Unsung post-hardcore band Craw reunites, reissues first three albums

Unsung post-hardcore band Craw reunites, reissues first three albums

Craw, Cleveland’s own post-hardcore standard-bearers, have reunited. Semi-dormant since the early 2000s, the band will release remastered versions of its first three albums this fall: 1993’s Craw, 1994’s Lost Nation Road, and 1997’s Map, Monitor, Surge. The reissues will come in the form of a 6LP vinyl box set, including an in-depth book featuring a biography, unseen photos, new interviews with all members, and reproductions of tour memorabilia. The extent of Craw’s reunion plans has not yet been specified, though they will be playing two celebration shows in December, to mark the box set’s release: the first on Friday 18 in Cleveland’s Grog Shop, and the next day in Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus.

Watch a trailer for the box set here:

Not among the best-known bands from the period, Craw’s rich and idiosyncratic music has long merited reexamination. Formed in 1989, their work stood out among other bands from the era, thanks to seemingly contradictory characteristics, like their overt heaviness coupled with the daring sonic structures their songs explored. Craw’s debut album already showcased this duality: it was the closest they ever got to orthodox metal, but it involved time signatures complex enough to fit in a math-rock setting. Closely working with Steve Albini, who recorded the band’s first three releases, Craw would evolve within that dual framework: Map, Monitor, Surge centered on a long-form narrative, while Lost Nation Road included saxophone parts amidst the dense noise.

Craw’s 1993-1997 box set will be out December 11 via Northern Spy.

• Craw: https://www.facebook.com/pages/craw/533297946703526
• Northern Spy Records: http://northernspyrecords.com

Most Read



Etc.