CRIMSON GLORY Preparing To Embark On 25th-Anniversary Tour

Reactivated Florida-based melodic metallers CRIMSON GLORY will celebrate their 25th anniversary by embarking on a headlining tour of Europe with support from TRIOSPHERE and CIRRHA NIVA.

Like the proverbial Phoenix ascending from the embers, the return of these formerly masked prog-power pioneers marks an occasion that followers of the band across Europe are eagerly awaiting. With shows ranging from intimate venues to large festivals, including Keep It True in Germany and Karmoygeddon in Norway, the fans will have a unique opportunity to take part in one of the most anticipated and triumphant anniversary tours of the genre.

"Gearing up for this tour has been an amazing, intense experience," says lead guitarist Jon Drenning. "As the band has coalesced and centered around [vocalist] Todd La Torre, it's helped to both ease the loss of [former vocalist] Midnight, as well as remind us that we still have so much more to accomplish as a band. I know that there have been a lot of mixed feelings about CRIMSON GLORY carrying on without Midnight, but I know for certain that he would be very proud to know that his legacy marches on, and I truly believe that his fans worldwide will feel the same as we rise up, shake off the ashes and sear across the darkened sky. We're entering the next chapter of CRIMSON GLORY's 'Transcendence', and with Todd now fully integrated both as a singer and a brother, the band sounds as special, true, unique, and bad-ass as ever!"

The 2011 "Phoenix Rising" European spring tour has been in the works following the unveiling of Todd La Torre as the new frontman for the band at an intimate venue in Atlanta late last year. La Torre's spot-on performance was well-received and met with rave reviews, and it was immediately clear that the time had come to take CRIMSON GLORY back on the road.

The 25th anniversary marks more than just a milestone in the band's history — it is also a final chance to share late vocalist Midnight's legacy with fans across Europe:

"This is a real honor for me," says La Torre. "I'm looking forward to hitting the stage and proving myself to all our fans across Europe. This is a new beginning for me and CRIMSON GLORY, but I would also like to personally dedicate CRIMSON GLORY's 25th-anniversary tour and classic songs to Midnight. He was and will always be a legend in my mind. I will be developing my own style and have more influence on the band's sound as time goes on, of course, but I proudly carry the torch and will do my best to always keep Midnight's spirit alive by performing all the classic songs true to his original vision and in his honor."

"It will be a healing experience for a lot of people, including us," Drenning adds. "There are so many fans of ours out there who never had the chance to see Midnight perform live with the band, and so these performances will at least allow them to feel his presence within the music we created together. Todd [La Torre] has not only displayed the technical ability to emulate Midnight, but he also has the emotional ability to convey the triumph and the torment that Mid lent to every song. This tour will be an honorable and fitting way for fans to say farewell to a legend, while celebrating the life and legacy of our late brother now and into the future of CRIMSON GLORY. Midnight will always be a part of us; in our hearts, our music, and our lives... forever."
The band will also have keyboardist John Zahner (CIRCLE II CIRCLE, JON OLIVA'S PAIN, SAVATAGE) onboard. Zahner also accompanied CRIMSON GLORY on their 1989 "Transcendence" world tour.

"We're very excited and honored to have John Zahner playing with us again," says CRIMSON GLORY bassist Jeff Lords. "John is obviously very familiar with our material, having played with us before on many occasions and we're looking forward to his presence adding to the atmosphere and well-rounded sound that is so intrinsic to CRIMSON GLORY's music."

CRIMSON GLORY will also be joined by the Norwegian progressive metal band TRIOSPHERE. This will be the group's first European tour since the release of their acclaimed new album, "The Road Less Travelled".

TRIOSPHERE singer/bassist Ida Haukland had this to say about performing alongside CRIMSON GLORY: "It is with great pleasure that TRIOSPHERE can announce that they will be joining the legendary CRIMSON GLORY as support on their European gigs in April/May 2011! CRIMSON GLORY was one of my biggest influences with regard to both bass and vocals, and we recommend EVERYONE (be it heavy/extreme metal heads or AOR rockers) to take this very rare opportunity to check out one of the most sincere and extraordinary bands of the 1980s and 1990s."

Dutch metalers CIRRHA NIVA will also support CRIMSON GLORY on their European tour.

"We are tremendously proud to join the ultimate proggers of CRIMSON GLORY on their 25th-anniversary tour through Europe," says CIRRHA NIVA guitarist Rob Willemse. "It's a great happening that this cult band is hitting the stage again and it's even greater to be part of it! The tour with CRIMSON GLORY and TRIOSPHERE will be the biggest thrill we have had since the release of our album, 'For Moments Never Done'. We are all looking forward to starting the tour on Dutch soil and in venues we are very familiar with, but at the same time we are eager to play on stages outside Holland to spread our music; CRIMSON GLORY is giving us that chance!"