(8/10) Rome isn’t a capitol of rock and metal, which doesn’t mean in reverse that there’s no good music hailing from the Italian capitol. Kingcrow is such a band, proving that also prog rock has a homebase in Italy. Founded in 1996 as Earth Shaker the moniker morphed to Kingcrow, based on a poem by Edgar Allan Pow.
The band has a rich discography with the latest two records being released via Sensory Records. ‘The Persistence’ is the band’s next longplayer, featuring excellent music. The latest release ‘Eidos’ finished a trilogy of records and after the closure of this chapter it as time to open a new one. The sextet started an intense songwriting period, leading to three hours of music of which the best songs ended up on ‘The Persistence’.
Listening to the longplayer unveils the typical Kingcrow trademarks, which became though a bit darker and got a modern expression.
Kingcrow are architects of songs that have a certain heaviness which they fuse with bigger soundscapes and well-crafted melodies. A song that includes all of this is the title track. Starting calmer and reflective the tune evolves to harder prog anthem with an ending that shows the cinematic aspect of Kingcrow’s sound very well. Other tracks you shouldn’t miss are the atmospheric ‘Closer’ and the more dynamic ‘Devils’ Got a Picture’. Last but not least you should check out the melancholic ‘Night’s Descending’ too, also because of Daniel Gildenlöw of Pain Of Salvation having a guest appearance.
Prog metal fans should check out this album. It comprises of timeless prog metal hymns with big soundscapes and awesome melodies. Thumbs up.
(8/10)
Tracklist:
- Drenched
- Closer
- Everything Goes
- Folding Paper Dreams
- The Persistence
- Every Broken Piece of M
- Devil’s Gor a Picture
- Nights’ Descending
- Father
- Perfectly Imperfect
Label: Sensory Records
Genre: Prog Rock
Release Date EU: September 7th, 2018
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