CRIMSON OAK
WILLOW (LTD. SPLATTER VINYL) (TONZONEN RECORDS)
Gold/white/black colour in colour vinyl with splatter. Limited to 350 copies. After their first self-titled long player in 2020 and a phase hindered by the COVID pandemic, filled with struggles and self-discovery, growth and reflection, the second album ,Willow" is now available, four years after the self-produced and independently released debut.
As an release on the Krefeld based Tonzonen Records, the present second album was once again engineered and mixed by the band members and further processed into a "world-class production" by their idol Eroc, bursting with power, atmosphere, and confidence.
The eight songs combine the influences of the five band members into a well balanced mix.
Each song stands on its own, yet together they form a whole, symbolizing how the last four years have shaped the individuals into a unified entity.
While the self-titled debut was mainly based in Blues and Stoner Rock, ,Willow" boasts more numerous influences and broader arcs of tension.
The band remains true to their core sound, but new tones emerge: the influence of '90s Seattle is evident, Swedish "Power Rock" flashes through here and there, and some multi-part vocal arrangements recall the great Stadium Rock anthems of the '80s.
This is not a cheap copy, but first of all an homage to the band's diverse influences.