Release Date: May 19th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Forever High: Tracklisting
Feels Like The Last Time
Forever High
Home Again
Not My Time
Used Up
Count Back From Ten
Feign Free
Pressure Vessels
Lost My Mind
We Walk Alone
King Of The World
Members
Jake - Guitar/Vocals
Jason - Guitar
Curt - Bass
Scooch - Drums
Review
Forever High is the new album from Heavy Stoner Rockers Crimson Devils who hail all the way from Austin, Texas, USA which has a great Stoner Rock/Metal scene thanks to bands such as WO FAT, Mothership and Red Beard Wall to name but a few. Crimson Devils have a style of Southern/Stoner Rock more in style with Mothership but with perhaps a classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal style allowing their music to having a more "Rock and Roll" edge.
Forever High is built upon the essential Classic Hard Rock/Stoner Rock formation which has a Punk Rock aesthetic with the production values the album contains. The songs move from hard-hitting Stoner Rock/Metal grooves to a more aggressive Thrash based style of music which allows the band to draw influences from bands and a wealth of legendary bands from the classic Hard Rock style. I can hear influences such as KISS, ZZ Top and Thin Lizzy but with that catchy Stoner Rock style heard within the excellent opening songs of Feels Like The Last Time, Forever High and Home Again.
These batch of songs embrace the classic Hard Rock mentality where the band play Seventies Hard Rock grooves with a Turbo Charged attitude being heard within the melodic grooves. The vocals have a certain CLASSIC ROCK and BLUES ROCK feel to them with Crimson Devils bringing a LESS IS MORE delivery with their music and the production values used on the album. That's one of the album's main strengths with the minimal use of modern day production techniques that allows Crimson Devils to be themselves on this album., warts and all. Perhaps one of the most honest sounding records I've heard in quite some time.
Crimson Devils blaze their way through an action packed assortment of different styles of Hard Rock, Stoner Rock and Blues Rock with a Punk Rock energy heard within the lyrics appearing on tracks such as: Not My Time, Used Up and Count Back From Ten. The music can be more manic on these tracks but this allows Crimson Devils to play a more energetic and dare I say "COOL" style of music.
Forever High may not be the most Progressive or Forward Thinking style of music compared to the albums I've reviewed recently. However, it doesn't need to be as Crimson Devils play music that's superbly honest and packed with real emotion from start to finish.
The second half of the album continues with that style of music within the second half of the album on tracks such as: Count Back From Ten, Feign Free, Lost My Mind and We Walk Alone. All showcasing Crimson Devils talent for writing "catchy" tracks that get straight down to business of playing sublime and action packed grooves that ultimately leave you wanting to hear more.
Forever High runs under forty minutes and it's the perfect length for the band to play their high-spirited blend of Classic Hard Rock and Heavy Rock riffs for an album that will no doubt impress the many different factions of the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Underground scenes.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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