martindavey87 We all have those albums, right? You know the ones? The ones we SHOULD like but just can't get into. Doesn't matter how much you like the band or how many listens you give it, you just cannot get into the album. This is THAT album.

Now, I love Crimson Glory (the band), and it's a huge shame that they never truly lived up to the potential they displayed in their short-lived prime. But that "prime" consists of their self-titled debut release, which seems highly revered by fans, but I just can't seem to enjoy, no matter how hard I try to.

The songs just don't work for me, and I can't place my finger on why. Are the compositions lacking the polished feel of their later hits? Is the production too primitive? Am I just being picky? Or is it a combination of all three? The musicianship is top-notch, and it's easy to see how this band were so influential upon the power metal genre, and along with Fates Warning and Queensryche, how they laid the early foundations of progressive metal. Midnight's incredible vocal range is truly unmistakeable, although, indeed the production here doesn't do it justice and at times it just sounds incredibly tinny.

Overall though, I just can't enjoy this album, for no legit reason, really. 'Dragon Lady', 'Queen of the Masquerade', 'Heart of Steel' and 'Valhalla' are all good songs, but they all lack something that prevents me from ever truly going out of my way to listen to them. I could listen to 'Transcendence' or 'Astronomica' any day, but there's just something missing from 'Crimson Glory' that makes it a record I endure, instead of enjoy.

UMUR "Crimson Glory" is the eponymously titled debut full-length studio album by US power/heavy metal act Crimson Glory. The album was released through Roadrunner Records in October 1986. Crimson Glory was formed in 1979 under the Pierced Arrow monicker but changed their name to Beowulf in 1982, before finally settling on the Crimson Glory monicker in 1983. While not all five members had been part of the early lineups of the band, Crimson Glory were in 1986 already quite an experienced act...

...and that is audible while listening to the album, which features high level musicianship on all posts. Stylistically the music is melodic US power metal and artists like early Queensrÿche and early Fates Warning are valid references. That means powerful heavy metal riffing, blistering solos and melodic lead themes, a pounding organic rhythm section, and the extremely high pitched vocals by Midnight in front. He is an incredibly skilled vocalist with great power and a commanding delivery, and while his helium screams are usually what people mention he does deliver really convincing and more raw mid- range vocals too. Not enough great things can be said about his performance here. He certainly is a vocalist extraordinaire (just take a listen to his performance on tracks like "Heart Of Steel" and "Mayday" for a display of his incredible skills). The rest of the band follow suit though and the instrumental performances on the album are also of incredibly high class.

The material featured on the 8 track, 38:51 minutes long album is well written and quite catchy US power/heavy metal tracks. Crimson Glory are often linked to the early 80s progressive metal scene, but it´s not often they leave the classic vers/chorus formula. Not that it matters though, because they master that formula to perfection. Another strength of the album is the great energy that is present in the music and the good balance between melody and rawness. The album features a powerful and well sounding production too, and upon conclusion it´s a very strong debut album by Crimson Glory. When the quality is as high as it is here, it´s simply wrong using the word promising to describe the album (which is often a word used about debut albums). A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

Stephen Crimson Glory came to the scene offering a heavy metal sound with a handful of progressive element. Many compared them to Queensryche and Fates Warning, and I did smell a similar scent between them, only Crimson Glory's riffage was adapted from Iron Maiden's twin harmonic rhythm style. The singer Midnight's vocal also on the same level as Geoff Tate, especially on the screeching aspect. You can find out how crazy he wails on "Mayday", defeating the high frequency of Drenning's shredding guitar sound. For an 1986 release, the sound production is highly applauding and that's a rewarding value of the album.

Several standout tracks here are the opener, "Valhalla", flowing in a midtempo groove and packed with a thick Maiden-esque riffs; the rushing "Dragon Lady" with a beautiful harmonic chorus and Midnight's windows-cracking scream; the melodic heavy metal track "Azrael" which is my best pick of the album; and the gloomy epilogue of "Lost Reflections" that was driven by a sorrowful acoustic guitar before exploded big at 3.10 and faded out with Midnight's wicked laugh, a truly spine-chilling moment.

Tracks like "Heart of Steel" also can be considered a good one with many acrobatic fill and commercial bite, or "Angels of War" that has a large melodic proportion but unfortunately the overkill scream somewhat ruined the song. For an eight-tracks album, Crimson Glory's debut luckily didn't contain any filler though couple of songs aren't that great either, but the annoying problem is Midnight's scream galore that's a bit too much here and there. I know that he's one of rare singer with stretchy pipes and high range, but he should just put that shriek once in a while and I'll be okay with that. However, Crimson Glory's eponymous debut deserved to be heard and appraised as they're one of the pioneers of prog/heavy metal, and they do have some amazing tracks here.

1967/ 1976 I had always heard of Crimson Glory as one of those bands that every metalhead should know. But, in my opinion, nothing so memorable I was missing. We come to understand, Crimson Glory is a fantastic band, able to debut with a dance album and concrete, well produced and also technical. An essential album for the birth of Prog Metal. However sounds very (too?) 80's, for I perceive a band brake, which does not want to push up the play difficult. Unfortunately they were like that, the 80's: the hangover after the technical end in itself of the 70's there was a need to return to play simple.

Revised today, "Crimson Glory" sounds like an ordinary yet beautiful album. Lovers of Classic Metal should listen to billions of times in order to understand how they played in the 80's. I personally believe that in addition to the historical remains very little "Crimson Glory" which, it should be noted with sincerity, this album was still pretty cool. If "Crimson Glory" is a 2012 album we classify "Crimson Glory" as "Power Metal" but it is clear that we should just look at the evolution of both Prog Metal and Power Metal have had over the years.

The songs are very melodic, moderately technical and very powerful. Savatage and Queensryche are good examples of similar bands and is the kind of bands that should be placed Crimson Glory. A typical innovator band who made ​​his mark in his own way.