Fronted by Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has carved a path that speaks to the voiceless, the marginalized, and the disenchanted. The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature is a raw and evocative testament to their journey – an anthology of reworked and re-recorded classics that resonate with renewed vigor and raw emotion.
Drawing from the echoes of their rich past, this album traipses through time, breathing new life into anthems that have shaped the band’s immortal spirit. From the extended odyssey of Song For The Loved to the resurrection of the lost-classic Whissendine, each track showcases their unwavering commitment to exploring the human condition and the perpetual struggle for justice and equality.
This year, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are celebrating their 20-year existence. They’re doing this by releasing a two-part album with classics & covers of songs that have inspired their long journey. Season of Mist is now streaming The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature on the YouTube channel.
Listen to The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature here:
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature An album which exhumes and resurrects their buried treasures, reworking and re-recording iconic tracks that have weathered the storms of time. These anthems – imbued with the rawness of old friends and new allies – surge with renewed vigor, challenging the very essence of complacency. Anthem such as We Forgotten Who We Are or the lead single Goodnight, Europe, completely re-imagined.
Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) An album which serves as a dark homage to the musical titans who ignited their spirit, with visceral covers that explode into life. With tracks like the searing rendition of New Model Army’s Vengeance and the haunting introspection of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, this album is a collection of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX‘s masterful rendition of classic songs which have inspired them over the years.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature + Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) is out November 29 on Season of Mist.
Tracklist: 1. We Forgotten Who We Are (11:17) 2. You Put The Devil In Me (6:18) 3. 444 (7:23) [LISTEN] 4. Goodnight, Europe (Pt2) (8:37) [WATCH] 5. (-) (4:39) 6. Song For The Unloved (14:22) 7. Whissendine (6:58) 8. Blizzard Of Horned Cats (4:43) Total runtime: 1:04:21
Tracklist: 1. Vengeance (4:16) 2. Self Control (5:23) [LISTEN] 3. Blueprint (4:03) 4. And That’s Sad (6:52) 5. Hammer Song (4:52) 6. When A Blind Man Cries (3:22) 7. My Pal (3:51) 8. Goin’ Against Your Mind (8:53) Total runtime: 41:36
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature & Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are a double album celebrating the 20 year existence of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX.
Original Credits: All tracks on Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are covers of various artists.
Vengeance Originally recorded by New Model Army, Written by: Sullivan/Morrow
Self Control Originally recorded by Laura Branigan, Written by: Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli, Steve Piccolo
Blueprint Originally recorded by Fugazi, Written by: Canty, Lilly, MacKaye, Picciotto
And That’s Sad Originally recorded by NoMeansNo, Written by: NoMeansNo
Hammer Song Originally recorded by Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Written by Alex Harvey
When A Blind Man Cries Originally recorded by Deep Purple, Written by: Gillan, Glover, Blackmore, Lord, Paice
My Pal Originally recorded by God, Written by: God, Joel Silbersher)
Goin’ Against Your Mind Originally recorded by Built To Spill, Written by: Doug Martsch, Jim Roth, Brett Nelson, Scott Plouf
Self Control Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Baritone Guitar Helen Stanley – Synth Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Blueprint Ryan Patterson – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
And That’s Sad Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Vocals Wesley Wasley – Bass, Vocals
Hammer Song Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar, Acoustic guitar Helen Stanley – Synth, Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
When A Blind Man Cries Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves, Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Kostas Panagiotou – Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
My Pal Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Backing Vocals Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Goin’ Against Your Mind Justin Storms – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Recorded in 2023 at: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk
Additional Vocal Sessions at: Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall. House Of Foto, Louisville, KY Engineered by Ryan Patterson
Additional Production Credits: Mixed by Pieter Rietkerk Mastered by Magnus Lindberg Produced by Justin Greaves
Available Formats: Digital Download CD Digipak 3×12″ Tri-Gatefold – Black 3×12″ Coloured Vinyl Tri-Gatefold – Transparent Red3x12″ Coloured Vinyl Tri-Gatefold – Yellow, Black & Red Marbled 3×12″ Coloured Vinyl Tri-Gatefold – Black & Silver Marbled
Step into the shadows and embrace the light with CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, as they unveil their latest single, 444. A phoenix rises anew from the embers of past creation, reaching deep into the human condition with an updated message – fresh but faithful to its original form.
Since its inception in 2004 by the visionary Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has been a lighthouse for those adrift in the stormy seas of silence. With their upcoming double album The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature alongside Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2), the band marks a pilgrimage spanning nearly two decades of defiant artistry and soul-searching sounds.
444 emerges as an emblematic dirge from their prolific catalog, re-imagined and reborn. With lyrics renewed for the spirit of today, and music echoing the haunting melodies of its live renditions, this single resonates with the raw and refined essence that characterizes CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX‘s journey.
