CROWN MAGNETAR, out of Colorado Springs, delivers a sickeningly brutal deathcore release with their latest EP "Alone in Death." Somehow this is another band that has gone undetected by my music radar. They remind me of early SUICIDE SILENCE, whom they have actually opened for, among other bands like WHITECHAPEL, CARNIFEX, THY ART IS MURDER, SPITE, and other deathcore greats. And rightfully so. CROWN MAGNETAR delivers all the blast beats and vicious riffs the genre is known for.

Vocalist Dan Tucker has some beastly high and lows reminiscent of LORNA SHORE's Will Ramos and the late Mitch Lucker (SUICIDE SILENCE). The EP itself has the kind of dramatically destructive feeling of LORNA SHORE's music, as well. He's definitely got what it takes as a deathcore vocalist. The whole band has what it takes. I managed to miss the release of their debut EP "The Prophet of Disgust" (2018) and their first full-length album "The Codex of Flesh" (2021), but I'll be keeping an eye out from now on.

The drums on this are dizzyingly fast, which I immediately noticed from the first song "Alone in Death." Drummer Byron London is getting a WORK OUT. Wow. The guitar riffs are just as unforgiving. I think the most impressive song on the album to me is "Realistic Flesh Mask," which features vocalist Nick Arthur of MOLOTOV SOLUTION. I thought the breakdown was so mean and the addition of a second vocalist just added a little razzle dazzle. However, I was also a big fan of the next song "Existence is Pain." The entire EP was a lesson in brutality and should not go unnoticed by deathcore fans.

I won't be surprised to see this band on some more big shows and big tours in the future. Their only task will be to find a way to stand out among the crowd of deathcore acts already in existence. The key to finding a way to break through, like bands such as SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL and BRAND OF SACRIFICE recently have, is to find what makes you special. It's one thing to have gnarly vocals, and beastly blast beats, and heavy riffs, but what makes this deathcore band different from the countless others?