Album Review: Crownshift – Crownshift (Nuclear Blast)

With members of Nightwish, Children of Bodom, Finntroll and more, Crownshift boast world-class pedigree and heritage. The Finnish melodic death metallers will release their self-titled debut album on May 10th, 2024, via Nuclear Blast.

One of 2024’s most hotly anticipated albums, Crownshift’s self-titled debut finally arrives with all the force of a meteorite crashing into the planet. Showcasing a modernised take on melodeath, with some early Children of Bodom influences and touches of Soilwork/Scar Symmetry. If all you want is high-flying and head-banging melodeath in simple anthemic form, then this album will deliver.

From the moment a synthy intro transitions into emphatic harmonised heaviness, the album feels so hot. This is Stellar Halo, and Crownshift’s arrival. It’s the first of many examples across the record that proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that this band is going to be massive. Yet, as rooted in melodeath as it is, they’re not afraid to play around with the formula and deliver something with symphonic grandeur such as what’s found on Rule the World.

It’s a beast of a track, with thrilling crunching drumbeats, dynamic riffs, and soaring vocals. Yet, this is to be expected by a band this talented, and the quality is still so evident when A World Beyond Reach comes along. A big and fresh sounding metal track, with massive melodic moments, and an absolutely ripping guitar solo.

If You Dare also stands because it has such strong harmonies (notably in the chorus), but it’s also an energetic and excitable listen. Crownshift reaching the halfway point of the album in style. Then, they take their foot off the gas a bit to deliver a more melodic sounding effort in the form of My Prison. One that oozes passion and has certain touches that make it far more interesting overall. One of which is the excellent guitar solo. That alone is the selling point of this track, even if all of Crownshift do their part here to make the song as special as possible.

There’s nothing to complicated about The Devil’s Drug and Mirage, even when they keep it simple, blending head-banging inducing melodeath heaviness and soul-lifting melody to perfection, it’s thoroughly enjoyable.

Then along comes To the Other Side to upend the winning formula. The longest track by some serious distance, it’s not just an epic, it’s also the band at their most progressive sounding. All while never straying too far from the melodeath soundscape. It’s an insane closer when you consider what came before, but it sure does show off just how creative Crownshift are.

This band is going to be massive. Melodeath has a new champion and the name is Crownshift.

Crownshift – Crownshift Track Listing:

1. Stellar Halo
2. Rule The Show
3. A World Beyond Reach
4. If You Dare
5. My Prison
6. The Devil’s Drug
7. Mirage
8. To The Other Side

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