REVIEW: Crown Magnetar – Everything Bleeds [2023]
Artist: Crown Magnetar
Album: Everything Bleeds
Imagine a world where nothing is impervious to harm. No single person is invulnerable, no object impenetrable. Everything can be lacerated, spread open and broken down to its most rudimentary parts. Injury becomes universal and unavoidable; blood spills, tides turn red and structures of stone and mortar wash away, succumbing to the incisive wounds cast upon entities once thought to be immortal. Bodies flayed, stones crushed, mountains reduced to rubble—all brought about by the hands of Crown Magnetar, one of deathcore’s most rapidly rising stars. Since their debut full length record in 2021, The Codex of Flesh, Crown Magnetar have refused to slow down, embarking on multiple nation-wide tours with the likes of Suicide Silence, Carnifex, SPITE and more—all while releasing another explosive release with Alone in Death in 2022. Throughout these releases, Crown Magnetar have made themselves synonymous with aggression, however no album in their devastating discography emphasizes that as boldly as does Everything Bleeds, the band’s forthcoming installment. Infusing relentless deathcore with mind-numbing technicality and immolating hatred, Everything Bleeds is a true testament to the fundamentals and foundation of deathcore—fast, pissed and heavier than hell, with just enough atmosphere and melody to bring forth balance and whimsy without watering down the all-engulfing maelstrom of misanthropy that is Crown Magnetar. Beyond that, Everything Bleeds stands as not only one of the most poignant examples of the genre listeners have seen in a full length this year, but also one of—if not the—finest full length of 2023.
Everything Bleeds is distilled, pure-from-concentrate deathcore, taking the cornerstones and tropes of the genre and turning them into majesty. From the opening seconds of “Nail Funeral” through the djent-tinted “Dead Season,” fretwork shines moreso than it ever did on the band’s earlier works. Guitarist Nick Burnett shines, with everything from grisly, tormenting riffs on “Hex Ov Hate” and “Unholy Neck Stab” to moments of ethereality on “Prismatic Tomb,” which happens to house the listener’s only brief reprieve throughout Everything Bleeds’ modest runtime. Burnett works brilliantly with bassist Grant Robinson, bewildering the listener with head-splitting chugs and a murky, murderous low end on personal favorite “The Killing Stone” while still being able to groove and riff frantically and with intense fervor through the record’s most technically challenging bits—often led by percussionist Byron London. London’s drumming is simply insane—and if you haven’t had the opportunity to see him deliver it hit-for-hit in a live setting, you should toss it on your bucket list. “Only the Spine Remains” and “The Killing Stone” see London’s speed at a level that is nigh unmatched, reminiscent of the absurdities of late-2000s deathcore, while his ability to provide bouncy, energetic fills and play a calm, collected pocket on “Dead Season” and “Prismatic Tomb” highlights his dynamism. This isn’t necessarily new—as Alone in Death’s “Hellsphere” was another such example of London’s technical ability—but everything on Everything Bleeds feels much more refined and focused, not to mention more memorable. London’s speed and precision serve as the ideal foundation, contrasting Burnett’s proclivity for the chug at times, while at other times serving as a jaw-dropping vector for some of Burnett and Robinson’s more furiously fretted passages. In this fashion, Crown Magnetar’s sophomore full length release contains enough jaw-slackening impact to stun listeners on their first listen, but enough variety and nuance to keep them coming back for seconds, third and so on.
Crown Magnetar’s crown jewel, however, is likely vocalist Dan Tucker. Tucker’s range is practically unparalleled, and his ability to perfectly match the candor provided by the musicianship aside him just as much so. “The Killing Stone” and “Everything Bleeds” sees his bitterness shine with lyrics and delivery that work hand-in-hand to instill an immolating hatred in the listener. Meanwhile, “Only the Spine Remains” sees SPITE’s Darius Tehrani work side-by-side with Tucker, piling on the intensity to a point where the listener is practically suffocating under it. Everything Bleeds is home to a vocal onslaught that only lets up near the end of the dynamic and mesmerizing “Prismatic Tomb,” wherein sparsely sprinkled singing matches the melancholic ethereality that brings the record to a close. Otherwise, “Hex Ov Hate” and “Dead Season”—as well as just about any track on the record—see Tucker continuing to establish himself as a voice in the heavy music community that is bound to become a staple.
I’ve been fairly rabid about promoting Everything Bleeds because it is a fundamental deathcore release; technicality without being overbearing, intense without being too dense and heavier than an obese elephant and beyond fun. No homogenous symphonics, no corny electronic parts, no filler—in other words, nothing from stopping it from claiming a rightful spot as one of the best deathcore albums of recent memory. In the years to come, as the deathcore resurgence continues to gain footing and popularity, Everything Bleeds could stand as this decade’s This Is Exile or Depths—something that is nostalgic without trying to be nostalgic, and unafraid to utilize elements of the genre’s contemporary counterparts to give the record punch and vitality. In short, Everything Bleeds is nothing short of phenomenal and is one of few must-listen records in 2023.
10/10
For Fans Of: Oceano, Aborted, Psycho-Frame, Tracheotomy, Carnifex
By: Connor Welsh
