Crashdiet - The Savage Playground (2013)

For those of you who lives outside of Sweden, you probably did not know that sleaze/glam rock has been pretty popular amongst the Swedish crowd in later years. Bands like The Poodles, Crazy Lixx and Dynazty has made the genre one of the most desired genres in mainstream rock. Hell, even the veterans in Europe has been given a lift in this new wave of sleaze/glam rock. Another band that has gained some recognition in later years in this genre is Crashdiet. So what separates Crashdiet from the rest of the bands? Well, since they are a glam metal band then there is very little that is different from any other band in the same genre but I feel that Crashdiet has an admirable passion and a little heavier approach than the others. So if you are going to listen to one band in the sleaze metal genre then I would clearly suggest Crashdiet.

"The Savage Playground" is the bands fourth offering and it is their best up to date (according to the band itself). Well I am not sure if I should agree on that statement. "The Savage Playground" has without a doubt better production than its three predecessors but the song material is not the strongest the band has collected into a full-length piece. "Change The World" is a typical album opener with a decent speed but not good enough to be the top of the bunch. A song that puts the bar at the exactly right height for the coming songs. The following song, "Cocaine Cowboys" (which is also the first single from the album), is a bad mix of country and Wolfmother with an acceptable and catchy chorus but it is not a song that deserves to be a single. Then we have "Anarchy" that may be the shortest song on the album but what it lacks on length it makes up on speed, good back up vocals and attitude. Definitely wished that this song was longer. Other songs that is good enough to stand up on their own are "Sin City" that has an edgy and cool riff that lifts the song to new heights together with the heart pounding chorus, "Snakes In Paradise" with its laid back sound that is surprisingly effective and "Garden of Babylon" with its progressive touch and oriental feeling.

Even though "The Savage Playground" is a little rough at the edges, the evenness is very notable here and that is not a surprise. "The Savage Playground" is the first Crashdiet album that does not have a new singer which has given the band more stability, which is given a wanted effect on the bands interaction. But it is not all and well on this album. I find the lack of catchy choruses pretty unusual for this band and songs like "Excited" and "Drinkin Without You" brings the bands dignity down a step. So even if Crashdiet has found a harmony that is important for their future carrier there is still much for them to work on if they want to get bigger than they are now.

"The Savage Playground" is a good album and it is keeping the sleaze genre on top in Sweden but I feel like the band is for some reason holding back. This album is missing an instant hit and the avarage quality of the songs could have been higher. So Crashdiet is not living up to their full potential but they are clearly going to please their fans with this album.

Songs worthy of recognition: Anarchy, Garden of Babylon, Sin City

Rating: 7/10 Damaged Kids