Listen to 444 here:
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature An album which exhumes and resurrects their buried treasures, reworking and re-recording iconic tracks that have weathered the storms of time. These anthems – imbued with the rawness of old friends and new allies – surge with renewed vigor, challenging the very essence of complacency. Anthem such as We Forgotten Who We Are or the lead single Goodnight, Europe, completely re-imagined.
Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) An albums which serves as a dark homage to the musical titans who ignited their spirit, with visceral covers that explode into life. With tracks like the searing rendition of New Model Army’s Vengeance and the haunting introspection of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, this album is a collection of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX‘s masterful rendition of classic songs which have inspired them over the years.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature + Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) is out November 29 on Season of Mist.
Tracklist: 1. We Forgotten Who We Are (11:17) 2. You Put The Devil In Me (6:18) 3. 444 (7:23) [LISTEN] 4. Goodnight, Europe (Pt2) (8:37) [WATCH] 5. (-) (4:39) 6. Song For The Unloved (14:22) 7. Whissendine (6:58) 8. Blizzard Of Horned Cats (4:43) Total runtime: 1:04:21
Tracklist: 1. Vengeance (4:16) 2. Self Control (5:23) [LISTEN] 3. Blueprint (4:03) 4. And That’s Sad (6:52) 5. Hammer Song (4:52) 6. When A Blind Man Cries (3:22) 7. My Pal (3:51) 8. Goin’ Against Your Mind (8:53) Total runtime: 41:36
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s bold and towering discography — a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs — could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020’s Ellengæst — an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their “most cohesive and emotionally devastating record.” Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the “Painful Reminder/Dead is Dead” single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor “fit so well creatively,” which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. “What I like about Joel is that he’s a good person,” she says. “There’s no fakeness with him; he has cajones. He’s not a bitch-talker, either. I can’t handle people who don’t have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.”
“I like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,” adds Greaves. “He’s in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda — she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. It’s the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didn’t contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.”
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including “No Regrets,” a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts — a pivotal move in determining the album’s overall sound.
“I love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,” says Greaves. “For my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didn’t want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. I’m aware that when we did [2012’s] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. Ellengæst is like I, Vigilante. It’s a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another Ellengæst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another Ellengæst. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we got Kurt to mix it — we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didn’t want to do the same album twice. We’re never going to be a band that people can rely on.”
Greaves’ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden “Ghostland,” pensive “The Reckoning” and forlorn “Everything is Beautiful but Us,” the band’s spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed nature’s priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (“Rose of Jericho,” “Down the Rabbit Hole,” “I’m Okay, Just Not Alright” and “The Scene is a False Prophet”) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyre’s central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed “different” by society. The album title is a play on the song “Bonefire” that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre.
The album begins with “Incantation for the Different,” which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, “brought us some positive, dark energy.” Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (“Wyches and Basterdz”), fox hunting in Great Britain (“The Reckoning”), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (“Bonefire”) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (“Blackout77”).
Greaves says Banefyre’s topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. “There’s always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like ‘Incantation for the Different,’ which is about overcoming when you’re put down because you’re not like everyone else.”
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table — interacting and dressed like human beings. “It’s sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,” says Greaves. “The cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. It’s incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting Ellengæst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
“We’ve done one show since 2019,” says Greaves. “We are going to do something in Europe this year. Hopefully, we can get back on track. We’re also going to do something in the States — that’s not just talk, we’re actually going to do it. It’s well overdue. The live band is fucking amazing. We have the five of us and now we have Jordi [Farré] on drums, Paco [Fleischfresser] on synth and a really good friend of mine, Matt Crawford on bass.
“We did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we haven’t been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, we’ve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, we’ve got quite a good, positive thing.”
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature & Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are a double album celebrating the 20 year existence of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX.
Original Credits: All tracks on Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are covers of various artists.
Vengeance Originally recorded by New Model Army, Written by: Sullivan/Morrow
Self Control Originally recorded by Laura Branigan, Written by: Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli, Steve Piccolo
Blueprint Originally recorded by Fugazi, Written by: Canty, Lilly, MacKaye, Picciotto
And That’s Sad Originally recorded by NoMeansNo, Written by: NoMeansNo
Hammer Song Originally recorded by Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Written by Alex Harvey
When A Blind Man Cries Originally recorded by Deep Purple, Written by: Gillan, Glover, Blackmore, Lord, Paice
My Pal Originally recorded by God, Written by: God, Joel Silbersher)
Goin’ Against Your Mind Originally recorded by Built To Spill, Written by: Doug Martsch, Jim Roth, Brett Nelson, Scott Plouf
Self Control Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Baritone Guitar Helen Stanley – Synth Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Blueprint Ryan Patterson – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
And That’s Sad Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Vocals Wesley Wasley – Bass, Vocals
Hammer Song Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar, Acoustic guitar Helen Stanley – Synth, Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
When A Blind Man Cries Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves, Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Kostas Panagiotou – Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
My Pal Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Backing Vocals Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Goin’ Against Your Mind Justin Storms – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Recorded in 2023 at: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk
Additional Vocal Sessions at: Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall. House Of Foto, Louisville, KY Engineered by Ryan Patterson
Additional Production Credits: Mixed by Pieter Rietkerk Mastered by Magnus Lindberg Produced by Justin Greaves
In this era of relentless superficiality, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX stand as a beacon for those broken by an indifferent world. This latest masterpiece, Self Control, extracts the haunting essence of Branigan’s classic and weaves it into a poignant tapestry of raw emotion and relentless defiance. With the ever-captivating Belinda Kordic giving voice to our shared darkness, Justin Greaves and his band of rebels breathe new life into a song that resonates with the tortured soul of the modern age.
