Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Kruger Redemption Through Looseness Company: Listenable Records Release: 2007 Reviewer: EC Genre: Heavy

Rating -

Like a machine, a drone that spits out riff after riff of monotone sounds

Switzerland's hybrid metal band made an impressive debut in 2003 with "Built For Speed". The group followed with a critically acclaimed sophomore effort in "Cattle Truck". Now the band returns with "Redemption Through Looseness", a new set of tracks that sees the band firmly embracing their experimental roots, providing a backdrop of washed out fuzz that sounds like Gorefest, Entombed, Isis, and Of Graves And Gods thrown together in a mosh pit of riffs and 'core stances.

For me personally, I much prefer the blues drenched stoner riffs of this type of sub-genre and Kruger simply doesn't have enough of that. Why am I comparing apples to oranges? Because Kruger sounds like they could be the next Entombed or Crowbar, but when push comes to shove the band sounds like a machine, a drone that spits out riff after riff of monotone sounds. Sure the band hits on a few grooves and allows for some lyrical access, but the whole thing is just off kilter and sounds "innovative" just to be different. The band is tight, allowing a wall of sound to pulverize and shake the very foundations of thrash metal, but when toned down and washed out in a sea of wide riffs and vacuum-like rhythm the whole thing comes across as a real mess.

The Bottom Line - Music for those simply yearning for "more than just music".