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Ostensibly billed as a single, The Beast Within has three originals and a cover and clocks in at just shy of eighteen minutes, making it a qualified and quantified EP as far as I’m concerned. And what an EP it is! The pleasures here are simple, rewarding and continual: sturdy, fat guitar riffs, accessible and memorable choral hooks, songwriting that exudes confidence and production that displays remarkable sheen. For some reason, this strikes me as a cross between Metallica, Soundgarden and W.A.S.P., but don’t ask me why. Might have something to do with spaciousness, a certain intangible breathing room between the riffs and the choruses that is the stuff of drama. Suffice to say, it’s great to see a band that hails from behind the former Soviet bloc – in this case, Poland – trying its hand at traditional metal and coming up smelling like roses. Eastern Europe might handle many heavy subgenres with aplomb, but ‘80s style usually ain’t one of ‘em. Bra-friggin-vo, guys. Closes with a reworking of AC/DC’s classic “Thunderstruck” that de-emphasizes the original’s sharp edges in favor of a more ubiquitous and plodding groove. Disappointing but not wholly embarrassing. Otherwise, this is fantastic work, and I look forward to hearing the band’s subsequent full-length release, which features the band’s make-or-break decision to swap out a female lead vocalist. Intriguing.
| Tracklist |
| 1. The Beast Within |
| 2. Midnight Child |
| 3. Kingdom Of False |
| 4. Thunderstruck (AC/DC cover) |
: 17:57
| Buy other Krusher albums |
