CRIMSON GLORY
‘Chasing The Hydra’
No Remorse Records
Flower power!
Transcending time!
Metallic facewear!
Since their inception in 1983, Sarasota, Florida-based metallers CRIMSON GLORY have been runnin’ down a dream with their brand of powerfully chaotic-sounding operatic metal. They were definitely the ideal band for the era just as heavy metal was transcending the mainstream as their self-titled debut from 1986 earned them some high-profile touring slots with the likes of ANTHRAX and CELTIC FROST among other bands due in part to their tight dual-lead harmonies courtesy of guitarists Ben Jackson and Jon Drenning and original frontman Midnight’s soaring vocals. They were also well-known for intentionally donning full-face actual metallic silver masks almost everywhere in public – at photo shoots, public appearances and even onstage; Midnight was the sole exception as his mask otherwise was designed for him to sing out of by not covering his mouth.
Yet, while the band whose name was inspired by a type of floral hybrid had a good five years of rockin’ the suburbs just like ‘Metal Health’-era QUIET RIOT did (except with wearing actual heavy-sized masks), CRIMSON GLORY’s fortune following the release of their sophomore album ‘Transcendence’ was becoming anything but rosy. They toured for nearly two years straight for the album, prompting Ben Jackson and original drummer Dana Burnell to quit; by the time they’d released 1991’s ‘Strange And Beautiful’, which saw a shift away from their traditional power metal stylings towards a more blues-oriented sound, CRIMSON GLORY were down a singer as Midnight had also clocked out on the day before they were to tour for the album. They were able to salvage a fraction of the tour with David Van Landing including a concert appearance in LA on a bill featuring OZZY, SOUNDGARDEN and ALICE IN CHAINS, but by that year’s end, CRIMSON GLORY were just another bygone metal band weeded out by a changing musical landscape. It wasn’t until 1999 when CRIMSON GLORY were able to reform through the strengths of Drenning and bassist Jeff Lords– but without frontman Midnight, who’d expressed concern about not being up to the task of recreating the same performance as he had on the band’s first two albums. Wade Black (LUCIAN BLAQUE, SEVEN WITCHES) took over his role and helped CRIMSON GLORY with their then-comeback album ‘Astronomica afterwards’ – which the band had to record twice after the album’s original master tapes were swiped. The album itself was a near-return to form sonically in spite of the delays in releasing it, but the touring lineup barely remained intact during the European leg of the tour and they broke up again soon afterwards.
Another attempt at resurrecting CRIMSON GLORY once more in 2005 proved to be the most successful attempt yet at the time, with all original members committing to the project – especially Midnight, who also went above and beyond in committing to re-recording ‘Astronomica’ with his vocals replacing those of Wade Black’s. And their fifth album ‘Divine Chaos’ was poised to bring CRIMSON GLORY back to its actual glory until the band’s Greek label Black Lotus Records went bankrupt barely a few days before the album’s release. Understandably, the band didn’t take this setback too well – especially Midnight, who appeared to have gone on an indefinite bender of sorts afterwards, which eventually culminated in a DUI bust and the band firing him four days later. Continuously undetermined in their tenacity, CRIMSON GLORY ventured onwards in their pursuit of that comeback that was just out of reach from them. They’d got another 4 years of touring under their belt with Todd La Torre as their frontman before he left to join QUEENSRŸCHE while they were quietly forging their ongoing proper return to the heavy metal mainstream – and this time, they were determined to have a real comeback album to not only properly balance out their catalogue, but to course CRIMSON GLORY further towards the future.
‘Chasing The Hydra’, which was literally born out of divine chaos, is officially that CRIMSON GLORY comeback album. It emanates fury. It emanates hardship. It’s practically the equivalent of George Costanza convincing a condo tenant board into giving him the available suite while superseding over the claim of a survivor of the Andrea Doria for simply not being George Costanza. And can you blame it? Was my ironically yet unintentionally lengthy summarization of CRIMSON GLORY’s tumultuous history in this review not enough proof of how much this band went through just to keep their profile active? The playing alone is amazingly energetic and vibrant for a band that hasn’t recorded any new material in nearly 30 years; credit this to Lords, Jackson and Burnell in keeping their craft alive throughout much of CG’s downtime in continuously playing and recording with different musical side projects, thus ensuring that their performance throughout Hydra was rock solid instead of rusty. Openers “Redden The Sun” and the title track alone are classic-sounding maniacal CG brilliance, with Jackson’s impeccable rhythm playing gelling perfectly with the lead guitar work of newcomer Mark Borgmeyer. Wisely, while knowing his own role within the band he’d co-formed well over 40 years ago, Jackson also allows Borgmeyer to shine musically all over this album, particularly on tracks such as “Indelible Ashes”, “Beyond The Unknown” and the closing number “Triskaideka”. New frontman Travis Wills, much like Midnight in his prime, emanates a powerful Geoff Tate-like vocal presence in his own individual form that it almost seems like a hindrance in making the comparison, but his voice is the perfect guiding beacon in directing the songs throughout the album. Much like Borgmeyer, Wills, when left to his own proverbial devices, excels flawlessly in channeling the energy and range of those first two CRIMSON GLORY albums through their own merit and identity.
In short, Chasing The Hydra is unquestionably the sound of CRIMSON GLORY having finally mastered the art of the catch and boldly knowing what to do with it.
5.0 Out Of 5.0
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