Crimson Glory

About

Also known as: Grimson Glory

Few American metal bands of the 1980s had a look as instantly striking as Crimson Glory. Formed in Sarasota, Florida, the band took the stage in full face metallic silver masks, a visual statement that set them apart in an era crowded with lookalike acts. Vocalist Midnight wore a modified version that left his mouth uncovered, adding a touch of the Phantom of the Opera to their mystique. Their twin guitar harmonies and Midnight's soaring range gave them a sound that felt genuinely ambitious. Their 1988 album Transcendence is the record most people point to when talking about American progressive metal. It landed them on the cover of Kerrang!, sent them on the road with Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne and Queensrÿche, and drew a crowd of 20,000 at the Metal Hammer Festival in Dortmund. Alongside Queensrÿche, Dream Theater and Fates Warning, Crimson Glory are widely credited as pioneers of the progressive metal movement. The band has put out five studio albums in total, each marking a shift in direction as the lineup evolved over the decades.