Forum members reviews on The Savage Playground

Haha, you dislike the songs I like kinda most, Maybe not so much Tikket, but yeah

Okay, just listened whole album and this is just what I was waiting for!
It's good old Crashdiet album and definitely worth to relase, so this is not a "mistake album".
It takes some time to get used to these songs and find the favourites and spot the great little details!
And I must say, lyrics are awesome!

If I must say one not so good thing, that I kept missing more those kickass screamings from Simon! But I think those will come in gigs. (Just like in end of Cocaine Cowboys)

Great album and I cannot wait to hear these live! I think these songs are even more great live! Good job guyz and keep rocking!!!

(Sorry my bad english, I hope someone can understand what I'm trying to say! )

Gotta say that I'm much more satisfied with the production of this one than GW.

Also, the strongest part of almost every song is the bridge, haha. Only listened through it once yet though.

I need to listen the album more to make an opinion.
In general I love it.
I disagree with some opinions, I don't like so much California, but I have to listen the cd more.
My favourite is Snakes in Paradise, but I love Anarchy!

Album arrived today, i will give review soon as i have listened it

All in all I love the album. It took me some time to get into some of the songs, but some of them have become favourites by now. I liked Cocaine Cowboys before I heard it on the album, and Anarchy was an instant favourite. Also Drinkin' Without You was one of the first that stuck to my head. Excited took me some time to get into, but now I love it.
I wasnt really sure about what to think about California, but I like that one too. It kinda reminds me of a pop-song (not too good at explaining things, but its something about the chorus, it sounds like it could have been a pop song, but the band really manages to save it). I really like Circus and Sin City too. (I think I just mentioned almost all the songs. I could just have said that I like all of them haha)
The song I like least is Snakes in paradise, it was a bit too heavy/dark for me. But I like it better now than the first time I heard it.

izzie wrote: Also, the strongest part of almost every song is the bridge, haha. Only listened through it once yet though.

I've always thought that Crashdiet had really strong bridge parts in their songs, and yeah this album keeps that trend going.


Also with each listen this Album gets better and better! I keep finding little subtle things that make each song better! Great work fellas..

I've heard the California is gonna be the next single, and I think that is a damn good idea because it has serious mainstream potential.

Justin Kicks wrote:
Also with each listen this Album gets better and better! I keep finding little subtle things that make each song better! Great work fellas..

Yes, I have the same feeling too - again. It's getting better and better the more you listen to it!

Im listening this to the first time and its awesome! if it gets better than this then im speechless..

I don't know what to make of this album, to be honest. At first listen, it doesn't really sound like Crashdïet to me. There's so (too?) much going on. Experimental vocals and lyrics, tempo changes... the instruments are pretty sloppy performed.

I already stated this upon listening to the Amazon-samples, but I'll say it again - I don't get the same feeling from this as I did with the Rest In Sleaze and Generation Wild albums. You could almost smell the leather, gasoline and attitude oozing off of those albums. This new album is alot more experimental and... "shattered".

It's not bad by any means - it's just a new kind of sound. I need to let it sink in a bit more before giving a fair review. "California" sounds great though. Great track.

It's dirtier than GW, which i like. You can hear that the guys has grown more, and it's just making it better by the far

Well. I think this album has legs - meaning it will keep growing for people, and eventually become a fan favorite for many. I personally prefer the tighter sound of Generation Wild (more time spent on getting good takes in the studio), but I can understand if other people prefer this sloppier rawer sound. I think it suits some songs and others not.

Stand-out tracks for me are "California" and "Sin City". The latter is probably the most straight-forward fun rocker on the album, and "California" is the perfect choice for a second single as it's one of the more catchy songs on the album.

I don't know what they were thinking doing this album. It feels like a concept album almost. It's progressive in parts, and there is alot of sampling going on through-out the songs. Simon delivers vocally - he sounds really confident on this record.

It's good. Initially I feel like giving it maybe a 6 or 7 out of 10. Maybe it will grow on me.

(I gotta give a nod to "Liquid Jesus" too. That's a pretty good fun song. I love the middle part with the gospel-like backing vocals, the organ and the harmonica.)

