There was a time when some labels, in particular Osmose and Necropolis, tried to start a trend of retro thrash/speed metal within black metal circles, Cranium is a prime example of just that, and also one of the worst examples I must say. I must admit I was never fond of this retro trend, even though that I like most of those bands which they so desperatly try to emulate, and perhaps the problem is, that they try and emulate them rather than play what they feel for. They try to capture a style and feel of someone elses, rather than have their own. One could say that they are simply trying to hard, instead of just letting it flow. This is very simply people trying to play speed/thrash in the manner of Sodom, Exodus, Kreator and so forth, and they fail miserably because they do not have the spirit, just a dull clone of the aesthetic. That added to that this is a MCD, the result is rather feeble and not worth neither your time nor money...

© 2001 sharund