Customer Reviews

Crimson II

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When Dan Swano, the mastermind behind legendary Swedish death metal band Edge of Sanity, left the band in 1997 after the band's sixth studio album Infernal, few of us believed he would release another album under the EOS moniker. His solo effort (1998) was a true masterpiece in every sense of the word, but unfortunately it was the last album of Dan where he used his amazing death vocals. Now after five years, when he was approached to do a follow-up to Crimson 1 without the rest of the band, his initial plan was to sing with his clean vocals. He hadn't growled in years, and he wasn't intending to, until the last minute. It was a great surprise, because I happen to think he is one of the greatest death metal vocalists of the decade.

As well all know Crimson 1 (1996) was one of the most important achievements in the history of death metal. With its 40+ minute running time, lyrically focusing on every kind of destruction from art to God to ideas, it literally breathed new life into the overblown genre. The band released a poor follow-up to Infernal with a different singer and it resulted in misery. It was like Death was releasing a new album without Chuck Shuldiner. So now we have Dan Swano on his own. He is offering us his OWN version of Edge of Sanity, making the music that represents him the best!

Crimson II picks up where its predecessor left off. It just takes a different path musically to express itself. This is 100% Dan Swano, the compositions borrow elements from 70's prog rock which is indispensibale to Dan's musical vision. The album tends to sound like Moontower in some points, but still has the classic Edge of Sanity stamp all over it. The amazing riffing, rich melodies, opaque lyrics, angry vocals, great musicianship--everything.

The main difference between C1 and C2 is, like the other reviewers have pointed out, the use of keyboards and synths. Dan has successfully integrated his proggy roots from Moontower into the classic EOS sound. I'm personally very pleased to hear a totally different album that gives its messages in a very unorthodox way to the listener. The keys have actually improved the music. Besides using his death and clean vocals, Dan plays all the drums, bass and keys as well. His vocals sound amazing. As opposed to expressing single-minded fury, his delivery -especially his clean singing- sounds very sorrowful and heartfelt.

Guitar virtuoso Matthias IA Eklundh from Freak Kitchen was originally supposed to play on Crimson II, but there was a sudden change of plans in the last minute, as in Dan's adapting the growls. So we have Simon Johannson (Memory Garden) and the amazing Mike Wead (Candlemass, King Diamond, Hexenhaus) on lead guitars. Another thing that sets this CD apart from part one is the guitar solos. Wead's somewhat bluesy solos offer new life to the album. The other two vocalists Jonas Granvik and Roger Johansson do an awesome job complenting the vocal melodies. Since their voices have their own characteristics the vocals on the album are audibly more varied in texture. There would have been no novelty if Dan had worked with Mikael Akerfeldt again. He's been there, and it was amazing, and since Dan is about pushing the envelope of the form, never repeating his previous works, he has chosen different singers to accompany him. And, to me, they sound like perfect choices.

Unlike part one, Crimson II has a total of 43 tracks. While it is one long song clocking in at over 43 minutes, they have divided the song into many tracks lest, we, the listeners, can fast forward to our favourite spots easier. On part one, we had to hold the forward button pressed for quite some time to reach, say, the 25th minute of the epic.

Overall I consider Crimson II to be the best death metal album of 2003 and I am absolutely delighted that Dan has released one last album under his well-established ex-band Edge of Sanity. He says this is definitely the last EOS album, but we can always dream, can't we?

Last but not least, if you surfed onto this page because you are a fan of Dan's softer music (Nightingale, Unicorn, Star One) and are not fond of death vocals, let me suggest you this: when you start saying that something is bad, you may be cutting yourself off to something that may help you become a better music listener or give you better expression. C2 is definitely a must have for any Swano fan. It is experimental, cerebral, passionate, complex, fiery, and progressive death metal in a 100% Dan Swano way. Highly recommended!

