Artist: CRIMSON GLORY
Album: "TRANSCENDENCE (CD)"

Year: 1988
Media type: CD

Sarasota, Florida based CRIMSON GLORY first came to attention with their image of each band member's identity hidden behind silver face masks. Although technically proficient the media soon decided CRIMSON GLORY's brand of epic Metal, and in particular MIDNIGHT's distinctly Geoff Tate tainted vocals, were a bit too close to their better known Seattle counterparts for comfort. Fortunately as time passed, successive releases shed this stigma and the European Metal market in particular soon placed the band on great esteem.

The group originally had first used the name BEOWULF upon their formation in 1981. The group's founding line-up comprised the trio of guitarists Jon Drenning and Ben Jackson alongside Dana Burnell. Bassist Jeff Lords was added a while later and the vocal talents of MIDNIGHT were recruited two years later in 1983. It's a little known fact that the group did not play a full scale live show until five years after their original formation.

CRIMSON GLORY debuted in 1986 on the PAR label. The group's self-titled first album was subsequently licensed to Roadrunner for European consumption and, upon promoting the first album, the band put in a solitary British show opening for ANTHRAX and METAL CHURCH at London's Hammersmith Odeon. February of 1987 saw the band traversing mainland Europe as support to CELTIC FROST and ANTHRAX.

Following 1989's 'Transcendence', for which the band's mask's had now become 'half-masks' revealing more of their features, CRIMSON GLORY were racked by line up problems with both guitarist Ben Jackson and drummer Dana Burnell leaving the fold. Jackson joined PARISH and recorded an album entitled 'Envision'. Dana Burnell made a guest appearance.

The 'Strange And Beautiful' album saw the band ditching the facial disguises altogether and debuted new drummer Robi Jakhotia. Midnight quit the group after getting married and wishing to spend more time with his new bride and left before an upcoming tour. David Van Landing, who had previously worked with TONY MACALPINE was recruited for the shows. Further dates in Japan were booked yet subsequently cancelled as the group broke up, Van Landing hooking up with the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. Meantime Swedish Metal band MORGANA LEFAY covered 'Lost Reflections' on their 1995 'Past, Present, Future' album.

Drenning, Lords and Jakhotia formed the Arizona based EROTIC LIQUID CULTURE during 1996 and released an album of Funk Metal through a Japanese label. The trio were soon back in the ranks of the CRIMSON GLORY mothership by the following year in a revised line-up that featured Drenning, Lords, Jakhotia, guitarist Billy Martinez and new vocalist Wade Black, previously with LUCIAN BLAQUE, to record a new album entitled 'Astronomica'. After many delays the album was greeted with almost universal appreciation especially in Europe.

MIDNIGHT, meanwhile, was approached by the Swedish group ZOIC to record with them but the group's finances were too tight so the deal fell through. However, the singer did unite with ATHEIST guitarist Rand Burkey to work on new material until the pair fell out publicly. Black decamped to SEVEN WITCHES in 2000. As 2001 dawned it emerged that Black, Ben Jackson and Jesse Martillo had founded a new Progressive Rock act SECTOR 9.

Jackson would also develop the BEN JACKSON GROUP announcing a roll call of Jackson on vocals and guitar, guitarist Mark Borgmeyer, bass player Danny Binz and drummer Rich Tabor. Recordings for a debut album entitled 'Here I Come' would see guitarist John Bajas guesting and CRIMSON GLORY colleagues vocalist Wade Black and bassist Jeff Lords contributing.

MIDNIGHT's album 'M' arrived in December 2001. Ex-singer Wade Black broke away from SEVEN WITCHES in mid 2002 and enlisted the services of the former NOCTURNUS pairing of guitarist Mike Davis and bassist/vocalist Emo Mowery for a fresh side band project billed as TIWANAKU.

Signals from the CRIMSON GLORY camp in July of 2003 pointed to a possible full blown, original line up reunion. However, this did not transpire. In December of 2004 the Greek Black Lotus label announced they had signed singer MIDNIGHT for a solo deal and an album project entitled 'Sakada'. Joining the vocalist in this venture would be CRIMSON GLORY colleague Ben Jackson on guitar, Scott Gibson on guitar and bass with Phil Anderson handling drums.

CRIMSON GLORY's own plans for 2005 would be announced as including a new studio album, dubbed 'Metatron, Lucifer And The Divine Chaos', plus a DVD 'Phantoms Of The Opera' featuring an entire vintage concert from 1989 plus footage from the 'Transcendence' world tour. Also in the works would be a retrospective, 20th anniversary box set 'Valley Of Shadows - Kingdoms Of Light' set to comprise unheard tracks and demos. Wade Black joined Anaheim Metal veterans LEATHERWOLF in July.

Having reunited with MIDNIGHT, the band announced signature of a multi-album deal with Black Lotus Records in April. This campaign opened with a series of original album remasters, the group taking the opportunity to re-issue the debut under a new title of 'Lost Reflections', adding not only all new artwork but previously hard to find bonus tracks 'Love Me - Kill Me' and 'Dream Dancer'. The second CRIMSON GLORY album, re-dubbed 'Transcendence : Renovatio', also came in for similar treatment with new album art and additional tracks.

TRACKLIST:

1. Lady Of Winter
2. Red Sharks
3. Painted Skies
4. Masque Of The Red Death
5. Where Dragons Rule
6. Lonely
7. Burning Bridges
8. Eternal World
9. Transcendence

LINE-UP:

Midnight (vocals)
Jon Drenning (guitar)
Ben Jackson (guitar)
Geoff Lords (bass)
Dana Burnell (drums)

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