Dungeon Crawl - Maze Runner ★★☆☆☆

Album out 20th of September, 2024

Escape from reality hasn't ever been more popular than it is these days. But why is this filed under Thrash Metal is a far more bolder adventure than mere mortals should be capable of.

BUT DOES IT THRASH?-O-METER

★★☆☆☆ SONGWRITING

★★★☆☆ MUSICIANSHIP

★☆☆☆☆ LONGEVITY

★★★☆☆ TOPICALITY

★★★☆☆ PRODUCTION

Sweetheart for the roleplaying and tabletop adventurers all over the world, Dungeon Crawl caters to its audience with a knowing wink - I should know, my brains have been eaten by a Mindflayer or two.

Thrashers however are quick to raise the occasional eye brow as the neoclassical symphonic habitus kicks into gear from the get-go. Intro piece down, we're catapulted with "The Arcane Temptation" into a thousand-miles-a-minute speed. Speed Metal also quickly evaporates from your mind - we are cruising on the waves of Power Metal.

With that out of the way lets press on!

In a word Maze Controller sounds grand. The middle of the battlefield is the band's typical domain and there's certainly some appropriate shred therein. Dungeon Crawl sounds fast and fierce, and crystal clear. Looming over them are the orchestrations and choirs that widen the sonic horizons considerably.

Song compositions rely heavily on the nonstop symphonic poke and oftentimes has it take the lead. Chorales with the traditional gallop, building to big hits aplenty. The soundstage generally keeps every player largely on their seat even with really high volumes (coughwintersuntimeIIcough) so you know its been put together by someone who knows what they're doing.

What? What do you mean you don't do pen & paper games in costume?

We are not quite yet at the footsteps of Mt. Rhapsody. Soundwise Dungeon Crawl has thousand times hairier balls than the Italians do. However, Luca Turilli of Rhapsohy actually knew how to compose music with great variety. The album's highlight "+1 Mace" gives you an adequate picture of whats going on full-time. It is a tooth and nail battle, rather than a polite duel with handkerchief shenanigans and virgin steel.

Considering the music the aforementioned Wintersun jumps into mind surprisingly easily with its heavy fantastical orchestrations, guitar assault and ripping vocals. As does Bal-Sagoth, with their symphonic parading of the fantasy and science fiction nature. One could also draw in such a name as 3 Inches of Blood at its most savagest to get an idea of whats going on.

These all have certain kind of rawness that you don't easily associate with neither of the traditional European or American Power Metal tropes - however, its in this very same pit that Dungeon Crawl brawls forward.

The original mastermind, multi-instrumentalist Codie Jones' vocals rip through you at speed, which unfortunately is about the only thing that stands out. There is often a crapton going on and the whole of the sound volley can exhaust the listener. The monotonic grind and blast makes everything mush together.

Concept albums are hard. So hard in fact that there's only a handful of artists who manage to keep the narrative worthwhile. Here we have a little Dungeons & Dragons story that entertains the role-playing bunch. The charm however runs its course halfway through and there really isn't that much of an campaign to venture in.

It's difficult to avoid pondering wether this is humour music or not, because it certainly is one dimensional and rolls with only one gear from start to finish. One struggles to remember any specific song or melody from the album - if you don't count in the few Dungeon Synthy pieces thrown in for mood reasons. Maze Controller could've used more time and thought to flesh out an all-round story with proper highs and lows to a far greater impact.

★★☆☆☆ ONLY FOR FANS OF THIS SH!T