Crystal Castles - (III)
Critic Score
Based on 40 reviews
2012 Ratings: #393 / 1118
User Score
Based on 809 ratings
2012 Rank: #222
Liked by 81 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
NME

In toning down the shock and awe, they’ve revealed the beating heart at the centre of their work.

90
FasterLouder

If III sounds like a depressing listen, it’s not: it’s too exhilarating to be depressing.

86
Paste

There’s something to be said of their “if it ain’t broke” methods, and this latest entry is a testament to their skill. Make no mistake: (III) is a great album. 

85
Prefix

(III) is far and above the most human of the band’s three records.

80
Drowned in Sound

I still can’t make up my mind whether Crystal Castles peaked too early and are now coasting, or if this is their new peak.

80
Mixmag
Their third eponymous album, known for reasons of convenience as ‘(III)’, maintains their high quality threshold
80
The Arts Desk
Canadian duo's third is their best so far.
80
Spill Magazine

Leaving previous copyright issues behind, Crystal Castles (III) deals with significantly less sampling, making the album distinguishably innovative, in a Crystal Castles kind of way.

80
The Independent
As usual, the listener can barely make out Glass's impassioned shrieks, but one cannot mistake the apocalyptic mood and intent.
80
God Is in the TV
The Canadian duo have come along way since their debut back in 2008 with ‘III‘ being their most mature outing yet, hopefully for my sake IX will see the band going down the death metal route.
80
NOW Magazine
At that speed, the material comes across like some kind of mutant goth R&B, which sounds way better than it has any right to.
80
The Guardian

The most affecting songs on III don't sound like a band raging at the outside world, but rather experiencing a very personal kind of misery.

80
Billboard

Crystal Castles aren't as cold as they appear to be, but they are calculating-(III) is an expertly produced album that, at just nearly 40 minutes, leaves fans wanting more.

80
Loud and Quiet
‘III’ is neither ‘I’’s collection of wily experiments, nor ‘II’’s lazy thirst for more live bangers; it’s an impressive, oppressive album that marks a new, more considered era for Crystal Castles, the recording artists.
80
Exclaim!
Crystal Castles have delivered their most consistent album yet.
80
Pitchfork

The success of (III) is how it brings you close enough to the evil that men do to be shocked, repulsed, and affected by it.

80
Tiny Mix Tapes
While retaining some semblance of a structural foundation, in Crystal Castles’ case an “electronic” and “pop” foundation, the duo attempts to push its structural limitations to the exact point where the outside touches its body, porousness to parasites and contamination.
80
The 405

(III) may not be as shocking or challenging as I or even II, but it does mark progression for Crystal Castles, with some highly impressive dance tracks in one aspect, and moments of haunting tenderness in another.

80
PopMatters

(III) is the sound of two people jumping off the edge of the world by their own free will.

80
Consequence of Sound

III is less playful than the duo’s previous couple of offerings, but it’s thematic mood is much tighter and more fully realized.

80
No Ripcord

Rarely is an electronic album like sparked with such radical confidence.

80
AllMusic
This is Crystal Castles' most serious set of songs yet, with a darker tone and streamlined sound that dovetails with its motifs of outsiders, injustices, and revolution.
75
The Line of Best Fit

With III, Kath and Glass have refined their sound to a point of supreme clarity and confidence, but its progression is essentially conservative.

75
Pretty Much Amazing

(III) is worthwhile in that it is an interesting take on dance music, yet that doesn’t seem quite enough for a group predicated on delivering an onslaught of emotional energy.

75
Spectrum Culture

III is appropriately titled, as it’s a progression for the band, but one that is also inextricably linked to its predecessors.

70
FACT Magazine

In running time and number of songs, (III) may be their shortest album, but it’s also their most cohesive personal statement yet.

60
Evening Standard
For the most part Crystal Castles remain an impenetrable fortress.
60
The Fly

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.

60
musicOMH

It isn't what you'd expect with Crystal Castles. Normally you're left wondering at what point in proceedings they're going to try and set fire to your carpet.

60
Alternative Press
On their third full-length, Canadian duo Crystal Castles have drank deeper still from the well of discontent, resulting in 12 tracks that paint an even bleaker picture than their heretofore already grim worldview.
60
The Skinny
In a remarkable and somewhat disappointing move, their third album sees the band calling in that debt, and aping the sound of several bands who followed in their wake.
50
SPIN

The third record titled Crystal Castles is considerably less inviting and less extreme than its eponymous predecessors.

50
A.V. Club

Instead of anarchist dance jams full of crunchy 8-bit noise, (III) is more like a static-filled radio station fading in and out of range. 

50
Under the Radar

What’s left is moodier and muddier, overly dark and rarely danceable, with little of the excitement or energy we’re used to from this band.

50
Slant Magazine
More importantly, it’s resulted in a dreary equalization of their aesthetic, one which not only removes most of its distinguishing characteristics, but kills the fun spot-the-sound-effect guessing game of their first two albums.
50
Sputnikmusic

Crystal Castles try to go all deep on us, but instead make a flat and boring record that loses what made the band so great in the first place.

40
The Needle Drop

While Crystal Castles continues writing some decent electropop tunes, on III the Toronto duo sees fit to decorate all of them with generic drum timbres and an overabundance of reverb.

40
The Observer

Now though – giving strength to that gloomy notion that most bands get more boring as they go on – it sounds more like music to get off your face to; there's very little on this third LP that could qualify as "experimental".

maryfreegirl
80

Here they went too refined imo, the weirdness was toned down a bit but i enjoyed most of the songs anyways

cstuart
91

lowkey their best

midnightbabe
79

This record was the calm before the storm for Crystal Castles. The storm being, of course, the really awful follow-up album, and all the allegations against Ethan Kath, the famed producer of CC. However, we must accept some songs in here are truly fantastic, regardless of what kind of awful person produced them.

Plague, the opening track, is a great dance song with some really off-kilter drums. The chorus in here is so explosive and anxiety-inducing it's really great.

It is followed by one of ... read more

Robinnn
100

Perfect. I honestly loved this album more than their self titled it just has a better theme it sounds creepy, more interesting and its very unique my fav track is obviously transgender

SkyHigh696
85

Cant beat the tiktok taste allegations now

dPreferNotTo
75

Good. Very good.

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Track List

1Plague
4:56
89
2Kerosene
3:12
95
3Wrath of God
3:07
85
4Affection
2:37
85
5Pale Flesh
3:00
82
6Sad Eyes
3:27
88
7Insulin
1:47
80
8Transgender
3:05
93
9Violent Youth
4:22
85
10Telepath
3:54
83
11Mercenary
2:39
80
12Child I Will Hurt You
3:33
84
Total Length: 39 minutes
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Added on: September 26, 2012