There are bands that just don’t get their fair share in our playtime. Japanese metalcore band Crystal Lake is in that list for me. I was surprised that their newest record, The Weight of Sound, is their seventh full-length record over a twenty-year career. That is criminally unfair to the band, especially when they have been consistently putting out strong records. This review is my way of putting more time into listening to Crystal Lake, and hopefully, it will convince you to do so too!

To release the title track as a single is a bold move, and only done when a band is sure of their product. In this regard, “The Weight of Sound” delivers, even though it is a big-arena puller. Channeling more modern metalcore sensibilities, with electronic overdubs and ambient guitar sections, the single has a victorious tone that heralds the record. In contrast, the second single “Neversleep” (featuring Myke Terry from Volumes) is a straight hardcore-laced banger. The pitch-shifted breakdown in the closing moments propels the listener into neck-wrenching momentum. With a groove guaranteed to get the circle-pit going, Crystal Lake is off to a great start with these singles, showcasing both sides of the band’s sound – the heavy (punchy) and the heavy (emotional).

Album opener “Everblack” (sadly not a cover of The Black Dahlia Murder track) (featuring David Simonich of Signs of the Swarm) is most reminiscent of “Aeon”-era Crystal Lake, while “BludGod” (featuring Taylor Barber of Left to Suffer) is only more proof that Crystal Lake is a deathcore band masquerading as a metalcore band! The emotional heft from “The Weight of Sound” comes back around in “The Undertow” (featuring Karl Schubach of Solace), with an addictive chorus melody. Crystal Lake magically weaves in melody and emotional heft without sacrificing aggression, as seen on “Dystopia” (featuring Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage), making the softer parts shine through more.

The Weight of Sound is clearly all-killer-no-filler, in an era filled with interludes and ballads galore. The riffs flow a-plenty, the breakdowns are fresh to keep the head banging, and the momentum always pushes forward, a fact that I have come to covet in my metalcore in this modern iteration of the genre. Even when “Sinner” attempts to “slow” things down, the engine keeps chugging, right through the end of the record, where the band finally decides to take a breather. The record closes with the ballad-y “Coma Wave”, channeling Parkway Drive, something they do on several occasions through the runtime of The Weight of Sound.

Every single member in Crystal Lake is putting in their best work on this record. For a record that has a lineup almost completely disconnected from the original set of musicians, it is a feat that the new members manage to maintain the central tenets of what makes Crystal Lake a special band in the scene. Guitarists Yudai Miyamoto and T.J had enormous shoes to fill with the departure of longtime guitarist Shinya Hori, who created and honed the trademark Crystal Lake sound. However, the new guys absolutely crush it, and I am excited to see how they continue to innovate on future records. Drummer Gaku Taura is an absolute demon behind the kit, and his high-tempo drum arrangements are a big part of why the push-forward nature of the Crystal Lake songwriting method is enjoyable. For those familiar with early Crystal Lake, vocalist Riyo Kinoshita built himself into a metalcore institution. His raw aggression, coupled with low-end growls, is not often seen in metalcore, setting him apart from the countless metalcore vocalists in the scene. But holy canoli, John Robert C. (from The Last Ten Seconds of Life) is the perfect monster to continue Kinoshita’s legacy. His vocals ooze power and range, and provide the exact vibe required to elevate the music he performs over. What a stellar addition to the Crystal Lake roster! 

The success of The Weight of Sound compels me to check out the entire Crystal Lake back catalog, and it should motivate you, dear reader, to do the same. A triumphant entry in a veteran catalog, The Weight of Sound excels in almost every way. There is very little to fault with this album, and I am hyped to see what they put out next, and sincerely hope this record gets the recognition it deserves. A great start to 2026!