Listen to Self Control here:
Their upcoming double album, The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature and Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2), commemorates two decades of relentless introspection and unyielding rebellion.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature An album which exhumes and resurrects their buried treasures, reworking and re-recording iconic tracks that have weathered the storms of time. These anthems – imbued with the rawness of old friends and new allies – surge with renewed vigor, challenging the very essence of complacency. Anthem such as We Forgotten Who We Are or the lead single Goodnight, Europe, completely re-imagined.
Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) An albums which serves as a dark homage to the musical titans who ignited their spirit, with visceral covers that explode into life. With tracks like the searing rendition of New Model Army’s Vengeance and the haunting introspection of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, this album is a collection of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX‘s masterful rendition of classic songs which have inspired them over the years.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature + Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) is out November 29 on Season of Mist.
Tracklist: 1. We Forgotten Who We Are (11:17) 2. You Put The Devil In Me (6:18) 3. 444 (7:23) 4. Goodnight, Europe (Pt2) (8:37) [WATCH] 5. (-) (4:39) 6. Song For The Unloved (14:22) 7. Whissendine (6:58) 8. Blizzard Of Horned Cats (4:43) Total runtime: 1:04:21
Tracklist: 1. Vengeance (4:16) 2. Self Control (5:23) [LISTEN] 3. Blueprint (4:03) 4. And That’s Sad (6:52) 5. Hammer Song (4:52) 6. When A Blind Man Cries (3:22) 7. My Pal (3:51) 8. Goin’ Against Your Mind (8:53) Total runtime: 41:36
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s bold and towering discography — a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs — could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020’s Ellengæst — an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their “most cohesive and emotionally devastating record.” Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the “Painful Reminder/Dead is Dead” single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor “fit so well creatively,” which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. “What I like about Joel is that he’s a good person,” she says. “There’s no fakeness with him; he has cajones. He’s not a bitch-talker, either. I can’t handle people who don’t have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.”
“I like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,” adds Greaves. “He’s in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda — she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. It’s the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didn’t contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.”
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including “No Regrets,” a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts — a pivotal move in determining the album’s overall sound.
“I love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,” says Greaves. “For my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didn’t want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. I’m aware that when we did [2012’s] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. Ellengæst is like I, Vigilante. It’s a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another Ellengæst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another Ellengæst. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we got Kurt to mix it — we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didn’t want to do the same album twice. We’re never going to be a band that people can rely on.”
Greaves’ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden “Ghostland,” pensive “The Reckoning” and forlorn “Everything is Beautiful but Us,” the band’s spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed nature’s priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (“Rose of Jericho,” “Down the Rabbit Hole,” “I’m Okay, Just Not Alright” and “The Scene is a False Prophet”) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyre’s central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed “different” by society. The album title is a play on the song “Bonefire” that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre.
The album begins with “Incantation for the Different,” which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, “brought us some positive, dark energy.” Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (“Wyches and Basterdz”), fox hunting in Great Britain (“The Reckoning”), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (“Bonefire”) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (“Blackout77”).
Greaves says Banefyre’s topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. “There’s always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like ‘Incantation for the Different,’ which is about overcoming when you’re put down because you’re not like everyone else.”
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table — interacting and dressed like human beings. “It’s sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,” says Greaves. “The cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. It’s incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting Ellengæst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
“We’ve done one show since 2019,” says Greaves. “We are going to do something in Europe this year. Hopefully, we can get back on track. We’re also going to do something in the States — that’s not just talk, we’re actually going to do it. It’s well overdue. The live band is fucking amazing. We have the five of us and now we have Jordi [Farré] on drums, Paco [Fleischfresser] on synth and a really good friend of mine, Matt Crawford on bass.
“We did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we haven’t been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, we’ve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, we’ve got quite a good, positive thing.”
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature & Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are a double album celebrating the 20 year existence of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX.
