CRASHDÏET

Jono Moulds checks out the new album from CRASHDÏET for The Rock & Roll Circus. "AUTOMATON" is due for release on 29th April, via Crusader Records. 

Just like a gigantic robotic machine with pre-determined instructions, failure was never an option... No matter what obstacles may have come their way in the past, tragic deaths, sudden line-up changes etc. Crashdïet have always marched forward, delivering their own style of Sleaze Metal they have become so well known for. Their sixth studio album contains 11 powerful sing-along anthems with massive drums, guitars, bass, powering vocals including a surprise special guest and a haunting voice from the past.

An automaton (/ɔːˈtɒmətən/; plural: automata or automatons) is a relatively self-operating machine, or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a sequence of operations or respond to predetermined instructions.[1] Some automata, such as bell strikers in mechanical clocks, are designed to give the illusion to the casual observer that they are operating under their own power. Since long ago, the term is commonly associated with automated puppets that resemble moving humans or animals, built to impress and/or to entertain people.

 

Right then, let’s check this out. As a preface to what’s to come we have ‘Automaton’, which is an extremely brief, forty second soundbite that leads directly into ‘Together, whatever’ and when I say lead, I mean ‘pummelled’ by a bombastic opening salvo by ‘Young’ on the drums. The song starts off hard and fast, with guitar lines aplenty on display. It’s only a brief second or two before ‘Keyes’ let’s loose with some raw and unreserved vocal. As the first minute or so passes, it becomes apparent that there is a nice balance between a hard-hitting style and commercial edge, no more so than when we get to the chorus section. I’m loving the change within the second verse, as we lose the guitars for some synth work to take over (inventive). The bridge summons the song to make a key change (which always works) not that this higher range troubles ‘Keyes’ (no pun intended) or the support vocal. An excellent start. Great song.

‘Shine On’ arrives on the scene with more of that throbbing synth, left over from the opener. Deep and pulsating, it goes on for a spell, until there is an almighty clash of high octane riffage and bat-shit crazy drumming. This is another heavy-duty launch, with yet more impressive vocal from ‘Keyes’, as if the first track was just a warmup exercise leading to this. For the second song on the bounce, the chorus delivers both strong anthemic qualities, but with a sprinkling of commerciality – still, it never loses the power that is so highly apparent. The tune just races away, with more changes in pattern and arrangement which is already becoming a feature. The guitar piece is super melodic and arrives just after some ‘war-like’ chanting, which is thematic throughout the song. Two songs in, and very impressed.

The distant strains of the main lick slowly rising and easing its way in, as we are formally introduced to ‘No Man's Land’.  After the introduction ebbs away, this tune powerfully drives forward. There’s absolutely no holding back, as the band, armed with the opening riff, (but now with a harder and overdriven edge to it), ‘clatters’ through its introductory. There is a subtle, but nicely placed change of chord played behind the main riff that gives it a lift before we head straight into the first verse. The guitar sound is prominent and has some serious depth, both in tone and gain. Lovely stuff!!!

The initial verse has that classic descending chord structure/arrangement to it, and it’s at this point where ‘Keyes’ starts the business of showing off his vocal wares, with the inaugural lines of the track - ‘Let it be said, it’s the sign of the times and the ways’. Behind the vocal, the guitar ‘chuggs’ away and there’s a faint and distant underlying lick being played, which fills it in well.

The chorus then ‘slams’ in, and to my untrained ear, even more layers of guitar are added, along with some excellent backing/supporting vocal, just to ensure that the power is intensified, at those specific points. There is a change of tact at the mid-point, where ‘Young’ throws in a bout of drum rolls as we head to an intervention, where, there is a change of key and build up, before the guitar takes over. Firstly, there is a riff run that leads nicely into the solo piece. This is harmonious and has great melody.

One more verse and a final chorus and we are all but done, but not before we end the song in the same as we started it, that being, the distant strains of the main lick slowly fading on the outro.

