Crimson Glory - “Chasing The Hydra” Album Review
Diego Orozco • 23 March 2026
I still remember the first time I listened to Crimson Glory. It was a gray autumn afternoon back in 1988; the only gray thing about that day was the weather, because my mind was blown when I discovered such an incredible record. From that moment on, I was hooked by the overwhelming energy the band displayed on their early albums.
Today, when I put on their new album "Chasing the Hydra," I felt that old magic again—those songs so carefully structured between the progressive and the fantastic. Even though two of the original members are no longer there for different reasons you don't really miss CG; their spirit is still present. The songs are written with personality, with a modern touch but never sacrificing the soul that made them a household name around the world.
After 26 years since their last release—with a record that, while very good (Astronomica) — returning with something new for their most loyal fans was clearly a difficult bet. Today, they embrace us again with Travis Wills…lot of personality of his own. He doesn't give up his style but adapts wonderfully to the band's particular sound. Mark Borgmeyer replaces Jon Drenning, and his work stands out alongside the three original members of the band: Jeff Lords, Ben Jackson, and Dana Burnell. All of them have achieved a perfect symbiosis to revive a sleeping giant that has come back to stay.
The songs hit us right from the beginning-"Redden the Sun" opens with that energy that the best CG had accustomed us to. "Chasing the Hydra," the title track, assures us that this is going to be big, and the rest of the compositions follow a precise, atmospheric, deep, and dynamic rhythm that made these gentlemen from Sarasota become - and remain—great exponents of metal. "Broken Together, "Angel in My Nightmare," a great single that delighted us and brought back the excitement of witnessing this fantastic rebirth, along with "Indelible Ashes," "Beyond the Unknown," "Armor Against Fate," "Pearls of Dust," and "Triskaideka," sum up a work well worth listening to.
Lifelong fans will be more than satisfied, and those who have never listened to the band will discover a new world full of the magic that Crimson Glory has gifted us. For both groups, the result is a brilliant album worthy of the history of this great band.