EP Review: Erase The File by Crowquill
EP Artwork for “Erase The File"“ by Crowquill.
Northern chaos worshippers, Crowquill keep their momentum going with a stunning follow-up to their 2025 self titled EP.
In the midst of 00's metalcore worship that is going on at the moment, few are attempting to harness the chaos, the unpredictable essence of madness that is Converge. Yes there are influences here and there but those making it the core (Pun intended) of their sound are scattered and in this writers opinion, that's for one simple reason. They can't. Converge themselves are a generational grouping of masters of their craft who, aside from having the inability to put out a less than great record, simply do things their own way and it takes not only talented musicians, but tortured souls and mercurial minds to even touch them.
Step forward Crowquill. Hailing from Leeds, their debut self titled EP last year (Released by The Coming Strife) was a shot across the bow of every 'core band in the country. Blending the aforementioned ‘J’ane Doe’ creators along with ‘One of Us Is The Killer’ era The Dillinger Escape Plan, Coalesce and perhaps even more obscure bands like Deadwater Drowning, their off-kilter, catharsis laden chaos turned more than a few heads. Of particular note was the stunning, earned not given cleans on standout track The Family Faucet, lending a wide eyed yet clenched fist vulnerability to their sound. From their first show it was clear that these weren't your standard metalcore band and it wasn't long before the country was familiar with their live experience. The reserved in person but demonic on stage Liam Turton of Divine Hatred fame combined with Kahal on guitar was a formidable, often frightening duo and the clamour for more material was soon in full swing.
Recently, after hearing new material teased live and a standalone track on the latest The Coming Strife Compilation (Deathbed) the band announced a new EP while at the same time, teasing a full length for later in the year. 'Erase The File' is three tracks of a bastardised blend of Jerome's Dream and On Broken Wings by way of a nervous breakdown.
Opener Lead Smile opens with a scattering salvo of drums before lurching riffs and frantic barks batter you like Mike Tyson using your head as a speedbag. Under the chaos though, lies groove and ugly melody, which is in full swing on the releases title track. Perhaps the best song the band have put to tape to date, it bottles the best elements of the band's sound until it explodes like a Molotov cocktail. This is music to activate your fight or flight response, and when the utterly addictive stomp at the end kicks in you'll feel like you could batter a bus full of bears single handed.
Everything (I Need To Know) finishes things off with some brief but welcome respite in the form of some soaring cleans that feel like brief ray of sunshine in a hurricane filled with rusty nails. It's truly difficult to pick out who the most exciting metalcore band in the UK is today but you'd be an absolute fool if you didn't have Crowquill in the top three.
FFO : Converge, Killing Me Softly
Score : 9/10
Erase The File is out now on all streaming platforms via The Coming Strife (UK) and Blackheaven Records (US)
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