A new band from Sweden, a name you may have not heard of (yet) and a debut EP. You might be shrugging your shoulders and thinking “so what.” However, those behind this trio are far from new to the scene. Mattias Norrman for one was long term bassist of Katatonia and stayed with the band for probably a lot longer than many of their fans before upping and forming October Tide. Here along with that band’s vocalist Alexander Högbom and Wretched Fate drummer Samuel Karlstrand we have the not so cryptic Kryptan and the fact they are on Debemur Morti should show you that this is going to be no airy-fairy, light affair. If anything, and for those that remember them this harks back to the old Dellamorte days and the four tracks on offer provide a formidable onslaught of good old-fashioned Swedish black metal which the PR tell us should be just right up the street of those worshipping at the font of Naglfar, Marduk and Dissection.
‘A Giant Leap For Whoredom’ swarms in with battering blackness and will indeed have listeners prostituting themselves in reverence to the olden gods. It’s thick and savage and with beastly vocal roars and a sense of dark urgency, swarms out the traps. I am actually reminded a bit of the virulence of an act like Bloodbath as well as hearing the strong sense of drama from beastly acts such as Lord Belial. It’s a cracking and crunching opening statement with a strong sense of the malevolent about it, catchy and a song that is instantly identifiable. Apparently, there is another band named ‘Bedårande barn’ and translate tells me that the Swedish title means Adorable Children? Strange, but as for the song there is no kidding about and these infants have teeth to bite and claws to scratch with. The bass is nice and thick and there is a graven aura about this as well as sense of theatricality as it stomps away. Norrman also plays synths on this recording and they give things a bit of the macabre here really adding to the fury and fans of mid era Dimmu Borgir and Old Man’s Child should well find themselves digging this, with a shovel, in a graveyard, at midnight naturally.
‘Blessed Be The Glue’ is another odd title but not a song to be sniffed at (sorry). Swirling with majesty, thundering with drums and stabbing with guitars, vocals scream out the melee and sound suitably ravenous. This dashes along and is a dark carnival ride with a phantasmagorical sense of a ghost-train ride, spooky and thrilling in equal measures. So far, the song titles may have slightly confused but there is none of that with the closing statement ‘Burn The Priest.’ Let’s face it, with a title like that you really have to deliver a banger and that’s just what Kryptan do with flame-thrower on full setting. Putting the fear of the devil to any clergy accidently tuning in, the song title is screamed at full volume by Högbom as the drums fire along and guitars grind and scythe. There is no God, only death!
A great opening statement here and I doubt this lot are going to be an unknown entity for very long. I’m already looking forward to the album…
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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