A MURDER OF CROWS

After the disappointing debut, somebody must have give Devon Graves the long overdue slap around his drowsy head. In form, A Murder of Crows is almost a clone record, but somehow it accomplishes everything the debut strived for but failed to deliver: straightforward but poignant alt rock with great melodies, power and passion.

The song writing hasn't changed all that much, it's mid-paced alternative metal with strong tribal percussion that sits closer to Tool, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden then resembling anything Psychotic Waltz. Which is fine, the quality of the material is superb and so is the performance. The band sounds vigorous and dynamic. Devon Graves and drummer Adel Moustafa take the spotlight. To pick a few highlights, the opening Feed, A Garden Made of Stone, Angels in Vertigo and Black Smoke and Mirrios are all 5 star material for me. The remainder is very consistent and has no real weak spots. One criticism could be that the approach is very similar throughout the album: soft brooding verses, catchy choruses and a big emotive finale, always with heavy percussion and intense vocals.

This album shows that sometimes it doesn't take more then attention to detail and a clear focus to turn a mediocre band into a stunning experience. With 60 minutes of excellent but somehow samey material, 5 stars would be a bit flattered so I'll stick with 4 stars, even though this album has entertained me abundantly for more then 6 months back in 2003.