Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
\r\nTrue diamonds are forever. 22 whole years after the release of the homonymous debut album of CRIMSON GLORY still shines as it did back then when it made even the most demanding "collectors" bow down to its inrivalled lucidity and dazzling glow. \r\n
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\r\nThe band from Florida showed up in fact out of the blue and wearing their characteriistic silver masks released their attack upon the unaware Metal audience taking everyone by surprise. They might have been around since 1982 be the name BEOWOLF but no one has ever heard anything about them until Dan Johnson, owner of Par Records, who had discovered SAVATAGE, discovered them as well. With him being their producer, the band went in Morrisound Studios and the result was a many carat Diamond, unique in its kind, as unique as the group’s musical style. \r\n
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\r\nDuring those four years in obscurity, the band was working on creating its own, totally personal sound and their efforts were well rewarded. Without playing anything extravagantly different from the music played at that time, they managed to present something that hadn’t been heard before. Add classic Heavy, Power, Epic, Progressive and first and foremost add many magnificent melodies and... Behold The Magnificent!!! \r\n
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\r\nHowever, all the above is just a dull attempt to describe their music. The truth is their music is so special, so magical it can’t fit in such stereotypes. There’s no point in trying to put a label on something so inspired. You should just listen to it and enjoy. And the pleasure begins when you push play and the glorious melodies of Valhalla fill up the room. A very technical piece that "promotes" their compositional and performing abilities, with lead guitarist and band leader Jon Drenning sticking out with his superb sound and his "breezy", powerful but still melodic playing. The "star" of the band, though, not only in this track but in the entire album is the excellent Midnight, whose magical voice and incredible expressiveness will enchant you, in the same way they enchanted us when we first heard Midnight’s voice. \r\n
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\r\nBoth Drenning and Midnight are the stars in the exceptional Dragon Lady that follows. This time though, Drenning is in all his glory with his riffs and his awesome solo. Next there is Heart of Steel, a pretty good song, which for some reason I didn’t really like. The first side of the this wore off by the extensive use vinyl ends with a song that drove me insane the first time I listened it, Azrael, the song with the most riffs of the album, with Jon Drenning’s and Ben Jackson’s guitars being simply extraordinary. \r\n
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\r\nThe second side starts off at full throttle with the amazing Mayday, the heaviest and fastest CRIMSON GLORY song, which because of its speed and its space themed lyrics may remind you of AGENT STEEL. Drenning in this song tries to take all the glory again with his lightning solo but this time Midnight takes his revenge with his desperate cries for “help” at the chorus. With no pause, the band crosses on the other side and that is the lightest song of the album, Queen Of The Masquerade, which is similar to the later Touch Of Evil of JUDAS PRIEST and is as incoherent as Touch Of Evil was in Painkiller. Queen Of The Masquerade though “gets lucky” as the “off the record” rival (not so much “off the record” as the following years revealed) between Drenning with his magic guitar and Midnight with his excellent performance ends up in a tie and the only winner is the song itself and that’s how it escapes mediocrity. \r\n
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\r\nThe really heavy Angels Of War that follows doesn’t need any kind of rival to save it from anything because it’s just a fantastic song. CRIMSON GLORY though, have saved the best song for the end. Lost Reflections in which the album concludes is THE MASTERPIECE OF ALL TIMES. It is a soul-destroying, depressive song like which nothing has ever sounded. Also Midnight’s so incredible and touching performance in this song is unprecedented. He makes you believe that he really feels the pain and the desperation of the role he impersonates. It would be an omission not to mention that especially at this song the band took the biggest amount of assistance by Dan Johnson’s incredible production which made Crimson Glory a reference album, as well with Rage Of Order and Operation: Mindcrime of QUEENSRYCHE. \r\n
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\r\nIn the same year, CRIMSON GLORY released a single titled Dream Dancer, which had the same cover with their first album, and the homonymous song is a real cressento for guitars, giving Drenning the opportunity to take his revenge of his great “opponent”. \r\n
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\r\nAll of you who will buy the cd feel lucky as you will find Dream Dancer as a bonus track so you won’t need to spend extra money to have it as we did back then. For the money you’ll spend for Crimson Glory, have no fear of ever regretting it. Besides money seems so few for such a Diamond, which you will put in a prestigious post so it will provide glow, prestige and quality to your record collection. Enjoy. \r\n
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\r\nAntonis Alexandropoulos \r\n
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\r\nTranslation: Barbara Karpodini \r\n
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