Even the most die-hard extreme metal fan would have to admit that out of all the heavy metal subgenres, it is probably the most one-dimensional-sounding of all. Seemingly, just about every single band that fits under the extreme metal umbrella follows the same game plan -- screams, growls, gonzoid guitar riffing, and metronome-perfect drumming. And on their 2009 release,
Guardians, the Westerville, OH-based quintet Crimson Armada certainly fit this description. But according to a press release issued around the time of the album's release, what sets Crimson Armada apart from the rest of the extreme metal pack is that they supposedly promote "a positive spiritual message through their music and meaningful lyrics going beyond the trend of broken relationships or pure brutality." Well, we'll have to take the label's word on this -- as evidenced by such tracks as "Guardian" and "In the Eyes of God," good luck trying to decipher what lead growler Saud Ahmed is saying without the aid of a lyric sheet. ~ Greg Prato