CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX
VENUE THE UNDERWORLD, LONDON
DATE 21/03/2019
The winds of change blow strong in the cinematic world of Crippled Black Phoenix. When Prog caught up with founder and chief songwriter Justin Greaves earlier this year, the band had firmly entered a new era, having closed the book on a tumultuous few years. Accordingly, their latest album, 2018’s Great Escape, was the sonic equivalent of a fresh start, a record full of light, space and cautious hope. But four songs into tonight’s show, Greaves has another announcement: for the purposes of this tour the band have invited three new members into their fold, all of whom are just three days into the job. After the gig, Greaves confirms to Prog that the majority of the personnel changes aren’t permanent: guitarist Jonas Stålhammar is currently busy with his other band, Swedish metal pioneers At The Gates, and live drummer Ben Wilsker apparently couldn’t get the time off work. He does, however, confirm that bassist Tom Greenway has recently left the band and Ryan Patterson of support act Fotocrime, who opened tonight’s proceedings with a stellar set of industrial, Sisters Of Mercy-esque drum machine gloom, is filling in on double duties.
“An initiation by fire!” Greaves jokes, introducing the new guys – guitarist Andy Taylor, drummer Gáspár Binder and Patterson to the crowd. “Get your sleeping bags out because we’re doing a full set.” He’s not kidding; tonight’s gig is a mammoth, two hour-plus show that draws from the many crevices and corners of the band’s brooding 13-year career.
We’ve seen many shows at The
Underworld that have benefitted
from decent acoustics but tonight is exceptional. As all eight members of CBP squeeze onto the small stage and the juddering opening riff of To You I Give reverberates from the walls before exploding in a cloud of expansive post-rock, the band sound like a moment of realisation that throws all else to the wind. There are several jaw-dropping moments that cause the punters to veer between revered silence and air-punching jubilation, like the menacing, almost serpentlike meander of No Fun, and Nebulas’ simmering Sólstafir-like quiver that shows off the celestial and evocative joint vocals from singers Daniel Änghede and Belinda Kordic to great effect. Then there’s the slow-burning, weighty cover of Swans’ The Golden Boy That Was Swallowed By The Sea, and an unexpected airing of Caring Breeds The Horror, last included in CBP’s setlists in 2014. But it’s the closer, an almighty rendition of Pink Floyd’s transcendent Echoes, a band of godlike significance to both the band and their audience alike, that truly wins the day. In the past Greaves has been vocal about the logistical, personal and financial challenges of taking a multinational operation like CBP on the road. Yet as Echoes reaches its emotional, spinetingling climax, with piercing guitar evaporating into the shadows like steam rising from glowering coals, it all feels worth it.
“TONIGHT’S CLOSER, AN ALMIGHTY RENDITION OF PINK FLOYD’S ECHOES, A BAND OF GODLIKE SIGNIFICANCE TO BOTH CBP AND THEIR AUDIENCE ALIKE, TRULY WINS THE DAY.”