Album Review: Crownaside – From Mud To Ashes (Self Released)

Hailing from Murcia, Spain, Crownaside sprang to life in 2013. Combining the strength of groove metal, death metal, and even progressive metal, Crownaside’s crafts have always crossed the bar of one single style. They released the self-titled debut EP in 2015.

Their impending debut album, From Mud To Ashes,is a concept album that recounts the history of Maya peoples and the way they were tortured by the Spanish visitors. The first three tracks narrate the creation of Maya (according to the description of the cultural narrative “Popol Vuh”) and the final four tracks recall the arrival of the Spanish tormentors and how brutally they slaughtered the indigenous people and inhumanly imposed their own religion. The album features guest vocals from Drew (The Ritual Aura, Ur Draugr, Obed Marsh) and Johan (Meadows End).

It will be released on April 24th 2019.

Thundering heaviness is the name of the game for Crownaside. Massive riffs, a thumping percussion section and deep guttural vocals. This gives the seven tracks that make up From Mud to Ashes a really rich groove sound starting with the beastly The First Breed. Here we see the melding of catchy riffing alongside the traditional roar of death metal.

Never Alive improves upon that with a chunkier beat. A blast of heat that systematically pulls at the desire to head-bang like a lunatic. A killer track that improves as it goes on, capping off with a strong guitar solo.

Far more reliably rhythmic then most, Xibalba and One Last Offering keep things on the right track. The former’s screeching guitars and spitting vocals excel while the latter is depths worth plummeting into. The energy is then well and truly upped for the wild 1492 which sees guest vocals from Drew really adding some meat to the bones of the track. A track built for the pit, simplicity perfected.

Following that is a big ask but Ruins holds its own by having more melodic guitars and a slower, more thought-provoking vocal style. It’s still brutality personified in just how heavy it is but it feels more ‘grownup’.

If you’re more into the faster stuff, fear not as Crownaside wrap up with Scent of Burning Flesh featuring guest vocals from Johan. A mix of the hard hitting death we’ve come to expect and the groovy guitar riffing that has made this more then just your average heavy release.

Crownaside – From Mud to Ashes Full Track Listing:

1. The First Breed
2. Never Alive
3. Xibalba
4. One Last Offering
5. 1492 (feat. Drew)
6. Ruins
7. Scent of Burning Flesh (feat. Johan)

The album can be ordered now via Bandcamp. More information about Crownside can be found over on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.