A short drum introduction lays the marker down to ‘Darker Minds’ that from the outset, delivers a mesmeric guitar lick that teases you into what’s likely to feature further along. As the last strains of the guitar lick/opening fade, the track starts to take shape, as we get a brooding, and stripped-back opening verse, which once again has some big commercial overtones to it, but my friends, that is nowhere near what’s to come. We very quickly hit the chorus, which takes things up several levels, as the band pull out all the stops and we have a tune which must be released as a single at some stage. That being said, the song still carries some weight, especially when we come out of the second chorus and into a bridge section, which prefaces the guitar solo. You can’t escape that this is the ‘lightest’ sounding song on the album (so far), but the band execute this with some style and panache. This must be a fixture within the live set. Surely.

Some serious phase effected guitar traverses across the opening of ‘Dead Crusade’ as drums and a second guitar ‘burst’ in unison, like a series of machine guns being fired off. From here on in, there is a change of rhythm, as ‘Young’ settles into an off-beat drum pattern, robustly enhanced by the guitar, chugging away in perfect time, all before the drums explode once more, as enter the opening verse. The tune has a substantial, ‘galloping’ sense to it, that in the main, has ‘Young’ to thank for that, as there are some high-level technical qualities to what is being produced and seriously drives the song marching toward the chorus. This is a full-on rocker and is about as far away removed from the ‘lighter’ tunes (that have come before), as you could get, that being, heavy throughout the track, where each instrument is being played with purpose and power. No doubt this song belongs to ‘Young’ and his impressive drumming, making this rocker stand out from the pack.

‘Powerline’ comes to life in the guise of a fleeting harmonised vocal as guitar lines float in front of a delicate and almost reserved opening verse. The verse is ‘exposed’ to begin with, far less intense, as we just get vocals, drums, and some ‘throbbing’ bass from ‘London’ This is further emphasised by the almost ‘hushed’ vocal that ‘Keyes’ lays down. The pre-chorus has a sweet melody line to it, with the intention of getting you prepared for what’s to arrive next. The chorus does not disappoint, as there is a return to what we’ve heard in previous songs, with some top level vocal, captivating melody and intensity, and the rhythm section, sounding thunderous and filling every conceivable space within the tune, with electricity and hard-edged rock!!!

There’s nothing quite like crisp, high gain guitar riffage to get the pulse racing, as we enter ‘Resurrection of the Damned’, which as the title intimates, is going to be full-on, no-nonsense metal!! And it most certainly does not dissatisfy. This is classic old school stuff, as it grabs you instantly with the fierceness that the track contains. This song is another great example of how the band can quite easily drift in and out of styles between their songs, showing their undoubted experience and flexibility. The chorus is super strong and full of ‘chant-along’ support vocal, which will be another crowd please, no doubt about that!! A solid and ‘metalmungously’ effective tune.

‘We Die Hard’ starts off with in glorious fashion, with some cracking harmonised guitar leading the song out onto the long and winding road. From its outset, what we have here is a mid-tempo rocker, as verses are complete with guitar ‘chugging’, that pulse and grind continuously, allowing ‘Keyes’ to deliver his vocal with ease. Unsurprisingly, this has an arrangement full of musicalness, which, has been specifically captured within the guitar lines, that are strewn all over this track. The chorus once again grabs your attention with its uncanny knack of drawing you into the melody – very tasty. There’s also a clever twist on the chorus, as we lose the guitars in favour of just drums and support vocal, that’s a great touch. There is another round of the chorus before the tune ends. Great addition.

The military style roll of the snare drum, accompanied by a simple guitar run leads us into ‘Shell Shock’. This introduction is brief and is swiftly overtaken by a secondary wave, as the drums beat louder and another (yes another) riff is exhibited. But wait, things are about to be taken up once more on the ‘metal scale’, as we get a third wave, only this time, it’s even ‘heavier and throatier’ (all this within the first 30 seconds of the tune!!). There is some respite though, as we play out the opening verse, under a slow and intimidating atmosphere, as we are left with vocal, heavy drums and sporadic guitar hooks. The chorus hits as hard as the title suggests, wherein we find anthemic vocal, coupled with direct lyrics (this is ‘F*%$ing’ R&R after all!!!). And just as I wax lyrical about all things metal, we are met with a very Eastern sounding synth lines, but have no fear, this mystical interlude is just setting up the guitar solo. A final change of arrangement sees more ‘mass chanting’ vocal ‘Shell Shock’ whilst the tune is uncovered, leaving us with another tune that must surely be played live.

