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Is there such a thing as too heavy? For some people there probably is, others say something like that simply doesn't exist. Fuel! Flames! Blast!, the debut album by Swiss trio The Crotals might be one of those CD's that people think are just too heavy. It's not a 'happy happy joy joy' album, that's for sure.
Fuel! Flames! Blast! mainly is an aggressive steamroller, filled with crushing riffs, brutal vocals and drums that somehow remind me of Therapy?. However, don't get me wrong, compared to The Crotals, Therapy? is a soft rock band. This album is an intense combination of stoner rock and sludge metal, perfect for fans of High On Fire or Buzzov-En.
The Crotals don't seem to care about elaborate instrumantal passages or about offering any form of breather for that matter. Instead, they blast their in-your-face metal at full force, possibly destroying some eardrums in the process. There are some influences of doom metal, hardcore and punk but all of them lay hidden beneath a thick layer of fuzz and destortion.
So yes, for some people this is just way too heavy and way too aggressive but the die-hard sludge crowd will undoubtedly embrace this band immediately. Picking a favourite song is, at least to me, pretty impossible. There's a bit of variation but all the songs are built on the same foundation and carry the same level of intensity.
To conlcude, dear sludge fans, it's about time to check out The Crotals. Sludge rarely gets as vigorous and powerful as this. Others, well, beware, this is the stuff that might make your brain explode or at least provide you with a firm and severe headache for the rest of your life...
Serge
Fuel! Flames! Blast! mainly is an aggressive steamroller, filled with crushing riffs, brutal vocals and drums that somehow remind me of Therapy?. However, don't get me wrong, compared to The Crotals, Therapy? is a soft rock band. This album is an intense combination of stoner rock and sludge metal, perfect for fans of High On Fire or Buzzov-En.
The Crotals don't seem to care about elaborate instrumantal passages or about offering any form of breather for that matter. Instead, they blast their in-your-face metal at full force, possibly destroying some eardrums in the process. There are some influences of doom metal, hardcore and punk but all of them lay hidden beneath a thick layer of fuzz and destortion.
So yes, for some people this is just way too heavy and way too aggressive but the die-hard sludge crowd will undoubtedly embrace this band immediately. Picking a favourite song is, at least to me, pretty impossible. There's a bit of variation but all the songs are built on the same foundation and carry the same level of intensity.
To conlcude, dear sludge fans, it's about time to check out The Crotals. Sludge rarely gets as vigorous and powerful as this. Others, well, beware, this is the stuff that might make your brain explode or at least provide you with a firm and severe headache for the rest of your life...
Serge
