by Greg PratoEven the most die-hard extreme metal fan would have to admit that out of all the heavy metal subgenres, it is probably the most one-dimensional-sounding of all. Seemingly, just about every single band that fits under the extreme metal umbrella follows the same game plan -- screams, growls, gonzoid guitar riffing, and metronome-perfect drumming. And on their 2009 release, Guardians, the Westerville, OH-based quintet Crimson Armada certainly fit this description. But according to a press release issued around the time of the album's release, what sets Crimson Armada apart from the rest of the extreme metal pack is that they supposedly promote a positive spiritual message through their music and meaningful lyrics going beyond the trend of broken relationships or pure brutality. Well, we'll have to take the label's word on this -- as evidenced by such tracks as Guardian and In the Eyes of God, good luck trying to decipher what lead growler Saud Ahmed is saying without the aid of a lyric sheet.