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Album Review: Crystal Spiders, Molt

Posted in Reviews on November 12th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Crystal Spiders Molt

It seems doubtful that Molt will be the definitive document when it comes to Raleigh, North Carolina’s Crystal Spiders. Indeed, bassist/vocalist Brenna Leath, also of The Hell No and Lightning Born, recently confirmed work is underway on a follow-up to the band’s nine-song/43-minute Ripple Music debut, and as she and drummer/backing vocalist Tradd Yancey bid farewell to guitarist Mike Delaotch during the process of making the album, with producer Mike Dean — also in Lightning Born, also C.O.C. — stepping in to play some guitar on these songs as well as collaborating on the next batch, which will also have been put together using a methodology born of quarantine-separation and studio-based writing rather than hammering out material on stage, it seems fair to expect that whatever Yancey and Leath (and Dean) come up with next, Crystal Spiders will have shed this skin and formed a new one in its place.

Given that flux, it becomes all the more appropriate to take Molt on its own terms and to appreciate it for what it is. As a follow-up to the then-trio’s aptly-titled 2019 Demo (review here), it is an expansion of those ideas — one song is carried over between the two releases in “Tigerlily” — that keeps the focus put forth there on melody, groove and tone. Molt is not without a harder edge and faster shove, and one need look no further than the second-cut title-track to find it. Following opener “Trapped,” “Molt” is brash and engaging in kind.

Its first half speeds through a ’70s-style riff with Leath‘s verse lines surfing atop, and even after the tension built is released in a sudden fuzzy turn circa two minutes into the total 3:37, they subsequently turn to a dual-channel guitar solo, drum showoff and boogie/crash finish. And “Molt” is not an aberration in this regard. The later pair “C-U-N-Hell” and “Gutter” course along in no less energetic fashion, unimpeded by the thickness of the guitar and bass tones surrounding as the drums cut through and offer propulsive motion.

There’s a middle ground to be found as well in “The Call,” with a Motörheadular first half leading to a fluid jam-out later backed by a subtle weaving layer of lead-tone, and nothing throughout is quite so clear-cut, one or the other, but Molt‘s primary impression is in fact that thickness of tone and a less fervid tempo. Mood fuzz. The brooding launch Molt receives at the outset of “Trapped” is a tell for what’s to follow, and even as that song comes to life, its nodding pace remains indicative. That’s not to say Crystal Spiders want for energy — far from it, as the chug-meet-toms breaks in “Tigerlily” show, let alone any of the actually-faster material — but that their purposes are subtly multifaceted, and some of their strongest moments come in those restrained-seeming parts.

It’s not quite a question of patience in craft, because if anything, the band feel actively like they’re setting up the next burst, and that has a tendency to make their offerings more exciting since one never really knows when it’s coming (at least on a first couple listens), but one way or another, the rolling and crashing behind Leath‘s vocals in “Chronic Sick” makes a high point of an emotional low, touching on garage doom in the riff and wading deeper into murk than just about anything that surrounds — something the band seems to acknowledge as well in backing it with “C-U-N-Hell,” which also serves as the centerpiece because of course it does.

crystal spiders (photo by Jay Beadnell)

Between that, “Gutter” — which one assumes is the actual emotional low point being portrayed here — and the beginning stretch of “The Call,” Molt finds its biggest and most resonant kick in this post-“Chronic Sick” section. Is that where the molting happens, and where one skin is shed in favor of growing a newer, more resilient one? It would be easy to say yes, perhaps, were it not for the finishing pair of “Headhunters” and “Fog,” which feel distinct unto themselves in their approach.

The former is a pointed departure, and short at just 2:25, but more than an interlude. With handclaps and far-back drums from Yancey behind a watery vocal from Leath, “Headhunters” moves fluidly through a couple verses like a momentary dream — there and gone and you’re not quite sure if you were conscious for it happening. And as the finale, “Fog” lives gloriously up to its name, creating a murk of mellower fuzz riffing that finds Leath likewise more drawn back on vocals as opposed to some of the belting-out done earlier in the record, and it ends up underscoring and furthering the sense of mood that Molt has sought to create all along. As a last impression, “Fog” is the most melodically encompassing, with self-harmonizing and the patience in delivery that other songs hinted toward.

