KINGCROW — In Crescendo (review)

KINGCROW — In Crescendo album cover Album · 2013 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Time Signature
This ain't another love song...

Genre: progressive metal

Italian power metal and progressive metal are notorious for being over the top in terms of cheesiness, but apparently a lot of people like that kind of stuff. I don't have a problem with people liking cheesy music, but whenever a band like Kingcrow comes along, offering progressive metal which is wholly cheese-free, then I cannot help but applaud it.

"In Crescendo" is as far from over the top as can be, as the Kingcrow guys seem to focus on quality solid songwriting rather than self-indulgent display of their musicianship. Thus, with the exception of the title track, the songs are pretty short and compact (for progressive metal that is), with an average length of about 5-6 minutes. The album is, while obviously sophisticated, very accessible and listener-friendly, drawing on both metal and alternative rock.

Make no mistake about it, these guys know their way around their instruments, and, when push comes to shove, they definitely are more than capable of hurling technically advanced solos in your direction, but their main focus is the songwriting. Drawing on a variety of rock, hard rock, and metal sources (there are even some funk-elements every now and then), the song on the album are dynamic and interesting and, at the same time, quite catchy due to the melody of the vocal lines. Featuring keyboards which are at time spacey, at times atmospheric, and at times symphonic, "In Crescendo" is both progressive and eclectic, and serves as a nice alternative to the brand of progressive metal spearheaded by the likes of Dream Theater.

"In Crescendo" is, for my money, a very interesting album which successfully combines progressive metal, progressive rock and alternative rock into a quite original, totally cheese-free, type of progressive metal. Fans of Haken, Porcupine tree, Aeon Zen, and the less extreme version of Opeth are likey to enjoy the album.
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