KINGCROW – Eidos (2015)
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Following the good world-wide response of their previous album (featured here on the blog), Rome, Italy-based progressive metal sextet KINGCROW returns with “Eidos“, their brand new album released today.
Musically it sees the band exploring new territories and pushing the extremes of its complex soundscape with a darker atmosphere and a more progressive attitude.
Indeed, KingCrow is not the typical prog metal, in fact I would call them just progressive. We found strong metal riffs and some pounding drumming on “Eidos”, but also highly melodic passages, pianos, and even saxophone on one track.
They mix not-too-heavy with not-too-light, and so hold appeal to those whose tastes shift between heavy progressive rock and lighter, melodic progressive metal. It is, most importantly, a modern progressive sound and style.
So open your ears and enjoy this elaborated album.
“Eidos” flows like the Mediterranean Ocean but there are constant surprises, delights and deep moments along the way. The songs all have movement but above all subtlety as if breezes come along and divert the course.
‘The Moth’ ‘sets the scene for the rest of this sophisticated progressive adventure. Kingcrow take us down their own gilt-edged path with their captivating song structures, subtly magical patterns and natural-sounding emotional intensity. The instruments speak. The vocalist may not be one to exaggerate but has a natural tone which conveys a richness of emotion and matches the music perfectly.
‘Adrift’ starts off with acoustic guitars, whilst the solo vocal is replaced by choirs with a rising tension. It then bounces back to the acoustic side, and crawls out in a typical Kingcrow way to some screaming riffing with fantastic changing rhythms.
These astonishing tracks are followed by ‘Slow Down’, that has great energy, varied high-class riffing and a beat you can’t let go of. Fourth song, ‘Open Sky’, is a bit of an eccentric, easy-going one. Use it to fill up your energy levels, before starting off for the next six songs, of which ‘Fading Out Pt. IV’ must sound familiar as a song title, if you know the band’s history. With its associating Spanish influence this is a great track.
The album’s second half gives us ‘The Deeper Divide’, which in a serious seven-and-a-half minutes, stands out with its interaction of different vocals against the musical interpretation. Maybe the most ‘prog’ (and not metal) song of the album.
But the entire album is progressive in every note and every twitch of every song. ‘On The Barren Ground’ is the most accessible of all, really melodic. I really love ‘At The Same Pace’, which does what it says and has both a haunting and tranquilising effect through that pace.
The penultimate song is the title track and the longest, heaviest number of the album, with some Queensryche and Fates Warning on it. ‘If Only’ closes with an enchanting acoustic guitar melody, which pulls us through the song to the end of the album with a sublime feeling.
Kingcrow has managed to step to the next level on “Eidos” (their 6th album) through smart and intriguing compositions that will both satisfy the current fan base, as well as attract new ones from the progressive rock or metal corners of the spectrum.
A tad darker than the previous albums, but up to the right level; a level that few bands can match.
Strongly Recommended.
01 – The Moth
02 – Adrift
03 – Slow Down
04 – Open Sky
05 – Fading Out Part IV)
06 – The Deeper Divide
07 – On The Barren Ground
08 – At The Same Pace
09 – Eidos
10 – If Only
Diego Marchesi (Lead & backing vocals)
Ivan Nastasi (Guitar & backing vocals)
Diego Cafolla (Guitar & backing vocals)
Cristian Della Polla (Keyboards & Synths)
Francesco D’Errico (Bass)
Thundra Cafolla (Drums & Percussions)
Stefania Bentivoglio (Saxophone on 3)
Fred Colombo (Piano on 3)
BUY IT !
merchbooth.net/kingcrow-eidos-cd/
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