Serpent Crown: Serpent Crown

Serpent Crown was formed by Dara Santhai (guitars / vocals) and Will Carroll (drums) back in 2008. Shortly thereafter, Carroll joined the newest version of Dark Angel, a job that will definitely take him away from Serpent Crown's upcoming tour dates. Too bad; it's always fun to see some of these guys play in smaller venues with smaller crowds. Fans of Carroll's playing will probably want to check out this album, if only to see what his other project sounds like. Unfortunately, his drumming doesn't always come across as clearly as it might have. He keeps things moving, but the low end on this album is somewhat muddy.

With no disrespect to the other players, the biggest reason to listen to this release is Dara Santhai's vocals and guitar playing. No, she isn't the best thing going right now, but she has a pretty good voice and knows her way around a guitar. Unfortunately, the music is not as engaging as it might have been. I liked most of the individual songs, but I didn't think that the album added up to a strong whole. The songs are all drawn from the same well, leaving listeners with only a partial glimpse of this band's talents and abilities. I really enjoyed Santhai's guitar solos, especially on "The Trickster." She plays with a clean and melodic style that really stands out. Behind her, though, the music is only a regular thrash pulse, a healthy and steady heartbeat that never really speeds up or slows down. Sometimes, the songs also just go on too long, never developing beyond their initial statement.

The album art is simple and cool—basically an image of Medusa threatening the viewer, her hands and fingers drenched in blood. I don't know exactly what it means but I doubt she really has the power to turn anyone into stone, but the image does make one stop and stare, if only for a moment.

Track Listing:
1. No Beacon of Light
2. Prelude to the Netherworld
3. To Leave this Land
4. The Trickster
5. Doomsayer
6. Children of the Night

Added: August 20th 2013
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1945
Language: english

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