Chuck Schuldiner Project

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Crippled Black Phoenix - Horrific Honorific


Crippled Black Phoenix were a band who really impressed me with their last release, 2016's Bronze and who I was lucky enough to get to see last year both at Roadburn and Hellfest. They've always surprised me with their choices, and this is perhaps one of the most eyebrow raising, but impressive yet, the re-release of a truly thrilling covers EP. Their huge guitars and ethereal vocals take you on a potent sonic adventure. Fuse that with off kilter pop sensibilities informed by post music and you start to get a sense for what Crippled Black Phoenix are, and why a covers EP would be so interesting.

Horrific Honorific is an album that has weird and massive potential. The driving force of these songs is subtle, but frighteningly addictive. There is a certain breadth to the production here that makes this album endlessly fascinating. With covers of a variety of diverse and brainy bands they are brought together by themes of despair and loneliness. The sheer torment communicated through some of these strange aural journeys is fascinating. Crippled Black Phoenix make each and every one of these covers very much their own whilst simultaneously staying true to the original philosophies behind the individual works.

Getting lost in Horrific Honorific feels like going to see old friends. Things are vaguely familiar but simultaneously wonderfully different. Crippled Black Phoenix pushed themselves every which way on this release and it paid off. It gave me not only a newfound respect for the band but also has me diving back into the discographies of the groups they choose to honor. Massive and strangely over the top there is a poetic transcendence to this release which has me closing my eyes to fall in love time and time again.

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/CBP444/

No comments:

Post a Comment