Death Is Not Dead

CROWN / DEATH IS NOT DEAD - Reunited with their classic Death race King lineup after 10 years, Sweden's the Crown hopes to reclaim it's Satanic death-thrash throne. And the band mostly succeeds-tracks like "Headhunter," "Iblis Bane," and "Ride to Ruin" channel much of the group's rollicking battle jacket-clad dark majesty. Parts of the album's middle leans more towards traditional melodic death metal, and sometimes lacks the old-school hyperbolic attitude that made the band right- fully infamous. Still, it's virtually impossible to not head bang to Death Is Not Dead, which also includes a creepy Paradise Lost cover and two closing tracks, the killer "Meduseld" and "Godeater" that go straight for the throat.