Willow - Album by Crimson Oak

The history of rock music spans the last 70 years of the Anthropocene. Many bands and solo artists have founded new genres and niches during these seven decades, treaded rocky paths, and overcome perceived boundaries. Some have achieved worldwide fame, while others have failed. Some have navigated turbulence and existential lows and are now untouchable. Other artists have fallen by the wayside, shattered by fame, internal crises, or megalomania and self-doubt. Today, they are elevated to demigods or revered and celebrated as tragic heroes.

Far from the big rock circus, the musical mainstream, the large festival stages, and international sales charts, a modest formation from Hesse, Germany, began almost ten years ago to convert the absorbed energy of well-aged or contemporary heroes of various rock music genres into their own music and to write songs. Crimson Oak from Fulda - consisting of Aaron Wehner, Dennis Woessner, Emanuel Lemnitz, Florian, and Johannes Labsch - set out to pursue their passion, blending various influences into a powerful mélange since their first meeting: modern heavy rock - you're welcome to categorize!

After their first self-titled long player in 2020 and a phase hindered by COVID, filled with struggles and self-discovery, growth and reflection, the second album 'Willow' is now available, four years after the self-produced and independently released debut. Released on Tonzonen Records, this album was once again engineered and mixed by the band members and further processed into a "world-class production" by their idol Eroc, brimming with power, atmosphere, and confidence.

The eight songs combine the influences of the five band members into a balanced mix. Each song stands on its own, yet together they form a whole, symbolizing how the last four years have shaped the individuals into a unified entity. While the self-titled debut was distinctly blues and stoner-heavy, Willow boasts more numerous influences and broader arcs of tension. The band remains true to their core sound, but new tones emerge: the influence of 1990s Seattle is evident, Swedish "Schweine Rock" flashes through here and there, and some multi-part vocal arrangements recall the great Stadium Rock Anthems of the '80s. This is not a cheap copy, but an homage to the band's diverse influences.

Willow is not a concept album. However, a theme runs through the album, also reflected in the magnificent artwork by the band's friend, artist, and wood sculptor Christoph Mencke, who sensitively captured and incorporated the musicians' emotions and thoughts into his work: Crimson Oak sings about femininity, the creative power inherent in it, the liberation from outdated norms and values - unfortunately still rooted in our seemingly modern society - the love and greatness it embodies. They also sing about the destructive elements that all things feminine are exposed to due to misunderstood "toxic" masculinity, societal conventions, and sometimes simply a lack of courage.

No, Willow is truly not a concept album; nor does it wish to be understood as one. Nevertheless, the oft-cited "red thread" runs consistently through the lines and musical notes of the long player, making it a homogeneous and highly varied experience.

CRIMSON OAK is a Heavy Rock Outfit from Germany



DRUMS Aaron Wehner
GUITAR Emanuel Aschenbrenner
GUITAR Joh de la Bosch
VOCALS Florian Herbst
BASS Dennis Woessner



YOU’RE WELCOME TO CATEGORIZE!

Tonzonen Records