Crippled Black Phoenix

Great Escape SEASON OF MIST

Avant-metallers set controls for the dark side of the sun.

The shadows are deep and dark in the vast cosmic abyss inhabited by Crippled Black Phoenix, the Anglo-Swedish avant-prog collective founded 15 years ago by multi-instrumentalist and former Electric Wizard drummer Justin Greaves. Layered with movie dialogue samples, elaborate arrangements and sprawling post-doom symphonies, Great Escape is a rich and dense affair, mapping out arguably the broadest sonic terrain in CBP’s career to date. Co-vocalist Helen Stanley is also a strong presence, adding Siouxise-ish wails to the gorgeous goth-infused psychrock of Nebulas and breathy disquiet to the mournful folkmetal textures of Rain Black, Reign Heavy, one of several tracks that edges into Radiohead territory.

Having previously signalled his allegiance to vintage Pink Floyd with covers of Echoes and Childhood’s End, Greaves allows himself an unabashedly selfindulgent Floydian wig-out here with the distended 13-minute epic Great Escape (Pt II). The underpowered electro-blues interlude Madman strikes the only duff note in this otherwise gloriously ambitious album.