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When France’s CROWN returned in 2021 with The End of All Things after a six-year absence, their sound had transformed significantly. The band’s first two efforts had been heavily rooted in sludge and doom with industrial undertones, but this third album moved away from much of the metal in favor of darker and moodier industrial rock that also incorporated gothic and synthpop elements. For some it came as a shock to the system, but I found it to be a highlight of that year thanks to strong hooks and songwriting that spanned a wide range of styles outside of that core industrial pulse. In the years that followed the group went through some challenges that would cause them to disband CROWN and reform as Your Inland Empire. Your Inland Empire’s self-titled effort arrived close to the end of 2025, and it continues along the path The End of All Things started while bringing back some of the metallic sheen and weight of earlier CROWN.
When comparing Your Inland Empire to CROWN’s final album, what immediately jumps out is how the group has continued to diversify and expand their sound. There are a lot of catchier moments that have big booming melodies and thumping electronic beats, but as you make your way through the album there are also slower burning ones that take things in completely different directions. The first half feels more focused on the rock and more hook driven side of the spectrum, as the synths work to create atmospheric and cinematic flair. But even in their more rock and synth-oriented form, Your Inland Empire jumps around a lot stylistically. “There Is No Me” has more of an industrial rock and synthpop foundation, while “Grinding” has guitar work that is much closer to post punk in its cold and jagged tonality. “Edge of Perfection” ramps up the intensity a bit more, with pulsating electronics and frantic drumming that reminded me of Nine Inch Nails’ “Mr. Self Destruct”. The second half brings in more metal, with the appropriately named “Venom” and “Chemicals” letting more of the low-end rumble take over with much more aggression and post metal/doom riffs. Your Inland Empire is hard to pin down thanks to this regular shapeshifting, but it makes the material stand out more from song to song. It’s appealing when one moment they give off a The 69 Eyes meets post punk vibe and the next has more of a synthwave/sci-fi soundtrack feel. I would like to hear the metallic elements explored more though, as the second half’s move to some crushingly heavy moments meshes well with the dark, colder melodies and it seems as though there are other unpredictable ways the band could incorporate them.
Stephane Azam had already utilized some singing on CROWN’s sophomore effort, but The End of All Things saw him significantly expand that element of the band’s music. This has continued on Your Inland Empire, but there has also been a shift back to some of the distorted and aggressive pitches. It does take a bit until screaming comes in, as the singing follows the instrumentation and sticks with a somber and moodier pitch that also has some bite to it. “There is No Me” is a great early example, as there a grittiness to the singing early on that transitions over to a soaring, airier pitch. When the instrumentals begin to incorporate a bit more metal the vocals follow suit, as “Venom” has aggressive screams that may just catch you off guard on the first listen. These elements are used sparingly, but they give Your Inland Empire a different sound compared to CROWN’s final album and bring a bit more fire and anger with it.
Despite the new name, Your Inland Empire feels like a natural evolution of what The End of All Things was doing while also bringing back some of the harshness of earlier CROWN. There are plenty of standout moments on both the instrumental and vocal front, and I can’t think of too many other bands that remind me of The 69 Eyes meets colder post punk one minute and a mash-up of the Blade Runner 2049 soundtrack and Nine Inch Nails the next. It’ll be interesting to hear where the band chooses to go sonically down the road, as they’re already very dynamic but have left plenty of room for expansion. Your Inland Empire is available from Season of Mist.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg