Dormition's Journal

Dormition's Journal
May 11, 2010

A good friend of mine, who is also a fellow band mate, texted me last week and insisted that I check out a band by the name of The Crinn. Now this is the first I'm ever hearing about this band, but by their name alone, I'm instantly intrigued and eager to check them out. So I do some online investigating about the band, and nowadays it's not hard at all to find info on bands, especially with MySpace and Facebook being the breeding ground for many bands, new and old. I eventually came across their MySpace and after hearing a few of their songs, I was hooked.

The Crinn hails from Saint Paul, MN, and they're a blend of progressive & technical jazz metal. I've also seen them labeled as mathcore (similar to bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, Daughters, Behold... The Arctopus, just to name a few...). The first song I heard of theirs was titled "Meat Eating Machines", which is featured on their newest album "Dreaming Saturn". First off, that's one hell of an awesome title for the song and upon hearing it, it does the song justice. This track just grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go, with it's intensity and technical musicianship, it's all out chaos but constructed so well, that it never comes off like just a mesh of sounds. The Crinn are talented musicians and it shows in all of their releases, but most notably on their newest album, which is also their first full length. I didn't hesitate at all to get Dreaming Saturn and give it a spin.

Dreaming Saturn opens with a track titled "Incipience", which now after hearing the entire album, is such a strong opening. From the moment the first tones of the guitar come in, you get an understanding of who The Crinn are, and the mood they have set for the rest of the album. Their guitar playing is hypnotic and draws you in closer, as an errie yet angelic choral combined with an atmospheric backdrop lays the groundwork for not only the track, but the rest of the album as a whole. At about the 2 minute mark, the band comes in full force with double bass and technical riffs, with unrelenting and intense vocals that compliment the music so well. "Incipience" is then followed by the track I first heard from these guys, "Meat Eating Machines", which is still a personal favorite of mine. Other standout songs on this album are "Anaphylactic Shock" and "Voluptuous Eruptions". These being the two longest tracks on the album, they are filled with an array of complex time signatures , melodic/jazzy grooves, and intense drumming. These songs will definitely leave a lasting impression. The album concludes with an amazing instrumental, "Down, In Waves", which closes out the album perfectly.

Dreaming Saturn is sure to please any fan of technical metal, and those who have an ear for musicianship. I'm glad that I can now add The Crinn to the ever growing list of bands that I enjoy listening too, and I hope to witness them live when they come to the NY area.

Until next time...