Taking their cues from all eras of metalcore and hardcore, Canadian newcomers Take The Crown set out to make a statement with their debut EP, Warzone.
Canada. Also known as America’s hat, its the home of maple syrup heists, bagged milk and a surprisingly rich and fertile hardcore scene. With the most obvious exports being Counterparts and Comeback Kid, bands like Rust and Reality Denied have been the frontrunners of an incredibly exciting underground scene for the last few years. Take The Crown are one of the newer faces on the block, having formed about a year ago and consisting of a ragtag bunch of musicians who’ve all cut their teeth in various bands over the years.
Blending the pummelling, pit teasing intensity of hardcore with metallic chops and more than a few massive hooks, Take The Crown take influence from the more obvious Hatebreed and all eras of the down under boys Parkway Drive, to lesser known but no less influential groups such as Desolated and Degrader. There’s an undercurrent of maliciousness in the music, as if goading the listener to letting it seep into them, to start having a disregard for those around you.
Photo Credit: Take The Crown
The most satisfying thing about Warzone is the simplicity of it all. On the surface, the songs may seem basic and bare bones, but that’s the appeal. It’s no-frills, shitkicking metallic hardcore made by people who just want to bang their heads and see crowds hurt each other. Vocalist Alex Kennedy isn’t one for vocal gymnastics, but his gravel voiced delivery (Sounding like Daniel Winter-Bates from Bury Tomorrow at times) is infectious and oddly charming. Opener and title track ‘Warzone’ sets out the bands stall and you’ll know by halfway through whether you’re going to be sticking around for the rest of proceedings. Catchy riffs and well annunciated bursts of passion burst through the speakers. As the bands own name is bellowed out on ‘Call To Arms’, the pace kicks up a bit and we’re treat to a melodic chorus with some faint and very brief clean vocals, which fall slightly flat due to the production, though it adds to the often ramshackle edge of the sound the band are clearly going for.
With the band having re-recorded three tracks and written three new ones for this EP, it’s clear to see which have benefited from the band having more time to gel as a unit. ‘Expired’ is a glimpse into the bands future with a fun melodic intro. One of the best tracks is the closer ‘Reckless’ which is one of the more knuckle headed displays for the band, yet the soulful little solo that pops up over halfway through brings to mind Ire era Parkway Drive yet still possesses a wonderfully DIY hardcore stomp.
The more coddled metalcore fan will scoff and turn their nose up, but this is the sound of the genre at it’s most primal and simplistic. Hardcore kids playing metal riffs and stomping their way through fifty cap venues and having the times of their lives doing so. It hits hard and at times, scratches the itch in your brain that yearns to smash things and make fire.