It's quite uncommon to hear a band hailing from Alaska, yet after hearing
36 Crazy Fists, one can only hope more intriguing
metalcore spawns from the area.
Bitterness the Star is a thoroughly infectious morsel, and while it may first feel a bit abrasive to the listener's ears, repeat plays will surely hook you with extremely groovy
thrash metal. Frontman
Brock Lindow's unusual vocal quiver may fool you into believing he can't actually sing, yet in reality
Bitterness the Star is full of incredibly emotional singing, as displayed on
"Two Months From a Year." The quiver helps
36 Crazy Fists stand out in a sea of faceless
nu-metal acts, and
Lindow often comes off sounding similar to the likes of
Glassjaw's
Daryl Palumbo or
SpineShank's
Johnny Santos.
Lindow's strong emphasis on vocal hooks firmly plants roots in the listener's brain, and with well-written lyrics one can find themselves singing passages from
36 Crazy Fists' wealth of material quite some time after listening to the album.
Carl Severson from
hardcore devotees
Nora appears on
"One More Word," and his outlandish scream intensifies the song quite well.
Skinlab's
Steev Esquivel also lends his vocal talents to
"Bury Me Where I Fall" and helps morph
36 Crazy Fists into a violent
heavy metal battering ram of sound. Musically,
36 Crazy Fists are fairly original, and while they may not exactly astonish anyone with their ability,
Steve Holt's guitar playing is quite inventive.
"Turns to Ashes" is a passionate song that hits the listener like a fist in the jaw, and
Lindow's emotional pleading on
"Slit Wrist Theory" is moving in its release.
"Dislocate" is a spectacular track which effectively burrows its way into your cranium as the slap-happy bass rattles your brain.
36 Crazy Fists deliver on all counts with
Bitterness the Star, an album that you may be hesitant to play at first but inevitably will have trouble removing from your stereo. ~ Jason D. Taylor
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