Crystal Lake: The Weight of Sound
Formed in Tokyo in 2002, Crystal Lake is a vibrant five-piece band. Their distinctive sound draws from hardcore and metalcore influences, seamlessly blending infectious melodies with a powerful heaviness. Over the course of the group’s history, their lineup has been as dynamic as their sound, with guitarist Yudai ‘YD’ Miyamoto currently the band’s only original member.
Their latest album, ‘Weight of Sound’, opens with ‘Everblack’ (feat. David Simonich), a crushing song that needs no introduction, throwing listeners into their new material with no preamble. It speaks to a heavier direction for Crystal Lake, already known for their blend of hardcore and metalcore. The second track, ‘Blüdgod’ (feat. Taylor Barber), continues with this heavier theme, full of deep-throated vocals and death growls. These are backed by the kind of blistering drums and frenetic guitars you would expect from a band known for their metalcore influences.
Listeners might struggle to make out many of the lyrics – but honestly, they’ll be too busy headbanging their brains into oblivion to notice. The intensity continues to build across the next few songs, giving no mercy between the roaring vocals, gunshot drumming and dirty riffs that grow in power as the album progresses. ‘King Down’ is a standout track, kicking off with eminently heavy guitars and drums, and a catchy hook reminiscent of ‘Damning the Heavens’ from DevilDriver’s 2009 album, ‘Pray For Villains’. The whole record is mosh-worthy, but if ‘Blüdgod’ didn’t do the trick, this is the song that would get me in the pit.
The title track brings you gently in, building quickly in intensity, with lyrics that conjure images of a bleak post-apocalyptic cityscape. Paired with the music video, there is a sense of wistfulness depicted by tour shots both on and off stage. I am left wondering if the home they are missing is Tokyo, or performing in front of screaming fans; the stage and their brotherhood their spiritual home. With soaring choruses that blend growled vocals with clean, this song defines the band’s new direction, while also feeling like a homecoming for longtime Crystal Lake fans. It is an exciting introduction for the new vocalist, John Robert Centorrino, formerly of The Last Ten Seconds of Life. ‘The Weight of Sound’ might not be the heaviest song on the album, but it will get listeners out of their seats and desperate for more!
Another standout track for me is track no. 8, ‘Dystopia’ (feat. Jesse Leach), with its scorching drums setting the pace for surprisingly melodic guitars that contrast with the raw power of the vocals that drive the song. All of this mellows in the last minute with some gorgeous harmonies that bring the title to a close. The energy rapidly turns back up to eleven in the following tracks, barely giving listeners a second to catch their breath in-between. Ending on a more gentle note, ‘Coma Wave’ blends soulful piano and truly beautiful vocals before reintroducing the guitars, death growls and drums we all love, albeit at a much slower pace compared to the rest of the album.
Fresh off the heels of a major European and UK headline tour in April/May 2025 with Swedish metal band Thrown, Crystal Lake will be touring with American metalcore band Miss May I for a co-headline tour during early spring 2026 in Europe and the UK. After a short break, the tour will continue in Australia accompanied by American metalcore band Of Mice and Men.