CD-Review: Crashdiet - "The Savage Playground"

The sleaze season has begun: Crashdiet released their new album "The Savage Playground" some days ago and it was very difficult for me to write a review about this one. Why? Read it below ...









In the last few years Crashdiet released three really good records: "Rest In Sleaze" seems to be an insider classic, "The Unattractive Revolution" had a great punchy production and "Generation Wild" was very, very melodic. All in all it was always kick ass sleaze metal - that hasn't changed so far.
Crashdiet announced their fourth record as the best they've ever done ... big promises. Some kind of megalomania played always a role in Crashdiets history (example: they praise their former shouter Dave Lepard (R.I.P.) as the "king of sleaze metal" ... wtf?!). I know Crashdiet have lots of fans out there, but they never have the status of Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, Ratt and all the big ones in the genre. They were always good, but they've never done something outstanding - and sadly this hasn't changed, too.

Die-hard-fans will hate me for writing the next lines ... but in my opinion nearly all songs on "The Savage Playground" are average and replaceable! I've listened to this album a few times now and 70% of it couldn't grab my attention. Most of the songs just passed me by. Nice as backround music but rarely more.
I would like to highlight four songs : "Excited" is an interesting tune with a good chorus and "Cocaine Cowboys" brings some variety in this album. "Garden Of Babylon" is also a very good track, which brings some kind of epicness with it and the bonus track "Liquid Jesus" kicks ass, too. And that's it.
Four remarkable songs out of fourteen.

This time Crashdiet placed only a little value on good songwriting. It seems it's all about highlighting their "bad boy" image ... at least this works quite well. Shouter Simon Cruz has lots of attitude in his voice, which fits perfectly to this kind of music, but this does not rescue the songs. They sound mostly way the same and you've heared all of the melodies a hundred times before.
Prepare this record to the EP of ToxicRose and Crashdiet can pack their bags. TocixRose showed how great sleaze metal should sound in 2013. I miss the catchiness of "Generation Wild" or "Chemical" and the great arena-feeling I had when I heared "In The Raw" for the first time. I'm not a "Crashdiet-hater" - in fact I liked their older tunes very much, but "The Savage Playground" is a big disappointment to me!

The production is solid ... nothing special here. But that underlines the dirty sound that the band wants to create. Any way ... "The Unattractive Revolution" was much better produced.

In conclusion I can only say that I hope this album was their only failure. Hardcore Superstar is now my big hope and the signs are good: Their single "One More Minute" is better than anything on "The Savage Playground". Sleaze metal fanatics can give this album a listen, but don't expect something groundbreaking here. Maybe it's a better record if you listen to it with lower expectations. An average note for an average album.

5/10

tracklist:

01. Change The World
02. Cocaine Cowboys *
03. Anarchy
04. California
05. Lickin' Dog
06. Circus
07. Sin City
08. Got A Reason
09. Drinkin' Without you
10. Snakes In Paradise
11. Damaged Kid
12. Excited *
13. Garden Of Babylon *
14. Liquid Jesus (bonus track) *

* best tracks