Metalcatto
It’s not every day we see something that claims to blend Post, Sludge, and even Prog elements to a level that makes me think Tooms – Krast (short words, I love it) is going to bring us excellent work or just something that will give us a depressing realization that nothing really matters in this cruel world devoid of mercy or fairness. Maybe I took that last part too far and ended up projecting some stuff, but let’s return to the Metal then. Shall we begin?
It might be a difficult task to describe Krast in a few words, but what I can say is that the album is ugly in the right way and heavy. Not as in it’s throwing the kitchen sink at you, but more in the sense that it’s using a pressure cooker to crush you. The album understands well how to be heavy without needing all that much speed to achieve it. But don’t despair—I didn’t mean to hint that Tooms is slow. As any band with Prog ideas, it’s constantly moving and changing, but when it drops something like a breakdown, you feel it in your underwear. It’s dragging you down.
It’s a fair comparison to say a lot of what you get here is reminiscent of Warcrab or Inter Arma, another Prog/Sludge band. It’s that corrosive nature mixed with riffs that will make any Nu-Metal band say, “Oh, so we could do better?” Yes, you could. This is intense, savage, and complex without ever sacrificing groove. Maybe that’s the best part of Krast. Even after all the ups and downs, the harshness, and the interludes, the album remains easy to follow. Enough kind words—now let’s focus on the things that don’t work so well.
I’m the enemy of the interlude, as you know, and though Krast isn’t that obvious about them, there are a few scattered here and there that, despite taking the band’s sound into more experimental territory—and we’re always up for weirdness—do take away from the album’s pace and cohesion. On a minor note, this isn’t an album full of tear-jerking moments. Not that it needs to be, but it might take more than one listen for it to properly click with you emotionally.
These are small details, because Krast offers something unusual: a mix of styles that usually struggles to work, which is why few even dare to try. However, Tooms pulled it off as if it were second nature. I fear an album like this won’t manage to reach the audience it should, but well, I guess I’m doing my part right now. Time to do yours. Give it a spin. You might be surprised how well chaos can groove when it knows what it’s doing.
Label: Road To Masochist
Release date: May 29th, 2026
Website: https://www.facebook.com/TOOMSband/
Country: Ireland
Score: 3.8/5.0
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