Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, CROP have been steadily carving out a sound that feels as raw and unforgiving as the emotions they explore. Formed in 2020, the four-piece blends 90s grunge with a healthy dose of modern doom and sludge metal, creating an auditory experience that is both crushing and cathartic. I have to say I hadn’t listened to this band before this review and after listening to this release it’s left me disappointed that I haven’t had them on my playlists sooner. While their self-titled 2021 debut introduced them as ones to watch, S.S.R.I marks a seismic evolution—this record feels like a deeply personal purge, wrapped in barbed wire and drenched in distortion.
“Flatline”
A moody, ominous intro track that calls to mind early Slipknot interludes. It’s all rising tension—like the storm clouds gathering before the deluge—setting the stage for what’s to come.
“Formaldehyde”
Feedback bleeds into a thunderous, fuzzed-out bassline before the guitars come crashing in like a demolition crew. Marc’s vocals are delivered like a war cry—raw, raspy, and relentless. The mid-song drop into a reverb-drenched lull is brief, haunting, and powerful, just before the track erupts again in full-force chaos. This song is as good an opening song as I’ve heard recently, it’s heavy, brutal and laced with venom, an absolute statement opener.
“Godamn”
Kicking off with a nod to 90s nu-metal, the track morphs into something far more feral, when the song kicks in it feels like the guitars aren’t just washing over you but slamming in to you with the force of a tsunami.. Guitars hit like wrecking balls, the bridge hammers out a primal rhythm, and just when you think it’s over, the sludge kicks in and swallows everything whole.
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“10-56”
The slow, searing burn of this track is a standout. With feedback and a devastating riff leading the charge, Marc’s vocals feel like open wounds set to music. The emotional depth here is intense—despair and fury wrapped around each lyric. The dynamic pacing, especially the build toward the crushing end, is a masterclass in restraint and release. The song is a masterclass in grunge, doom, sludgy excellence.
“Alone”
A deceptive intro with haunting guitar lines gives way to CROP’s signature sonic assault. The chorus is gloriously grunge, echoing the likes of Alice in Chains but with a denser, heavier twist. Zach’s guitar work brings texture and menace while Andrew’s drums propel the track forward like a runaway train.
“Breathe”
Serving as a momentary exhale, this instrumental interlude is eerie and atmospheric—pregnant with silence and unease. A calm before the final storm.
“Break”
No subtlety here—just instant, pure aggression. The band unleashes everything they’ve been holding back, with breakneck rhythms and Andrew’s double-kick flourishes pushing the intensity to the brink. It’s an explosive and fitting finale that leaves no doubts about CROP’s capabilities.
S.S.R.I is a brutal, unrelenting, and emotionally charged record that feels like both a scream for help and a call to arms. CROP takes taboo topics like mental health, isolation, internal struggle and confronts them head-on with zero pretence and maximum volume. What makes this album stand out isn’t just the sheer heaviness, but the emotional clarity buried in the noise. Each track is meticulously structured yet completely unfiltered, like therapy through distortion pedals.
If you’re into sludge, doom, or the darker corners of grunge revival, CROP are not just a band to check out—they’re one to champion. S.S.R.I is the sound of catharsis, and it hits hard.
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S.S.R.I is out on August 22nd via self release
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