The Crown Newsbreak: Album Update :) Tour Dates :| Line-up Change :(

Since re-reuniting with founding vocalist Johan Lindstrand, The Crown has played a few shows, gabbed with MetalSucks a couple times (here and here), and continued to ready the follow-up to 2009’s Doomsday King for Spring release. Which is super-exciting, cuz some weird circumstances ensured that Doomsday would be an oddball entry in The Crown’s discography: It’s their only with God Macabre screamer Jonas Stålhammar; they were forced to use sampled drum sounds, which is totally counter to their philosophy; and all songs were penned by bassist Magnus Osfelt, so missing was the balance between Osfelt’s death-punk and guitarist Marko Tervonen’s doomy thrash crunch.

Okay so the point is that this next album will benefit from The Crown’s return to full strength and perfect chemistry: Lindstrand’s vocals, Tervonen and Osfelt’s Lennon/McCartney dynamic, drummer Janne Saarenpaa au naturel, and the awesome shreddage of guitarist Marcus Sunesson. Yaaay bonerz!

So what’s new with The Crown since our chat in May? The band stated Wednesday night:

Marko is more or less done with his rhythm guitar work, and Magnus has started with the bass stuff. He recorded a bass track for one song today before we all got together and filmed a small ‘jingle’ for our Japanese friends. Only three months until we hit Japan for the very first time. We are extremely excited about this. Hopefully we´ll see YOU there. Cheers!

Lucky Japan, six shows, Gorod is an opener, that’s killer! Let’s all do a MetalSucks trip there and get naked? Just internet me @AnsoDF and we’ll arrange the — Oh shit hang on there’s more:

Last but not least: We are very proud to announce our new line-up. Yes, we have a new member in the band. His name is Robin Sörqvist and he fits the band more than perfectly. You have probably heard him in the band Impious. He’s got the lead guitar skills and the will to kick ass, just as the rest of us. Please embrace Robin with a big, loud HELL YEAHHHHH!!!!

Aw crap Sunesson is out? Sure, that’s the least-painful personnel move for this band, but still it’s a bummer and Sunesson doesn’t sound happy about it. But hey I guess it’s not impossible that Sörqvist is better! Brb checking out to Impious — but for now let’s tip our caps to Sunesson by jamming a few of his many highlights, like his co-written “Morningstar Rising,” his solo in “Out For Blood” that Adrian Smith and Ritchie Blackmore would envy, and his century’s-best duel to conclude “Death Is The Hunter” (below). Crank it!