Behold… DOOOM!
Hailing from Los Angeles, Stygian Crown return with their sophomore record, “A Funeral For A King“, due 2/23/24 on Cruz Del Sur Music. This 5-piece slab of DOOOM (extra O added for epic-ness) is comprised of Melissa Pinion on lead vocals and keyboards, Nelson Miranda and Andy Hicks on guitars, Eric Bryan on bass and Rhett A. Davis on Drums, whom you may recognize from the underrated and under appreciated, Morgion.
Southern Californian’s SHOULD be familiar with Stygian Crown when they brought their 10-tons of metal to the Metal Swap Meet 2022. Those who didn’t attend, missing out on that heaviness, shame on you.
2020 saw Stygian Crown’s self-titled debut, receiving moderate praise. The “Candlethrower” moniker got tossed around from a variety of other reviewers. While these nicknames can be fun, at times they can be misleading to newcomers, an unnecessary reduction. I am happy to report that “A Funeral For A King” builds upon the foundation the s/t laid, that Stygian Crown are more than just Candlemass-worship.
The album begins with with an instrumental track “A Funeral For A King“, a taste of what is to come. The next track, “Bushido”, an up-tempo bruiser telling the story of a Japanese soldier fighting his own war 30 years after the end of WWII. You can watch the lyric video here. The next track, “Scourge of the Seven Hills” SLOWS it down, and yes the Candlemass “aura” is here but the guitar solo on this track are all Stygian Crown.
Now, I want to draw your attention to what is my favorite track on the album, “Where The Candle Always Burns”. It has it all. I really appreciate Melissa’s vocal performance here, her passion for the music shines through. Andy and Nelson’s riffs bring intensity in their groove, guitar solo’s bring the songs to life and Rhett’s drums performance is tight and spot on as usual, tying it all together in a neat bow.
My one gripe is that I wish the bass was present more throughout the record. Don’t get me wrong, the bass work on the album is well done and does it’s job at giving the music it’s depth, but I found myself at times forgetting about the bass since it blends in so well with the rest of the guitar work. Lets look at the 2nd track “Bushido” as an example. The song open with this sick bass line that slaps you right across your face, but as the rest of the album progresses the bass falls back in the mix.
My overall consensus is this: this is solid doom metal with flavors of heavy metal that hits all the right spots for a headbanging good time. Stygian Crown spent a lot of time putting this record together and it shows. Well done.
My Rating Scale
1 Star: STAY AWAY. Far away.
2 Stars: Major flaws but you gave it a chance. Destined for the bargain bin.
3 Stars: Overall, it’s okay despite some obvious flaws. Fanboys can get enjoyment out of it it but someone who is more critical may have an issue with it. Buy at a discount or while on sale.
4 Stars: Nearly perfect. A must listen and well suited to add to your collection.
5 Stars: BUY IT NOW, no questions asked. I don’t care if you don’t like [insert genre]
Band: Stygian Crown Album: A Funeral For A King Worldwide Release: Feb 23, 2024 Label: Cruz Del Sur Music Favorite Track: Where The Candle Always Burns
Check out A Funeral For A King below!
- Pre-order your CD/Vinyl/Digital copy from the band’s Bandcamp page, HERE.