And so, onto the last two tunes on this impressive album, first up is ‘Unbroken’, which starts off at full canter, as you get an early feeling this is going to come at you with high levels of reckless abandon. The opening riff (which I assume will be the melody line for the chorus – it’s that distinct) quickly runs into the verse, where there is a full change of arrangement, much more in the vein of a traditional rocker, where guitars chug, drums crash intermittently and the vocal delivers further rawness and metal influence. A short pre-chorus leads into the chorus, with that promised hook, which was presented so effectively earlier on. The chorus itself is equally as effective as the guitar hook and follows the same path as so many songs on this album, which all have a tremendous amount of flavour and easily grabs your attention. A softer, brief bridge segment is played through, which sets up the guitar solo nicely. The song then simply finishes with another chorus, but this has been a belter – Fair play.

‘I can’t move on (Without You)’ already has a ‘ballad’ sound about its title, and as the acoustic guitar (12-string??, it’s very choral sounding) intro begins, I’m proven correct, as we get a classic ballad style vocal and guitar for the tunes opening statement. As we move through the early stages, there is some great harmony vocals added, which always helps a song (especially a ballad) get lifted into another level. Things rarely change, as strummed acoustic guitar is met with the addition of a guitar line played on another acoustic. It’s only when pass the three-minute mark, that they decide it’s time to fully ramp things up, as we then get the full force of the band, but in ballad mode. Vocals escalate to full throttle, backed up by some WAH induced guitar lines. A subtle, yet strong way to complete the album.

Having reviewed the single off the album some time back, I already had a flavour/idea about Crashdïet. However, now I’ve had the pleasure of listening to these 12 songs, I can say that the band have a unique set of qualities, great song writing, the use of melody and clever, catchy hooks, great musicianship, top level vocalist and a flexibility to visit all ends of their chosen musical spectrum.

I dare anyone out there not to like this album. If your bag is classic sounding, high-energy, cool guitar licks rock ‘roll – then look no further. BOOM!!!

Review by Jono Moulds

CRASHDÏET release new single and video 'Together Whatever', check out the video here now.

Crashdïet  are :-

Gabriel Keyes - vocals

Martin Sweet - guitars

Peter London - bass

Eric Young – drums

CRASHDÏET TOUR DATES
 
04.05.2022 Stockholm Sweden Debaser strand
06.05.2022 Oslo Norway John Dee
08.05.2022 Copenhagen Denmark Pumpehuset
09.05.2022 Gothenburg Sweden Pustervik
12.05.2022 Blizen Belgium South Of Heaven
13.05.2022 De Verlichte Geest Belgium Roeselare
14.05.2022 Rotterdam Netherlands L Baroeg
15.05.2022 Breda Netherlands Bel Air
17.05.2022 Leeds U.K. Key Club
19.05.2022 Wolverhampton U.K. Robin 2
20.05.2022 Machynlleth U.K. Lion
21.05.2022 Call of the Wild festival Lincoln U.K. Ticket Link
22.05.2022 Edinburgh U.K. Bannermans
25.05.2022 Madrid Spain Story live
26.05.2022 Barcelona Spain Bóveda
28.05.2022 Milan Italy Legend club (only local support)
30.05.2022 Munich Germany Backstage
31.05.2022 Cologne Germany Helios
02.06.2022 Hamburg Germany headcrash
03.06.2022 Berlin Germany Badehaus
04.06.2022 Lichtenfels Germany Paunchy Cats
Tickets: http://www.crashdiet.org/tour

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