Photo: Jolene Siana
May 2025 • Volume 51, Number 8 • www. illinoisentertainer. com
COVER STORY: CRIMSON GLORY
A Chicago metal festival tradition continues with the seventh annual Legions of Metal Festival triumphantly returning to hallowed ground at Reggies in May. Saturday Night headliner Crimson Glory, which formed in 1983 in Sarasota, Fla., has endured many ups and downs over the past four-plus decades. Crimson Glory is a testament to endurance and longevity. The band’ s first two records – 1986’ s Crimson Glory and 1988’ s Transcendence are bona fide progressive / power metal masterpieces.
The band’ s classic line-up featured vocalist Midnight( real name John Patrick McDonald, Jr., R. I. P. 2009), guitarists Jon Drenning and Ben Jackson, bass guitarist Jeff Lords, and drummer Dana Burnell. With this line-up, Crimson Glory rose to International fame in the mid-1980s and were considered one of the pioneers of the American progressive metal movement alongside bands such as Queensrÿche, Dream Theater, Fates Warning, and Watchtower.
The current lineup, which recently reunited in 2023, features three original members: Lords, Burnell, and Jackson, joined by new guitarist Mark Borgmeyer( ex-Steel Angel, ex- Ben Jackson Group) and vocalist Travis Wills( Infidel Rising, Nightsteel, ex-Millennial Reign). Now in his fourth stint with the band, Jackson was determined to resurrect Crimson Glory once again.“ I’ ve really been wanting to bring Crimson Glory back for a while, ever since Todd( LaTorre) left to join Queensrÿche,” Jackson explains during a recent phone interview.“ It just seemed like now was the right time. Dana and Jeff both felt the same with me on it; we’ re all on the same page.
Kelley Simms spoke to Legions of Metal festival promoter Robert Byrne.“ It is amazing to have after many decades to finally have Crimson Glory playing. Plus, newer bands like Seven Spires and Toxic Holocaust. It is great to honor the older bands while opening the door for many newer bands to get the spotlight as well.” Byrne’ s partner in crime for the festival, Shane Merrill( of famed Empire Productions) believes that Reggies is the perfect spot for a US festival of this caliber.“ Reggies supports the Chicago metal community more regularly and fervently than any other spot in Chicago and has for nearly twenty years now. Therefore, a showcase like this really feels perfect.”
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Contributors: Andy Argyrakis, Guy Arnston, Penelope Biver, Patrick Conlan, Deena Dasein, Jaime de ' Medici, Andy Derer, Jeff Elbel Terrence Flamm, Steve Forstneger Michael Gallucci, Michael C. Harris, Max Herman, Tom Lanham, Aubrey Vernon Carter Moss, Michael Obrecki, Greg Olma Arsenio Orteza, Rodney Pawlak, Steven Kikoen Bruce Pilato, Matthew Pollock, Jason Scales, Kelley Simms, Ed Spinelli, Riley Vernon, Tim Shockley, James Turano
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