RED

The album which anticipated an entire genre. In other words, the creator of the progressive metal.

When the first notes of distorted guitars explode in your eardrums, you already know it's not a normal disc, after all we are King Crimson, the band that gave meaning to the words "progressive" and "eclectic". But ironically Red is perhaps the strongest album that the band has done, and no less revolutionary than his debut, or so many other albums. Highly heavy and dark, this album has an influence on the metal and grunge bands of the '90s and one of the best of all time.

The title track opens the album with a series of aggressive riffs than ever before. It's my favorite KC instrumental (next to Larks Tongues in Aspic pt. 2) and could be the first progressive metal song in history. The middle section, where haunting cellos take the lead role and is a distorted guitar in the background, is powerful.

When Fallen Angel begins, leads us to think, "Oh, this will be more a 21st Century Schizoid Man and I talk to Wind " but after melancholy vocals of Wetton (whose voice is undoubtedly higher than it was in the two previous albums) - that tell the story of the death of a motorcyclist in New York, and Fripp's acoustic guitar (which was the last time an album would be played in KC), the song explodes into a section "kick ass" that really explodes with an amazing Bruford drums, heavy guitars and trumpets furious, bringing music to another level.

The heavy sound back with One More Red Nightmare, which deals with Wetton´s fear of flying. The song is a musical nightmare: not because it's bad, but because it is frightening to the extreme, with an opening riff followed by a complex drum. Oh God, I love what Bruford is doing here: the cymbals, the resounding drum, the sound highly developed - for me this is the culmination of his genius. After the vocals, the music enters the best part: a powerful instrumental section repeated three times (and is repeated later to end the album) where we have to return more than welcome Ian McDonald on sax. Actually this song is unbelievable.

But it would not be King Crimson King Crimson is an improvisation not put in your albums. And here's Providence, which is also an incredible song... that is so horrible. Why do you do this to me, KC, and why?There is no sense in this song, and it is a non-return welcome David Cross, whose violin irritating my ears bleed. This song reminds me of Moonchild (the song I hate most of King Crimson), but at least there is a kind of structure evident here.

But do not worry, Fripp and company, for all his past mistakes are forgiven with Starless, the 12-minutes´ grand finale of this amazing album. This song is for the King Crimson that Supper's Ready is for the Genesis and Close to the Edge is for Yes: the best song of the band. Man, this is music! The introduction with melancholy mellotrons and a smooth guitar leads us to the best vocals ever Wetton, and remains so until the 4:24 minute music changes to a jam like never before and never will, as a guitar remains the same tone while the bass provides the variations and the battery slowly rises. And you're so involved with the climate and the rising trend of music that takes ium scare when the music explodes and goes to a section dominated by the fusion-jazz sax MacDonald. After a quiet new section, section the music comes in heavy and then the sax and mellotron conclude it in an epic finale.

Every time I hear this album, I'm stunned. Red was supposed to be the perfect swan song - but the band was back in the '80s with a sound that had nothing to do with what he had done in his first year, unfortunately. I wonder what would happen if Fripp had not dissolved the band and perpetuated the sound found here - although its experimental character would lead him to perform other types of music. So I am satisfied with this masterpiece here. I think it's enough!

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