Original Credits: All tracks on Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are covers of various artists.
Vengeance Originally recorded by New Model Army, Written by: Sullivan/Morrow
Self Control Originally recorded by Laura Branigan, Written by: Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli, Steve Piccolo
Blueprint Originally recorded by Fugazi, Written by: Canty, Lilly, MacKaye, Picciotto
And That’s Sad Originally recorded by NoMeansNo, Written by: NoMeansNo
Hammer Song Originally recorded by Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Written by Alex Harvey
When A Blind Man Cries Originally recorded by Deep Purple, Written by: Gillan, Glover, Blackmore, Lord, Paice
My Pal Originally recorded by God, Written by: God, Joel Silbersher)
Goin’ Against Your Mind Originally recorded by Built To Spill, Written by: Doug Martsch, Jim Roth, Brett Nelson, Scott Plouf
Self Control Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Baritone Guitar Helen Stanley – Synth Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Blueprint Ryan Patterson – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
And That’s Sad Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Vocals Wesley Wasley – Bass, Vocals
Hammer Song Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar, Acoustic guitar Helen Stanley – Synth, Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
When A Blind Man Cries Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves, Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Kostas Panagiotou – Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
My Pal Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Backing Vocals Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Goin’ Against Your Mind Justin Storms – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Recorded in 2023 at: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk
Additional Vocal Sessions at: Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall. House Of Foto, Louisville, KY Engineered by Ryan Patterson
Additional Production Credits: Mixed by Pieter Rietkerk Mastered by Magnus Lindberg Produced by Justin Greaves
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are proud to unveil their brand new music video for ‘Bonefire’, which is taken from the band’s freshly released album ‘Banefyre’. The new offering can now be viewed here:
The band comment on the video: “We gift to you a musical curse on the miserable ruling class politicians! Again, working with Guilherme was a total pleasure and a complete win. He got the vibe and the intensity spot on. Plus, he raised the bar a whole lot with production value, so what we have is basically a little cult horror film, telling the story of Bonefire. The ruling class getting some just karma in the flames.“ The album can still be ordered from the Season of Mist shop HERE. The album can be streamed on your favourite platform HERE.
The cover artwork of ‘Banefyre’ and further album details can be viewed below!
Track-list 1. Intro/Incantation For The Different (2:49) 2. Wyches And Basterdz (4:57) 3. Ghostland (5:43) 4. The Reckoning (6:49) 5. Bonefire (4:36) [WATCH] 6. Rose Of Jericho (13:47) 7. Blackout77 (7:37) [WATCH] 8. Down The Rabbit Hole (10:32) 9. Everything Is Beautiful But Us (4:36) [WATCH] 10. The Pilgrim (6:19) 11. I’m OK, Just Not Alright (10:05) 12. The Scene Is A False Prophet (15:13) 13. No Regrets (4:30)
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s bold and towering discography — a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs — could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020’s Ellengæst — an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their “most cohesive and emotionally devastating record.” Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the “Painful Reminder/Dead is Dead” single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor “fit so well creatively,” which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. “What I like about Joel is that he’s a good person,” she says. “There’s no fakeness with him; he has cajones. He’s not a bitch-talker, either. I can’t handle people who don’t have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.”
“I like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,” adds Greaves. “He’s in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda — she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. It’s the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didn’t contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.”
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including “No Regrets,” a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts — a pivotal move in determining the album’s overall sound.
“I love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,” says Greaves. “For my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didn’t want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. I’m aware that when we did [2012’s] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. Ellengæst is like I, Vigilante. It’s a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another Ellengæst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another Ellengæst. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we got Kurt to mix it — we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didn’t want to do the same album twice. We’re never going to be a band that people can rely on.”
Greaves’ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden “Ghostland,” pensive “The Reckoning” and forlorn “Everything is Beautiful but Us,” the band’s spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed nature’s priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (“Rose of Jericho,” “Down the Rabbit Hole,” “I’m Okay, Just Not Alright” and “The Scene is a False Prophet”) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyre’s central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed “different” by society. The album title is a play on the song “Bonefire” that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre.
The album begins with “Incantation for the Different,” which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, “brought us some positive, dark energy.” Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (“Wyches and Basterdz”), fox hunting in Great Britain (“The Reckoning”), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (“Bonefire”) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (“Blackout77”).
Greaves says Banefyre’s topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. “There’s always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like ‘Incantation for the Different,’ which is about overcoming when you’re put down because you’re not like everyone else.”
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table — interacting and dressed like human beings. “It’s sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,” says Greaves. “The cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. It’s incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting Ellengæst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
“We’ve done one show since 2019,” says Greaves. “We are going to do something in Europe this year. Hopefully, we can get back on track. We’re also going to do something in the States — that’s not just talk, we’re actually going to do it. It’s well overdue. The live band is fucking amazing. We have the five of us and now we have Jordi [Farré] on drums, Paco [Fleischfresser] on synth and a really good friend of mine, Matt Crawford on bass.
