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Crawl to China is the 1997 album by the Christian metal band Tourniquet, released on Benson Records. This album took the band's style to a more simplistic rock sound, and as a result, Crawl to China was critically panned and dissappointed many of the band's metal fans. The lyrics of the song "The Tell-Tale Heart" are based on Edgar Allan Poe's a short story of the same title. David Larkin of Jesusfreak Hideout called Crawl to China "an average effort that could have been better," "Neither a hit nor a miss" and "an underrated album in the band's collection."[1]
The Metal Observer called the album "the band's weakest effort," writing: "The chorus to “Enveloped In Python” is pleasing, but the constant switching between tempos is very irritating; Easter’s (vocals) attempt at creepiness is laughable, in the worst way. The first ballad is “If I Was There,” and is essentially inconsequential due largely to the less-than-riveting, acoustic passages. Conversely, “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a high point on the album and it fully displays the band’s fascination with Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote a short story that uses the same name. I harbor only disdain for the ludicrous composition known as “Bats,” especially after listening to the incessant, high-pitched vocals that punctuate the chorus. The next few songs don’t contribute to the credibility found on “Crawl To China.” “Tire Kicking” and “Stumblefoot” – two songs in the same stylistic vein – are indescribably bad. But, “America” is a cool closer, which features a massive amount of instruments all vying for the forefront. Admittedly, bad albums happen. They just do. It’s not like Tourniquet botched their career by releasing the critically panned Crawl To China, but it certainly didn’t help a reputation that was on life-support anyway."[2]
The drummer Ted Kirkpatrick has later said in an interview that the band themselves consider the album as one of their favorites. He also says that afterwards many of the fans have began to appreciate the Crawl to China and though "the Europeans do not really seem to care for the album."[3]
[edit] Track listing
- "Claustrospelunker" 4:19
- "Crawl To China" 4:28
- "Enveloped In Python" 4:00
- "White Knucklin' The Rosary" 4:11
- "If I Was There" 5:56
- "The Tell-Tale Heart" 5:15
- "Bats" 3:56
- "Proprioception: The Line Knives Syndrome" 5:00
- "Tire Kicking" 3:40
- "If Pigs Could Fly" 4:38
- "Crank The Knife" 4:15
- "Stumblefoot" 3:40
- "Imaginary Friend" 3:59
- "Going, Going...Gone" 6:04
- "America" 4:39
[edit] Credits
[edit] Guest Musician
[edit] References
[edit] External links
