MOTHER CRONE is another band from the (in)famous city of Seattle, Washington, USA. They have been around since 2012, but somehow never made it to my ears and/or attention. Well, that has changed with their most current release "Inner Keep", which they brought into the world on their own accord, with the help of Viral Propaganda PR. It is their second full-length album. a long wait since their debut album "Awakening", which was released way back in 2015. The band plays a mix of Doom Metal, completed with Stoner, Sludge, Progressive and Thrash Metal. And as that is a very interesting mix I have to say that I became quite excited when it was clear that I would get the chance to review "Inner Keep".

At first, I couldn't make out what I was listening to, as the different styles were a bit of a distraction. In the end it took me one full length listen of just over 48 minutes before all the elements began to slot into place. And all of a sudden, my interest piques at the highest level, as I was hearing a lot of rhythms, riffs and ideas that reminded me of (for me) the best metal band currently active, which is MASTODON in particular the "Leviathan" era. But I also hear some BARONESS passing me by from time to time. Even the lyrical lines and the guitar solos were reminiscent of those bands. Is that a bad thing? Not at all, as I feel that the way that MOTHER CRONE incorporates those influences into their own songs really works out well, makes them very strong indeed.

There is no way in Heaven or Hell that I can't NOT like what MOTHER CRONE is offering me on "Inner Keep", as the songs are all of a very high standard, have all the right ingredients to sound amazing. Proper introductions, solid foundations, hard edged bodies and fitting endings. Sometimes the band goes as slow as CATHEDRAL could when they started out. Just listen to the opening of "Unseen Way". At other times the band isn't afraid to go at full speed, but they just as easy stray somewhere in between. What MOTHER CRONE does very well too is changing the levels of intensity, just by going all Melodic when needed. I am enthralled by what I am hearing on "Inner Keep". And those comparisons I made only make me like the music even more. I feel that this could and hopefully should be the start of a blistering career for MOTHER CRONE.