When I got Dan Swano's Moontower about a month ago, I thought that it had to be the pinnacle of his career. While I knew Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath, Diabolical Masquerade and some of his other bands were really talented, I doubted that and of them would ever match the greatness achieved on Moontower. So you can imagine my surprise when I found Crimson 2 not only matched but perhaps surpassed Moontower. In many ways the two are alike, Dan Swano does almost everthing, the use of the way screwed up keyboards is the same, and weird death metal prog vibe is the same. Differences are C2 is an 40+ minute song, and it's a bit heavier and a bit less progressive than Moontower. Definitly a must buy for any melodic death fan. I also recommend checking Swano's other bands that I will list below.

Dan Swano, Diabolical Masquerade, Bloodbath, Infestdead, Karaboudjan, Star One, Nightingale

Simple Duh.
When I first heard Crimson, it was unlike anything I had heard before(especially the length) and its excellent storyline totally blew me away. Now that I had an idea of how a epic concept album should be made, the amazement is considerably less. Crimson II as almost every reviewer here and elsewhere on the net have stated is like Crimson with keyboards(in fact riffs off the original are reused in places, with good effect). However, once I began to decipher the plot my interest returned. Anyway the big question is whether this is as good as most reviewers make it out to be. Not to me. Its probably the third best EoS album(after Crimson and Purgatory Afterglow) and an essential to lovers of this kind of music, though I don't need to tell you that.

In case you weren't aware, the rest of EOS is not on this cd, its basically Dan Swano and a few guest musicians here and there. This one takes place (i think dan said 1000) many years later than the original Crimson, when evil is reborn. There maybe 44 tracks on the cd, but it's still one song like the original. Where this differs from the original crimson is there is a major usage of keyboards and synths in this. If you are not a fan of Dan's Moontower album, then there is a chance you might not like this album. However, it does still sound like EOS despite the fact the rest of the band is missing and the presence of synth. Dan does not do 100% of the vocals on this (he originally was not going to do any growling), but changed his mind at the last minute and did some growls. What is really cool is that the other vocalists on here, kind of sound like dan, so there are many scenarios where you may not be sure exactly who is singing. Either way, this is the best final release that could ever have the EOS name on it, it is a perfect end to the band, even if dan was the only member who worked on it.

Beware the 2011 remastered re-issue, it was badly mastered.

There are gaps and fade-outs between "parts" of the albums, like the records were remastered using the CD versions. Not only that, the fade-outs parts are actually repeated during the fade-ins! Even the CD versions don't do that.

That being said, the remastered albums sound amazing. It's just frustrating to have the flow cut every 5 minutes.

If those gaps don't matter to you, get it. Otherwise, wait for another remaster (if there's any). I don't know if the 2003 vinyl release has this issue, but you might as well look for one of those instead.

This has to be by a Long shot my fav album ever. the perfect blend of music the progression is Amazing i was blowen away by the creativity of this album a Most Most have death metal cd for all Metal fans really

review time ill try to give it in a nut shell
The forbidden words 10/10 Perfect start to this Amazing album really incease the depth of the rest to come the seer speed is awesome vocals are raspy and totally add to the over all perfromance
Incantation 10/10 a switch over to a less speed segment but an unbelieveable Full sound and wonderful keyboards guitar riffs are not technical but unreal, the one i speak of is mosty the one on track 5 of 44 a superior solo, tho it not much its very heavy
and a wild ride is ahead for the rest of incantation
Passage of time 10/10 another total gear switch to a fast tempo. in this segment there are a few stops where they tone it down and dont growl very nice fit makes it way above average total justice for those who think death metal is only screaming and it takes no singing talent
as much as id like to go throught each one it would get a bit long. at track 31 is where the magic happens its incantation on a gods level remember the little solo i talked about on track 5? here it is again with an inhuman enhancement. after the incantation repeat an amazing display of the singer range is set in nice reviver. not much more till the ending ill let you explore that for yourself

this review is not based on lyrics in anyway all sound the lyrics are probably Unreal so you might get double the pleasure

Swano really knows his stuff, and this is another showcase of his incredible talent and song writing ability. If you loved the original Crimson you'll definitely dig the re-worked riffs and supercharged sounds. There's also a hell of a lot more variety in the sequal, and it makes for even more brilliant listening experience. It's much more then a sequal though, and there's so much originality and experimentation in this album that any self-respecting EOS fan surely can't pass it up.

