Slightly over a year ago, I wrote that Crowhurst was an underground band on the verge of exploding to the forefront of extreme metal. Sitting here today after having had a few weeks time to digest the band’s newest project and mastermind Jay Gambit’s latest foray into the world of blackened aural art, I believe that they have truly lived up to this lofty claim. Crowhurst’s latest effort, the simply named II, is a freight train of catchy grooves, suffocating atmosphere, and strained, manic pain. This massive effort enlists the all-star talents of Andrew Curtis-Brignell of Caïna on guitars, Matron Thorn of Ævangelist on guitars and drums, and of course Jay Gambit himself preforming vocals as well as synth, tape manipulation and other electronic effects. This brand new line-up sees Crowhurst recognize a more fully realized, and for lack of a better word, more mature sound. While their first self-titled effort was a fantastic album, and a perfect introduction to Crowhurst’s misanthropic brand of music for a wider audience, II absolutely outclasses it in every way I can think of. Bringing to bear the talents of these three titans, Brignell and Thorn bring discernible elements of their own talents, but in no way overshadow the collective vision that is Crowhurst. The three work together remarkably well for a lineup that has only been in existence for a year or so. The band manages to still maintain the unique identity of Crowhurst but add wrinkles from each contributors individual repertoires that strengthens the band as a whole and pushes Crowhurst to new heights previously unreached, crafting a unique and vital piece of art that is a strong contender for one of the best releases of the year. ( cvltnation)
