Kingcrow – The Persistence – an update

A few months ago, I was approached by Diego Cafolla, guitarist and principal songwriter for Kingcrow. We’ve been speaking for a number of years and so this contact didn’t initially seem to be out of the ordinary. However, after the usual pleasantries had been exchanged, Diego asked if I could help them out. This was the first time that the lyrics had been entrusted entirely to lead singer Diego Marchesi and he was looking for some help with ensuring that his English lyrics made sense and sounded good. I was asked to have a look and make suggestions if they were necessary.

I was only too pleased to help and was honoured to have been asked when the band could have chosen anyone to assist them. After all, I have no qualifications or experience in the lyric-writing field.

It was a process that took a long time. Diego, as it turns out, is just as much of a perfectionist as his guitarist namesake and so am I. As a result, many nights were spent discussing the lyrics over the Internet. We laughed together at some funny literal translations and became very serious when neither of us could find just the right word. Occasionally, that word simply did not exist.

Eventually, however, we achieved our goal and the lyrics were complete.

This was the first time that I have ever delved so deeply into the lyrics of an album and it made me think about things in a whole new light. I won’t say too much at this stage, but some of the content was deeply personal to Diego and so to be trusted to help and become part of the process was both moving and humbling.

All this was done without having heard very much of the music at all – just the odd rough riff or two.

My reward for helping with the lyrics, aside from a feeling of personal accomplishment, was a chance to hear the final mixes of the songs not too long ago. Again, I am not going to go into too much detail – that’s where the full review will come in – but suffice to say that it is unbelievable.

Hearing the lyrics that I helped to shape on top of this music was a wonderful feeling, made all the better because the music itself is so strong.

It is very early in the year to be saying such things but from where I am sitting right now, the subtle, deep, melodic and complex progressive metal of the new album will be hard to beat. It’ll take something of the magnitude of an ‘In Search of Truth’ or ‘Enthrone, Darkness, Triumphant’ to topple it from being the best album of 2018. And that’s not empty hyperbole, I really mean it.

As yet, there is no news about a release date. Nevertheless, progressive metal fans, you’ve been warned – 2018 is the year that Kingcrow join the big league and blow you all away.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD0dqLscazY&w=560&h=315]