I can't help
it. With most Screamo/Harcore bands haunting the back of my mind, any moniker
with more than 3 words makes me cringe. I mean, seriously, what sort of name is
‘Laugh At The Fakes’? Eventually my scepticism changed to surprise when
“Dethrone the Crown” turned out to be quite a good album.
Laugh At The Fakes play Melodic Rock with riffs that
wouldn’t sound out of place with Death Metal music. It sounds confusing on
paper, I know, but the end result works a
treat and album opener ‘Not Like Me’ is a perfect example. Also worth mentioning
are this song’s lively guitar solos.
Elsewhere in the album...’Fighting Dirty’ sounds like a Poison song played by
serious musicians. Glam comparisons vanish, though, when the listener is shaken
by
a series of powerful riffs and solid blastbeats. ‘Death Awaits’ goes back and
forth from Motley Crue-inspired melodies to Anthrax-friendly
riffs, tightness and all. ‘Harmonica Playing Man’
is notable for its Prog Rock sensibilities. ‘And I’ leans more on the Melodic
side of Metal – for me it’s also the album’s best written song.
With some rare
exceptions (‘And I’ being one) I found the use of vocal harmonies in “Dethrone
The Crown” excessive and a more powerful lead vocals clear of discernible
effects or harmonisations would have improved the album to no end.
By and large,
however, this is a valid effort from an undoubtedly promising band.
