Wills and Lords form the main songwriting duo here, but both Jackson and Burnell also contributed to such - with the latter also contributing to his first Crimson Glory album since Transcendence. Whilst Astronomica felt like a prog/power metal album from the late 1990s/early 2000s, Chasing the Hydra feels more typically Crimson Glory in tone. I would say that it is heavier overall than the first two albums, but a lot of that classic Crimson Glory magic can be found here - with the current line-up both embracing their past and putting a fresh spin on the formula. Redden the Sun kicks things off, and a big Burnell drum fill is the first thing heard. The opening guitar riffing is actually quite slow-paced and doomy, giving the feeling that the song is going to be a slow-burner - but it is largely an energetic mid-paced rocker. The guitars of Borgmeyer and Jackson soon pick up the pace then, laying down a crunching riff over which Wills starts to sing. The question was always going to surround Wills' ability to nail the Crimson Glory sound - and he has enough of Midnight's mannerisms for his inclusion to work. He can hit the high notes and deliver those strange, vibrato-elongated words that Midnight was known for - whilst also injecting his own heavier edge at times with a gruffer approach. These barked-like moments occasionally can be heard during this song, but he largely follows the classic formula here - and the relatively fast-paced chorus benefits from a Midnight-esque approach. The guitar tones throughout feel quite old-school, too, with some spikey harmony guitar melodies utilised throughout - whilst Borgmeyer later lays down an explosive and shredded guitar solo. The song is a powerful opening cut, then, with barrelling riffing and some hooks that settle in after a couple of listens - whilst the closing moments, with their spacey clean guitars, are prime Crimson Glory. The title track follows and ups the heaviness, borrowing the opening guitar melodies from Red Sharks before switching tracks and going for a tougher overall sound. The chugging rhythm guitars and punchy drumming gives this song a real energy - whilst Wills puts his own stamp on the band with a very varied vocal performance. The verses here see quite a bit of that tougher sound previously described, with some gruff, barked vocals early on - before a soaring pre-chorus sees a much smoother vocal, more like classic Midnight, with some descending harmony guitars behind him. The chorus ups the pace again, too, with a thrashier approach to an extent and a great call-and-response vocal pattern with some high-pitched screams. None of the nine songs here are especially long, but the band's progressive side shines in the arrangements - and this song is a great mix of tempos, with chugging heavy sections and faster thrash sections working well together. Broken Together opens slowly, with dreamy clean guitar melodies - over which Wills sings in that laid back, drawn out manner that always made Crimson Glory's slower sections work so well. At first it seems as if the song is going to be a ballad, as this opening goes on for quite a while, but the guitars do start to get a bit busier in the background as Wills sings - and it is not long before a brief pause gives way to a crunching mid-paced riff which takes over. The pace of the previous two songs is reined in here, with the song going down a groovier and more strident route - with crunching riffs, hypnotic guitar leads, and excellent vocals. Wills spends much of his time here in his upper register, the verses storming along thanks to his shrieks, whilst the chorus is strangely atmospheric with a more laid back approach and some melodies that really sink in after a few listens. Clean guitar breaks, groovy instrumental moments, and a tortured guitar solo all come together to make a majestic piece more than worthy of the Crimson Glory name.
Angel in My Nightmare also opens slowly, with delicate acoustic guitars and chiming clean guitars making a lovely atmospheric bed for Wills' early vocals. Keyboards are utilised throughout the album, played by Lords, but the synths make their presence felt early on here - and the song's opening is easily the album's floatiest moment up to this point. Like the previous song, though, Angel in My Nightmare is no ballad - and a cutting harmony guitar riff soon kicks in, and the song takes off with some juddering riffing and a dense atmosphere. The song does not feel as heavy as the previous one, though, and it retains some of the floatiness of the opening cut throughout. This ability to mix heavier riffing and a spacey atmosphere has long been a big part of Crimson Glory's core sound - and it is great to see it retained here. Lords' synths give this song plenty of depth, but the deliberate guitar riffing of Borgmeyer and Jackson also do a lot of heavy lifting. As was often the case with the band's classic sound, the two guitarists are generally both doing something different here. This is not just a case of one chugging along and the other laying down some leads - the rhythm guitar parts here are intricate and involved, which gives that technical and futuristic sound which perfectly backs Wills here. The floatier feel of the song allows him to utilise the smoother side of his voice quite a bit, too, and this only furthers the song's atmospheric qualities. Indelible Ashes opens with wind sound effects and distant melodies - before a memorable clean guitar melody zooms into view, under which a crunchy rhythm and percussive drum pattern is soon laid. Following two somewhat more atmospheric pieces, though, this is a track which picks up the pace quite quickly. Despite the slower opening, the main riff that soon takes over is energetic and full of movement, with a rock solid bassline underneath providing a strong groove. This is a song which harks back to some of the