Album Reviews

France’s The Dead Krazukies (I still have no clue what that name means!) are back with the follow-up to 2023’s From The Underworld. Mixed by Christian Carvin and mastered by Jason Livermore, ‘Cipher’ packs 11 new songs that walk the line between melodic punk rock, skatepunk, hardcore and metal.

You can still trace most of the band’s influences back to Sum 41 and—even more so—Rise Against, but there are just as well moments when you could easily call them a metal band that happens to write punk rock songs. They know how to shred like crazy and aren’t afraid to add a dash of theatricality without losing any of their hardcore energy. Plus, with Maider Gallais, they have an absolute powerhouse of a vocalist.

One thing you’ll notice as you work your way through the record is that the tracks can start to blend together a bit. Don’t get me wrong: the band has this formula down to a science, but I would have loved a little more variety across the tracklist. Instead, you have to wait until the closer ‘Playa Nevada,’ a mariachi-inspired curveball that almost swings too far in the opposite direction. I know, there’s simply no pleasing me.