If you follow the metalcore scene at all, you’ve probably seen Capture the Crown’s video for “You Call That a Knife? This is a Knife!” After watching it, you probably had several questions: “why does this exist,” “what is going on here,” or “when did Asking Alexandria move to Australia and lose their butt rock get up?” Like you, I was left with more questions than answers after viewing the video. Earlier this year, Sumerian Records picked up Capture the Crown after dumping Make Me Famous for their schoolyard antics. Much to the chagrin of many, Capture the Crown’s debut album, ‘Til Death, was released on December 18th.
For the brave souls that listened to Capture the Crown’s other single, “Ladies & Gentlemen… I Give You Hell,” after watching the “You Call That a Knife” video, Capture the Crown’s formula has already been figured out. For the uninitiated, Capture the Crown is every bit as generic as the band they replaced on Sumerian’s roster: synth breakdowns, varying screamed and clean vocal segments, lyrics about boats and hoes, and bottom-string chugs that beget guitar tabs that look like Cheerios. If you’ve heard Asking Alexandria’s Stand Up and Scream or Make Me Famous’s It’s Now or Never, you’ve pretty much heard ‘Til Death.
Despite largely following the above formula and aurally assaulting all that dare listen for the album’s 48-minute duration, the release is not a complete bust. Jeffrey Wellfare’s clean vocals are actually quite good and it is the catchy chorus that makes “LAX” a moderately enjoyable track. It’s a shame, however, that Wellfare frequently employs the god-awful technique of alternating between screams and spoken-word parts a la Emmure’s finest, Frankie Palmeri. Other than the clean vocals, not much else about this release warrants discussion. The guitars are bland, the bass is inaudible, and the drums are nothing special.
If you’re feeling brave, give ‘Til Death a listen. If it doesn’t make you want to destroy your bedroom in a fit of confused rage, maybe you might actually find some merit that I’m missing. I know I enjoyed music like this at one point in my life and I know there will undoubtedly be some individuals that dig this release ’til death.
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