Music Review: The Casket Crew - Poor Mans Coffin CD Review

The latest addition to come into my claws was The Casket Crew's album entitled Poor Mans Coffin, a full- length 10-song CD and filled of metal delights and has minor influence of progressive, and a gothic covering. The opening track, was "The Sight", mixture of clean and not vocals was refreshing for one to experience, and the bass (Bart McCrorey) is heard strongly with the drumming (Jessy Newland) in full force. One of the standout tracks on this CD comes early with "Ignite a Blaze" that spears one to stay to listen to this band and their music. This particular track allows each member of this 3-member group to showcase and show off the talents, especially with James Rodrock's showing a raw and then polish sound of his guitar riffs, but never leaving the snarling form of the song or his vocals, to do a breakout of a guitar solo, that is too poppy.

"Book of Myths" truly has the funeral pyres lit for this song as it marches the listener through the land of despair to the other side and victory by crushing the opposition skulls' wasted from garbage music and false metal. It is with this song, the album really turns a corner and takes the audience into another level, with a sound drumming that introduces them to "Embedded". This song is both raw and yet shining example of a blood stained sword thrashing throw battle, there are no smiles here just the brutality of the music unleashing on a unsuspecting audience. An interesting tidbit is that by the stamp time code of 2:57 on this track which sound seems like The Equinox's of the Gods "Death Wish" (from the defunct label Unisound Records) musical similarity was introduce.

The tracks "Over the Edge" and "Dead is Thought to be Dead" are both showing the exceptionally skill that this band has to build upon, as the track are different in blend and tone, "Over" is like Overkill's famous shredding, though not as whiplash frenzied, while, "Dead" has influences of Samael layered throughout the song with a touch of doom.

The song "The Journey's End" is driving forceful song, using many change ups, to achieve and single evil act of passion that would give a deadly moment of glory to all to listen to this song, let alone the band. However the band is not finished with the listener's carcass, it is time to raise up a "Demon Flask" and have a "Life or Limb" join the Casket Crew with a somber drink, for this again contains the same rawness as previous tracks, yet craving to cause sleepless in the disciples of the audience.