EP Review: Crown Magnetar – Punishment (Unique Leader Records)

Crown Magnetar are out for blood—and buckets of it. The proof coming from the brand-new EP, ‘Punishment’. Out on March 7th, 2025, via Unique Leader Records.

F**king ruthless. Crown Magnetar are crushing it here, delivering four absolute beasts that showcase the brilliance of this band’s ferocious ways. They’re sounding more vicious and chaotic than ever, and the fact that it’s only four tracks long means it flies by in a sickening blur of brutality. F**king lovable brutality.

It begins so strongly too, as the excellently titled Barbed Wire Noose comes along and sees Crown Magnetar wrecking s**t. The manic speed of the guitars is one thing, the guttural strength in the vocals is another, but the drums are out of this world. The word that comes to mind is inhuman, and just when you think it has reached its heavy peak, Crown Magnetar find a way to make it even heavier.

Pick your teeth up, shake off the feeling that you’ve been concussed, and get ready to be knocked on your ass again by Nailed the Fuck Down and Bringer of Dead Light. The former is Crown Magnetar hitting a new level of manic speed. The blood and sweat flies off this one. Whereas the highlight of the latter is a blistering guitar solo. A really cool moment on a head banger of a track.

Then, finally, and with the force of tectonic plates slamming into each other, Crown Magnetar unleash Decapitation Ritual. A daring showcase of explosivity that has a more discernible rhythm making it kind of catchy. In a f**ked up, your brain is leaking out of your ears, kind of way. Which, as all fans of relentless brutality will tell you, is the best way.

Crown Magnetar promise a feral experience, and they deliver on that, even if it ends up feeling more like a threat.

Crown Magnetar – Punishment Track Listing:

1. Barbed Wire Noose
2. Nailed the Fuck Down
3. Bringer of Dead Light
4. Decapitation Ritual

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