CRIMSON GLORY – The Roadrunner Years [Deluxe 3CD Digipack] (2025) HQ *0dayrox Exclusive*

Dissonance Productions, the ‘metal label’ of Cherry Red Records is about to release CRIMSON GLORY – The Roadrunner Years, a 31-track, three disc box set from legendary Florida based progressive metal act Crimson Glory featuring their first three full length studio albums, originally released via Roadrunner Records.
CD 1 features their self-titled debut full length recording originally released in 1986 including a bonus track, while CD 2 features the classic follow up ‘Transendence’ (a bonus track as well), originally released in 1988. The final disc, CD 3, features the band’s 1991 full length ‘Strange and Beautiful’.

Crimson Glory were formed in Sarosota, Florida as Pierced Arrow. From 1979 to 1983, the band went through name and line up changes. By 1983, the band had settled on the name Crimson Glory. The classic and original line up consisted of singer Midnight, guitarists Jon Drenning and Ben Jackson, bassist Jeff Lords and drummer Dana Burnell.
Along with their heavy sound, progressive arrangements, and melodic tunes, the band stood out for their theatrical looks on stage as the band would perform with masks on. By the mid 1980s, the band were signed to Roadrunner Records.
CRIMSON GLORY where a unique band not only for their haunting metallic masks, but a sound defined by progressive harmonies and dramatic high-pitched vocals, led by the enigmatic frontman Midnight, a cross between Geoff Tate and Rob Halford.

While Crimson Glory albums have been reissued now all are mostly out of print again. This 2025 reissue by Cherry Red, as the band’s “The Roadrunner Years” collection, is an absolutely major event that should NOT go unnoticed!
And with the band now officially announcing nearly a dozen shows for early 2025 across multiple European countries as well as Houston, Texas, the timing couldn’t be more perfect – a great opportunity to blast these legendary albums through our sound systems before witnessing them live, carrying forward their invaluable musical legacy in their own unique, awe-inspiring way.

This reissue, featuring the three albums from CRIMSON GLORY’s astonishing first five years, celebrates the legacy of a band that stood shoulder to shoulder with their legendary Florida associates, SAVATAGE, and helped shape the very foundation of melodic U.S. Metal.

Notably, the first CD includes the bonus track “Dream Dancer”, while the second CD features a remix of “Lonely”. Not that it really matters! No gimmicks are needed to enhance the significance of this re-release; this is a 31-track, three-disc set of SUCH MAGNIFICENTLY WRITTEN metal songs that calling even a single one of them filler would be utter blasphemy.
CRIMSON GLORY’s first three full-length studio albums, originally released via Roadrunner Records, are ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECES, and every self-respecting metalhead should own them.

Almost every metal fan, younger or older, knows already the name CRIMSON GLORY and their first couple of albums. If not, if there is someone reading these lines and has not listened to the first two albums of the band, should stop know reading these lines and buy this release immediately to listen first and then continue reading.

This release contains three albums, with the two of them standing as monuments and milestones in heavy metal music. Some prefer the debut, while some other prefer the sophomore album. For me personally, the debut album of CRIMSON GLORY, that was released in 1986, is in my favourite best 10 albums of heavy metal list and one of the albums I love the most and have listened to hundreds of times.

Furthermore, this release is important because the band is really active again, touring around the world after many years and ready to release a brand-new full-length album with a new singer (Travis Wills) that has a very good voice and can sing the old material the way they should be singed, which is something extremely difficult.

Midnight, the original singer of the band, who is no longer among us, since he passed away in 2009, is for me, among the best voices of heavy metal of all times. This is not something easy to mention, especially when we have listened in heavy metal music to many marvellous singers such as Rob Halford, Geoff Tate, King Diamond and Bruce Dickinson.

Midnight (John Patrick McDonald, Jr.), was one of a kind. An exceptional singer, with an extraordinary voice that approached so closely the word perfection. He had a heavenly timber of voice, that could perform in low notes and in high pitched notes with an equal excellence. An expressive and dramatic voice that it felt like it was talking to the soul of the listener.
A heavenly voice that it was at the same time masculine and child sensitive, at the same time angelic and demonic, lifting the listener to the sky and in the next second throwing him to melancholy.