@ice

Haha my first opinion was WTF? when i listend it the first time, cause its diffrent than the other albums....
But after listening more times i really loved it...!
Love the Riffs and with some songs i still think Simons voice is weird (too Decent) .... But it shows us that they are trying to do something diffrent, but in the same style....

You should really give the album a second try, its really great!
i would give it a big 9,5....

Well, now that I´ve already got my record, here is my review:

Change the World
Amazing histrionic intro. What a kick-ass way to start an album. I dig those impelling drums within the chorus and I go for this trenchantly bass lines, as well as those rhythmical guitar riffs. I like the way, Eric finishes the guitar solo. Then there is this well succeded drum-bass part. Simon sounds really fierce. That´s a fuckin song with the character to change the world.

Cocaine Cowboys
I like the way the guitar camptures the thematically meaning of this song. (intro, solo) Outstanding dedication of the bass! It´s badass, how the muffled sound is broken within the chorus, cool banding solo. For me it´s kinda like a „wanna-hear-it-over-and-over-again“-song!

Anarchy
Driving chorus, Simon sounds great. I like this one, but it kinda sounds as would the entry after the solo come a downbeat to late.

California
Very interesting riffing, the chorus is a bit too melodious for my liking, but very catchy. Interesting unexpected last note in the solo, but all in all, the solo is much too short. I like the theatrical backing vocals.

Lickin‘ Dog
It kinda sounds familiar to me, the breaks enhance the song amazingly, the drums bring out the main points, especially the usage of the double bass and the guitar solo has got some nice harmonies. This song reminds me a bit of some newer Skid Row. Good song!

Circus
Very dramatic work within the bridge, the backing vocals round it up very nice, interesting bar, fierce hammer on-pull off solo, love it, but it´s much too short. I think Mr. Sweet should shradder all along. The drums have a cool thrashing sound, towards the end, Eric propels it to the climax.

Sin City
This one is definitively one of my favorites. I love the way Eric plays the chorus and when Simon‘s voice becomes that fierce during the song. I like that track and especially the chorus is damn great composed. Dirty! Yes!


Got a Reason
This song starts for me with the solo, I like the experimental clean part after the solo and the way the song finds it´s own way to express it´s character, cool way how you let the song fade out.

Drinkin‘ without you
I like the part, Mr. London plays during the first riff, the voice during the verse sounds too „new-time-punk-rock“ alike for my ears, the melodies of the vocals during in the second part of the chorus remind me a bit of James Michael´s (SIXX.A.M.) A little commercial, but not a bad song. I like Simons rat-alike „alright“ at the end.

Snakes in Paradise
Dark sound, the bassline is really interesting in that one, muffled sound, I always wait for the moment, where this muffled becomes broken, but it kinda never happens, but after a time of listening, it kinda conforms to my ears and makes exactly this element even more attractive. The subdued orchestral accents are very interesting. The end is very dramatic. I like this one.

Damaged Kid
Great approach to the subject! I really dig this song.

Excited
The chorus kinda makes my flesh crawl, I couldn´t even tell why. Erics drums sound amazing in the beginning. I like the way he plays it. The mandatory third the chorus moves in a later part is nice to have. It´s just not necessary, because the song has enough life itself, but all in all it´s a great track.

Garden of Babylon
Wow! Thats my absolute favorite. Amazing experimental guitar riffs, badass songwriting, Simon sounds wicked rasp and dirty, the oriental guitar parts sound amazing, just epic! This track is just ace from the first to the last note. Simon screams his fuckin‘ soul out, Martin cools it down with those interesting melodic notes after the chorus, Erics drum parts supports the whole verse perfectly and I could fall into this bass - drum part after the solo, which enters a trance. This song could last for hours. I´m sure it´s amazing to jam those riffs inside the band. I´m totally caught. Simply an incredible piece of art!

Liquid Jesus
That´s the song, that wakes everyone up from the trance the listener fell into during Garden of Babylon. Liquid Jesus is a cool punk song! I´m sure there is no person who´s able to stand still during this one.

There´s just one negative amount from my point of view: The guitar solos are all far too short.
But all in all I have to say, I´m blown away. It´s a diversified record. There´s sure something for everyone. I especially like those experimental songs, the wilder and dirtier onces. Awesome record!

