36 Crazyfists – Lanterns


Nostalgia for the good old days’ post-hardcore of the 1990s and the early aughts is at an all-time high in 2017. However, few bands made the impact on the scene the way that 36 Crazyfists did, coming on in the middle of that golden decade and reigning hard for years over several acclaimed, and a few other solid releases. Unlike some of their peers, they never really broken up, as much as the hype died down and they settled into veteran band status. Except for a brief lag before their last album, Time and Trauma (Spinefarm) ,they have been consistent,and always supported by their die-hard fan base. New album Lanterns (also Spinefarm) shows these guys are not slipping.Continue reading


36 Crazyfists – Time and Trauma


10155607_10152754947334830_4682106299477867681_n

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. The thing is, “they” also say eating bread crusts makes your chest hair grow curly and that going to sleep with wet hair gives you a cold. “They” can talk a load of bollocks at times. Sometimes absence makes you think “Oh, I’d forgotten about them”, “I thought they’d split up” or even “well, I hadn’t actually missed them at all”. So, while 36 Crazyfists aren’t quite starting from scratch with Time and Trauma (Spinefarm), their first album since 2010’s Collisions and Castaways (Ferret/Roadrunner), they do have a little bit of re-establishing to do as it is now thirteen years since their defining moment, debut Bitterness The Star (Roadrunner).

The first thing to notice is, that while it would be churlish to say there’s a reduction in aggression as the Alaskan quartet were never about being heavy bruisers, Time and Trauma moves their trademarks more into the alternative metal ballpark, focused on building dynamic atmospheres rather than the quick win thrash-holler-beatdown formulas of many of their contemporaries, giving room for mainstay vocalist Brock Lindow to seek powerful melodies and create a more expansive universe for the Crazyfists. Lindow has always been a divisive figure in my mind, distinctive – which is always a bonus – and capable of creating the choruses that others may not think of, but at the same time over-reliant on an idiosyncrasy that doesn’t always enhance, with his warble grating as often as it augments.

There is an interesting dynamic to Time and Trauma in that this is an album that aurally grows and develops as it progresses, with the depth and quality of tune, in the main, saved for the second half. Most bands frontload with singles in the hope to build up enough brownie points in the opening exchanges to win the plaudits and the affections of their faithful, however 36 Crazyfists are confident in their material and happy to display a maturity that suits them, a darker churn to their sound that stands them in good stead.

There may be touches of Drowning Pool (‘Also Am I’) and the odd ‘Grind’ of Alice In Chains (the title track) but the over-riding feature seems to be that this, the sixth Crazyfist release, is the album that sees them explore their inner Deftones, expanding and lurching this added influence into their sound, culminating in the interesting penultimate track, ‘Gathering Bones’. That said, it is only on the closing, harrowing ‘Marrow’ that the band unveil a truly great song with a chilling, spiraling bleak melancholia that sees a great female vocal guest performance (and shame on the band for making it so hard to find out who it is).

As far as comebacks go, they may be aiming for “swinging for the fences again”, as Lindow declares again in the press statement, but Time and Trauma only sees them round second, falling short of a home run. A decent effort that will be a welcome addition to the collections of those who are already on-board and that, despite the added exploration of the dark and the Deftones, is unlikely to convince those who don’t already walk the world of the 36 Crazyfists.

7.0/10

36 Crazyfists on Facebook

STEVE TOVEY


36 Crazyfists – New track, UK tour and signing session


20140903Commercial36CF_LREX23

In the build up to the release of their new album Time & Trauma through Spinefarm on 16th February, US metalcore heavyweights 36 Crazyfists have released a new track, ‘Swing The Noose’ and confirmed a UK signing session.

36 Crazyfists: ‘Swing The Noose’

https://soundcloud.com/spinefarmrecords/36-crazyfists-swing-the-noose/s-Bq4a2

In addition to this, the band have announced a full UK tour (dates below) and a signing session on the date of their London show. The Alaskan quartet will be signing copies of the new album at Fopp Covent Garden (London) at 5.30pm ahead of their show at the Electric Ballroom

36 Crazyfists UK tour dates:

04.02.2015 Plymouth (UK) The Hub

05.02.2015 Bournemouth (UK) Sound Circus

06.02.2015 Brighton (UK) Concorde 2

07.02.2015 Bristol (UK) The Marble Factory

08.02.2015 Stoke-On-Trent (UK) The Sugarmill

10.02.2015 Glasgow (UK) Classic Grand

11.02.2015 Newcastle Upon Tyne (UK) Newcastle Academy

12.02.2015 Manchester (UK) Manchester Academy 3

13.02.2015 Nottingham (UK) Rescue Rooms

14.02.2015 Birmingham (UK) Asylum

15.02.2015 Norwich (UK) The Waterfront

17.02.2015 London (UK) Electric Ballroom

18.02.2015 Southampton (UK) Engine Rooms

19.02.2015 Oxford (UK) Oxford O2 Academy


News: 36 Crazyfists Releasing Time and Trauma Via Spinefarm Records


36crazyfistsbandoct2014new_638

 

36 Crazyfists is releasing their forthcoming album Time and Trauma via Spinefarm Records, out in February 2015. This is their first album in four years, and their first with new drummer Kyle Baltus (replacing Thomas Noonan) and returning bassist Mick Whitney (replacing Brett “Buzzard” Makowski). Their last album, 2010’s Collisions and Castaways, was issued by Ferret Records in the United States and Roadrunner Records in Europe.

Check out their new song “Also Am I” here.

36 Crazyfists have an upcoming tour supporting their 20th Anniversary with Skinlab, All Hail The Yeti and Incite as support. Dates are as follows.
Oct 31: Whiskey Dick’s – South Lake Tahoe, CA (BDP Halloween Show)

With Skinless:
Nov 01: Ash Street Saloon – Portland, OR
Nov 02: The Hop – Spokane, WA
Nov 03: El Corazon – Seattle, WA
Nov 05: Bombay’s – Redding, California
Nov 06: Velvet Jones – Santa Barbara, CA
Nov 07: Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA
Nov 08: Los Globos – Los Angeles, CA
Nov 09: Pub Rock Live – Scottsdale, AZ
Nov 11: Skylight Santa Fe – Santa Fe, NM
Nov 12: Dirty Dog Bar – Austin, TX
Nov 13: Gas Monkey Bar ‘N’ Grill – Dallas, TX
Nov 14: Downtown Lounge Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
Nov 15: The Labyrinth – Norman, OK
Nov 16: The Lizards Lounge – Wichita, KS
Nov 17: The Roxy Theater – Denver, CO
Nov 18: Mesa Theater and Club – Grand Junction, CO
Nov 19: Db’s – Idaho Falls, ID
Nov 20: Bar Deluxe – Salt Lake City, UT
Nov 21: Cheyenne Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
Nov 22: The Uptown Nite Club – Oakland, CA
Nov 23: Lost on Main – Chico, CA

36 CRAZYFISTS 20th Anniversary Show:
Dec 05: Chilkoot Charlie’s – Anchorage, AK

36 Crazyfists on Facebook