Album review : CRUZH – The Jungle Revolution

Frontiers [Release date : 22.03.24]

Welcome to The Jungle Revolution, third album on the Frontiers label from Swedish band, Cruzh, and their second with vocalist, Alex Waghorn, winner of Idol Sweden in 2017 (singing Journey’s ‘Faithfully’).

Among their admitted influences are Def Leppard, FM, Toto, and more recently, Kings’ X. So, expectations for this new release are high, especially among melodic (hard) rock fans.

Take a listen to ‘Killing In The Name Of Love’ and the Journey connotations are hard to avoid.

Similarly, the title track, ‘The Jungle Revolution’ is loaded up with echoes and shades of Def Leppard’s clean cut, metallised melodic rock.

The stadium stomping ‘Angel Dust’ and the declamatory ‘Skulcruzher’ are the head turners, purpose built to win the popular vote, reassuringly familiar yet never less than distinctive.

‘FL89’ (Feels Like 1989) was the teaser trailer. Easy to see why. It has depth, it has urgency, it has a sharp hook. All the hallmarks of quality Melodic Rock.

That’s further emphasised by three heavily guitar driven tracks on the “second side”, ‘At The Radio Station’, ‘Split Personality’ and the thumping ‘Gimme Anarchy, a gear shifting adrenaline rush to the finishing line.

Lyrically, the songs sound dated in places, “caught in the eye of storm”, “valley of broken dreams’ and so forth. Very Eighties. Maybe that will change in time. Or maybe that’s the point.

But in terms of music and performance, the album is full of the band’s conviction in their ability as artists, and it is clearly filled with affection for their source inspiration. ***1/2

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)