Crippled Black Phoenix : Endtime Ballads

A couple of weeks ago, I posted on a band that was creating a fair amount of buzz around the internet. Details were quite hazy, but rumours that a 'supergroup' of sorts had formed, containing members of Mogwai, Electric Wizard, Gonga and many other bands, have proved to be true. I have been in contact with this enigmatic and ambitious collective (or "merry band of bastards" as they put it) who are known as Crippled Black Phoenix and they have put the record straight.
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Crippled Black Phoenix will contain six members

Justin Greaves (Electric Wizard, Iron Monkey )
Joe Volk (Gonga, Solo)
Dominic Aitchison (Mogwai)
Andy Semmens (Panthiest, Ereipia)
Nial McGoughey (3D House of Beef)
Kostas Panagiotou (Panthiest, Ereipia)
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Obviously having Mogwai bassist, Dominic Aitchison, in the band has helped create some of the buzz. However, any self-respecting rock fans will own material by both Electric Wizard and Iron Monkey, two of Britain's heaviest bands going. While, I have recently purchased Joe Volk's folk influenced "Derwant Waters Saint" album, which has barely left my stereo since.

Justin Greaves is the chief writer in this project and claims he deliberately stopped listening to music, to avoid sounding like other bands. Listening to tracks like "Goodnight Europe" there are certain aspects that do remind of other bands, but it is hard to put your finger on it. This has led the band to christen their sound "Endtime Ballads". They have had differing reactions to their sound almost every time, with people name-checking all sorts of artists. "Endtime Ballads" seems to fit the music which was written with the soundtrack music of Ennio Morricone in mind.

"Goodnight Europe" is a unique song, slow-burning, tranquil and almost ambient sounding. It is the culmination of all the members eclectic influences. Reminiscent of Tool, not so much musically but, it has the same hypnotic feeling as the American prog-metallers. These "Endtime Ballads" are captivating and absorbing.

Further investigation into this collective has revealed many hidden depths and a burning desire to create something unique. The album,"A Love of Shared Disasters", is heading into the final mix stage and a lot of work has to be done to hone their live performance. As Justin rightly points out, as they came together in rather unorthodox circumstances, it will take some time.

However, the band do not just want to play in the same old venues, but instead in theatres and other interesting places. This suggests that the live show may be something special to experience. The band are driven by "a need to stretch out and do something timeless and different..."

This ambitious group use a myriad of instruments ranging from Cellos to 18th Century Harmoniums right through to Saws and Hammond Organs. These Victorian instruments will be "blended" with amplified instruments to create their self-styled dark-americana ambiance. This is not your typical run of the mill band that are recording one album and then disappear back to their respective bands. Crippled Black Phoenix have already planned a trilogy of albums, with material written for the second full length one already. This is despite all of the members commitments to their other bands and projects.

Crippled Black Phoenix's album, "A Love of Shared Disasters", will be released by Geoff Barrow's (Portishead) Invada Records and recorded, in one of the UK's most creative city's, in Bristol. The band have kindly allowed me a preview with the mp3 below of the blissful "Goodnight Europe". However, you can find out about them here and listen to some more tracks. These "Endtime Ballads" promises to be one of the releases of the year and their live cinematic carnival will come to a selected city near you soon.

"Goodnight Europe" mp3- Crippled Black Phoenix