The duo Crown of Madness announces their second EP.
Created in Canada by Sunshine Schneider (vocals/guitar) and Connor Gordon (drums), members of Arboreal, the band released their first EP in 2022, followed by Elemental Binding, mastered by Stu McKillop (AngelMaker, The Hallowed Catharsis…).
Immortal Eyes, the first track, slowly unveils itself before hitting us at full speed, letting riffs lacerate us. With Matthew Pancoust (Truent) on guitar, the band will place as technical and jerky as mastered and massive elements while leaving a good place to vocals along with more dissonant parts, just like on the dark A Wrenching Nostalgia which also floods us with aggressive blast on a fast tempo. Violence and heavy sounds perfectly mix in this surge of rage which naturally leads us to Roots, Limbs and Sky after a very short break, letting the riffs flow immediately resurface while keeping a similar approach. We also have some melancholic leads towards the end, then Vile Sun will give the word to these heavy and dark tones while creating a contrast with aggressiveness of the massive and regular drums.
Crown of Madness is a project of a formidable efficiency which knows how to couple violence and speed with other elements, like melancholy. Elemental Binding is still a bit short, but it allows us to glimpse the band’s ambitions.
80/100