CoC : Cruoris - Demo 2005 : Review

Cruoris - _Demo 2005_
by: Pedro Azevedo (3.5 out of 5)

If I mentioned classic doom metal from Sweden, you would probably think of Candlemass; and indeed, I reckon the Swedish doom legends played a big part in influencing Cruoris' musical direction. The trio uses a classic doom framework with well integrated keyboards, and while this isn't slit-wristing music by any means, the doom factor is undeniable. Drums and guitars seem somewhat muffled in the production, but that's not something I am about to criticize this demo for too harshly -- the production is still quite reasonable. While Cruoris aren't paving any particularly new ground in the doom metal genre, they still have sufficient individuality. Furthermore, this demo shows very decent guitar and keyboard interplay, along with competent clear sung doom vocals and good songwriting. The piano sections in particular lend the demo a different flavour, both on its own and combined with the guitar. On "The Betrayal", for instance, the piano lines combine with a good chorus (and some sporadic death vox) to show some good songwriting skills. Lengthy closing track "The Fall" proves the band can also build some momentum and more complex song structures, as well as ensuring the demo remains consistently good throughout. A little more in the way of remarkable passages and intensity would help next time around, as I reckon Cruoris will continue to evolve, but this demo is already well worth hearing if you like classic, melodic doom metal.

Contact: http://www.cruoris.com

(article published 22/3/2006)