36 Crazyfists

Lanterns

Written by: PP on 28/02/2018 21:52:30

Seven albums down and 36 Crazyfists remain one of the most criminally underrated bands in screamo / metalcore. Their problem, as I see it, has always been vocalist Brock Lindow's particularly coarse and devastating approach to vocals, which isn't one that easily translates to the masses. Long time fans of 36 Crazyfists will agree with me in that they're an acquired taste, but once you absorb his unusual mixture of harsh screaming and semi-clean melodies, he has produced some of the most magical moments in the genre. Think back to "At The End Of August" or "I'll Go Until My Heart Stops" for just a couple of examples.

"Lanterns", their eighth album, contains some of the best guitar melodies we've heard from the band yet, which should go down perfectly for any mid-2000s post-hardcore/screamo fans out there. Some of the material on "Sea And Smoke", for instance, is back-chilling, not to even mention the awesomely melancholic tinge to the lead guitars on "Wars To Walk Away From". They highlight exactly what 36 Crazyfists have been best at all along, the slight tinge of melody in the background that pushes their screamo into a melodic territory just enough to give it depth and longevity.

As a somewhat new element, the band go for a raw, Western-style semi-acoustic track on "Where Revenge Ends", which showcases the band in an entirely different light to their melancholic screamo that otherwise dominates the record. Immediately after, "Sleepsick" rips into a barrage of metalcore riffs before transforming into yet another tranquil segment, balancing the quiet/loud dynamic in a fashion that has been impressing us since the early days of this band.

Overall, "Lanterns" delivers exactly the sort of quality craftsmanship that we've come to expect from 36 Crazyfists over the years. What's more, it feels more like an album release for the existing fans rather than taking any radical moves to attract new ones. It's a reminder about the carefully calibrated quiet/loud dynamics and a nostalgia-filled reminder of the good ol' days of post-hardcore/screamo before Rise Records bands took over. A raw release with emotion and passion, accompanied by depth-laden, but back-chilling melodies that function more as growers than as instant hits.

8

Download: Sea And Smoke, Wars To Walk Away From, Better To Burn, Sleepsick
For the fans of: Boy Hits Car, A Static Lullaby, Boysetsfire, Funeral For A Friend
Listen: Facebook

Release date 15.09.2017
Spinefarm Records

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