Cobra Speed Venom

Melding severe thrash with melodic death metal, Swedish extremity veterans The Crown show no mercy on their 10th album—or very little mercy, anyway. The relentless riff frenzy, powerhouse drums, and vertiginous solos on the fire-breathing \"Iron Crown,\" the face-pounding \"In the Name of Death,\" and the hammer-forged ripper \"We Avenge!\" ramp up to the raging guitar swarm of the title track and spasmodic blur of \"Necrohammer\" before easing into the moody instrumental \"Where My Grave Shall Stand.\"

There's a simple test to determine if you like metal. Listen to Cobra Speed Venom all the way through and if, by the end, you haven't heard...

One the biggest buzzes in metal this year comes around Swedish death metal crushers THE CROWN. The group is on sure footing these days after returning in 2009 from a five-year hiatus. Johan Lindstrand reclaimed the mike in 2011, rejoining bassist Magnus Olsfelt and rhythm guitarist Marko Tervonen as...

A review of Cobra Speed Venom by The Crown, available worldwide on March 16th via Metal Blade Records.