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Album Reviews : 36 Crazyfists – Lanterns

By on September 13, 2017

What an institution this band has become, 23 years and eight albums into the fold. But if Lanterns is anything to go by, age hath not wearied them, not blunted their sting in any way, as it is a pumping, pounding, in your face entry into their illustrious discography.

Brock and the band signal their intentions in no uncertain terms with opener Death Eater, which veritably explodes from your speakers with furious, fist to the face anger. There’s excellent variation too, from the frenetic, fast and thrashy opener to the slow-burning grind of Sleepsick, and just about everything in between.

Then there’s the quieter, more reflective side of the band. Closer Dark Corners and mid-album dynamic moment Where Revenge Ends are both darkly beautiful in a melancholy kind of way and provide sweet relief from the thunder and fury that surrounds them.

Lindow himself is in howling, screeching, blood-curdling form on Lanterns, and the band behind him is typically razor-sharp and tighter than a clenched fist. Production is clean, crystal clear and just plain enormous.

As far as the lyrics, themes, and imagery are concerned, Lindow remains in an introspective mood, tackling dark and personal ideas rather than more universal ones (which would be understandable given the chaotic and uncertain times we live in), and the band’s background, living in cold, dark, bleak but beautiful Alaska, infiltrates virtually everything they do.

This band took a few years off for mainly personal reasons, not releasing anything between 2010 and 2015, but their second album back after that hiatus is the strongest possible message to their fans across the globe. They are back, and they are not messing around.

Band: 36 Crazyfists
Album: Lanterns
Year: 2017
Genre: Metalcore
Label:  Spinefarm
Origin: USA

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.