“We did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we haven’t been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, we’ve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, we’ve got quite a good, positive thing.”
Line-up Justin Greaves : Guitars, Drums, Bass, Samples, Saw Belinda Kordic : Vocals, Percussions Helen Stanley : Grand Piano, Synthesisers, Monochord, Trumpet Andy Taylor : Guitar, Baritone Guitar, 12 String Guitar Joel Segerstedt: Vocals, Guitar
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are proud to unveil the very first track, taken from the upcoming album ‘Banefyre’! The new full-length is set for worldwide release on September 09, 2022 via Season of Mist. The song “Blackout 77”, which is accompanied by a music video, is now streaming here:
Mastermind Justin Greaves comments on the track: “A story of when, just for a night, the underclass, the downtrodden, the subjugated and outcast, all exploded in a rage when the power in New York City went down. The tension of years of oppression and abuse was released. For one night the freaks made themselves known and fired arrows to the sky. Blackout 77 is one part of our Banefyre, The Musical journey. Fitting with the other tales and laments giving light to life’s outcasts, the freaks, the different.
Who’s laughing now?“
The album can be pre-saved on your favourite platform HERE.
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX previously announced new European tour dates in support of the new album, together with label mates IMPURE WILHELMINA and MØL. A full list of confirmed shows can be found below.
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX – BANEFYRE EUROPE MMXXII Special Guests: MØL, IMPURE WILHELMINA
25.08.22 Germany Hannover @ Faust 26.08.22 Germany Hamburg @ Bahnhof Pauli 27.08.22 Denmark Copenhagen @ Hotel Cecil 28.08.22 Germany Berlin @ SO36 29.08.22 Germany Leipzig @ Täubchenthal 30.08.22 Germany Munich @ Backstage 31.08.22 Hungary Budapest @ A38 01.09.22 Austria Vienna @ Chelsea 02.09.22 Italy Bologna @ Link 03.09.22 Switzerland Winterthur @ Gaswerk 04.09.22 France Paris @ Backstage 05.09.22 Germany Cologne @ Essigfabrik 06.09.22 Netherlands Zoetermeer @ Boerderij 07.09.22 UK London @ The Dome 08.09.22 UK Bristol @ The Fleece 09.09.22 UK Manchester @ Rebellion 10.09.22 UK Glasgow @ Classic Grand
The cover artwork of ‘Banefyre’ and further album details can be viewed below!
Track-list 1. Intro/Incantation For The Different (2:49) 2. Wyches And Basterdz (4:57) 3. Ghostland (5:43) 4. The Reckoning (6:49) 5. Bonefire (4:36) 6. Rose Of Jericho (13:47) 7. Blackout77 (7:37) [WATCH] 8. Down The Rabbit Hole (10:32) 9. Everything Is Beautiful But Us (4:36) 10. The Pilgrim (6:19) 11. I’m OK, Just Not Alright (10:05) 12. The Scene Is A False Prophet (15:13) 13. No Regrets (4:30)
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s bold and towering discography — a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs — could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020’s Ellengæst — an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their “most cohesive and emotionally devastating record.” Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the “Painful Reminder/Dead is Dead” single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor “fit so well creatively,” which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. “What I like about Joel is that he’s a good person,” she says. “There’s no fakeness with him; he has cajones. He’s not a bitch-talker, either. I can’t handle people who don’t have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.”
“I like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,” adds Greaves. “He’s in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda — she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. It’s the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didn’t contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.”
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including “No Regrets,” a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts — a pivotal move in determining the album’s overall sound.
“I love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,” says Greaves. “For my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didn’t want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. I’m aware that when we did [2012’s] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. Ellengæst is like I, Vigilante. It’s a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another Ellengæst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another Ellengæst. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we got Kurt to mix it — we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didn’t want to do the same album twice. We’re never going to be a band that people can rely on.”
Greaves’ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden “Ghostland,” pensive “The Reckoning” and forlorn “Everything is Beautiful but Us,” the band’s spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed nature’s priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (“Rose of Jericho,” “Down the Rabbit Hole,” “I’m Okay, Just Not Alright” and “The Scene is a False Prophet”) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyre’s central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed “different” by society. The album title is a play on the song “Bonefire” that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre.
The album begins with “Incantation for the Different,” which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, “brought us some positive, dark energy.” Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (“Wyches and Basterdz”), fox hunting in Great Britain (“The Reckoning”), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (“Bonefire”) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (“Blackout77”).
Greaves says Banefyre’s topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. “There’s always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like ‘Incantation for the Different,’ which is about overcoming when you’re put down because you’re not like everyone else.”
