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CrashDïet – Automaton

Posted in Review with tags Automaton, Crashdïet, Dïet Records, glam, Rock, sleaze on 5th May 2022 by Pieni

CrashDïet
“Automaton”
Glam/sleaze rock
Released: 29th April 2022
Via Dïet Records

crashdiet-automation

As many shades as glam & sleaze music can take, one can only go too far without stepping out of character and keeping the outcome fresh at the same time. But six albums later, CrashDïet still nail it.

“Together Whatever” has the carefree rhythm and triumphant message of a rock anthem – the same formula they’ve used in the past with “Riot In Everyone” or “Generation Wild”, and yet sounds so state-of-the-art.

I’ve once said something about CrashDïet taking in the traits of the golden ages of glam rock and making them their own in the present day, and “Shine On” is the epitome of such statement – a tribute to the eighties, the electronic undertones and the defiant chanting finishing a true earworm with class.

The beginning of “Dead Crusade” is a dead ringer (no pun intended) of “Anarchy”, true, but it soon evolves to something more seductive, something you’d want to sway to instead of acting up. In fact, the melodies of this album are the richest (so far) in their discography – no, I don’t mean just the weeping of the acoustic guitar in “I Can’t Move On (Without You)” but, for instance, every catchy bit of “Darker Minds” or “We Die Hard”. The same fiery songwriting but a more elaborate, more mature result. The older, the wiser?

And speaking of wise… to say I’m not the biggest fan of Steel Panther is an understatement, but I acknowledge the legends they’ve become, and if the Swedes needed a somewhat-husky-sexy voice to contrast with Gabriel’s bright pitch in the pulsing “Powerline”, Michael Starr was definitely the smartest move.

Wherever Dave Lepard’s soul may be, I’m sure it’s proud.

9/10

by Renata “Pieni” Lino

CrashDïet – Rust

Posted in Uncategorized with tags Crashdïet, Dïet Records, Frontiers Music, glam, Rock, Rust, sleaze on 22nd September 2019 by Pieni

CrashDïet
“Rust”
Sleaze/glam rock
Released: 13th September 2019
Via Frontiers Music

Rust

It’s been over a week since “Rust” was released but only now I’ve managed to write about it. Why? Because every time I’ve started doing so, the songs popped up in my head and I just couldn’t stop singing along and moving my whole body to their rhythm. When the single “We Are The Legion” was released on New Year’s Eve 2017, I felt that old school sleaze vibe which CrashDïet have always offered us and knew that whatever came next would be worth the waiting; still I was amazed at such worthiness.

Don’t expect me to compare singers, as that wouldn’t be fair to any of them. I’ll just say that Gabriel Keys has a powerful voice which fits the band like a glove, and even though I’ve only listened to him in the new tracks, I can imagine him singing the old ones as if it had been him who’s originally recorded them. Yeah, that kind of voice.

They’ve recently asked on their Facebook page which was our favorite song off the new album and to me that’s an honest trick question. How can I choose between the enticing riffs and catchy chorus of the title-track and the seductive melody of “In The Maze”? How can I choose between the enthralling beats of “Into The Wild” or the upbeat pulse of “Crazy”? The heart-warming ballad “Waiting For Your Love” in contrast with the sleazy speed of “Reptile”? And what about the hymn-ish “We Are The Legion” or the crowd-friendly “Filth & Flowers”? The latter even has parts as if recorded live because it’s exactly the kind of song that will have the audience cheering and do that now-you-sing-it game that vocalists love to put us through.

CrashDïet have had their fair share of downs but their albums have always been ups in their career. I won’t say “Rust” is the highest up so far but, once again, only out of fairness. I can say, though, that this is the essence of sleaze rock, bearing such purity and class – so hard to find nowadays.

9/10

by Renata “Pieni” Lino

CrashDïet – The Savage Playground

Posted in Uncategorized with tags Crashdïet, Gain Records, glam, sleaze, Stockholm, Sweden on 23rd January 2013 by Pieni

CrashDïet
“The Savage Playground”
Released: 22^nd January 2013
Glam/sleaze rock
Released via Gain Records

You should never assume a certain genre of music belongs to a certain age. The so-called “eighties hair metal” is very much rocking and up-to-date nowadays, at least when it comes down to CrashDïet.

The band has matured in these last couple of years, sounding harder and somewhat more consistent, yet without ever losing its rebellious sleaze grip. There’s also a bigger concern for details, little touches that turn the songs richer but keep them in the straightforward rock path.

For instance, the first single, “Cocaine Cowboys”. As the title itself reveals, it’s a song about that particular addiction, the masters and slaves of it. And as they chose to call the dealers by “cowboys”, the intro is the main riff of the song played in an acoustic guitar, very Old West style. And that repetitive note which “Anarchy” starts with, building expectations up, just like in a riot. Or the piano in “Excited”. Don’t know about you, but I thought these were all priceless.

The opening track, “Change The World”, brings to mind “Riot In Everyone” – the same message of not following political-correct flocks, but the music itself more elaborated, more guitar work, the bass even more present and the beats more diverse. It has single-material stamped all over it.

Not a ballad in any way – this time the boys kept them at bay – but there’s something softer about “California” that makes you think of convertibles driving through long avenues into the California sunset, just like you see in the movies. Mind you that I said “softer”, not “soft”, as the rhythm is still pretty much alive here.

Both “Circus” and “Damaged Kid” keep the rock pumping through and through, but it’s “Drinkin’ Without You” that’s the sleaze rock poster-song, all sleek and loose. “Snakes In Paradise” is also very sleazy, but in a dark kind of way.

And then there’s “Garden Of Babylon”, a track with some of the angriest and, at the same time, most melodic moments of “The Savage Playground”. Despite its more than 7-minute length, something we’re not used to with CrashDïet, I strongly recommend it.

When I reviewed “Generation Wild” almost three years ago, the last line read “The kids of the underground are back and, I dare to say, stronger than ever”. Now that “The Savage Playground” is here, “stronger than ever” takes a whole new meaning.

5 / 5

Renata “Pieni” Lino