Kruger - For Death, Glory, and the End of the World

Switzerland. Somehow not a nation that I would associate with badass death n' roll. But alas, Kruger have proven me wrong once again. I found out about this little-known act when I heard that Gojira's Joe Duplantier was doing guest vocals on their new album (this one). Being that my love for Gojira is borderline stalker-ish, I had to find out more about these guys. There was no way that Joe would put his name (and his glorious vocals) on an album that was anything but stellar. And damn if Mr. Duplantier doesn't have some good taste. This album is stunning.


Death n' roll is a hard genre to describe, being that is a very vague and slightly ambiguous term. The best way I can pinpoint it, and the best way to describe Kruger, is highly groove oriented, death influenced metal. You won't find any blast beats on this album, nor will you hear any 260bpm double bass for 5 minutes straight, but that does not discount its heaviness. For Death, Glory, and the End of the World (hereafter referenced as FDGATEOTW) is a sludgey, dark, and groovy masterpiece of progressive death n' roll.

From the opening licks of "The Ox", the album starts off at a roaring pace, kicking in the grooves like a diesel engine rearing to life. The musicianship and composition has been upgraded tenfold on this new one, and each song stands on its own as a magnum opus.

The real treats of this album are the subtleties interwoven throughout each and every song. Ghost notes build up the accents and give each note a powerful and distinctive punch; the guitars are just distorted enough to sound brutally heavy, but restrained enough to keep that warm, almost classic rock overdrive feel just below the surface; and the vocals are not screamed, rather they are yelled or shouted. Each of these minute aspects are what give Kruger their unique and defining sound.

I'd have to say the only let down of the album is Joe's guest appearance. While the gripe has nothing to do with his performance, which is stellar as usual, it's the song they chose to have him on that is slightly disappointing. "Muscle" is in my opinion the weakest song on the record. This in no way is meant to convey that it is a bad or boring song, it's just that amidst a wealth of beautifully executed tracks, "Muscle" is kind of like the underachieving sibling in a polygamist's family, it just doesn't stand out. In fact, were it not for Joe's added vocals, the song would be unfortunately forgettable.

That says nothing of the entire record, though. FDGATEOTW is a masterpiece of progressive metal. It's crushing, forward-thinking, unique, and groovy and seriously stands out among the ever swelling sea of lackluster and copycat metal acts these days. If you like The Ocean, Gojira, or ISIS, these guys are definitely for you.

9/10

Track Listing:
1. The Ox
2. Return of the Huns
3. Anthem of Pretended Glory
4. Villains
5. Centre
6. Our Cemetery is Full of Strangers
7. Muscle
8. Dukes of Nothing
9. Turpitudes

Favorite Song: Dukes of Nothing