IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

This is certainly an impressive debut effort from a band that continues to evolve and progress, and remains one of their defining moments. The only real fault in the album is the drawn out improvisation following Moonchild, which doesn't really achieve anything other than postpone the arrival of the title track and album closer. Fortunately it can be easily skipped, leaving the album on a level of perfection rarely achieved.

The opening track, 21st Century schizoid man is a heavy start to the album and the only such track. Its bass heavy sound and use of distortion are employed to great effect and sit in stark contrast to the gentle wind instruments used in I talk to the wind, a beautiful dreamy piece. Epitaph is the standout track on the album; both powerful and poetic, it never fails to impress. Moonchild is perhaps more traditional, and the weaker track of the five, but up until the improv it still sits nicely before the full synthesized might of In the court kicks in. While criticized by some for being overly repetitive, I think that this is unlikely to become an issue unless the album is overplayed. There is also a much busier sound to the last repetition, with many instruments sounding slightly off key but somehow complimenting it beautifully.

Overall, I can only recommend this album. For anyone who is a fan of KC it is a must-have, while it is also a good place to start for beginners. While I would hesitate to rate it as KC's best album, it is certainly up there with Red, Lizard, and Larks' Tongues in Aspic. If you're looking for a more modern sound, then Power to Believe is a remarkable return to form for the band and rated almost as highly as those previously mentioned.