CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are now premiering the second track of their forthcoming new album ‘Great Escape’, which is slated for release on September 14th, 2018.
Mastermind Justin Greaves comments on the track: “Given the fact that both Belinda and myself are huge animal lovers and animal rights supporters, it has always seemed the right thing to do to make songs about the animals. We did it with our “other” band Se Delan, so when i gave her the demos for Great Escape songs, Belinda got straight back to me with this burning need to write a song for the animals. It completes the song and fits into the thread of the album.
Vocalist Belinda Kordic adds: Often i’m referred to as a “closed book”, which is true I guess, but when it comes to animals and their well-being, I’ll rip my heart out and serve it on a plate. I know we can’t bare the weight of the worlds evil on our shoulders, and we can’t save all of them, the unloved, abused and neglected animals of the world. But I have a tendency to want to do just that and its hard to cope with at times. This song is for them.”
On the album, Justin Greaves comments: “Sometimes we want to escape from the dark and make a positive change in our life… and yet…Sometimes we simply want to escape this world. Because we’re tired and we’ve had enough… This is what ‘Great Escape’ is. Some parts it’s pure escapism from real life, longing to just shoot straight up and off this planet…. Other parts are born out of frustration at the unjust world we live in. It is.. Escaping from your own broken mind, or from society, or animals escaping from abuse. It’s the escape from the mainstream thought patterns and engrained social conditioning that perpetuates mans destruction of nature. We can be our own ‘Great Escape’ if we want, and it can be however you want to it to be. If you’re not happy then you don’t have to conform, you don’t have to carry on ‘playing the game’.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX have previously revealed the artwork for ‘Great Escape’, which can be viewed together with the album details below.
Track-list ‘Great Escape’
1. You Brought It Upon Yourselves (3:43)
2. To You I Give (9:22)
3. Uncivil War (pt I) (2:50)
4. Madman (4:51)
5. Times, They Are A’Raging (11:58)
6. Rain Black, Reign Heavy (5:58)
7. Slow Motion Breakdown (4:34)
8. Nebulas (5:35)
9. Las Diabolicas (3:49)
10. Great Escape (pt I) (7:36)
11. Great Escape (pt II) (13:03)
‘Great Escape’, this beautiful touch of darkness comes hardly as a surprise, when taking into account that CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX mastermind Justin Greaves has previously gone public about his personal fight against severe depression. Similar dark themes and traits have already been a hallmark of the UK rockers’ latest full-length, ‘Bronze’ (2016).
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX have always confounded critics trying to pin their style down ever since founder Justin Greaves recorded his first ideas in 2004 – which earned them tagging attempts ranging from “stoner prog” through “freak folk” to “psychedelic doom”. Despite the wide range of musical leanings within their albums, there are a unifying dark streak and somber melancholy running through the songs. Greaves had already made himself a name as drummer for IRON MONKEY and ELECTRIC WIZARD among others. When the multi-instrumentalist finally decided to stand on his own musical feet, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX was born. This involves a changing cast of musicians and live set-ups which mirrored the ever-ongoing evolution of the band, and the fact that the songs were mostly not composed with a live performance on mind.
Between 2007 and 2014, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX released a string of five critically highly acclaimed studio albums – namely ‘A Love of Shared Disasters’ (2007), ‘The Resurrectionists’ (2009), ‘Night Raider’ (2009), ‘(Mankind) The Crafty Ape’ (2012), and ‘White Light Generator’ (2014). This was complemented by EPs ‘I, Vigilante’ (2010), ‘No Sadness or Farewell’ (2012), and ‘Oh’ Ech-oes’ (2015), the live recording ‘Live Poznan’ (2013), and the ‘200 Tons of Bad Luck’ compilation (2009). Their ‘New Dark Age Tour EP 2015 A.D.’ was the band’s first release on Season of Mist and came with an extensive homage to PINK FLOYD. The strong influence of the UK rock giants could also be felt on ‘Bronze’ (2016), yet while CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX never denied their roots, this outstanding act has long created their own sonic cosmos.
With last year’s ‘Horrific Honorifics’ offering, the band elegantly payed tribute to great artists and classic songs while making those tracks their own in sound and spirit without compromising the integrity of the original masterpieces.
Now with ‘Great Escape’, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX take you on their new adventure and let you explore their sonic cosmos even further, and where all its emotions are reflected on to this earth. From the angry “Rain Black”, to the unnerving “Madman” and forgiving “Nebulas”, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX arise once more.
