CRUTCHES - "LURAD" (Infernal Crustcore massacre brought to us by "PHOBIA REC.", "DISTRO-Y REC.", "NOT ENOUGH", and "RAWMANTIC DISASTERS"; 2014 release.)

CRUTCHES - "LURAD"
("PHOBIA RECORDS", "DISTRO-Y RECORDS", "NOT ENOUGH" & ""RAWMANTIC DISASTERS"; CD/LP + "D.I.Y."; MP3-Online/Download-Release)
(Running time: 10 songs in around 20 minutes.)
(Note: The physical release is a co-production between the four above named labels, but please don't ask me about the format or formats of the physical release, if CD, LP, or both - or maybe even (also) a release on Tape already saw the light of the day, I don't know it.)
(Expression of thank(s): A big "THX!!!" goes out to the band for sending me the link to their download site of their new album "LURAD" after I unfortunately lost them totally out of sight after reviewing their first two - btw damn good and great - releases, don't ask me why, I guess there's just too much music out and too less time for it all, anyhow, so really "THX!!!" a lot guys!!!)

If you read this blog pretty frequent or more or less regular and this now already also for some years then CRUTCHES should be no strangers to you (and if you are into Crustcore and D-Beat and raw Hardcore Punk - of today - then they should be also definitely no stranges to you because then you would have missed definitely a lot), and you should be also pretty familiar with the fact that I am a pretty big fan of them, and always was that right from the start when back then two years ago in 2012 I first listened to their "DEMO 2012" (and also reviewed it back then up here), and with their "TSUNAMI" E.P. from sort of a year later or so (at least I did my review on it sort of a year later...) they even made a big step forward, and so now here comes "LURAD", already released this February (after all what Bandcamp tells, if I am now not read something totally wrong) but after I just got aware of it some weeks ago when the guys in CRUTCHES wrote me the review is finally just now coming up, now in December, and so we will see what they managed to do now on and with their newest one, "LURAD", and if they were able to keep up the quality and if they kept on stepping forward. And to make it short: They did!!! "LURAD" simply conquers from start to finish, and the just twenty minutes of running time are definitely too short, point and fact, hm, and with this said more or less all that's anyhow "negative" about "LURAD" is already told - and you see, there wasn't much to tell. This is a fantastic Crustcore/D-Beat (and/or if you want so violent and brutal and also pretty sinister Hardcore Punk) album full of great skullsmashing heavy and devastating and brutally harsh shredding and sawing hard guitars, totally aggressive and dry thorated all out attack screamed and shouted bestial lead vocals, and a incredible heavy and tight/precise thundering and hammering mercyless bonecracking rhythm section going to the point to work, and imagine this all with a nice little own and special note (especially delivered through the sheer monstrous lead vocals with a pretty own voicing and full of exuberating lusty energy as well as through and via the great guitar work with its pretty decent and cool own tone to it all, and also the rhythm work and especially the drumming is very strong and delivers even the maybe most well-known D-Beat Up-Tempo parts with a very special and sheer forceful punch and so keep it all damn fresh and grapping) and all is done in a great way of intense and also diverse songwriting that really offers a lot of surprises that are just waiting for you to be discovered by you underneath the ultra-violent fast paced and über-harsh brutal smashing surface, yes, there waits far more, and I love especially the still fast paced but sheer mighty and powerful and just stunning heavy very organic and natural grooves (beside some nice fresh guitar surprises) that they more and more work into their songs, at least so it seems, maybe best to be noticed in the über-song of the album titled "ABSOLUTION" that's even enriched by some really great done really strong and also pretty sick and very decent clean sung lead vocal passages, and anyhow are the two last songs of the album, the already mentioned "ABSOLUTION" and the sheer exploding title-track "LURAD" itself, in my book the by far strongest and most protruding songs. If in the middle of the album not one, two a little bit weaker songs would had happened and, yes, and if the album would just be a little bit longer, hahahahahaha;-), the rating would be even better. Anyhow, this here is one damn strong fucking great album that should be part of any collection of extreme musick, period. Also the artwork and the prodution sound rule, hm, and to the lyrics I can't tell that much but - also by judging by the song-titles - I expect some good and needed, authentic and heartfelt outspoken, critical, and political lyrics from this Anarchist Crustcore madmen, and that's all more than good and fine for and with me. So, to finally close this review, this is a very, very high recommended album, so, by any means, get it if you are anyhow into extreme musick. Bang, this rules!!! /// Andy
(Rating: 9 of 10 points)

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