Album Review: Those Damn Crows – God Shaped Hole (Earache Records)

High flying Welsh rockers Those Damn Crows will release their fourth album, ‘God Shaped Hole’, on April 11th, 2025, via long-time label home Earache Records.

This feels like an important turning point for Those Damn Crows. They’ve already got a sizeable fanbase, many that adore their rocking ways, and seem to grow in size each and every release, but this feels bigger. An album that has more potential than ever to capture the imagination of the mainstream, especially as the inherent relatability of the band is even more effective here.

Ten tracks, ten modern rock anthems, ten flavours of Those Damn Crows that shows off all that they are, all that they’ve learned, and all that they are becoming. Yet it is the fact that all of this comes with such heart and soul that matters. Those Damn Crows are being open and honest here, it just so happens to come in such catchy ways.

Not always the most exciting of ways, but impactful none the less. Case in point, the punchy opener that is Dancing with the Enemy, solid sounding and very likable. Whereas Glass Heart is a grower (anyone else getting some Jimmy Eat World vibes?), with body shaking melodies and a chorus that is so easy to sing along to.

On brand for Those Damn Crows of course, and what tracks like this and the following Fake, Dreaming, and Let’s Go Psycho! showcase, is a refined sound. You don’t have to worry about filler here. It’s dynamic rock track after dynamic rock track, with plenty of groovy riffs, dramatic melody, and infectious hooks. Driven, a lot of the time, by very powerful vocals that drip passion.

It’s this that makes a track like No Surrender a more memorable effort. Well, that and momentary flashes of heavier instrumentals. Whereas The Night Train’s ‘country’ twang is really sweet and Turn it Around rocks really hard. Each is an anthem in its own way, and continues to showcase the variety that Those Damn crows has to offer here.

It does blaze by too, which is a great sign, as suddenly the end is in sight and Spit & Choke has a faster and heavier style to show off. The drumming, which has been thick and notable throughout, really hits harder here.

Before the album comes to close with Still, arguably the most powerful track of all. There won’t be many words that fully do this track justice, and as far as openness goes, there aren’t many as intense as this powerful acoustic effort. Which, when you consider they’re a band we associate with catchy feel-good rock and roll anthems, shouldn’t be that appealing. Yet, it is, and all because of the heart and soul within it. It’s going to help some people, and that makes it special beyond belief. It’s the kind of track the elevates an album.

Which, when you consider the strength in this album already, should tell you a hell of a lot about its potential. Those Damn Crows are on course to take over the rock world.

Those Damn Crows – God Shaped Hole Track Listing:

1. Dancing with the Enemy
2. Glass Heart
3. Fake
4. Dreaming
5. Let’s Go Psycho!
6. No Surrender
7. The Night Train
8. Turn It Around
9. Spit & Choke
10. Still

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