Entirely possible it’s a statement of things to come for the band as they grow into a more complex outfit on the whole, able to foster the dynamic that occurs here between songs within them as well, but again, what matters more is taking Molt on its own merits. On the most basic level of put-it-on-and-hear-it, it’s an assembly of wholly unpretentious kickass tunes. That’s as plain as it can be said. The collaboration between Leath and Yancey that will serve as the foundation of the band going forward is obviously newer in terms of stylistic development, but as the groundwork for future growth, there’s little more one could ask than what’s being delivered here.

And if these are indeed hints of things to come as the band continues to flourish, all the better, but that possibility does nothing to sap the record of its force of execution, its tonal impression, or the mood it evokes, and while there are dangers as “Tigerlily” gives way to “Chronic Sick” that the band might get caught up in their own mire, they never do, and even as they wade through “Fog” at the end, their sense of purpose remains clear. Whatever path their next release might find them walking, they’ve gotten off on the right foot.

Crystal Spiders, Molt (2020)

Crystal Spiders on Thee Facebooks

Crystal Spiders on Bandcamp

Ripple Music on Thee Facebooks

Ripple Music on Bandcamp

Ripple Music website

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Video Interview: Brenna Leath of Crystal Spiders

Posted in Bootleg Theater, Features on October 22nd, 2020 by JJ Koczan

crystal spiders (photo by Jay Beadnell)

Molt, the debut album from North Carolina’s Crystal Spiders is out now on Ripple Music, but I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that. The record’s a beast. Heavy, heavy, heavy, and rich with a kind of trio-in-rehearsal-space-hammering-it-out vibe even though it sounds pro-shop and full enough to be called engrossing. It doesn’t so much beg for volume as demand it. Vocalist/bassist Brenna Leath (also of Lightning Born and The Hell No), drummer Tradd Yancey and since-departed guitarist Mike Deloatch alternately roll and shove out fuzz and scorch like they’ve got an appointment to get to, and with Leath‘s voice forward in the mix by producer Mike Dean — yes, also of C.O.C.; he’s a bandmate of Leath‘s in Lightning Born and adds some guitar to Molt as well — command is never a question.

I’ve done plenty of video interviews before, but never with the intent of actually posting the video, so I beg of you, bear with the learning curve here. I spoke to Leath about Crystal SpidersLightning Born — both of whom already have new records in progress — as she was at a friends’ place in Asheville, NC, and if it’s any indicator of my technical prowess with Zoom, I used my wife’s work account and had to interrupt her lunch to call her upstairs to help me make the thing actually record. Professionalism, right? It’s how I do. I also brewed myself an extra cup of coffee for the occasion, so that’s how I do too.

And yes, before they put out the follow-up to Molt, I will be giving the album a proper review. Better late than never, as goes a maxim I just made up right now.

Video follows, and thanks for watching and reading:

Crystal Spiders Interview with Brenna Leath, 10.19.20

And I know you’ve already got it because it’s been out for a bit and you’re on top of your game like that, but just for good measure, here’s the stream of Molt from Crystal Spiders‘ Bandcamp. Enjoy:

Crystal Spiders, Molt (2020)

Crystal Spiders on Thee Facebooks

Crystal Spiders on Bandcamp

Ripple Music on Thee Facebooks

Ripple Music on Bandcamp

Ripple Music website

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GIVEAWAY: Enter to Win Crystal Spiders’ Molt on Vinyl

Posted in Features on August 13th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

crystal spiders molt vinyl

See that thing up there? You can win that! Ripple Music is set to release Crystal Spiders’ debut album, Molt, on Sept. 25. The Raleigh, North Carolina, two-piece already premiered their video for “Trapped” here, and that ruled (you can see the clip below), but the record’s a burner to be sure. Heavy soul vibes from singer/bassist Brenna Leath (also of Lightning Born with C.O.C.‘s Mike Dean, who produced here), a full-band sound between her low-end riffing and drummer/vocalist Tradd Yancey, with a little garage doom flair but still some punker edge when that’s what it wants. The title-track is right in there, crunch crunch crunch and stomp stomp. If I called it “fun” would you hate it?

Anyway, it’s a thing! You can win! Nobody hates winning things. So here’s the form to enter to get it from Ripple. If you prefer the direct link, go here: https://www.toneden.io/ripple-music/post/win-crystal-spiders-debut-lp-on-wax

You can use Spotify or Twitter or whatever to enter or I guess whatever you’ve got, and sign up to get on Ripple’s email list, which is actually kind of useful when it comes to finding out what they’re up to with preorders and whatnot. If you’ve seen giveaways here before you know I usually just do the “leave a comment here” thing and keep it simple, and I’m not into email harvesting, but the label went to the trouble to make it pretty so it seems the least I can do to post the thing as intended. Take it as a sign the record rules, if nothing else.