There is no need to start talking about each and every song of the debut self-titled album. It is an absolute metal masterpiece. It contains my personal favorite CRIMSON GLORY song of all time, ‘’Azrael’’ and gives me goose bumps every time I listened to that, even though I have listened it thousands of times.
The same goes also for songs such as ‘’Valhalla’’, ‘’Heart of Steel’’, ‘’Dragon Lady’’, ‘’Lost Reflection’’, although the rest of the songs are also unique and incomparable. The guys with the silver masks, that used to wear back in the time to hide their faces and identity, had offered to our music the first strike of their perfection.
This group was composed from the following members: Midnight (vocals), Jon Drenning (guitar), Ben Jackson (guitar), Jeff Lords (bass) and Dana Burnell (drums).

The sophomore album ‘’Transcendence’’ is another milestone of heavy metal music and some fans consider it that as their favourite CRIMSON GLORY LP. It is a really one-of-a-kind breakthrough U.S. Metal album, with songs that have a more progressive touch and approach the ultimate brilliance in a slightly different way than the debut album. The line-up remained the same as in the debut, strong and solid.
With this album of 1988, the band achieved their peak of popularity – recognition and the videoclip for ‘’Lonely’’ was an MTV favourite.

The songs, the guitar riffs, the anthemic harmonies of ‘’Transcendence’’ are out of this planet. Another masterwork that will shine to the eternity of this music. I wonder how many words are there to describe pure perfection! Again, like in the debut album, it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to highlight specific songs that stand out the rest.
The outstanding songwriting, the perfect vocal performance and the harmonic transcendent expression prevail from beginning to the end. A piece of supreme art, full of classic songs such as ‘’Lady of Winter’’, ‘’Red Sharks’’, ‘’Painted Skies’’, ‘’Masque of the Red Death’’, ‘’In Dark Places’’, just to mention some song titles that are everlasting love for me and many other metalheads.

The third CD of the release contains ‘’Strange and Beautiful’’, the third full-length album of CRIMSON GLORY that was released in 1991, an album that was and still is, very controversial for many reasons.
First of all, there were line-up changes. Ben Jackson and Dana Burnell quit the band, the silver face masks were abandoned and the sound changed dramatically, towards a more traditional hard rock direction. Shortly after the release of the album, Midnight also left the band and after the tour for the album with a different singer, the band split up, leading to an inglorious sad ending of the first historic era, the one with Midnight as the vocalist.

Everybody can understand the disappointment there was at the time at the fans, after two perfect metal albums, that were succeeded by a third that was indeed ‘’Strange’’ but felt ‘’Not at All Beautiful’’ at the time. After 34 years that have gone since then and listening now the album, from a different perspective, I can tell that is a very good hard-rock album, which becomes even better with the voice of Midnight.
This would be the last time he would sing for CRIMSON GLORY discographically and this has indeed a historic value itself.
Songs such as ‘’Strange and Beautiful’’, ‘’Love and Dreams’’, ‘’The Chant’’, ‘’Star Chamber’’, ‘’Deep Inside Your Heart’’, are among other good ones, really fine songs that today, we can listen to them very pleasantly.

Again, if you do not own a physical copy of these albums, make the best present to yourselves and grab this boxed-set, since it contains music that EVERY heavy metal fan, MUST have into their personal collection.

You saw it here first at 0dayrox

Disc 1 (Crimson Glory):
01. Valhalla
02. Dragon Lady
03. Heart Of Steel
04. Azrael
05. Mayday
06. Queen Of The Masquerade
07. Angels Of War
08. Lost Reflection
09. Dream Dancer (bonus track)

Disc 2 (Transcendence):
01. Lady Of Winter
02. Red Sharks
03. Painted Skies
04. Masque Of The Red Death
05. In Dark Places
06. Where Dragons Rule
07. Lonely
08. Burning Bridges
09. Eternal World
10. Transcendence
11. Lonely (remix) (bonus track)

Disc 3 (Strange And Beautiful):
01. Strange And Beautiful
02. Promise Land
03. Love And Dreams
04. The Chant
05. Dance On Fire
06. Song For Angels
07. In The Mood
08. Star Chamber
09. Deep Inside Your Heart
10. Make You Love Me
11. Far Away

Midnight – vocals
Jon Drenning – lead guitar
Ben Jackson – rhythm guitar
Jeff Lords – bass
Dana Burnell – drums

Pre order:
cherryred.co.uk/crimson-glory-the-roadrunner-years-deluxe-3cd-digipack