Whenever we think of stoner influence throughout the world of metal, I don’t think it’s any stretch to say that we tend to plant it firmly with the realms of doom and sludge without much possibility for success outside of those styles, but that’s never stopped plenty of bands from trying. It’s not often done well with the stoner elements either being downplayed or only showing up lyrically or thematically, but it’s when it’s brought to life in a competent fashion that it makes me wonder just how it hasn’t become more widespread. With their forthcoming EP, I’d be lying if I said that I was expecting The Crux to succeed and hold my attention yet it’s with just the first of these four tracks that I couldn’t help but have my expectations all but flipped.

It can be truly titanic for an EP from any band no matter how experienced to put together a listen on the level of what can be considered not only alluring from virtually every angle, but expectation-defying of the ilk like what The Crux has brought to the table here. Even then and even after hearing how The Crux brought it to life, it’s difficult to envision how the worlds of stoner and thrash can be brought together in such a way that’s as compelling as it is flavorful right out of the gate to make for material that’s interesting, mature, and viciously entertaining. Despite such a hurdle, however, it’s with “Time and Space” that The Crux has come upon a sound that they’ve already started to turn into their very own. Carved out by persistent energy layered devilishly on top of gripping riffs that are strung together magnificently so by the smooth vocals, it’s hard to walk into the wonders of what The Crux brings to the table for “Time and Space” and not feel all but compelled by their calculated power that manages to pull from both of its core styles so deliciously without one ever washing out one to embolden the other. Quickly, it enables the EP to take on a life and form all its own that we simply don’t get to see out of any corner of the underground on a consistent basis whatsoever with the quality on display here seen even rarer despite all the talent that’s always being thrown around in both scenes yet it’s here that The Crux has immediately poised themselves to corner a flavorful and accessible corner of metal that I don’t think any of us would mind hearing more of.

It’s hard to set yourself apart from the crowd without doing something awesomely drastic in order to do so, yet it’s in just four songs that The Crux manages to do so and I can only imagine what a follow-up studio full-length could hold in store for listeners. This is an effort that has been eleven years in the making ever since The Crux made their debut under a different name, and I simply cannot look into all that’s brought forth with “Time and Space” and not feel like that’s a fantastic build-up with a wondrous payoff.

“Time and Space” releases on February 22nd!

LISTEN to The Crux on Bandcamp here.

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