DEMISE OF THE CROWN – Life In The City

Life In The City is the second album from Montreal, Canada based Melodic Metal band Demise Of The Crown. Guitarist Manuel Iradian is the primary songwriter, with vocalist Darren Beadman contributing the bulk of lyrics and melodies. Simon B. Doiron on bass, Vince B. Doiron on guitar, and Kevin Alexander on drums round out the lineup of this powerhouse quintet.

Demise Of The Crown have put together an outstanding record. The production value is world-class, as are the performances. Life In The City is cohesive, almost conceptual, but not repetitive. The tracks flow together to form a unit, rather than a hodgepodge of stylistic and thematic songs simply collected as an album. Beadman’s vocals are outstanding, with a broad range of notes and textures, including cleans and screams, and lush harmonies. Each of the songs contains Progressive, Melodic, and even Power Metal elements. Iradian’s riffs and leads are impressive and rich, and each member adds to the song, without overplaying or cluttering arrangements.

The record begins with “Dying Heat”. It begins with furious double kick drums, and harmony guitars for a few bars before settling into a monster groove. The dynamic and stylistic range of this song and most tracks on the record is impressive. “Fixated” has a Dream Theater vibe, while “Lightning Strikes” begins with an electric beat, before launching into an Avenged Sevenfold tinged rocker. Fans of Melodic Metal, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, and fans of Demise Of The Crown will definitely want to check out this serious contender.