In Crimson – Demo (2008)

Independent Release

Review by Tony Cannella

From Ohio comes the 4-piece band known as In Crimson. The band are fronted by vocalist/bassist Maggie Larimore. Bill Cashdollar (Drums), Alex Furst (Guitar) and Derek Miller (Guitar/Vocals) round out the lineup.The first thing that grabbed my attention is the CD cover art. It is a picture of an angel with her head down and blood dripping from her wings. Don’t think for a second that this band is just another doom-and-gloom satanic band. Actually, lyrically they come from a more spiritual, Christian place. Musically, they like the heavy stuff with elements of thrash and hardcore thrown in there as well. The band utilizes dual male and female vocals, courtesy of Maggie Larimore and Derek Miller. Maggie‘s vocals are more soaring and high pitched while Derek‘s are the polar opposite. His vocals are more aggressive and guttural-sounding. On to the songs: The first track “This Life It Dies” kicks you in the teeth right away. It’s heavy, loud, fast and musical. It has great riff running through it. The two vocalists do a great job of playing off one another through these three songs. Often times, they sing together – showing a stark contrast – but they meld together nicely. The male/female vocal thing has been done to death in the realm of metal (not that I’m complaining – I love that sort of thing), but the two singers here offer up a nice little twist to a tried and true formula. The next song “Awaiting Judgement” doesn’t let up for a second as the band keep their feet firmly on the accelerator. This song features another heavy – this time more melodic – riff. This song is very memorable, especially the vocal work of Maggie. The final track, also happens to be my favorite. “Surface” wraps things up nicely. It is not as bone-jarringly heavy as the previous two but it shows that the band can do more than just thrash. This song starts with a slow, doomy-sounding riff, but then it is quickly off and running. Great performances all around. I just love the overall feel of this song. Maggie takes the reins on vocals for the majority of this song and she really blew me away. The lyrics written by In Crimson are also quite good. There is a definite theme of redemption running through the lyrics of these songs, but they also offer up hope. I really enjoyed the whole package. The songs also have a great deal of energy running through them and I am sure they sound great in a live setting. I have to admit that it took me more than one listen to grasp In Crimson but after a few turns this band had me won over. The three songs and 11 minutes of material contained on this collection are a pretty damn good indication of what In Crimson have to offer. While the songs have it’s fair share of thrashy, crazy moments, to categorize them as simply a thrash band would be wrong. The songs contained on this demo show some variety. The riffs are heavy and the band is solid. In Crimson have obviously put their heart and soul into these songs and it shows. The songs are good and they hint at a world of potential for this fine up-and-coming band from Ohio. I look forward to following the progression of this band.