🎶 Crimson Glory
🌎Florida, U.S.A
📀 Chasing The Hydra
® BraveWords Records
📅 17/04/2026
The history of CRIMSON GLORY is, to a large extent, well known to the broader metal audience. The impact of their first two albums, “Crimson Glory” and “Transcendence”, is almost universally acknowledged, as are the constant fluctuations in their career — from lineup changes to creative shifts — since their formation in 1983 up to the present day.
The year 2026 marks another significant moment for the band, as they release their fifth full-length album, “Chasing The Hydra”, 27 years after the controversial “Astronomica”. This is a comeback that had been anticipated with interest by the global metal community, particularly by those who have a soft spot for so-called “legendary returns.”
However, as is often the case with such comebacks, they tend to fall between two extremes: either timid attempts to revive past glory or failed efforts at modernization. “Chasing The Hydra” tries to avoid these pitfalls and succeeds to a certain extent, though it ultimately fails to establish a clearly distinct identity.
CRIMSON GLORY seem to aim for a balance between nostalgia and a modern approach. Within this context comes the choice of Travis Wills on vocals. Wills possesses the technical ability to evoke the legendary Midnight while also incorporating personal elements. Nevertheless, the end result feels somewhat forced, lacking the cohesion required to fully achieve that balance.
Similarly, on a compositional level, the album is marked by shifts that do not always work in its favor. Abrupt tempo changes, strong fluctuations in Wills’ vocal delivery, and mismatched elements within the arrangements create a sense of instability. I came across a comment describing the album as: “the songs are all over the place with no direction or stability.” That exact phrase kept echoing in my mind every time I listened to it.
That said, this does not mean that “Chasing The Hydra” is without merit. For instance, “Angel in My Nightmare” stands out thanks to its catchy melody, strong sense of lyricism and excellent instrumental section, while the title track follows safer but effective paths. “Indelible Ashes,” with its oriental nuances, adds an interesting dimension, although this direction could have been explored even further.
Overall, it is an album that makes for a pleasant listen, and had it not carried the name “Crimson Glory,” the review might have been more lenient. Nevertheless, the need for established musicians to remain active and creative is entirely understandable.
From this perspective, “Chasing The Hydra” is a welcome return, one that could serve as a starting point for a new creative phase for the founding trio of Lords – Jackson – Burnell, reminding listeners why CRIMSON GLORY are considered one of the bands that helped shape the sound of Heavy / Power Metal.
★ 6/10
✍🏻 Kostas Boudoukos
