Crimson Shadows is a melodic power death metal band from Canada formed in 2006 releasing their first album Glory on the battlefield in 2012 and wining the Wacken metal battle in 2013 and signing with Napalm Records releasing finally their second album Kings among men the 29th August of 2014. The band comprises Cory Hofing on the drums, Ryan Hofing on the guitars and Greg Rounding on the axes and the backing vocals, Morgan Rider on the bass and Jimi Maltay as vocalist.
Kings among men album heralds an accelerated power metal on the style of Dragonforce developing a majestic epic sound in contrast with the brutal growling vocals sign of a vast death metal influence, including symphonic parts with synth orchestra instruments, this mix of styles work really well and its also combined with melodic clean vocal parts in general.
The album takes us into the action with an epic intro, March of victory, as the orchestra explodes in the powerful fast paced pounding rhythms of Rise to power, being a top track in this album and continued by Heroes among us, following same strategy in a crescendo structure, adding choirs on the background and developing a really catchy chorus, resulting in a good highlights of the band's style and a headbanging epic bomb.
A gathering of kings combines drippings of thrash metal on the verses with fast tempo power metal bridge and chorus being really effective but improved in Maidens call, combining influences from thrash and death with the power metal soul of the band,awesome changes of pulse, so forceful missile of moshpiting metal in another top track of the band.
Braving the storm starts as a mid tempo double pedal rhythm that obviously evolves to another fast power metal shot, followed by On the Eve of battle, as another epic acoustic introduction leading to freedom and salvation, with a crescendo start and an outstanding structure, with the best job on the growling death metal vocals going high and low pitched combined with the clean melodic catchy power metal chorus, awesome harmony and interpretation of this track by all band members.
Dawn of vengeance heralds another power metal pulse with the usual combo of styles, headbanging as hell, going even melodic on the growling parts.
Moonlite skies and bloody tides follows the same pattern to end this work, forceful vocals all over, but the melodic clean vocal parts doesn't work as good as in the other songs but the composition and structure of the track is astonishing, the instrumental parts and specially the bass solo is authentically awesome.
Crimson shadows are really in the good path with this release, the album can be a bit repetitive having all the tracks a similar structure and rhythms, but the combination of styles work amazingly well, tracks like Rise to power, heroes among us and freedom and salvation definitely encapsulates the band sound, EXCELLENT job!
8 / 10
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