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Kingcrow - Eidos review




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Reviewer:
8.6

110 users:
8.21
Band: Kingcrow
Album: Eidos
Release date: June 2015


01. The Moth
02. Adrift
03. Slow Down
04. Open Sky
05. Fading Out (Part IV)
06. The Deeper Divide
07. On The Barren Ground
08. At The Same Place
09. Eidos
10. If Only

Will you look at that album cover? Now that this got your attention, you can still be blown away by their music. Indeed, let's get right to it, the Italian prog musicians of Kingcrow are back with Eidos, and it is a gem of an album. In case you never heard of them, their influences include bands like Leprous, Pain Of Salvation, Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Threshold, Rush and Dream Theater. Those are not bad references to have. Kingcrow started to gather praise in 2010 with the addition of singer Diego Marchesi and the release of the excellent Phlegeton. 2013 cemented their career with the highly-acclaimed In Crescendo. 2015 brings us what is their most adventurous effort, and what could become their magnum opus.

The lineup remains unchanged with Diego Cafolla and Ivan Nastasi on guitars and backing vocals, Francesco D'Errico on bass guitar, Manuel Thundra Cafolla behind the kit, Cristian Della Polla on keys and the aforementioned Diego Marchesi providing his emotional lead vocals. His vocal work is once more a highlight throughout.

It is clear that Diego Cafolla has written some innovative quality tracks for this album, taking the band in uncharted territories. But the risk has paid off big time. The song structures are complex, intense, and very diverse. So much so, it takes a long time to fully appreciate all the goodies that the album has to offer. A lot of the previously named influences can be heard on Eidos but they all hit the spot and sound coherent, not at all out of place. The band retains its identity. Equally important, Eidos never turns into a musicianship show-off. There is no solo contest, only well-adjusted elements and perfect timing from everybody involved. Fans of progressive music will enjoy the very clean sound. Rhythmic elements such as bass lines and percussions are on equal level with the guitars.

It takes something special nowadays to get me interested in new progressive metal bands. And something special is exactly what the musicians of Kingcrow have created with Eidos. This album sets the bar high and does not disappoint. As far as I am concerned this should be a serious contender for prog record of the year.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 9
Production: 8





Written on 22.09.2015 by Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as:

"A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?"

I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math.


Comments

Comments: 17   Visited by: 314 users
22.09.2015 - 21:34
Panterica

Sounds interesting. Will definitely check them out.
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Li'ed - Prog-Metal from Jerusalem
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aZWDrAAvDSLMaSmDSE8zA
https://www.facebook.com/LiedBandMusic
http://lied-band.bandcamp.com/
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23.09.2015 - 10:19
Rating: 10
trattorino2

A Masterpiece and album of the year for me. Every song on it is fuckin brilliant
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23.09.2015 - 11:10
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Definitely among the best progressive albums I've heard this year. Too bad they are so underrated though.

I do agree with you that it takes a few listens to understand it fully, but then again that's how it is with most albums for me.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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23.09.2015 - 14:25
Rating: 9
Yugosaki

At The Same Place is masterpiece
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaEBpRWr2IA
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23.09.2015 - 15:36
Rating: 10
trattorino2

My favourite songs are Adrift, At the same Place and If Only. If Only is such a perfect closer for the record.
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24.09.2015 - 11:36
Rating: 7
musclassia

Written by trattorino2 on 23.09.2015 at 15:36

My favourite songs are Adrift, At the same Place and If Only. If Only is such a perfect closer for the record.


Those were the exact three songs that stood out to me when I listened to this ha
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25.09.2015 - 16:20
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
This album cover, I never ever would pick this album by cover.,,. tried out music, boring,
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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25.09.2015 - 16:51
Rating: 10
trattorino2

Written by Bad English on 25.09.2015 at 16:20

This album cover, I never ever would pick this album by cover.,,. tried out music, boring,

What's wrong with the cover? I find it ..uhm...sick in a very good way.
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25.09.2015 - 18:04
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by trattorino2 on 25.09.2015 at 16:51

Written by Bad English on 25.09.2015 at 16:20

This album cover, I never ever would pick this album by cover.,,. tried out music, boring,

What's wrong with the cover? I find it ..uhm...sick in a very good way.


to modern, cant compare whit some paintings as latest Bell Witch
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
25.09.2015 - 18:18
Rating: 10
trattorino2

Well, it's a photo not a painting It's just a matter of taste I guess since I do prefer photos over paintings
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27.09.2015 - 20:42
Rating: 9
robpal
Proglord
Been listening to this one since June. Beutiful, well-thought music with some highly nontrivial passages.
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16.10.2015 - 01:59
Rating: 9
Susan
Smeghead
Serious contender for prog record of the year, indeed!

I've been following Kingcrow for several albums and I always LIKE what they put out but rarely go back to it as much as others. They've put out a ton of GOOD stuff; it's so exciting to hear them put out something GREAT. I'm elated listening to this

Yes, they are underrated, though I have a feeling this record will put them into the conversation in the coming years.

I agree with the review: the band does retain their own identity while still honoring their influences. Excellent balance in that.
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"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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18.10.2015 - 10:59
Rating: 7
mes

Haven't heard any of their earlier stuff, but this for me was a really solid and consistent album from start to finish. Reminescent of newer enslaved, with the switch flipped from prog metal to prog heavy rock on things like the vocal delivery. Was expecting it to be a little more heavier based on reviews I had read, but it's very good just where it is.
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18.10.2015 - 11:08
itzabyss

Here's a direct spotify link
https://play.spotify.com/album/3HQO1f28BmWi9s4En7xPxX
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24.10.2015 - 14:44
Cult.Destroyer

One of the most under-rated progressive bands in history
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25.10.2015 - 16:32
Rating: 9
boo-boo

Thank you for the review, I would have missed the album (as well as the band itself) completely.

As for the album, it is great - catchy, interesting and definitely worth more listens.
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World won't end today - it's already tomorrow in Australia.
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21.12.2015 - 19:50
Rating: 9
sam1oq

This is one of those albums I wish there was a 8.5 button. It's not good enough for a 9, but it's too good for 8.
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