The new album by the Spanish band CRIM bears the morbid title "Cancons de Mort" and appears slightly disturbing on the cover. A raccoon, a dog (possibly a Doberman), and an eagle (possibly a golden eagle) sit thoughtfully at a table that could have sprung from a medieval painting. The image is very dark, revealing everything only upon closer inspection.
It is similar with the band's music.
Upon first listen, it all felt a bit overwhelming to me. Too many breaks, almost overly produced. It’s difficult to follow the instruments and the vocals at the same time. This shows that a lot of emphasis was placed on a very powerful production. Every instrument as well as the vocals are all clearly audible. Nothing is in the background. Nothing is unimportant in this four-man band.
CRIM delivers twelve songs on "Cancons de Mort," all of which are powerful, melodic punk rock with a solid streetpunk influence. The melodies or melodic parts remind me, as an old hand, of one or another band. CRIM is not covering here; rather, they demonstrate a knack for catchy melodies that fit perfectly with their sound.
The sound of CRIM is a beast of streetpunk, a pinch of hardcore, and melodic punk rock, spiced here and there with a touch of skatecore. This style thus offers a wide spectrum, and this is where I have a small point of criticism. It sounds to me at various points as if too much was attempted.
What is very nice of the band is that they have also had their lyrics translated into English in the booklet. This makes it easier to understand what the band is singing about and what moves them.
I can well imagine that CRIM will impress live.
Unfortunately, the band is currently only playing in Spain, but anyone who is in Mallorca on June 9, 2023, or in Menorca on June 10, 2023, can perfectly combine vacation and punk rock.
