Carving a Crimson Career

Wow, this album is awesome! I can't believe I went so long before discovering this one.

If you want an idea what to expect, think thrashy power metal (like, say, Blind Guardian on their first album), but with growled vocals. It works incredibly well, getting the best of the power metal world (e.g., the awesome guitars, catchy melodies and riffs) without the worst (e.g., the cheesy ballads). It's bouncy in the best possible way -- bouncy without being cheesy. Every time I put this album on it cheers me up and makes me smile.

I guess I can partially agree with those who compare it to Hammerfall but with growled vocals, but I think Brimstone's guitars are more original and interesting.

Fans of thrash-embued, non-cheesy power metal should give these folks a try. If you like Iced Earth, Blind Guardian, Bruce Dickinson, Helstar, Savatage, Pyramaze, but are interested to see a band with a bit more aggression (thanks to the harsh vocals), you might just like Brimstone. If you like those bands and are also a fan of Gothenburg melodeath, I suspect really going to love Brimstone. (Brimstone is not melodeath, but they've got some similar high points: incredible guitars and beautiful melodies galore.) But if you're a fan of, oh, I don't know, Gamma Ray, Therion, Falconer, or other cheesy happy bubbly Italian/German power metal, my guess is that Brimstone is probably not going to appeal.

This band deserves to be better known -- Carving a Crimson Career is definitely one of my favorite albums. Such a shame they split up after releasing this masterpiece!

Well, this album is pretty awesome. The music is awesome fast paced power metal, but it's not killed by highpitched vocals or over emphasized keys. Instead we have some killer growled(Shrieked might be a better word) vocals, and killer heavy riffs. This is pretty much a heavier version of Hammerfall. The riffwork is pretty varied, and the leads are about standard for power metal.
First song, Breaking the Waves is just awesome. This is killer power/thrash. There are some great riff and tempo changes to be found this one. As with most of the songs on here, it is catchy as hell.
Pagan Sons is a good track it's one of the more mid-paced songs. A minute long intro is interruted by a nice headbanging riff. Not bad, but not too much variation.
Autumn is next, this one picks the speed up again. This one is another catchy song. The riffs under the verses and chorus will be stuck in your head for a while. Then we get a killer melodic lead section, but then some more chugging riffs.
The title track is next, this one opens with a killer multi-guitar acoustic section. Then after a minute or so we get some more fast paced riffage. And another chatchy chorus, the whole "steel shall prevail part." Also one of the better solos can be found on this one.
King of My Mind is a wierd song, I dont know why, it just seems odd. It has a cool organ+guitar intro that is varied and repeated later on. It just seems alot different from the other songs. A cool building riff is repeated a few times. Good song though.
Then the highlight of the album, Tunes of Thunder. Awesome intro lead that is then joined by some fast riffs. The vocals on this one are almost as catchy as something on Anthrax's Spreading the Disease. The whole chorus, " reap the fire of the satanic spell, raging power from the fiends of hell," part is one of the catchiest parts of the whole album, I think that's what he's saying anyway. Awesome song all around. Great riffs, vocals, and leads.
Heavy Metal Kid is next, this is a pretty cheesy song. It moves along at a slow headbanging pace, and I know I've heard this riff progression in another song, but I can't remember what, some intro on some other power metal album. Not bad, but probably the weakest song on the album.
Welcome to the Night closes the album. This is another killer song, and of course is catchy as hell. A nice intro lead and a short acoustic section open the song. Then we get the catchiest riff on the whole album. It'll run all through the song, mostly the chorus, and is just awesome. And a killer chorus it is. Also maybe some nods to Helloween with the whole " ride the skies" part. Great closer.
Well this album is great. I'm hesitant to call it power/thrash, but it is definentlysome awesome heavy power metal, and I think the growled vocals sound great. The closest band I can think of is Children of Bodom, but I think this band has a much more apparent power sound than CoB. Like I said, Brimstone sound like a heavier version of hammerfall with growled vocals. A killer band, and I hope to hear some new material out of them some time soon.