CROWNED BY FIRE -- PRONE TO DESTROY

track listing:

01. I Spit On Your Curse
02. Sex With A Ghost
03. Witch In The Window
04. Burnin' For You
05. Get Under The Dirt
06. Black Moon Shine
07. Shake The Bag
08. I Am The Crime
09. Tombs Ov Oblivion
10. As Above So Below
11. Vulture With A Rifle
12. Prone To Destroy


label: Molten Metal Productions (UK)
location: L.A./High Desert, Calif.
release date: pending (recorded Nov. 2008 in Florence, Italy)
web: www.myspace.com/crownedbyfire


Crowned By Fire spawned in 2006 and self-released the 5-song EP "As The World Burns" in 2007 which is contained in the new full-length release "Prone To Destroy."

The band have been labeled as Southern/Stoner rock, and the shoe certainly fits, but the bottom line, CBF is a strong metal act, period. Strong Motorhead and Sabbath influences are prevalent and comparisons to sludge bands such as Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity or Earthride would be valid as well.

"Prone To Destroy" features plenty of bluesy, monster movie-sized guitar riffs and the songs are played at slow, majestic pace which is classic stoner/southern for sure, and the opening track, "I Spit On Your Curse" as well as track 8, "I Am The Crime," are the only real up-tempo songs.

The lyrics are angry and aesthetically engaging, replete with metaphysical ponderings dealing in themes of witchcraft and the pain of hard living, including references to everything from Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster to Alister Crowley, UFO's, and yes, Indian Casinos.

The vocals of singer John "The Impaler" Fitterer are powerful and gritty, the bass work of Jeremy Mendelzon is solid and the guitar work of Justin Manning is fast and furious with a hard-edged sound containing plenty of Dimebag squealies and pyrotechnic solos which are creative and technially brilliant. The machine gun precision of JR Crampton's drums is just ridiculous and brings to mind comparisons to Chris Adler of Lamb of God.

"Prone To Destroy" was recorded in Florence, Italy over a five-week span in the Fall of 2008 and is set for upcoming release on Molten Metal Productions based in the UK. CBF have tour dates set up for the spring and hopefully with a little more exposure to a wider audience and a strong full-length release under their belt, bigger things are sure to follow.


reviewed by Mike