LEVEL FIVE

This is a live recording from 2001 when KING CRIMSON toured with TOOL. As the band often does they allow the audience to hear some new material that will be released on their next album ("The Power To Believe"). I would have loved to have been in the crowd for this concert. And I really feel fortunate to have this live EP, as it's getting harder to find. Like TOOL's music this is dark and very heavy.

The intro to "Dangerous Curves" is quite humerous as we can hear Adrian whispering "Can you turn the lights down please". A little while later he whispers the same line "Can you turn the lights down please".Then he says "Heck, turn them off then you can watch how really bad we play". You can then hear the band joking around and laughing.The synths-like sounds and drums are really amazing in this song. This is just an incredibly heavy track that builds. "Level Five" is another "The Power To Believe" song at at over 8 minutes in length. I've said it before but this song is a monster ! It opens with screaming guitar and check out the outbreaks of bass that comes and goes several times.The beast is crying out as we hear some absolutely blistering guitar solos as this monster is truly alive.

"Virtuous Circle" was changed a bit to become "Power To Believe II" on that record. Lots of percussion as the guitar joins in.The sound does lighten as percussion continues.The waves of synths-like sounds are majestic. "The ConstruKction Of Light" from the album of the same name is over 13 minutes long. Drums open the song as relentless angular guitar melodies play throughout. Great bass lines again and vocals 6 minutes in. "The Deception of Thrush" is taken from "The ProjeKts" compilation. A monologue with processed vocals for 2 minutes gets things started. Then a dark, heavy soundscape rises from the depths. It does lighten up as synths-like waves come in with guitar melodies.

I can't recommend this high enough.There is nothing like live KING CRIMSON. And the material chosen for this EP is right up my alley, plus the fact it's taken from the TOOL concert only adds to the legendary status that this will one day achieve. 4.5 stars.

This live release from the tour King Crimson undertook with Tool - now available a bit more widely thanks to being republished on the Heaven & Earth boxed set - finds the band both salvaging material from the Construction of Light album (the original studio version of which even Robert Fripp has expressed dissatisfaction with) and giving audiences a taste of what would later come on The Power To Believe.

It also happens to delve into some of Crimson's darkest, heaviest material yet, with an oppressive atmosphere more powerful than anything since, perhaps, the absolute darkest moments of the mid-1970s lineup. Perhaps the influence of Tool is to blame; either way, it feels like Crimson here finally break their way into the alt-prog-metal seam they'd glancingly dabbled in on THRAK and had bounced off on The Construction of Light.