User:Jinvankorea
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[edit] Biography
Thunder from The East. Ready for the World. "CRASH"
Heavy Metal didn't die. It just went underground and re-emerged in South Korea under the name of CRASH. South Korea isn't exactly known as a global hot spot for Heavy Metal, but this veteran four-piece has been bashing out their own brand of Korean Heavy Metal™ for over ten years now, and they show no signs of stopping or slowing down.
Originally conceived in the early nineties, CRASH was always ahead of the game, playing ferocious thrash-inspired metal, while everybody else was still wearing spandex and singing about girls. In no time at all they established a fanatic hardcore following; CRASH live shows during this time were unprecedented events in the Korean rock underground, as rabid fans threw themselves off the stage and at each other in the first recorded acts of stage-diving and slam-dancing in the history of Korean music.
As an underground phenomenon, it was only a matter of time before they were to be picked up by a record label and in 1993, they signed to the fledgling Metal Force label, then a subsidiary of Korean mega-corporation SK Group. The debut album Endless Supply of Pain was soon released, sending shock waves throughout the Korean music community. Were these guys for real? Such intense music had never been heard before in the Land of the Morning Calm. The album was produced by renowned metal producer Colin Richardson, who took the band 's primal fury and molded it into a lethal slab of metal for the unsuspecting Korean masses.
Sepultura and Slayer are reference points for this classic album, showing a young band absolutely letting rip in the studio, totally hyped to be recording an album. Among the tracks, "My Worst Enemy," with its unrelenting massive riff, became an instant underground "hit," while a pounding cover of "Smoke on the Water" became a live favorite. The second effort To Be or Not To Be, self-produced by the band, revealed a darker and more experimental vibe; movie samples and other effects were incorporated into the songs; however, the "arty" nature of the songs make this one of their more "difficult" albums. Songs such as "Declaration of the Absurd" and "The Cipher" are technical tracks of the highest order, while the groovy, mid-tempo "Turn to Dust" became their first "radio" hit with a reasonable amount of airplay.
After the second album, CRASH parted ways with Metal Force, and landed a distribution deal with Korean major Seoul Records. Armed with a bigger budget, the band headed overseas to England, where they recorded their third album at Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire. Helmed by metal-guru Colin Richardson once again, Experimental State of Fear showcased the band incorporating more samples within a massive groove that had been lacking in previous efforts. "Another Weakness" and "Season in Red" are absolute riff monsters, while "Status" and "Gratitude" hit with all the force of a raging tornado.
A three-year hiatus followed, during which the band again switched labels, this time signing to the Taiwan-based Asian major label Rock Records. CRASH returned triumphantly in the year 2000, opening the new millennium with a stunning new album, Terminal Dream Flow. Colin Richardson again handled producing duties for this effort, which revealed the band pushing the envelope of their music even more; the songs are shorter and to the point, with outright melodies -- lead growler Ahhn can be heard actually singing on this one. The electronic element is in full effect here - rave meets metal - with pulsing techno beats and drum'n'bass breaks blending in seamlessly with raging riffs. Many die-hard fans were taken aback by the stylistic shift; however "Failure," "2019 A.D." and "Apocalypse" have since become vital crowd-pleasers, merging surprisingly well with their back catalog of speed metal crunchers.
2003 saw them returning to form. The programmed elements and samples are still there, but trimmed down; the tracks are leaner and meaner and faster than in recent efforts; The Massive Crush is the perfect title for the new album. "Whirlwind Struggle, " "Psychedelic Storm," and "Discipline" are all grinding, terrific thrashers bound to please headbanging maniacs hungry for Metal™. Self-produced once again, album number five sees the band continuing their mix of metal and electronica, but with a stronger emphasis on the metal. The album also contains a cover of seminal crossover band D.R.I.'s "Acid Rain," which previously appeared on the U.S. D.R.I. tribute compilation We Don't Need Society in different form.
As THE Korean Metal band, CRASH has over the years opened for major artists such as Megadeth and Bush, done music for commercials and games, and has also appeared on the Asian release of the "Spiderman" soundtrack album. Armed with a renewed passion and energy, together with brand new distribution by Sony Music, The Massive Crush is sure to take CRASH to the next level in their career.