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table — interacting and dressed like human beings. “It’s sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,” says Greaves. “The cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. It’s incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting Ellengæst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
“We’ve done one show since 2019,” says Greaves. “We are going to do something in Europe this year. Hopefully, we can get back on track. We’re also going to do something in the States — that’s not just talk, we’re actually going to do it. It’s well overdue. The live band is fucking amazing. We have the five of us and now we have Jordi [Farré] on drums, Paco [Fleischfresser] on synth and a really good friend of mine, Matt Crawford on bass.
“We did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we haven’t been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, we’ve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, we’ve got quite a good, positive thing.”
Line-up Justin Greaves : Guitars, Drums, Bass, Samples, Saw Belinda Kordic : Vocals, Percussions Helen Stanley : Grand Piano, Synthesisers, Monochord, Trumpet Andy Taylor : Guitar, Baritone Guitar, 12 String Guitar Joel Segerstedt: Vocals, Guitar
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are proud to unveil the new album details of their upcoming release ‘Banefyre’! The new full-length is set for worldwide release on September 09, 2022 via Season of Mist and new music will be released soon!
In further news, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX have simultaneously announced new European tour dates in support of the new album, together with label mates IMPURE WILHELMINA and MØL. A full list of confirmed shows can be found below.
The band comments: “So yeah, this announcement is a pretty special one. The album and the tour! They’re finally happening!
Banefyre, The Musical! CBP is still alive. Still predictably unpredictable, doing our own thing. Accept no imitation. If you find it necessary to indulge yourself with a full dose of “the Musical!”, you’ll find a fantastic dance of triumph and defeat amongst a starlit atmosphere of deviant Magik. A congregation of outland dwelling characters in tales of caution and of hope, a reflection of human nature, ‘This, a journey through OUR world which only we understand but strikes a chord of lightning blue recognition amongst the crowd.
As satisfying as the longest and most perfect shit. To coin a phrase..
The Scene. The Prophet. The Clown. The End. “
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX – BANEFYRE EUROPE MMXXII Special Guests: MØL, IMPURE WILHELMINA
25.08.22 Germany Hannover @ Faust 26.08.22 Germany Hamburg @ Bahnhof Pauli 27.08.22 Denmark Copenhagen @ Hotel Cecil 28.08.22 Germany Berlin @ SO36 29.08.22 Germany Leipzig @ Täubchenthal 30.08.22 Germany Munich @ Backstage 31.08.22 Hungary Budapest @ A38 01.09.22 Austria Vienna @ Chelsea 02.09.22 Italy Bologna @ Link 03.09.22 Switzerland Winterthur @ Gaswerk 04.09.22 France Paris @ Backstage 05.09.22 Germany Cologne @ Essigfabrik 06.09.22 Netherlands Zoetermeer @ Boerderij 07.09.22 UK London @ The Dome 08.09.22 UK Bristol @ The Fleece 09.09.22 UK Manchester @ Rebellion 10.09.22 UK Glasgow @ Classic Grand
The cover artwork of ‘Banefyre’ and further album details can be viewed below!
Track-list 1. Intro/Incantation For The Different (2:49) 2. Wyches And Basterdz (4:57) 3. Ghostland (5:43) 4. The Reckoning (6:49) 5. Bonefire (4:36) 6. Rose Of Jericho (13:47) 7. Blackout77 (7:37) 8. Down The Rabbit Hole (10:32) 9. Everything Is Beautiful But Us (4:36) 10. The Pilgrim (6:19) 11. I’m OK, Just Not Alright (10:05) 12. The Scene Is A False Prophet (15:13) 13. No Regrets (4:30)
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s bold and towering discography — a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs — could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020’s Ellengæst — an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their “most cohesive and emotionally devastating record.” Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the “Painful Reminder/Dead is Dead” single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor “fit so well creatively,” which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. “What I like about Joel is that he’s a good person,” she says. “There’s no fakeness with him; he has cajones. He’s not a bitch-talker, either. I can’t handle people who don’t have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.”
“I like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,” adds Greaves. “He’s in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda — she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. It’s the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didn’t contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.”
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including “No Regrets,” a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts — a pivotal move in determining the album’s overall sound.
“I love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,” says Greaves. “For my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didn’t want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. I’m aware that when we did [2012’s] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. Ellengæst is like I, Vigilante. It’s a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another Ellengæst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another Ellengæst. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we got Kurt to mix it — we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didn’t want to do the same album twice. We’re never going to be a band that people can rely on.”
Greaves’ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden “Ghostland,” pensive “The Reckoning” and forlorn “Everything is Beautiful but Us,” the band’s spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed nature’s priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (“Rose of Jericho,” “Down the Rabbit Hole,” “I’m Okay, Just Not Alright” and “The Scene is a False Prophet”) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyre’s central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed “different” by society. The album title is a play on the song “Bonefire” that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre
The album begins with “Incantation for the Different,” which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, “brought us some positive, dark energy.” Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (“Wyches and Basterdz”), fox hunting in Great Britain (“The Reckoning”), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (“Bonefire”) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (“Blackout77”).
