Reviewed by Graeme Crawford

The Californian band's bio compares 'I, Lucifer' to Radiohead's 'Ok Computer' and U2's 'Joshua Tree' in that the band "have birthed a giant" with their new record. Somewhat ambitious, perhaps, but this is a very good album with much more focus and inventiveness than their debut 'Saints'. Heavy enough to be accepted by metalcore fans, yet melodic enough for the hardcore crowd, Destroy The Runner would appear to have covered all their bases. Clever and uncliched musically, powerful rhythms drive the songs along, allowing the talented guitarists to weave melodies around the vocals or augment the rhythm as required. The difference between good and great bands is often the strength of their vocalist and with the voice of Chad Ackerman, Destroy The Runner find themselves in very good health. Strong and passionate with emotional melodies and powerful roars, Ackerman is the icing on the cake of this group. With epic anthems such as "Luxuria", "Isabella's" and the title track there appears to be no reason why Destroy The Runner cannot continue to build their reputation and become a major force in the hard music scene.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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