omonatheydid | Korean metal.

True Heavy Metal veterans don't really die. They become gnarly and mean. They don't cut their hair (or most of them don't). They actually lose weight. And they never give up the fight.

Just look at Korea's CRASH. Ask any true Korean metalhead: who changed the face of Korean heavy metal forever? Which band has been flying the flag for pure, unadulterated Thrash Metal for twenty or so years? The answer will most surely be CRASH. Always lurking around, somewhere in the underground. Once deemed to be The Next Big Thing, on the verge of commercial breakthrough -- but no. Not them. Too much integrity, son.

Originally conceived during the early Nineties, CRASH has seen and done it all. They were the first band to incite stage-diving and slam-dancing in the history of Korean music. They've had their music censored due to "explicit content" and been embroiled in the obligatory "backwards satanic message" controversy. They've played with bands as diverse as Bush and Megadeth. They toured Japan with the Japanese Mad Capsule Markets -- a first for a Korean rock band. They've had their music appear in movies and TV commercials. They once even collaborated with Korea's greatest pop music icon Seo Taiji, only to turn their backs on the inevitable oncoming onslaught of commercial temptations. That really took guts.

And here we are now, 16 years after the release of their classic debut album Endless Supply of Pain. It's been seven long years since their last effort, 2003's The Massive Crush. The same ol' story -- legalities, label limbo. But still, no surrender in sight. The battle rages on. Recently revitalized by the return of founding member and guitarist Yoon, the CRASH riot squad is once again gearing up for war with their latest, The Paragon of Animals.

"Crashday" sets things off in ferocious fashion, a speedy, thrashing celebration of all things CRASH, both musically and lyrically. The following tracks follow the same path, all solid thrash numbers that set the tone for most of the album. Gone are the past few albums' worth of experiments with samples and electronics; The Paragon of Animals has its claws and paws set firmly in the proud tradition of late Eighties thrash metal. Critics may take note of the Slayer-isms and the more pronounced vocal melodies, but really, what self-respecting metal band has not worshiped at the Altar of Slayer? And vocalist Chan, who has a respectable, melodic singing voice, has always had a soft spot for a good hummable melody. "Cold Blooded" is the 'ballad' of the album, which it really isn't; there's no sentimental acoustic guitar picking here -- the strong vocal melodies, the slower pace, and the orchestral strings(!) give the number a rather grand, tragic majesty that really packs an emotional impact.

"Redlambs" and "Creeping I Am" bring things back to headbanging-intensity, both tracks lurching forward on truly wicked groove riffs; the latter sports gang vocal lines that make you believe that it's 1987 all over again. "The New Black" is an impressive instrumental (if you disregard the brief vocal part towards the end) that showcases the band's strong songwriting and arrangement abilities. This expansive number never lags or gets boring; indeed, it is one of the finer tracks on the album. Album closer "Fierce People" hits the spot for just one more spin around the moshpit before total collapse. One final note: original axe slinger Yoon's slightly bluesy soloing adds a certain 'flavor' to the proceedings, resulting in something that is more than just thrash on speed.

The Paragon of Animals sounds just like its creators -- gnarly, lean and mean. But it also sounds confident. As if they know who they are. What they're here for. What time it is. Every wanna-be evil/melo-death/emo/metalcore/whatever-band better watch out. Cause now it's on.

source: crash, article credited to SonicPrism (unable to find source link :( )