Greaves says Banefyre’s topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. “There’s always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like ‘Incantation for the Different,’ which is about overcoming when you’re put down because you’re not like everyone else.”
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table — interacting and dressed like human beings. “It’s sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,” says Greaves. “The cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. It’s incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting Ellengæst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
“We’ve done one show since 2019,” says Greaves. “We are going to do something in Europe this year. Hopefully, we can get back on track. We’re also going to do something in the States — that’s not just talk, we’re actually going to do it. It’s well overdue. The live band is fucking amazing. We have the five of us and now we have Jordi [Farré] on drums, Paco [Fleischfresser] on synth and a really good friend of mine, Matt Crawford on bass.
“We did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we haven’t been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, we’ve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, we’ve got quite a good, positive thing.”
Line-up Justin Greaves : Guitars, Drums, Bass, Samples, Saw Belinda Kordic : Vocals, Percussions Helen Stanley : Grand Piano, Synthesisers, Monochord, Trumpet Andy Taylor : Guitar, Baritone Guitar, 12 String Guitar Joel Segerstedt: Vocals, Guitar
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are now announcing the release of their new EP ‘Painful Reminder / Dead is Dead’ which will be released on July 16th via Season of Mist. In celebration of the EP, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX release the track ‘Painful Reminder’ in the form of a music video which can be viewed here:
In further news, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are happy to introduce their new male vocalist/lyricist Joel Segerstedt with the new single. The band comments:
“The first thing we’re doing after Ellengæst is a special single. A cover version of the classic SNFU song “Painful Reminder”. And it features new vocalist/lyricist Joel Segerstedt. He joins the band to be the male voice and the contrast to Belinda Kordic in the female/male dynamic which is now an integral part of the CBP sound. Being a Stockholm resident, it seems all the more serendipitous that we find each other. And after hearing his vocal talent in his other band The Open Up And Bleeds, we knew Joel could be the missing piece of the jigsaw.
This release is a way of introducing Joel to our crowd while at the same time, paying tribute to the SNFU vocalist Mr Chi Pig. The song was already on the shortlist of cover song ideas Justin (Greaves) keeps in his pocket, but now was the time to do it because of the sad passing of Chi Pig in 2020. It seemed the right thing to pay our respects to a talented and underrated singer/lyricist and unique character in the punk rock world.“
The cover artwork and track-list of ‘Painful Reminder / Dead is Dead’ can be viewed below.
Track-list 1. Painful Reminder (6:18) 2. Dead is Dead (7:40) Total:13:58
734 years of confusion has made up the historic legacy of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX. Much has been written and even more has been speculated incorrectly, such is the mystique that surrounds the band. So, let’s cut all the blurb and jump straight from 2004, the beginning of the story, to 2021. The present finds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX in a good place, a familiar place but also a different one.
Now consisting of founder, multi-instrumentalist and composer Justin Greaves. Vocalist/lyricist Belinda Kordic. Piano, trumpet & synth player Helen Stanley and guitarist Andy Taylor. This core of the band are now also joined by vocalist/lyricist Joel Segerstedt. After recording the critically acclaimed mini-album “Ellengæst” with various friends joining Belinda on vocal duties, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX then focused on finding the right guy to join them as a vocalist.
Greaves says: “Joel was recommended through a past tour manager Jeanette Anderson and Stockholm based guitarist friend Uffe Cederlund. Coming from these good people, we were pretty confident that Joel would be a cool dude. We checked out his band The Open Up And Bleeds, and were digging what we heard, so here we are and we’re feeling really good creatively.”
Joel joins Belinda to be the male part of the now staple female/male vocal combination that’s an integral part of the CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX sound.
This change heralds in the next chapter in the long eventful history of the band. It also sees a band that’s closer and more powerful than ever. With Belinda stepping up to do more vocals and other random sounds, an organic process given that Belinda first appeared in 2011 as part of the band, debuting on “(Mankind) The Crafty Ape” and also becoming a full time band member after spending a lot more time on stage on all the tours. Helen joined in 2016 as part of the “Bronze” album cycle, and then stayed on full-time. Bringing added colour and sass to the band, dropping many suckers with her trumpet skills on stage as well as insane piano action. Andy came along on a couple of trips to play festivals during 2017/18, and it was clear that the union was one that would last and be a sonic success. This has proved true. Andy is now the full time guitarist and compliments Justin’s guitar style perfectly, adding tone and a unique touch to the dynamics of the band.