One more time, Molt is out Sept. 25 and the prize here is one — count ’em, one — copy of the album on vinyl. I’ll have a review of it up at some point, so I’ll spare you all that, but the short version is there’s a decent chance it’s a thing you want if you’re seeing these words. Giveaway runs for eight days, so have at it.

facebook.com/crystalspidersinmymind
crystalspiders.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

Crystal Spiders, “Trapped” official video

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Crystal Spiders Sign to Ripple Music for Debut Album Molt; Premiere “Trapped” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater, Whathaveyou on July 9th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

crystal spiders (photo by Jay Beadnell)

North Carolina’s Crystal Spiders will issue their debut album, Molt, through Ripple Music on Sept. 25, and to mark the announcement of the signing and the album below, they’re premiering a video for “Trapped” made by Chariot of Black Moth as the first single to come from the record. And quite a first impression it makes. Crystal Spiders have pared down from the trio they were on their striking 2019 demo (review here) to just the two-piece of vocalist/bassist Brenna Leath and drummer/vocalist Tradd Yancey, and with “Trapped” they — bolstered the production from C.O.C.‘s Mike Dean, who doubles in Lightning Born, also on Ripple — recall some of the low-end largesse of the first Year of the Cobra album even as Leath‘s voice keeps them steeped in a classic rock mindset. That’s the rock. The groove of the song itself is the roll.

I haven’t heard the rest of the record yet — September is so far in the future my feeble brain can’t even conceive it — but preorders are up now if you’d like to save yourself the trouble later. Needless to say I’m thrilled to host the premiere of the track and the video and I’m sure there will be more to come before the release date gets here.

Until then, I won’t keep you. Find the video below, followed by the announcement itself.

And please enjoy:

Crystal Spiders, “Trapped” official video

CRYSTAL SPIDERS – Debut album ‘Molt’ out on September 25th through Ripple Music.

European preorder: https://en.ripple.spkr.media/ripple-music/crystal-spiders-molt.html

US preorder: https://ripplemusic.bigcartel.com/product/crystal-spiders-molt-deluxe-vinyl-editions

It didn’t take long for North Carolina’s Crystal Spiders to draw attention. The early poise of their self-recorded 2019 demo caught the attention of Ripple Music head honcho Todd Severin, who decided to put out their LP before he even heard the mixes.

Their devotion to riff-worship drives the invigorating sound of Molt. Crystal Spiders fits within the lineage of Sabbath-bred influences ranging from Fu Manchu to Kyuss, from Weedeater to Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. But their broad scope — which pulls eagerly from classic rock dynamics and hardcore punk intensity, psychedelic texture and bluesy swing — pulls the band closer to contemporaries like Heavy Temple and The Well, who build upon well-trod templates to forge new territories of their own.

This rebuff of genre conventions has been a steady current in past and concurrent projects. Leath’s affection for classic metal and hard-rock is as apparent in her charged rock ‘n’ roll outfit The Hell No as it is in her doomy proto-metal band, Lightning Born, and Yancey lends a heavy swing to the psych-seared doom crew Doomsday Profit.

For Molt, the band pulls elements from across genres to create an album that traces the band’s full spectrum. Early songs like “Tigerlily” and “Trapped” find new complements in brand-new cuts like “Chronic Sick” and the title track. With a production assist from Mike Dean — Corrosion of Conformity bassist and Leath’s bandmate in fellow Ripplers Lightning Born — Molt finds Crystal Spiders at their most powerful.

Following a year of consistent gigging and short runs alongside The Well and Omen Stones, Crystal Spiders are looking to up the ante in 2020, with confirmed appearances at Raleigh Deathfest and the Maryland Doom Fest, as well as ranging further along the East Coast and into the western US.

Riding the momentum of their first year of shows and the strength of a potent debut, it’s a safe bet that Crystal Spiders will soon take space in the minds of fuzz-addicted legions far and wide.

Members:
Brenna Leath – Bass/Vocals
Tradd Yancey – Drums/Vocals

facebook.com/crystalspidersinmymind
crystalspiders.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/

Crystal Spiders, Demo (2019)

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