Well, we've been banging on about Bristol's Crimson Sky for the last couple of years, and to be fair, so have they! Over the last three years, the band have been through a few line-up changes, with singers coming and going almost at Sugababe speed. But finally guitarist Martin Leamon and the rest have settled on Holly Thody and done the decent thing and recorded their debut album.

Silhobbit fave After The Rain kicks the album off in majestic style. It's a slow paced melodic progger that we've played several times on the radio show. Holly's voice comes across beautifully here, while Martin provides ample guitar throughout. The album has been recorded in Martin's home studio, after being unable to find the sound they wanted/could afford in a professional studio. Whilst this has given the band the freedom that they need to explore their sound, the downside of this is that the Scott Maynard's drums don't quite carry the weight that they deserve.

Chris Cadey's keyboards lead you into the second track Turn It Up, which has a Twelfth Night feel to parts of it. Obviously this isn't a bad thing at all! This track features another great guitar break from Martin and a powerful vocal display from Holly. Season's End follows on with its distinctive start, an 80's style prog keyboard wonder tune with great prog referencing lyrics, mentioning jesters and crowns, and classic novels/albums, while Things Die is a darker song, which, after a neat keyboard intro, is dominated by another great vocal performance from Holly, and some decent chunky guitars from Martin.

Usually, a ten minute track would be called the "albums epic", but I suppose I can call A Sleep That Burns the penepic. Like penultimate, you see? Ok maybe not then. Anyway, the song starts off quietly with just guitars, keys and vocals before the rhythm section jump in and give it a bit of spice. This bit reminds me of the G word song slightly. Then it takes on what to me sounds like a middle eastern twist.

This leads up onto theoretically the final track on the album, the Misunderstood Suite. This 32 minute epic is broken down into bite sized morsels and starts off with the instrumental Misunderstood I which live, I guess, would give Holly a chance to sup some ale and gyrate a bit while the lads do their stuff, before the vocal and piano intro to The Sea, a gentle song that lets Holly, Martin and Chris have their own moments to shine. This is followed by the classic I Do Not Count The Time, the lyrics to this brooding number tell of a lost love. The more energetic Misunderstood II follows, Clive Lambert's bass giving it an almost  funky midsection while on the poppier The Space Between Us, Holly's almost classical/operatic voice reminds me of Ellie Blythe from Nottingham proggers Coralspin. If Crimson Sky were bigger and had a massive record company behind them, this could almost be their Kayleigh. The suite and album finishes off with Misunderstood III, which gives Martin ample opportunity to wrestles sweet sounds from his guitar.

Overall, this is an impressive debut from Crimson Sky, and hopefully shows the promise of more to come!. Oh, and my "trusty" sat-nav says to take the A404 towards Rickmansworth. It's the easy way out of Chorleywood.

Track List
1. After The Rain - 03:46
2. Turn It Up - 04:18
3. Season's End - 05:12
4. Thing's Die - 04:23
5. A Sleep That Burns - 10:08
6. The Misunderstood Suite
    i Misunderstood I - 03:43
    ii The Sea - 06:56
    iii I Do Not Count The Time - 04:53
    iv Misunderstood II - 06:03
    v The Space Between Us - 3:24
    vi Misunderstood III - 07:41

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