R.I.P. MIDNIGHT
Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 2:00pm by Axl Rosenberg
We haven’t written about the passing of former Crimson Glory vocalist Midnight because, well, we’re not really Crimson Glory fans. But we know, based on your e-mails, that a lot of you are fans and were saddened by the news, and metal is nothing if not a community.
Our friend Carlos Ramirez has written a little bit about the singer’s death on Noise Creep:
Crimson Glory’s 1988 release, ‘Transcendence‘ is undoubtedly the group’s magnum opus. The album remains one of the touchstones for melodic metal all of these years later. Its 10 songs are filled to the gills with one stunning riff and vocal performance after the other. Midnight’s prowess in the recording booth knew no bounds. On songs like “Lady of Winter” and the piercing “Red Sharks,” he moves through the material with the controlled force of a classically trained vocalist. He also had a distinct tone to his higher range notes that set him apart from many of the guys coming up at the time.
Read the rest of Carlos’ tribute here.
-AR
Midnight was a strange bird – and an amazing vocalist. R.I.P.
Thanks for posting this guys! I urge people to check out Crimson Glory’s first 2 albums if you like stuff like Queensryche, Judas Priest, and melodic old-school metal.
That blurb from the Noise Creep piece reminds me of one of those long diatribes Patrick Batemen from American Psycho goes on just before he kills somebody. Now I guess we just wait for Ramirez to murder a hooker with a clothes hanger.
Tippin’ my 40 to my homey…
R.I.P.
I will admit it. I had Transcendence (on cassette!) and I liked it. Honestly, I am not sure I’d recognize it today if you told me the song titles.
Did anyone else realize that dude in the very back is throwing the Shocker?
Not to make light of Midnight’s death,but that shit is AWESOME!!!
Crimson Glory:Originators of The Shocker
CG took Judas Priest and mashed it up with a new style which eventually would come to be known as “Powermetal.” They were pioneers. They were amazing. They deserved far more than they got. Unfortunately after the first two amazing albums they made a play for greater accessibility and it ruined them.
Very few in Metal history have had the pipes Midnight possessed. This is unfortunate but those of us who have followed along saw it coming.
Never been in the hell before
Now I’m falling, falling
Heaven’s behind the door
And they’re calling me again
Hidden beyond the light
And the darkness finds me
Help me escape tonight
Oh, I must find
Azrael…
Silly mask gimmick and big hair aside, these guys were ahead of their time. Transcendence is still one of my favorite Power Metal discs. Midnights voice was amazing. I had the priveledge of meeting him at Progpower V and again last year at the Progpower preshow. He was out there for sure, but a genuinely nice and big-hearted dude. He will be missed…