CROWS – BEWARE BELIEVERS
Another cracking album and I can’t wait to see ‘em blast it out live.
I first became aware of London four-piece Crows when they supported Idles at the UEA back in 2019. I thought Crows were the better band that night and debut LP Silver Tongues became a regular on my turntable.
Second album Beware Believers picks up where Silver Tongues left off. Similar to Idles, Crows are rooted in punk and hardcore but add significant doses of post-punk to the mix. James Cox is not a hardcore bawler, having a deep and expressive voice. Steve Goddard’s guitars range from Mogwai orchestration to Keith Levene metallic clang via bludgeoning metallic riffing. Bassist Jith Amarasinghe and drummer Sam Lister provide the pounding, thundering foundations.
Closer Still and Feeling have something of Killing Joke about them. Slowly Separate brings The Pop Group’s atonal clanging to the party. Both Moderation and Room 156 bring to mind early (Southern Death) Cult. Meanwhile somehow sounds like The Nephilim covering Oasis, which shouldn’t work but is MAGNIFICENT. Wild Eyed & Loathsome has lyrics based on a poem by Cox’s father and comes on like iLiKETRAiNS. The best is saved ‘til the closing tracks, The Servant and Sad Lad. The former is a raging anthem whilst the latter could be Kevin Shields jamming with The Twilight Sad.
Another cracking album and I can’t wait to see ‘em blast it out live.
9/10
