I had been listening to this record for almost three weeks trying to place the sounds and get some kind of footing for writing about Crucifire. After completing some minor bit of research, I was shocked to learn that this album is the product of members of Yaphet Kotto, Bread and Circuits, and others. Saviours do not sound anything like any of their previous bands. Here we are blasted by pure unadulterated metal. Their lineup is disturbing. The sheer size (in terms of the equipment) of the band on stage must be a sight to behold. To be honest, I was expecting something different sounding from the artwork but after listening to the album quite a bit, I realize just how appropriate is.
Saviours' Crucifire absolutely bursts through the speakers with an intensity and sound similar to a more lo-fi Mastodon. "Holy Slaughter" is a harried sounding opening track that immediately caught my attention with the opening riff (and mystified me at just how much it did indeed remind me of the aforementioned metal powerhouse). As the title track, "Crucifire," began, I began to really get into the record. Vocally, Saviours has an almost spoken word cadence to much of the album, and this song is no different. The music has a hypnotic quality to it, not drone (like Sunn0))) et al) but the repetitiveness of the track seems to lock ones attention in an intense manner, good stuff.
By the time "Rise to Pyramid Form" hits, the band seems to find its own voice more and more as Crucifire progresses. It is a blistering track that seems intent on running the listener over with its testosterone fueled unholy rancor. The song is almost thrashy sounding. "Exalter of Thorns" slows the manic pace down a bit. Their triple, yes triple, guitar attack is given a chance to breathe more here than on anything else prior on the album. Saviours create more of a mood with this song; well, a mood other than heretical raving lunacy. This track might be considered more like a psychotic invocation of spirits. "Christhunt" will melt your face off. Without a doubt it has one of the best squealing guitar solos on the record. "Call Them into Fire," "Heathen Eye," and "Firewind" are less heavy but Saviours keeps the intensity for the length of the album.
Much of the material that Saviours produces on Crucifire supplies the requisite number of consistent plodding riffs that seem bent on changing ones religious affiliations through the power of the riff. And as my friend has stated in the past, "The power of the riff compels me." If you find yourself a slave to such compulsions as well, then this might just be up your alley. It is a pretty good record. I bet they are great live (and loud too).