This CD blew me away the first time I listened to it, and somehow it gets better every time! I love the original Crimson, which I consider Edge of Sanity's finest work, although they have never put out anything bad.

Crimson II has some similarities with the original Crimson. Some of the guitar riffs are similar and it has a similar feel to it. However, Dan Swano's singing has changed a bit from his previous Edge of Sanity albums. His singing is deeper, but not as gravely. It sounds a lot like Mikael Akerfeldt on Blackwater Park (Opeth), although Akerfeldt's backup vocals are not on this Crimson release. The clean vocals are also amazing.

All in all, this is a fitting goodbye from Edge of Sanity to the world. Dan Swano's musical genius has never dissapointed yet, and it definitely does not with this album. I'm still trying to decide if I like it better than the original Crimson.

This one is even better than the first one. It has a lot of keyboards, which add some extra flavor to Edge of Sanity's tasty death metal. Sound and tempo are very diverse again. It's both powerful and melodic, vocals are both growl and clean..... A real concept album.
44 tracks. Swano did an interesting thing with the first Crimson by putting the whole album into 1 track. Now he's divided it into 44. He pushed the boundaries again.
Why 4 stars? Guitars and drums sound pretty artificial for my taste, although they sound very powerful.
Anyway, whoever liked the first Crimson, definitely will worship this one as well.

this is the cd of the year, period....., i dont think any OPETH cd could even match these cd!!!! and if OPETH cant beat this then it is obvious that no one else will. i am a die hard OPETH fan, till the end. but EDGE OF SANITY'S-CRIMSON 2 is the best, most crushing, album i have ever heard, EVER. no band can match what EDGE OF SANITY have just done with CRIMSON 2, no one, no one, no one!!!!

it starts of with track 1 and it ends with track 44. absolutley amazing all the way through.

1. kinda like symphony music, pretty nice, 21 seconds long.

2. EXPLOSION!!! this track just blows up, and is very catchy and very heavy. 1:18 long

3. the end of #2 kinda drifts into #3, #3 is unbelievably melodic and catchy. 1:04 long

4.has a very heavy riff, with growling as much of the cd is, very nice track. 42 sec.

5. off beat music very very heavy guitar, and awesome drums in this track. 1:03 long

6. starts off with fast clean guitar and bass guitar, then distortion kicks in with a nice little riff and the drum beat picks up, then double bass starts going off like fire crackers on 4th of july!!!!amazing 1:01 long

7.slow heavy riff, with nice keyboards in the background, has a break down near end of track. 46 seconds.

8.blows up the same way the cd started, yet again another very catchy riff, also a nice solo. at the end of this track the singer has his vocals dubbed over each other so it sounds like there is two singers growling back and forth, very cool 1:21 long

9.more double bass erupts, and a technical riff emerges in this track, has a wicked awesome keyboard ending then the next track leads in with awesome guitar work as usual, and awesome musicianship as usual, very nice solo in #11.

i am not going to tell you about the rest of the album, because there is 44 tracks, but they are all pretty short, in fact you wont even notice the song changed. on track 18 though, it has very nice clean vocals, also there is about three place in this cd where he sings clean and melodically.

i dont know how my review was but, i can sum this album up in a few words rather then type a whole book about it, but this cd sure does deserve a book about it. buy this album, if you like melodic death metal, and opeth, then you will fall in love with this cd, i did!!! i have worn this cd out and i have had it for only a few weeks, more then 30 listens already!! and more to come in the future.

super great job on this release, a strong, strong cd for metal. check it out, i seriously dont hink you will be let down........
-------------------METAL FOR THE MASSES!!!!---------------------