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CRIMSON GLORY
Chasing The Hydra

No Remorse / BraveWords (2026)
Rating: 7.5/10

Responsible for releasing two of the most incredibly underrated albums back in the 80s, Sarasota, Florida-based clan Crimson Glory were a rather unique presence on the heavy metal scene. Shrouded in Gothic mystery, somewhat due to their enigmatic frontman Midnight (R.I.P.) and his masked performances, alongside a penchant for creating progressive theatrical power metal, the band unleashed a brace of sublime records, Crimson Glory (1986) and Transcendence (1988), before the confused emergence of Strange And Beautiful (1991).

When I heard about these guys and purchased their first two records I finally felt like a serious heavy metal connoisseur, someone moving beyond the realms of the devil, dungeons and dragons ethos, and willing to explore the brand of thinking man’s metal. Admittedly, as the 90s evolved / devolved (delete where applicable) my interest in Crimson Glory had fizzled, and by 1999’s Astronomica opus (their first without Midnight) it became extinct.

Now, 27 years after their last album, the band has returned with a new full-length after a few years of teasing fans with an EP, War Of The Worlds, in 2000, and a couple of singles in 2012 and 2023. Chasing The Hydra, just like the rather feeble Astronomica, still doesn’t feel like classic Crimson Glory, but let’s face it, no returning band of the last 20 or 30 years can recapture the hungry magic of their roots. Even so, armed with a line-up of veteran players Ben Jackson (rhythm guitar), Jeff Lords (bass) and Dana Burnell (drums), along with more recent recruits Travis Wills (vocals) and Mark Borgmeyer (lead guitar), Chasing The Hydra is probably the album the posse should have produced back in 1991.

Remaining slick and sophisticated, Chasing The Hydra plays to the strengths of vocalist Travis Wills who at times does emulate the presence of Midnight, but he also fights his own corner too. Although there’s a lot of mid-tempo stuff served up, there are some excellent tracks to devour here. I wasn’t sure if the band would attempt to conjure the spirits of those first two albums, and if they did I was concerned about such pastiche, but the end result is a rewarding one.

The opening slice, ‘Redden The Sun’, certainly harkens back to Transcendence with its riff, but if anything Crimson Glory now occupies a plateau stationed between classic Sanctuary and Queensrÿche. The axe work throughout the platter is exemplary, the tag team of Jackson and Borgmeyer showcases cool intricacy and power, especially with the smattering of harder numbers, such as the title track alongside ‘Armor Against Fate’ with its progressive jerks, but the Crimson Glory aficionados will also appreciate ‘Broken Together’ and ‘Indelible Ashes’ which boast a magical waft akin to those vintage years.

This is a surprisingly good album that illuminates Wills, more so on ‘Beyond The Unknown’ where his versatility shines. Like all decent albums, this one took more than a few spins to fully appreciate its levels, especially with the folds of the majestic ‘Angel In My Nightmare’. Even without the mystical presence of Midnight, Chasing The Hydra remains an opus which crackles with a fiery atmosphere suggesting that some otherworldly sorcery was afoot when the lads constructed this slab. Slot this one alongside the new Metal Church album, Dead To Rights, for similarly conjured spirits of old, yet with a clear focus on the future.

Neil Arnold

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