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are, like their namesake, a tough old bird and this new chapter is already off to a great start. ‘Ellengæst’ was received amazingly well, and is a sign of things to come.
“One thing we’ll never do is stick to the rules and stay within the box.”
Line-up Justin Greaves : Guitars, Drums, Bass, Samples, Saw Belinda Kordic : Vocals, Percussions Helen Stanley : Grand Piano, Synthesisers, Monochord, Trumpet Andy Taylor : Guitar, Baritone Guitar, 12 String Guitar Joel Segerstedt: Vocals, Guitar
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are now unveiling the title and the release date of their forthcoming new album! The new offering will carry the name ‘Ellengæst’, and is set for world wide release on October 9, 2020. New music and the pre-order kick off will be shared on July 28.
Mastermind Justin Greaves comments: “This album was recorded at the end of last year so we’re super excited to finally let it go free into the world, it feels like it’s a new age for CBP, we’re embracing the change. The songs are a collection of thoughts and feelings which all relate to how we exist in the world but also it’s about crossing into the other dimensions, how we all have spirits and demons, how we can be strong and also weak. How we miss loved ones and also lament the human race. The artwork by Thana really expresses the theme of the album, it visualises the spiritual aspect of Ellengæst perfectly. There’s an atmosphere about it which draws you in.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are furthermore revealing the artwork and track-list of ‘Ellengæst’. Both can be viewed below. More news soon!
Track-list 1. House Of Fools (7:52) 2. Lost (8:11) 3. In The Night (8:38) 4. Cry Of Love (5:46) 5. Everything I Say (7:21) 6. (-) (1:51) 7. The Invisible Past (11:26) 8. She’s In Parties (3:51)
“One thing we’ll never do is stick to the rules and stay within the box.”
Such are the words from Crippled Black Phoenix founder, songwriter and guitarist Justin Greaves, who has guided this progressive, thought-provoking, shape-shifting musical collective since their 2004 formation. Their new effort, Ellengæst, follows a recent pattern of the band in releasing a mini-album in between studio LPs. It is the direct result of their ceaseless creativity — when Greaves has songs, Crippled Black Phoenix records them. Ellengæst has the difficult task of following 2018’s profound and moving Great Escape. Ellengæst, though, does not make any attempts in pairing with or succeeding Great Escape. Circumstances largely prevented it anyway.
On the day tracking started for Ellengæst, Crippled Black Phoenix — completed by vocalist Belinda Kordic, guitarist Andy Taylor and multi-instrumentalist Helen Stanley —suddenly, unexpectedly found themselves without a male lead vocalist and keyboardist. Whereas events of a similar thread would spell doom for most bands, Greaves took it as an opportunity to tap into his deep network of musician friends. Before he knew it, several prominent guest vocalists were secured, ready and able to lend their considerable talents to Ellengæst which, in Olde English translates to “mischievous demon,” but in Scandinavian as “strong spirit,” represents Crippled Black Phoenix’s duality. “It comes from the same place, but with different connotations,” says Greaves. “That’s this band in a nutshell. We’ve had to stay strong because of all the BS we’ve encountered, yet we’re still going and subversive. It’s like we’re giving kids candy with razor blades in them.”
Crippled Black Phoenix are no strangers to adversity, making the events surrounding the creation of Ellengæst yet another roadblock for a band whose very existence has been threatened on more than a few occasions. Their unique setup and stubborn refusal to bow to musical norms may confuse the casual music consumer. However, the core of Crippled Black Phoenix — Greaves, Kordic, Taylor and Stanley — thrives on the unconventional, remaining steadfastly singular and undefinable. Accordingly, Greaves believes this incarnation of Crippled Black Phoenix is the strongest to date. All it took was another dramatic sea-change to prove it.
“This was the best thing that could have happened to us,” he says. “Before, there was this horrible cloud of drama following us. There was always something going on. Once that had gone and the people who were on the outside of the band who were a part of that, once they had gone and the drama had gone, me and Helen found ourselves tracking in the studio in the first session. We just got on with it; we didn’t think twice. In the second session, we just felt liberated. We just knew, ‘This is going to be great.’ We’re all so excited about the possibilities. It feels like we’re rejuvenated.”
Recording line-up Justin Greaves Belinda Kordic Helen Stanley Andy Taylor Ben Wilsker
Friends & Guests Stay tuned for the guest vocal announcement later this week!
Studio: Recorded at Chapel Studio, Lincolnshire (UK) Producer/sound engineer: Produced by Justin Greaves & Karl Daniel Lidén Mixed/Mastered: by Karl Daniel Lidén, Stockholm (SE)
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX are now premiering the third track of their forthcoming new album ‘Great Escape’, which is slated for release on September 14th, 2018. The song, titled “Great Escape (Pt I)” has been released in the form of an artistic music video and can be viewed below.
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.
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.
