*. Crimson Blue .* (Album + Ep)

Album: Innocence (2011) + Ep: Iceland (2011)
Genre: Prog Rock (Prog Metal/Crossover/Alternative)  /  Russia

This is an album of female fronted experimental metal band from Russia. Well... I was pretty sceptical on what the band describes as 'Nu Art Metal' but after listening to the music I must admit that there is definitely something to it. The overall feel of the album is pretty tight with heavy low-tuned guitar riffing and at the same time rather complex and fresh vocal melodies. I especially liked the sound of bass. Alex definitely knows how to make it cool on the bass side. The album's opener track is stunning "Iceland" which I consider one of the best tracks on the album. It features both melodic and tender fills and also a hurricane like main riffing. The track ends with some chilling and mysterious lines, delivered in such breathtakingly cold manner that the end of the song left me staring blankly into emptiness... Don't loose chance to give it a try! After such a great start the album goes through two more tracks which are extremely catchy and expressive - "L.M.A." and "Clouds". "L.M.A." features some nu-metal riffing and "Clouds" on the contrary is loaded with some melodic guitar work. But both songs have nice vocal melodies. To my ear Dani's vocals are extremely cool and it's great to hear such a voice delivering us great metal and not doing the mainstream pop. I noticed that the band likes to surprise the listener pretty much. The sudden appearance of acoustic strumming in the start of "Flax" and it's wall-crushing ending, folk-like motives in "Ave" (which has great vocals, by the way) allow me to describe the album and music as unpredictable beyond compare. Tracks "Nagual", "Haesitatio", "H.U. Lab" become what one can refer to as the "prog section" of the album. This songs have complex stucture, variety of dynamic leaps and cool guitar work. I especially liked the mid-section in "Haesitatio" that to me sounded like a whole new song with it's own verse and chorus. The title track is the last on the album and to me it is a matching pair for the opener. Great rhythms, nice groove and wave-like feel of the song made it one of my favourite. 

Review by "Spektorskiy" (www.sputnikmusic.com)

Songs / Tracks Listing - EP: Iceland (2011)
01.Forest
02.Ave Sensorium
03.L.M.A
04.Iceland
05.Haesitatio
06.Coma Angel

RATING:  7.25 / 10

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