In my personal opinion, this album has a classic shot of the eighties glam with many ideas of modern hard rock and metal, but, for my ears, it needed some additional hearing to be assimilated and enjoyed to the maximum. The work is both high level and musical composition. Well, I’m happy that Crashdiet have finally found 'peace and stability “, so that for the first time in his career have been able to work on two consecutive albums with the same line-up. Powerful riffs and choruses destined to remain in the lead, as always, the melody plays a primary role in their music and from this point of view we are used really well. When Cruz & Co. make new songs we know exactly what to expect and we also know that hardly be disappointed. "The Savage Playground" is an album, like I told before, of very good level published by the foursome, who chooses to start with a bang in turn triggering the excellent "Change The World", the single explosive "Cocaine Cowboys" ( remarkable drumming and bass playing ) and the overwhelming refrain of "Anarchy ". Rhythm, power and melody give an edge to songs like "Circus," "Sin City," "Drinkin 'Without You" and "Damaged Kid," which shows the great work of guitarist Martin and sharp voice of Simon that lends itself to wonder for the characteristics of the genus. I also found interesting "Garden Of Babylon", a song that combines happiness with the hard rock sounds eastern catapult the ancient capital of Mesopotamia, the same that you can see, I think, in the distance in the artwork on the album where you silhouetted against the sky the imposing tower of Babel. At the end, a special mention to “ California “ and the wild, ramonesque and fast-driving “Liquid Jesus”.

Now I come back to fight my regrets to missed Crashdiet show in Las Vegas, last august, where I've been on the same day of the gig!! That's life!

I'm gonna be honest... at first... I didn't like it very much... But it's a classic thing on me... I don't know why, when I buy a new CD i usually don't like it very much at first, and afterwards I finish loving it...

So I'm still listening to it, and it's growing on me little by little... Maybe after a couple of loops I'm gonna say "this is fucking good".

For example, Cocain Cowboys I didn't like it very much during the first 2 or 3 times I listened/ watched it, and now... I think it's really good...

So wait for a week 'till I write again hahaha....

Ok. I have had the new album for a week now and have listened to it enough I feel I can give a fair review. I wasn't sure what to expect after everything I've read on here & the varying opinions but upon first listen there were songs I loved and songs I definitely didn't like so much. I loved the song Excited as soon as I heard it. So far it is still my favourite on the album. I feel a deep connection with this song, too much to share in this forum. Others I liked were Garden of Babylon (epic song, there's no other words for it really), Change the World, California and Liquid Jesus. I actually loved Liquid Jesus, I'm a sucker for harmonica playing .

At first I really did not like Lickin Dog or Anarchy. Lickin Dog just seemed like a silly song to me at first and Anarchy, I don't know - something about it just seems too "pop sounding" if that makes any sense. Maybe too commercial or something? Maybe I just expected a different sound based on the title, I'm not sure. I'm bad at articulating too lol so forgive me. I liked Cocaine Cowboys more when I first saw the video but I think that's just because I've overplayed it in anticipation for my cd to arrive

Now that I have listened to the whole album a few times, all of the songs have grown on me and I can't say there is a song I don't like. It is definitely a great album beginning to end, there aren't any "skip-over" songs as I call them. And as for the production, I really like it. I know I definitely don't have a trained ear or anything but I really dig the sound of this album. I like the really raw sound. Anyways, superb album, great work! Can't wait for the tour now!!

mrs v. viper wrote: I know someone else already asked this but I can't find where anymore... is Liquid Jesus limited on digital format?
I though europe gets that as a bonus (read so somewhere I believe) but yeah... it would be nice to know where that song is actually on haha

It's on my copy. It's even listed on the back.

It is a bold album! When Eric gave an interview in Brazil talking about The Savage Playground, I was really excited to read the lyrics, feel the emotion and the message you wanted to spend. I confess that in the beginning, did not really liked Damaged Kid but after the 4th heard, changed the concept and Snakes In Paradise, Garden Of Babylon and Excited move me. It's a fucking sound!

True. The tracks are a bit harder to get into, then the ones from older albums, but you always spot a new favorite song. It was the same with me. Damage Kid turned more and more into one of the best tracks on the record. The one, I totally fell in love with right from the beginning was Garden Of Babylon and it hasn‘t changed. Excited and Snakes in Paradise also were tracks I had to get into, to like it. It‘s definitively a record you can listen to for a longer time, without getting bored.