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Crimson Glory is an American heavy metal band that was formed in 1983 in Sarasota, Florida, USA. It started in 1979 under the name Pierced Arrow, then Beowulf, before settling on Crimson Glory. The classic line-up consisted of the vocalist Midnight, guitarists Jon Drenning and Ben Jackson, bass guitarist Jeff Lords and drummer Dana Burnell. With that line-up, the band rose to international fame in the mid-1980s and was considered one of the pioneers of the American progressive metal movement, along with Queensrÿche, Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Watchtower. During its career, the band released four studio albums and one EP. Biography Background and formation (1979-1983) Crimson Glory was formed in Sarasota, Florida, in 1979 under the name Pierced Arrow. Pierced Arrow's line-up consisted of Tony Wise on vocals, Bernardo Hernandez and Ben Jackson on guitars, Glen Barnhardt on bass (later replaced by Jeff Lords), and Dana Burnell on drums. Hernandez and Lords were replaced by Chris Campbell and John Colemorgan respectively in late 1981, and in early 1982, the band changed its name to Beowulf. In 1983, the band changed bassists, guitarists and vocals. Lords rejoined, Chris Campbell was replaced by Jon Drenning and Tony Wise by Mark Ormes. Later Mark Ormes left and while searching for a singer, the group found an old school mate of Jeff Lords, John Patrick McDonald (later known as Midnight), singing on the beach. They later changed their name to Crimson Glory after a rose hybrid.Wise later surfaced in the band Tyger Tyger, and also released a solo album, Germania, before his death from diabetes in 2012. Crimson Glory (1983–1987) They rehearsed for four years before recording their self-titled debut album, produced by Dan Johnson, on Par Records in 1986. This was later re-issued after signing on with their new label, Roadrunner Records (then called Roadracer Records). Tight dual-lead harmonies and soaring vocals feature prominently on this release. They later toured Europe in support of Celtic Frost and Anthrax. They played at the 1987 Hammersmith Odeon.In an era of sound-and-lookalike metal bands, Crimson Glory's goal was to be immediately identifiable from the others, so they wore full-face metallic silver masks. They used them on stage, as well as for all photo shoots and public appearances. Vocalist Midnight was the exception to this, as his mask left his mouth uncovered. Transcendence (1988–1989) Their next release, Transcendence, was released under Roadrunner Records in Europe and MCA Records in the United States. It contained the song "Lonely", which was their first hit single and music video.Transcendence was a landmark in the genre, often cited as one of the greatest progressive metal albums of all time, best metal albums of the decade, and an influence by many bands like Cage, Triosphere and Rhapsody of Fire. The album garnered them much praise and attention, both at home and abroad. They were on the cover of Kerrang! magazine in May 1989. They later toured North America, Europe and Japan with the bands Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Queensrÿche, U.D.O., Doro, Anthrax. Their biggest show was in the Metal Hammer Festival in Dortmund, Germany in front of 20,000 fans in the spring 1990.While on tour in support of their self-titled debut album, they discovered how hot the masks would be on stage. To keep the mystique, they cut them down into a partial Phantom of the Opera style for the Transcendence tour. While touring behind Transcendence, they performed in front of 5,000 spectators at the Manatee Civic Center in their hometown of Bradenton, Florida, on September 2, 1989. This concert was simulcast across America on Z Rock Radio. There were plans to release this show on DVD. In addition, the band performed "In Dark Places" at the 1989 Tampa Bay Music Awards and walked away with three awards that night – Most Outstanding Male Vocalist (Midnight), Most Outstanding Local Release (Transcendence) and Most Outstanding Metal Band (beating fellow Florida band Savatage for this one). When the tour ended, drummer Dana Burnell and guitarist Ben Jackson left the group. Ben Jackson later formed the band Parish, which released an album titled Envision in 1995. Strange and Beautiful (1990–1992) Burnell was replaced by Ravi Jakhotia in 1991, who brought a decidedly more "tribal" feel to the band. The material they wrote for the next album was more hard rock oriented and based more upon drum grooves as opposed to guitar riffs, on which their first two albums were largely based. Also Midnight became more involved in the composition of the album. It signified a bold and definite shift away from the metal sound upon which the band had built their reputation. It was at this time the band continued on as a four-piece. The revamped group was signed to Atlantic Records and released their third album, entitled Strange and Beautiful. Prior to the start of the tour, vocalist Midnight departed as well and retired from the music business for a decade. Guitarist Jon Drenning recruited vocalist David Van Landing as a replacement for Midnight on what was to be a short-lived tour in the US. The biggest show of the tour was at the end of the year in Los Angeles at the Concrete Foundations Forum along with Ozzy Osbourne, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.In 1994, Jon Drenning moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and formed the band Crush with Lords, Jakhotia and singer Billy Martinez. In 1995, the band released one self-titled album under that name on Paradigm Records. Crush broke up and reformed a year later as Erotic Liquid Culture with the former Crimson Glory touring vocalist David Van Landing. As with Crush, the group recorded and released one self-titled album for Quadra Records in 1996 before calling it a day. Jon eventually returned to Florida and reformed Crimson Glory in 1999. Astronomica (1999–2000) In late 1996, Drenning and Lords wanted to reform Crimson Glory. They contacted Midnight but he was not interested nor he was not in the right physical condition to record an album up to the band's standards. So they contacted the singer Wade Black (from the band Lucian Blaque) and Savatage drummer Steve Wacholz. (Although he is pictured in the album and credited as the drummer, he did not record or tour with the band). Ben Jackson joined later, after his band Parish broke up.< This incarnation of the group released Astronomica in 1999 after a big delay because the master tapes were stolen and they had to record the album again. Astronomica sold more than 30,000 copies in Europe in their first few weeks of the release. Following the release they did a few warm-up shows in Florida and toured the Netherlands, Germany, France with Vanden Plas, Belgium and Greece with Kamelot and Evergrey. Troubles began during the tour and after returning to the US the band once again went their separate ways. Reunion and second hiatus (2005–2009) In March 2005, the band announced a reunion with the original line-up.... Discover the Dana Burkey popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Dana Burkey books.