Records. Clean vox are good, death vox are ok'ish, but it's the riffs/melodies/tempo changes that become the real standout feature here. Really, really catchy stuff in a 'Dark Tranquility meets Pain of Salvation' manner, and the clean vox sound like a young Mike Patton.

Anyway, as the thread title suggests, I was nicely surprised by both considering I don't really listen to this kinda thing anymore. Maybe the extended break did me some good.

 

[Nate The Great]

Deathrace King is the only The Crown truly worth owning. It's still only about 8/10, though.

 

[J.]

The Crown didn't impress at all.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Deathrace King is the only The Crown truly worth owning. It's still only about 8/10, though.

Indeed. Although Crowned In Terror, with Tomas, has some good tunes, and good intensity.

 

[Dark One]

Deathrace King is the only The Crown truly worth owning. It's still only about 8/10, though.

Nope. "The Burning" is the only Crown that is not truly worth owning. Everything else pretty much rules IMO.

I do agree that "Deathrace King" is the best though. I'd go with 9.5 out of 10 for that one. A rousing, fist pumping non-stop anthem fest of in your face death with a touch of melody and groove.

 

[Demonspell]

I need to get that Lilitu album, they avoid both melodic death and prog metal clcihes for the most part and their previous release Memorial is excellent.

 

[Papa Josh]

The Crown rocks my hairy anus.

I have 'em all except Deathrace King. Sold it a few weeks back.

 

[spikes77]

I dont know how anyone can not like deathrace king, it's TOTAL METUL whole way through. TOTAL SATAN.

 

[General Zod]

....the riffs/melodies/tempo changes that become the real standout feature here. Really, really catchy stuff in a 'Dark Tranquility meets Pain of Salvation' manner, and the clean vox sound like a young Mike Patton.

Hmmm... sounds intruiging.

Zod

 

[speed]

I prefer Crowned in Terror, it has a few killer hooks for death metal. I also prefer Tomas unique screams over this new guys run of the mill vox.

I also like The Great Deceivers first album A Venom Well Designed.

 

[JayKeeley]

Hmmm... sounds intruiging.

Zod

The MP3 sample over at The End is great, yet it's probably the weakest song on the album.

 

[JayKeeley]

I prefer Crowned in Terror, it has a few killer hooks for death metal. I also prefer Tomas unique screams over this new guys run of the mill vox.

Are you serious?

Lindberg: waaahh wahhh wwaaaah waaaah waaaah (every single word sounds like fucking 'waaaaaah') with complete lack of any intonation. Seriously, is this guy even following lyrics, or does he just have 'waaah' written on a piece of paper in front of him?

Lindstrand: Low growls, high growls, full on barking brutality. Yes, I guess this is run of the mill death vox, but my goat is it refreshing to hear at least some semblance to an undulating lyrical landscape.

 

[speed]

SO hold on, which one sang for At the Gates? Tomas right?

 

[JayKeeley]

SO hold on, which one sang for At the Gates? Tomas right?

Correct, but his vocals deteriorated to shit at some point. I thought you were referring to his vox on The Great Deceiver...but then in hindsight, he had quite a whiney/screamy voice even on Slaughter of the Soul. I dunno, I guess some people like it because he seems to be such a major-league figure.

EDIT: Also, Johan Lindstrand is not really a "new" guy. He was actually the original vocalist back when they were Crown of Thorns.

 

[speed]

Its really just a matter of personal preference I guess ( me liking Tomas). He has a very unique, but terrible voice or scream, that I think somehow fits deathmetal.

 

[Evil C.]

me wants to hear more of lilitu...

evil c.

 

[Papa Josh]

EDIT: Also, Johan Lindstrand is not really a "new" guy. He was actually the original vocalist back when they were Crown of Thorns.

He probably only bought Crowned in terror because it "featured ex-At the Gates vocalist Tomas Lindberg." Lindstrand was on EVERY album except CIT.