It just doesn't get much more METAL than this. The Crown (formerly known as Crown of Thorns) has, with this album, successfully managed to combine all the raw, fast and just fucking RoKKeN elements of old-school metal favorites such as Motörhead, early Iron Maiden, Slayer, Kreator and Sodom, throws in some modern death metal aggression and seal the envelope with a razor-sharp production to create the most outright FUN metal album I've had the pleasure of hearing in a LONG time.

I shit you not, this is the type of album that will be responsible for many traffic accidents, as a result of someone playing it too loud in their car and speeding (not being able to hear the sirens behind them), then while headbanging too hard, end up slamming into a tree because they lost sight of the road. Deathrace King should come with a surgeon general warning... because even if you're not driving while listening to it, chances are, you'll experience some type of neck trauma. Of course, this isn't a bad thing by any means, since such headbanging recklessness is a quality I find very admirable in a metal album.

Razor-sharp & catchy riffing, punctillious drumming and bestial, raspy vocals abound here. The Crown, quite literally, RACES through much of the album at 120 mph, interestingly enough, only resorting to the blast beat only once on the album. There are only a couple of pit-stops (if you will), where the listener can slow down and catch his/her breath, and even there the music is extremely catchy and enjoyable.

The lyrics here are absolute limberger, but it actually works to the band's advantage, since the choruses are right up there with those from the first 3 Iron Maiden albums as some of the catchiest and most memorable in metal history. In fact, I'd place the song "Total Satan" as one of the best metal "anthems" since the genre's inception.

I really have nothing but pity for anyone who finds theirself without this album in their possession... in fact... you know what? FUCK PITY! If you deem yourself any kind of true metal fan at all, then BUY DEATHRACE KING OR I'LL KILL YOU!!!!

This review is credited to:
The Havoc Vulture