more straight ahead metal anthems on the band's first album. The main guitar lead here is memorable, and acts as a main hook throughout, whilst the song's chorus is probably the hookiest and most in-your-face here. Generally, the songs here feel like they reveal themselves over a few listens. I certainly did not appreciate the album on first listen the way that I appreciate it now - but this chorus was one moment that really jumped out from the off. It is easy to sing along with, and the main guitar hook is another of the album's most memorable moments. The arrangement is perhaps less interesting than some of the other cuts, but sometimes a big chorus and riff is enough - and I enjoy this simpler take on the band's core sound. Beyond the Unknown dispenses with the clean intros that the past three songs made use of, instead opening with a juddering riff that sets the tone for what is to follow. This is a song that feels a quite a bit heavier overall, with a fairly pacey verse backed by a similar guitar and bass pattern that creates an energetic groove - whilst the later chorus sees more of a keyboard backing create a somewhat lighter sound to allow for some hooky vocal melodies. If I did have a criticism of this album, it would be that the mix is sometimes a little muddled in places - and I do feel that the chorus here suffers from Wills being a bit low in the mix. I think they were trying to recapture the sound of their 1980s albums to an extent, which could be the same at times, but there are times when a bit more clarity and definition would have been welcomed on this album - particularly given the cutting guitar tones often used. The chorus is still memorable, though, and the brief clean guitar breaks are also welcome.
Armor Against Fate continues the heavier sound of the previous song, but ups it further - feeling tougher and more urgent overall. Burnell utilises some double bass drum patterns during the song's intro, giving it a busy and intricate feel, but overall this is a more straight ahead song with a strong US power metal influence. Wills spends much of this song utilising his higher register. Duelling lead guitars create a powerful base for a hard-driving verse, with some excellent vocals from Wills, whilst the chorus does that classic power metal thing of pulling the pace back somewhat, slowing down the chord changes, and letting a singer wail over a slower moving and more epic musical section. There remains a busy guitar lead under this chorus, though, with the mix of guitar and vocals creating an infectious combination. A busy instrumental section follows, with Lords laying down something of a bass solo before a shredded guitar solo later takes over. Pearls of Dust opens with a slow-moving and twisting main riff, which again feels like it is going to transition into quite a slow and doomy song, but that is not the case once more - as this slow pace is just used for effect, before a brief pause soon gives way to a much more barrelling arrangement with a fast-paced riff and some high-octane Wills vocals. Pace-wise, much of the song reminds me of Masque of the Red Death somewhat - although with a slower chorus that lacks the ferocity of that older song. There is a bit more of a dynamic approach taken here instead, though, with the chorus somewhat harking back to how the song opened up. It never feels quite so doomy, but the slower pace does allow Wills' vocals a little more room to breathe - and it is another example of that classic power metal pace trope described previously. Tougher riffing sections and stark guitar leads also shine through in the mix here occasionally - with the song being another that, over repeated listens, is very enjoyable. The album then comes to a close with Triskaideka, the song which launched this new era of Crimson Glory back in 2023. One word that could often be used to describe Crimson Glory's 1980s albums was moody, and this song is this album's moody cut. Whilst other songs here have utilised clean guitar intros to good effect, clean guitar melodies and atmosphere in general just seem integrated here in a much bigger and more prominent way. This is no ballad, as there are plenty of tough riffs and a strong mid-paced groove, but clean guitar melodies are often laid in behind the heavier guitars - giving the song a real depth. This has happened elsewhere on the album, but not to the extent that it happens here - with the creeping mid-pace a perfect vehicle for a more haunting overall sound with ringing clean guitar melodies and subtle keyboards. Wills reins himself in a bit more here, too, delivering a more emotive vocal that does not utilise as many high notes - meaning that the occasional high note he does hit just feels more powerful as a result. It is the song here that is quite different from the rest, which somewhat makes sense as it likely pre-dated the rest of the album, but it works well as closing cut - fading out with something a bit more thoughtful. I was not sure what to expect from a new Crimson Glory album in 2026 - 27 years after their last one. I just hoped that it would not sound flat and uninspired - but on the contrary Chasing the Hydra is full of energy, pretty heavy overall, and full of interesting songwriting. The heavier approach does perhaps mean that the band's hookier approach from the past is reined in somewhat - but repeated listens to really reveal the hooks, and like most progressive metal albums it requires a bit of time to bed in. Those who go in with an open mind will be rewarded - but there is enough of the classic sound here to please all but the most cynical, and I hope that Chasing the Hydra is the start of a fruitful new era for the band.
The album was released on 17th April 2026 via Brave Words Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Chasing the Hydra.
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