(III)
by Crystal Castles
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 90 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 103
  3. Negative: 3 out of 103
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  1. Vampire25
    Nov 18, 2012
    6
    I've been a Crystal Castles fan for about a half a year already. I adored their debut immensely upon firs listen, and couldn't stop listening to it from then on. Then I gave their sophomore album a listen and was almost as blown away as I was about their first one. Both electro masterpieces in my opinion. (III) was my most anticipated this year. My expectations were out of the roof. MaybeI've been a Crystal Castles fan for about a half a year already. I adored their debut immensely upon firs listen, and couldn't stop listening to it from then on. Then I gave their sophomore album a listen and was almost as blown away as I was about their first one. Both electro masterpieces in my opinion. (III) was my most anticipated this year. My expectations were out of the roof. Maybe that wasn't the best idea. Crystal Castles III is really unlike their first two LP's. They went for a much darker approach. I was fascinated the first few listens, but then it really dawned on me that it sounded a little too plain on some tracks. Other tracks are great (Wrath Of God, Plague, Pale Flesh) but a few others seemed to really obscure Alice Glass's vocals (as if they weren't already slaughtered from the glitchy reverb). All In All, I'm glad Crystal Castles aren't riding the one-trick pony bandwagon and switching up their sound, I just had my expectations way too high, thinking I was gonna hear a masterpiece. But instead I heard a solid electro record that could've been a lot better. B-… Collapse
  2. MusiclyMade
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    It's not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination but there's so much wrong with it - they seem to have replaced their usual skippy, catchy hi-hat based drum beats with flat drum rhythms that are more bass heavy but don't carry any kind of weight with them and the usual right-hand synth leads that were there in abundance on their previous two albums have been replaced with hazy, dullIt's not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination but there's so much wrong with it - they seem to have replaced their usual skippy, catchy hi-hat based drum beats with flat drum rhythms that are more bass heavy but don't carry any kind of weight with them and the usual right-hand synth leads that were there in abundance on their previous two albums have been replaced with hazy, dull chords that feel more like "haunting" pads than anything else. It really does show how much Alice's usually violent vocal delivery actually contributes to Crystal Castles' overall sound when she's forced to sing in a breathy, "haunting" way. She's far too subdued for my liking this time around. She tends to get swallowed up in some really bland and generic synth patterns that you could find on any witch-house record or any random electronic DJ-mix.

    There are some pretty catchy vocal hooks on there, and I have to give them credit for trying to expand their sound, but overall it's a big disappointment.    … Expand
  3. silencio_
    Jul 19, 2020
    5
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Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Most Discussed Album of 2012
65
#65 Most Shared Album of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Mojo
    Dec 17, 2012
    60
    The dozen songs, recorded in one take, make for an uncomfortable but absorbing trip. [Jan 2013, p.92]
  2. The Fly (UK)
    Dec 17, 2012
    60
    A quantum leap it ain't--and Glass could do with putting her fangs back in--but (III) has just enough up its sleeve to keep Crystal Castles on track.
    Read full review
  3. Q Magazine
    Dec 11, 2012
    80
    [Glass's] lyrics are often buried in the mix, but no amount of production occultation can hide the fact that the likes of Plague are excelsior anthems for the End Times. [Jan 2013, p.103]
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