Hailing from Cleveland, OH, Narcissus are a band who've paid considerable dues in the hardcore scene, putting out of a handful of different efforts through various indie labels and touring steadily behind them. Now fully stepping up as part of the larger label home of Abacus Recordings, the band are primed to unleash their own brand of 'progressive hardcore' to its largest audience yet with their third full-length album, "Crave And Collapse".

At their base, Narcissus are a somewhat artsy metalcore/emo hybrid who power through their songs with surprisingly ornate musicianship that often erupts into primitive bursts of brutality or weary hearted croons. Comparatively similar to the likes of Haste and Poison The Well, the band fuse emotion and melody into their crunchy metallic onslaught and rarely look back. What does separate them from their peers however is a tendency to indulge in spiraling prog-rock styled excursions and decidedly intricate compositions. They also seem a bit more emotional on this release than they do angry, and as such the outright testosterone-laden aggression plays a backseat to the melodic wails and agitated verbal buildups present; Playing right into the hands of the brainy territory traversed.

But while their forays into almost mathy musical structuring and technical playing are appreciated and are definitely one of the groups stronger points, they are not without flaws. Overall the music contained on "Crave And Collapse" tends to feel a bit dumbed down in favor of accessibility, making it come off as though the band aren't truly giving their 100% in order to cater to a wider audience. It's obvious the musical prowess and talent is there, yet for some reason this album just never really erupts into those genius moments that instantly make the listener stand up and take notice. Instead, it seems more content at only hinting at modest innovation and then humbly settling into a comfortable middle. Yes this 'middle' is done quite well and is entirely affable, but it also soon becomes tiresome and all too familiar to any discerning listener well versed in the genre. As it stands "Crave And Collapse" is still an impeccably solid album that will surely turn heads, but its eagerness not to go over the top or alienate any potential fans does leave much to be desired.