CRAZY LIXX
“Thrill Of The Bite”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Crazy Lixx are a hard rock band from Sweden formed in 2002, releasing eight albums to date – ‘Loud Minority’ (2007), ‘New Religion’ (2010), ‘Riot Avenue’ (2012), ‘Crazy Lixx’ (2014), ‘Ruff Justice’ (2017), ‘Forever Wild’ (2019), ‘Street Lethal’ (2021) and ‘Thrill Of The Bite’ (2025).

“nostalgia” is defined as “a longing or affection for a period in the past”, “retro” is defined as “imitative of a style from the past” and “paying-homage” is defined as “showing great respect to someone or something from the past” – three words that I’d use to perfectly describe the Crazy Lixx sound. The hard rockers from Sweden have a sound that stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Stryper, and Treat – the bands new album a ten song, forty two minute long, energetic gallop of metal edged hard rock, ‘Highway Hurricane’ marching into sight sizzling with the iconic guitar tone of the legendary NWOBHM, the Swedish rockers proudly straddling the border between their hard rock roots and classic heavy metal. Remember back in the eighties when every rock and metal band were placed under the “heavy metal” banner – even the likes of AC/DC and Whitesnake – that’s exactly the sound and feel Crazy Lixx have. And what a fucking glorious sound it is too!

A simply sensational opening salvo to arouse everyone, the band march on with the ground shuddering ‘Who Said Rock N’ Roll Is Dead’, sleaze come glam rock and metal taking centre stage as Crazy Lixx deliver one helluva sing a long-able chorus that every listener, fan and follower are gonna shout. scream and screech as loud as is humanely possible! So all together now “They think it’s over, they’re saying we’re done, They tried their best but never succeeded, Who said rock n’ roll is dead, We might be bleeding, a little roughed up, But far away from being defeated, Who said rock n’ roll is dead”. And in answer to your question my Swedish friends – it was in 2014 by an ageing American glam rocker whose best years were during the seventies! And how fucking wrong he was – rock (and roll) is thriving more now than ever, ‘Little Miss Dangerous’ maintaining the overly energetic start to ‘Thrill Of The Bite’. And with yet another glorious sing a long-able chorus, Crazy Lixx preparing every listener and all the bands fans to become backing singers in a live arena – what an incredible experience that’s gonna be! And with a dramatic surge in energy, ‘Call Of The Wild’ takes off at full throttle, the band storming the gates with phenomenal power and pace, the iconic “foot on the monitor” feel of galloping heavy metal pouring outta the album right now!

There’s been no time to take a breath since ‘Thrill Of The Bite’ began, Crazy Lixx keeping the pedal firmly to the metal as the band cruise along the motorvag at top speed, ‘Recipe For Revolution’ maintaining the incredible intensity of the album at levels that are out of this world! The introduction of a melodic rock swagger here is stunning, the band roaming all over rock territory to deliver some of the best hard rock I’ve heard this year so far – and probably the last couple of years too, the Swedish outfit one of those rare bands that deliver on point, time and time again, joining the likes of Saxon, Rage and (my one true metal love) Doro as some of the most reliable and can-always-count-on acts of all time! And not just of all time – in this moment as well too, ’cause they’re all still performing today and releasing new music! And talking of new music, ‘Run Run Wild’ does exactly what the title says, the band upping the levels of energy and tempo to new heights as a heart melting rhythm rolls into sight to nod the head and tap the feet of all eight billion people on the fucking planet! I tell ya readers, the music of Crazy Lixx is that infectious, and there’s no cure! And even if there was, I wouldn’t take it, ’cause I don’t wanna miss a fucking thing the band have to offer – ‘Midnight Rebels’ entering the fray with a massive party attitude and Goddammit Crazy Lixx another highly catchy and sing a long chorus break! Now I’m no singer, but I’ve been singing along to everything on the album so far – and I don’t even know the lyrics, the diction of the bands singer Danny Rexon is so perfect you’re able to understand every single word he sings!

Have Crazy Lixx and ‘Thrill Of The Bite’ roared into early contention for Album Of The Year? You bet your bottom dollar they have! Or should that be krona? Either way, I certainly wouldn’t bet against ’em winning the award at the end of the year, ‘Hunt For Danger’ maintaining the immense energy level of the album – I’m so out of breath just listening to it I can’t even imagine performing it! The bolder, bombastic barrage of hard rock pouring outta the album right now is overwhelming, ‘Hunt For Danger’ hitting the ground so hard planet Earth is in danger of being knocked off its axis and into a new fucking orbit! Basically, out-of-this-world to join Crazy Lixx on their sensational journey through space and time to conquer every world, solar system, galaxy and universe – ‘Final Warning’ returning electrifying pace to the fore! The band are in their element here, pounding the ground hard with a sizzling array of metal edged hard rock to keep a tight grip on the attentions of every rocker and metaller everywhere, and to be honest, the grip doesn’t have to be that tight, for the rock on offer is so fucking attractive no-one’s got any intention of going anywhere else right now! And bringing a corker of an album to a close, ‘Stick It Out’ ends the album as it began with the band proudly straddling the border between their hard rock roots and classic heavy metal – the mix of rock and metal a fucking glorious one that Crazy Lixx have got spot on.

Overall, a barnstorming barrage of high energy hard rock with an immense infectious level and an attractiveness second to none.

TRACKLIST

Highway Hurricane
Who Said Rock N’ Roll Is Dead
Little Miss Dangerous
Call Of The Wild
Recipe For Revolution
Run Run Wild
Midnight Rebels
Hunt For Danger
Final Warning
Stick It Out

https://www.crazylixx.com/
https://www.facebook.com/crazylixx/

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