Reviews list for Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory (1986)

Crimson Glory is a name I've been aware of ever since I got into power metal, having heard of them back when Rateyourmusic still lumped US power metal in with regular power metal from Germany.  Some even call them a prog band (which feels wrong, now that I know what they sound like), but the reality of it all is that whatever tag they have, they've still got a huge following because their heavy metal approach is clean, memorable, authentic and as a result: generic.

It was pretty obvious from Valhalla what I was getting into.  Crimson Glory is basically joining the average 80's heavy metal collective with a beautiful and perfect presence that largely overcomes a generic sound.  But even though the talent and the power were there, I really can't say I was given any "surprises," just a really good time.  I mean, speed metal songs like Mayday are really easy to rock out to, and any heavy metal guardian should get at least SOME enjoyment from the fact that the band is really putting in some effort here, even if they can't reach above the level of the genre tropes they follow.  Let's take a look at the epic and well-structured Queen of the Masquerade.  It's slower and its easier to get soaked in its almost Gothic vibes, even though the song's guitars are often louder than they need to be.

Some songs have some very noticeable flaws among all the energy, metal attitude and strong personality.  For one thing, Lost Reflection might be pretty, but as a melodic piece, Crimson Glory made a bad decision putting in so many electric metal songs before that one ballad, so it felt out of place until it got to its heavier parts.  On top of that, the melody needed work.  And Dragon Lady kind of just did its own thing.  Midnight's vocal displays of obvious pretentiousness didn't have a rhythm that felt appropriate with the rest of the instruments.

So each song is either decent or good, but there are a couple great tracks.  This album offered me nothing I haven't already heard from a plethora of albums throughout every year of the 80's, but it's enjoyable for what it's worth.  It's a good introductory album for anyone looking into heavy metal, but there are plenty of albums that blow this out of the water.  After so much hype, I expected more.

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.