Moderate Rock

Just in case anyone felt like 36 Crazyfists, almost 25 years and now seven full-lengths into their career, could no longer make an impact, they open ‘Lanterns’ with one of the best, most whip-crack riffs they’ve ever written. After that the quality ebbs and flows, just as it has done on every one of the Alaskan-born outfit’s albums since the high-water mark of ‘A Snow Capped Romance’, but at their best they still swiftly turn heads. ‘Better to Burn’ ably combines metal and melody, ‘Old Gold’ blooms from a dark dirge into an arms aloft anthem, and ‘Where Revenge Ends’ and ‘Dark Corners’ ease back the RPMs to better reveal the weighty words of frontman Brock Lindow, apparently still haunted by the events that also inspired the group’s last record. Doubt 36 Crazyfists at your peril.