Sometimes you just need a good Heavy Metal album. You know how it goes: An album that can be played loud on your speakers while you are sitting back enjoying your vodka, an album that would keep you company during a car ride, an album that would simply offer you full and pure music enjoyment without any kind of further analysis. A “just killer, no filler” album. Well CRIMSON FIRE from Athens Greece have delivered such an album!
“Another Dimension” is the third release by those Greek Metalheads. If you are not from another planet and happening to be listening to some Metal, I am sure you know them. And you probably know that since their demo days they have built a quite solid sound based mainly on US Melodic Heavy / Power Metal with some classic European Heavy Metal touches here and there.
On their new album they have remained to the described above basis but they have added a bunch of wonderful Hard Rock elements on their sound, generating a gorgeous Hard ‘n’ Heavy mix that would take you straightly back to the glorious days when you simply were able to spin a record and enjoy it from start to finish.
It is crystal clear that the band’s main goal was to produce songs that would stick into the listener’s memory. Well it seems that we have a success in here: from the songwriting itself to the song titles, everything in this album have a specific mission: to remain unforgettable inside your little head. Seriously the songwriting is the greatest feature in this album: no fillers, no fillers at all.
As I already pointed, US Melodic Heavy Metal, combined with some classic European Steel is still the main starting point in here, and yes there are enough catchy hard rocking moments as well. But there are those perfectly arranged retrospective keyboard parts as well, parts that are often used as the main basis in many songs and believe me they add a remarkable character into the album’s overall sound. So yes you will be able to hear the spirit of RIOT, FIFTH ANGEL, DOKKEN and LOUDNESS combined with a shining early-SARACEN touch (“Walking Into The Light” song is a good example of this SARACEN touch). Wonderful isn’t it?
In general the band brings to front all this 80s aesthetic through their music, reminding to us all the good high standards of the era but not sounding like poor replicas. Well this is the real deal.
“Judas” -the album’s first single- is for sure the album’s darker and perhaps heavier moment. But there are many little masterpieces in there as well. “On The Edge”, “Set the Night on Fire”, “Sold My Soul”, “Chasing Time”, to name a few.
But I must add that the record is well produced, everything is sounding loud and clear and the way it should sound, servicing the band’s aesthetic. The cover is also cool.
Well I do not have anything more to add in here. I have just discovered an amazing Heavy Metal album that is already keeping my great company. You should definitely check it out if you are still after some inspired, still catchy and well played stuff.
The album will be released August, 27 on No Remorse Records.
See the discussion about the album on our forum pages: here and here.
