A striking vocal coupled with a volley of riffs come crashing through the speakers with a vicious lust. The two entities are distinct but seamlessly mixed into a singular cocktail capable of getting anyone within earshot intoxicated on the spot. There’s nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. This is “Devil In Your Crown,” the new single from the buzz-worthy rock duo Intruder 424, and whether you’re listening to the track at full volume or using it as background music for whatever quest you might be on at the moment, it’s going to stoke a reaction out of you.
The pair of musicians who comprise Intruder 424 isn’t trying to break the mold with “Devil In Your Crown;” there’s nothing particularly fanciful about the instruments that comprise it, nor is theirs a loftier, more progressive approach to making the familiar soundtrack of our fast-paced, post-QOTSA lives. What they are doing here, intentionally or not, is reminding the world why rock n’ roll is so important to our pop culture lexicon – the energy and the intensity, both of which are found without filtration in this banger of a new single.
As exciting as this track is from start to finish, something tells me it would sound even better in a live performance from Intruder 424. The bottom trembles at the onslaught of the chorus, opening up some space for the drums to collapse the rhythm of the entire band into a fluid stream of pulsating attacks, each of which feels more pummeling than the one that came before it. The guitars are restricted only by the vocal, which leads the instrumental pack like an old school general at the frontlines of a bitter battle between two deathly foes.
All of the aforementioned qualities could be expanded upon limitlessly live, and even if Intruder 424 were to take on the skyscraper-sized riffage in this track with a different level of intensity than they do here, I haven’t the slightest doubt as to whether or not I would be taken aback by their melodic moxie. The bones of “Devil In Your Crown” are solid, and that’s all that matters in a killer stage jam.
If you weren’t already paying attention to them in 2022, there’s a high likelihood that you’re going to be keeping Intruder 424 on your radar after hearing this single for yourself. Their story is just starting to unfold before us, but judging from the material that they have had to offer the public thus far, I think we’re going to hear even more worthwhile tunes from their camp a lot sooner than later.
They’re on the cusp of some great things at the moment, and with just a little more time and development in and out of the studio, they’re going to be ready for anything this game throws their way. It’s an incredibly competitive time to be entering the scene, but with skills like theirs, Intruder 424 is going to rise through the ranks with a continued dedication to this well-chosen craft.
