Photo by Daniel Johansson
Watch/stream THE CROWN’s “Gone To Hell” HERE.
“Gone To Hell” is the latest single from Swedish death metal legends THE CROWN. The thundering new track comes off the band’s anticipated twelfth studio album, Crown Of Thorns, set for release on October 11th through Metal Blade Records.
Elaborates THE CROWN guitarist Marko Tervonen, “‘Gone To Hell’ is a very special song in many ways. As you may have seen on our older albums, there are quite a few songs where the music is by ‘Olsfelt/Tervonen’ [referring to former bassist Magnus Olsfelt]. But that doesn’t actually mean that we wrote the song together. It was more about Magnus ‘stealing’ some riffs from me from songs that never made it to the albums. So he nicked the best stuff and included them into his songs. But ‘Gone To Hell’ was the first time we wrote something together. Magnus showed me the basic riffs to the song, on bass. We recorded it to a metronome and then I sort of ‘took over.’ I added the melodies, arranged it, wrote the drums and vocals etc. So, it was actually the only song we ever worked on together before he left the band. The song is more mid-tempo oriented; it almost has some post-punk elements to it. I personally love it and I’m super proud of it. I expect to read a lot of ‘what is this soft song shit’ from people, otherwise I will be very disappointed!”
Watch THE CROWN’s “Gone To Hell” video, created by Anton Hallenberg and Robin Schulz, at THIS LOCATION.
Watch the band’s previously released video for “Churchburner” at THIS LOCATION.
Crown Of Thorns serves as the band’s dynamic follow-up to 2021’s Royal Destroyer and the record’s musical dynamics are on a new level due in no small part to the 2022 addition of drummer Mikael Norén and bassist Mattias Rasmussen as well as the return of lead guitarist Marcus Sunesson, rejoining longtime members Tervonen and vocalist Johan Lindstrand. “With Mikael, we managed to bring back a bit more of that crazy ‘Janne Saarenpää’ feel to the drumming, so that was a really cool energy boost. Mattias comes more from a punk/crust background, and he wrote ‘I Hunt With The Devil’ and ‘Mind Collapse,’ which turned out great. This is definitely a step up in many ways, changing the way we worked on the CSV and RD albums.”
It’s very few bands who have a revered and established career — THE CROWN celebrated their
30th anniversary in 2020 (their first eight years spent as Crown Of Thorns) — yet up the ante continually. With 2018’s Cobra Speed Venom the band reached the same lofty heights as their 2002 landmark release, Crowned In Terror. And with the barbaric Royal Destroyer, and now, 2024’s powerful and unique Crown Of Thorns, the metal vets rage with a rekindled fire and ferocity while honoring their roots. As Tervonen concludes, noting of Crown Of Thorns, “I guess every band needs to do a self-titled album at some point. So now we did it, our way.”
Crown Of Thorns was recorded by Marko Tervonen (Studio-MT), mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren (Black Lounge Studios), and will be released on jewel case CD (US), limited digipak CD with three additional studio songs (EU), and digital formats, as well vinyl in the following color variants:
Black + White Split (US)
180g Black (EU)
White Black Marbled (EU)
White Black Dust (EU – Ltd. 300)
Iron-Grey Marble (EU – LP + bonus 7″, slip mat, patch – Ltd. 500)
Find preorders at metalblade.com/thecrown.
THE CROWN Live:
11/23/2024 Gothenburg Hall Of Metal – Gothenburg, SE
3/15/2025 Heidelberg Deathfest 25 – Heidelberg, DE
“Crown Of Thorns combines all the best elements of death metal, thrash, punk, and even grind in this modern metal masterpiece! I’m absolutely in love with the production and each member’s performance, a modern sound with that old soul. THE CROWN is more than a death metal band, THE CROWN is a whole entire mood!” — Mike Schleibaum, Darkest Hour
”The new album from THE CROWN really lives up to the name, Crown Of Thorns. It has a vibe that goes all the way back to those ‘90s albums. Back then, they were the fastest and most intense Swedish death metal band I knew of. Something that stands out is the open mind to implementing new elements and details, while never losing any of the aggression and intensity. My favorite track varies every time I listen to the album and that really says it all. It feels like this lineup touches that old school magic and I’m really looking forward to seeing them bring this beast on stage!” — Heljarmadr, Dark Funeral
”Face-melting as always, THE CROWN never disappoint. This album has me so fired up I’m gonna go outside to find a dog to kick and church to throw rocks at!” – Patrik Jensen, The Haunted
”THE CROWN avenges their past while racing into the future on the aptly named Crown Of Thorns, a glorious slab of their very own brand of Swedish death metal that will keep you on your toes until the bitter end. Diverse yet hyper-focused, melodic yet explosively brutal, this 11th LP might just be their best. Absolutely essential!” — Dirk Verbeuren, Megadeth
“Sweden’s most lethal crownbearers are back, and what an incredible return it is! Everything I love about THE CROWN is here, vicious riffing, blasting drums, heavier bass than most and of course Johan Lindstrand’s incomparable and second to none vocals. Swedish death metal doesn’t get any better than this. Highly, highly recommended!” — Mikael Stanne, Dark Tranquillity/The Halo Effect
THE CROWN:
Johan Lindstrand – vocals
Marko Tervonen – guitar
Marcus Sunesson – lead guitar
Mattias Rasmussen – bass
Mikael Norén – drums
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