LightCrusher

Here we got another real gem from the new wave of thrash metal, this time from Zurich/Switzerland. There has been a nice amount of top quality metal from the Swiss scene within the past few years and Klaw is no exemption to this rule. Having been formed in 2017 this pretty youngish band came up with their debut “LightCrusher” in 2019 and in case you are looking for a full throttle no-nonse dose of hefty thrash you have come to the right place, as their music is hitting like a battle hammer, while at the same time Klaw have kept an eye on incorporating enough hooks to keep the listener interested. Their debut full length “Hunger Within” has more to offer though, and while a pretty simplistic affair on the surface there are enough twists and turns to set them apart from their peers.

One thing that struck me from the get-go is how professional and polished this record is taking into account we are talking about a newcomer act here.. The sound is top notch, the performances are classy and the songs are written in an eloquent and mature style. A closer look to the liner notes lightens things up a bit, as the musicians involved are not newbies but are part of other great acts like Poltergeist or Contorsion. Additionally the recording has been done in the holy halls of Little Creek Studio owned by V.O. Pulver, mastermind of Poltergeist and probably one of the most active and important figures of the Swiss metal community.

Klaw have no intention of reinventing the wheel. Their strength is that they are able to look into the past and take inspirations from all the great music that had been written over the past decades without throwing out another bland copy. The main chords will sound familiar to any fan of traditional thrash metal, but they are presented with enough passion and energy so that missing innovation should not be a problem for potential listeners. The main chops do not deviate too much from what the (mainly US) heroes have already released for the thrash enthusiasts of the late 80s / early 90s. That being said Klaw implemented a few twists and variations to the familiar chords by going up or down a keynote or shortly touching on a trademark riff of a song again at another occasion.

The speed and the intensity are kept very high over the whole playing time with only a few passages where the tempo is slowed down and the listener gets a chance to breathe. However, the melodic harmonies and the fantastic hooks make the record a very enjoyable affair. The song structures are pretty stringent and while technical prowess and some subtly proggy tendencies play a role in certain sections the album has a great flow and it is pretty easy to get into the music. Some of the chorus parts are absolutely memorable and will stick with the listener from the first spin onwards. The voice of lead singer Lucie is well suited for this kind of fierce yet groovy music and she does her best to spit the vocals out with an extra portion of anger.

The productions is powerful and punchy. The mix is clear and transparent without sacrificing the rawness that is needed for that kind of music. No details are buried in the mix and also the bass is fully audible. Some might think that the overall sound might be a bit synthetic giving the record a modern touch, but I personally prefer this approach to something that sounds too much as it had been recorded in a basement in the 80s. Overall “LightCrusher” might be something you have heard in similar ways a lot of times before, but with the talent and the energy on display metal heads should not miss out on this record. Good stuff!