Crippled Black Phoenix

Here we are in the second month of 2009, and I already can safely lay claim to my favorite album of the year; and its not doom metal! But alas, there are members of doom metal and stoner metal present. The band was formed mainly by Justin Greaves who has played in bands such as Iron Monkey, Electric Wizard, The Varukers, Teeth and Lions Rule The Devine and more. Another member is Dominic Aitchison of Mogwai who is another main songwriter. Vocal duties are carried out by Joe Volk of stoner rock group Gonga.
What they call Endtime Ballads, I call heavy as fuck dark folk. I loved this band the first time I heard them, and it grows larger with every listen. Their first album entitled "A Love of Shared Disasters" was an epic piece of music in my opinion, and I didnt think they could improve upon it. Using anything and everything to help create their sound, right down to wood saws and the likes, building some of if not the most textured music I have heard in my life.
The first album was a darker album by the band with the help of Kostas Panagiotou, lead singer of Pantheist, helping out with vocal duties, bringing a more bleak feel to their sound. I was at first disappointed not to hear Kostas taking any vocal duties on the new album, but that was short lived as the song development was not suited for his vocal stylings. A wide variety of other musicians help out including members from Yellow6, Portishead and others including Justin Greaves' father.
Their songs range between mellow ballods and full fruntal heavy folk rock; the likes that has never been heard before, masterfully crafted by this great group of artists, all bringing their expertise to the table to create what surely will become known as the heaviest folk group of all time. They manage to create a wall of sound that all musicians wish to be able to attain. What this does for the listener is create their own little haven from the world. And what better way than to have Crippled Black Phoenix as your guide.
They borrow heavily, and without shame as I have heard unmistakeble influence from Pink Floyd, The Beatles and even Tom Waits in the new album The Resurectionists/Night Raiders (yes,its a double disc album!), sorta like tips of the hat as each time such an influence is shown, they are able to break it into something undeniably their own. Never before have I heard a band play such songs and play with such conviction. It could be said that they play with the intensity of a heavy metal band.
Crippled Black Phoenix opened my ears to the world of dark folk, but will always remain the best of them all to me, and Im sure that when you check them out, you will agree. This is a band to be reckoned with. Folk rock for the hard rocker. Music you can listen to with the family and still get that heavy feeling that normally scares the kids and annoys the wife.