The artwork of an album's cover can sometimes be the guiding light for the potential buyer. The same goes for the band's name. You can't e.g. expect to hear neoclassical Hard Rock from a band named as 'Prostitute Disfigurement', neither you can wait for some grindcore massacre by looking at Poison's Look What The Cat Dragged In (1986) album cover. Thus, with Cloudscape and Crimson Skies it was obvious that it was time for some...
...Symphonic/Progressive Metal music. Sweden's quintet debuted in 1995 with a four-track EP but it was not until 2005 that a same-titled album saw the light of day (through Germany's Metal Heaven label and not via Now & Then as initially announced). A strong flirt with was revealed in that album, bringing bands like Symphony X or - in a weird way - Queensryche. A video for the song Under Fire was even shot, but no eventual data was given on sales of this good effort.
2006 sees Cloudscape concluding their hard work for an even better follow-up, and it's Metal Heaven again that address the release matter. Related to the 2005 debut, Crimson Skies features 'extended' melodies with both heaviness and good instrumentation. The tunes can be described as more complex, even if this is not that obvious due to the dominant harmonies. Shapeshifter - the opening track - may be the best track of the whole album, with a great hook in the chorus. Other 'goodies' include And Then The Rain... (the album's most 'Metal' moment), Someone Else (a sweetie...) and - last but not least - The Last Breath, a song that pays tribute to Prog Rock heroes.
Andersson's singing is clear, intelligent and organized. I'd like him to be more authentic, but c'est la vie. The rest of the team is of 'high skill' level, but the lack of creativity is apparent. Not to be misunderstood: Crimson Skies features some great moments but - in the competitive 'filed' of 'progressive' Metal music - it kinda falls short of excitement.
Cloudscape does deliver good 'thinking'/'travelling' music in Crimson Skies. Fans of melodic 'prog' Metal the Scandinavian way can easily go get the album. The rest, take a chance to hear some stuff in prior.