Crashdïet - Rust

Crashdïet Rust cover
Crashdïet
Rust
Frontiers Music srl / Diet Records
2019
6.5
It must suck to be a band like Crashdïet… a band with so much promise that ends up being signed straight up by Universal Records in their native Sweden, only to have their singer commit suicide and from that point on being unable to hold on to a singer for extended periods of time, with H. Olliver Twisted (later of Reckless Love) joining for an album before leaving for Simon Cruz to fill in and surprisingly last two albums, before quitting mid tour. A fourth singer Gabriel Keyes has joined the band… and who knows how long this guy might last?
 
London and Sweek (bass & guitars) have kept the train rolling and have for the most part managed to keep coming up with pretty decent material, but the whole momentum of the band seems to just die every other year with the constant vocal changes...
 
The title track opens the album and it borrows pretty much the bass line from “Dr. Feelgood”, or close enough, feeling like a bad pastiche of Motley and Skid Row that somehow works. Keys’ voice is a little more subdued than some of his predecessors, but he does a commendable enough job… I think the track is a bit of let down since after a nice enough bridge, it comes up with a monolectic response – “Rust” as the chorus…. It kinda sucks… but at least it doesn’t blow.
 
“Into the Wild” is punchier but also more idiosyncratic, even attempting a stab at neoclasicism… for a brief moment, probably as a jest, but it’s incoherence doesn’t help it to focus and its nice chorus and solo sort of feel like thrown in there, with the best intentions but ending up implemented in a rather backwards way.
 
“Idiots” is equal parts punk and equal parts sleazy metal in the tradition of LA Guns, Roxx Gang and the likes, only filtered through Swedish IKEA filters… its video clip actually pays tribute to all the dumb metal moments caught on tape, back in the day.
 
“In the Maze” allows Keyes to sing a little instead of shouting and he comes across as your average Eric Martinesque fellow here, in this sort of electrified ballad.
 
“We Are the Legion” was the first track the band released to showcase Keyes and it tries to recapture its 2005 mojo, pretty much downright, copying themselves over… it’s not terrible, but it’s glaringly a “self-tribute”.
 
“Crazy” feels as if someone took a Def Leppard tune, sped it up and had Martin sing some lead vocals over it… it’s actually one of the more focused and coherent track to this point, but a little wimpy.
 
“Parasite” has the same DNA as a few numbers from the debut, but it feels as if they forgot to write a proper hook for the chorus… which is the only but also major issue that brings it down.
 
“Waiting for Your Love” is a key-ladden ballad, that’s pretty poignant, but again seems to chase its own tail by not keeping things simple and straightforward.
 
“Reptile” starts of as it was a Motorhead track, but wanes out, as soon as the vocals hit, at least, it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not and as such it is entertaining. It is this album much needed “salvation” and proper single.
 
“Stop Weirding Me Out” is a funny enough song that feels like a Sweet (the band) tune, a fun rock ‘n roll tune about coming out on top when you’re exiting a relationship. Well its better than boo, friggin hoo and its fun.
 
“Filth & Flowers” is an edgy rocker at the end of the album that again feels pretty close to the vibe of the debut, but doesn’t get close to get the proverbial cigar.
 
A remix of “Crazy”, with a more muted and flangered production, as well as weird proclamations of sexual preference, is offered I presume as a “Japanese only” bonus. Oh boy…
 
Crashdïet is still going on despite their apparent inability to hold on to, but at this point, I doubt that they’re able to write consistent albums, so it might not be a better idea to revert to the release of EPs…maybe or not? Inconsistent when a little more effort might have made it so much better.