CRYSTAL SPIDERS - Metanoia review

 

CRYSTAL SPIDERS - Metanoia

Ripple Music

OK bias alert because this is a local band from where I live here in Raleigh, North Carolina. With that said I figured that CRYSTAL SPIDERS' debut full length, Molt from 2020, would register with Doom fans. I mean here's a female fronted Doom Metal band that was not playing in the cliche ways of the modern genre. So yeah in my not so humble opinion their debut album was damm good. They were doing their own thing which is cool. 

Unfortunatly I thought their second album, Morieris from 2021, was not as good. I mean it sounded decent but one would expect more then just going through the motions in my not so humble opinion. Seriously this band has the talent so show it. I expected their second album to be an explosion of cool fuckin Doom. Which brings us to this the band's third album and there are some changes on here which really show the band's potential for greatness. The third time is the charm 

There have always been two things about CRYSTAL SPIDERS which are the stand outs to me. You've got the iconic vocals by Brenna Leath who also plays bass. And guitarist Reid Rogers who's a devote' of Tony Iomni. Starting with Brenna Leath, on this release she's over the top with high end bluesy screams / vocals. Just listen to the album's opener "Torche". That's a force to be recognized. 

Brenna Leath's vocal performance throughout this album is sultry, damm cool bluesy and at times very powerful. Which is why this female fronted Doom Metal band is not cliche like all of the WINDHAND imatators in the past decade. Next it's guitarist Reid Rogers time to spotlight. Yes he know's the Tony Iomni style, he's all into the SABBATH - ian riff /groove. But he's more like a modern interpreter of that sound as opposed to a 70's ers copycat. 

The bottom line is that Reid Rogers is a great songwriter, riff master and an amazing lead guitarist. Now if you're gonna be SABBATH - ian then you need a drummer who's schooled in Hard Rock and Jazz style. This band has one in Aaron Willis. This guy is just amazing with his steady attack. I mean check out "21" which is a full blown attack on the kit combining with the guitar/bass and vocal barrage. Throughout this album Aaron Willis is in a cool attack with the guitars and bass. 

In the end yeah I'm bias. But hey I already had a favorite Doom Metal album which was a favorite set in stone. CRYSTAL SPIDERS' third full length shattered that one to pieces. Years ago I said this was a Doom Metal band to check out. Here we are now with their third album and CRYSTAL SPIDERS are on top as far as great US Doom is concerned. Yeah this is one of the best Doom releases of 2025.  

https://ripple-music.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://crystalspiders.bandcamp.com/album/metanoia

CRYSTAL SPIDERS - Molt review

CRYSTAL SPIDERS - Molt

Ripple Music

So it might've been late last year or early this year when a friend of mine (and a local musician) sent me a link to this band's three song demo. He also included the words "Raleigh's newest Doom sensation". So yeah I checked it out and thought it was pretty good but I'd hold off on the whole "sensational" tag just yet until they put out something more substantial. 

So here we are with this the band's debut full length. After a few listens I'd say yeah this is great. But then again who doesn't like female fronted doom these days? So with that said the CRYSTAL SPIDERS are technically a duo with bassist / vocalist Brenna Leath and drummer Tradd Yancey. Their guitarist is Mike Deloatch. He's not in the promo pick below (?)

For starters I've gotta say Brenna Leath is an amazing vocalist. Her vocal range as well as command of singing styles makes every song on here a treat. She is perfect doing haunting vocals as well as angst punk rock screams, sultry bluesy stuff or just full on in your face rock. Then again I've been a fan of her singing ever since I saw her perform in THE HELL NO which is a melodic metal act she fronts as well. She's also in LIGHTNING BORN which is a sludgey doom project that also features Mike Dean from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY.

By the way Brenna Leath is also good at playing bass. Molt is just down-tuned fucking heavy in a SAINT VITUS way. Tradd Yancey is steady as far as the basic drumwork goes but once in a while steps out to be the dominator on a few songs. Ya can't argue with Mike Deloatch's SABBATH-ian style of riffs. I'd say his various guitar solo work on here is slightly out of the box which make things far more interesting. Once again it's more SAINT VITUS than standard SABBATH worship. 

In the end I have to be totally honest. If you look at this from a local music perspective then yeah CRYSTAL SPIDERS are sensational. But I look at this from a world wide view. Remember now, twenty years ago female fronted doom was an oddity. In 2010 it became something of a force to be recognized. So now a band like CRYSTAL SPIDERS are another fish in a huge ocean of similar sounding bands from all over. 

But they've got something which goes beyond the great vocals and perfect doom sounds. They don't conform to the cliche sounds of others in the genre. CRYSTAL SPIDERS have influences but walk a different path which makes them unique and cool. I think this album is fantastic. It's definitely something which I'd consider a favorite of the year. I was looking forward to see this band play live in 2020. But with the Covid shutdowns that turned out to be a no. Hopefully in 2021 then but for now get this release.

https://www.ripple-music.com/

LISTEN HERE: 

https://crystalspiders.bandcamp.com/album/molt