EPK – Crüzer – Look to the Skies (2025)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“I think this album will be well received by any thrasher who loves a bit of melody with their mosh fodder. While in the studio, we made sure that these songs were honed and shone to perfection, with a good bit of melody and catchiness thrown into the madness. We’re trying to offer a thrash buffet of sorts, a smorgasbord full of different flavours of speed, melody, and attitude.” – Eric Willmott (lead vocals) – Cruzer
For fans of Havok, Exodus (Zetro era), Destruction, Metallica (ride the lightning-era)
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“Canadian band Crüzer are out with the EP “Look to the Skies”, and metal is the style explored on this production. This is a good, old fashioned take on the thrash metal tradition, and one which the band explore in a few different manners. We have blazing fast and firm affairs, revolving around quick and numerous tempo changes and a high degree of momentum for starters. We also get a case of the classic chugging guitar riff variety of thrash metal tossed into the mix, and at the end of the EP the band switch over to a style and orientation a bit closer aligned with the good, old NWoBHM expression. Besides exploring the style in a few different manners, a striking feature of the songs here are the ebb and flow between raspy, slightly distorted lead vocals and clean, controlled and melodic lead vocals. A feature that gives this EP a rather striking identity in itself. An production to seek out by those who enjoy thrash metal explored in a bit of an old school manner and with a fair degree of variation inside of that context.” – the Viking in the Wilderness
[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]
Band: Cruzer
Album Title: Look To The Skies
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Label: Self-Release
Track Listing:
1. Look to the Skies (4:18)
2. Born to Rise (4:06)
3. Raging Fire (3:51)
4. (I Need) Thrash (2:14)
5. Pit Vyper (4:44)
Length: 19:13
Album Recording Credits:
• All songs written & performed by: Eric Willmott, Ben Higgins, Nico Miraftab, Alex Gain
• Produced, mixed & mastered by Michael Kraushaar
• Album Artwork by Angela Grimmuza
• Member of SOCAN
• MAPL – Canadian Content
Album Band Line Up:
Eric Willmott (lead vocals)
Nico Miraftab (guitar)
Ben Higgins (guitar, bass)
Alex Gain (drums)
Live Band Line Up:
Eric Willmott (lead vocals)
Nico Miraftab (guitar)
Ben Higgins (guitar)
Esteban Lleuful (bass)
Alex Gain (drums)
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About The Album Artwork:
In addition to depicting the theme of our title track, i.e, an alien invasion, we also wanted it to incorporate themes from the other songs on the EP. There’s a thrasher dude (I need thrash) rising up against the alien threat, taking revenge (born to rise), lots of “raging fire” in the background, and a couple of people wearing……you guessed it, pit vipers! Haha.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
Listeners can expect a raging, thrashing good time, but with a melodic and humorous twist. Cruzer isn’t afraid to turn thrash on its head and infuse the flavour with all kinds of spices and secret sauces! -Eric
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. The title track Look to the Skies deals with the threat of an extraterrestrial invasion force, and the attempts of the world powers to stop it (or maybe they know more than they’re letting on…). The chorus hook on this song might be my favourite of the whole album, love how it just comes in out of nowhere after a whole verse and pre-chorus of harsh blackened thrash vocals.
2. Born to Rise deals with rising up from the ashes, overcoming adversity, and exacting revenge against those who tried to cross you. This song has a very hardcore punk feel compared to the other songs, but still has that melodic edge in the chorus vocals.
3. Raging Fire deals with a topic I’m sure most thrashers will be familiar with: the destruction of the environment! Whether through climate change, nuclear war, or both. This is a mid-paced song compared to the first two, but it contains some of the heaviest vocals on the whole album!
4. On the surface, I Need Thrash is your average Slayer-esque rager about going to a show, moshing, drinking, and partying. But the song actually contains an important message about fighting back against metal stereotypes, mainly the mentality of “killing posers,” which I’ve always hated. I got called a poser when I was younger, it fucking sucked! Who cares what subgenre or microgenre people like? Metal is metal! Leave them alone and let them enjoy things. DON’T BE A DICK!
5. In an almost direct assertion of the previous song’s message, Pit Vyper is by far the most melodic, commercial-friendly, and hair metal-tinged track on the whole album. The song is a classic sounding mix of old school speed metal bands like Exciter and Meliah Rage, 80s Judas Priest, and hair metal bands like Motley Crue. The lyrics deal with the classic subject matter of an evil metal mistress who turns your heart to stone! Now is that old school metal or what?!
-Eric
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1. The band members all used to attend the same high school! Riverside Secondary School in Port Coquitlam,
2. The guitarist, Ben Higgins, also plays guitar in the southern rock band Cache Creek
3. The lead vocalist, Eric Willmott, is also a voice actor. He has narrated several audiobooks, appeared in the mobile game Jorney Renewed: Fate Fantasy (as Sun Wukong Prime), and lent his voice to several YouTube animated shows, including Mammal Squad, Tamberlane, Supercell, and Lexie.
4. Eric also used to be in a My Little Pony-themed metal band called Equestrian Lord, back when the “brony” phenomenon was at its peak. Ironically, their most popular song on YouTube has nothing to do with My Little Pony, instead being inspired by the animated fantasy film The Thief and the Cobbler.
5. The band’s recording engineer, Michael Kraushaar, had no idea that he was recording a thrash metal band at first. Due to the band’s name, Cruzer, and his familiarity with Ben’s band Cache Creek, he assumed we were “gonna sound like Foghat or something!”
L-R: Nico Miraftab (guitar), Eric Willmott (lead vocals), Alex Gain (drums), Ben Higgins (guitar, bass), New member: Esteban Lleuful (bass; not pictured)
Photos: Caitlin R.D.
THRASHING FROM BEYOND THE STARS
Crüzer is not just a band—it’s a cosmic metal assault from the great white north. From Vancouver, Canada, Crüzer’s sound is as unstoppable as an alien invasion force, tearing through the atmosphere with electrifying solos and unforgettable hooks.
But it’s not just the power of the riffs and the undeniable stage presence that make Crüzer’s music a celebration of the bizarre and otherworldly wonders of the universe. So strap in, crank it to 11, and prepare for an out-of-this-world heavy metal experience.
Discography:
Look To The Skies (EP, April 2025)
Born To Rise (Single, March 2025)
Pit Vyper (Single, February 2025)
Shared Stage with: Glyph, Tower Hill, Red Cain, Serpent Rider
Tours and Festivals: 2025 – Hyperspace Metal Festival VI – Vancouver
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