The much-praised debut album Bionic Swarm by Cryptosis from Enschede (the Netherlands) was a smash hit. Obviously it is wonderful to be able to make such an entrance into the metal scene, but it also puts you before a challenge, does it not? You have to come up with a mighty, impressive successor. That successor is here and now with us: Celestial Death. Does the new album make an equally dazzling impression?
From the very start it is clear, with opener Prologue – Awakening welcoming you to the album with its somewhat mystical, transcendental character and the subsequent Faceless Matter, that Cryptosis has indeed retained his typical style, but it also shows that Celestial Death has developed towards an even more refined colouring. What has remained are the characteristic technical riffs, the pounding energy, the biting vocals and the dogged ferocity, which we know from the debut album and the EP The Silent Call. But on Celestial Death, Cryptosis shows that they have much more to offer. The new album features more orchestral elements. Not the type of orchestration that pushes itself forcefully to the foreground and takes away the space from the other instruments. It has nestled itself in a warm and safe place in the background, perfectly embedded in the twisted combination of thrash, death and black metal while adding a lot of atmosphere, at the same time leaving enough breathing space for guitars and drums to shine. In Absent Presence, the atmospheric intermezzo Motionless Balance and the instrumental closing track Coda – Wander Into The Light, which takes you out in an almost extrasensory way, the synthesizer becomes a little more pronounced, without, however, taking away any of the aggressive tenacity of the album.
Compared to the debut album the compositions contain a darker, unrelenting ambiance, they feel more complete and fuller. As before you are immersed in fast riffs, dogged speed and biting double bass drums, songs like Faceless Matter, Static Horizon, Reign of Infinite, In Between Realities and Cryptosphere being filled to the brim with tempo changes, layered, melodic guitar lines, compelling, heavy riffs, intriguing drum patterns, surprising twists, intense passages and menacing vocals. Sometimes the band switches to more black metal oriented vocals (Faceless Matter, Reign Of Infinite), which adds an extra layer to the cinematic sci-fi character of the album.
Celestial Death is not only very closely related and clearly Cryptosis, it is also a more furious, cinematic, fuller and an even more complete, very own version of itself. Celestial Death presents itself as familiar in looks and sounds, but has above all evolved in an impressively sophisticated manner. This is simply Cryptosis lifted to an even higher level. How high? Call it a masterclass in raising power. Whereas the lyrics can sometimes talk about despair and fear for the unknown of the future, it cannot be any different than that the trio from Enschede awaits a wonderful, brilliant, musical future? With this Celestial Death they have nothing less than a masterpiece on their hands.
Score:
92/100
Label:
Century Media Records, 2025
Tracklisting:
- Prologue – Awakening
- Faceless Matter
- Static Horizon
- The Silent Call
- Ascending
- Motionless Balance
- Reign of Infinite
- Absent Presence
- In Between Realities
- Cryptosphere
- Coda – Wander into the Light
Line-up:
- Laurens Houvast – Vocals, guitars
- Frank te Riet – Bass guitar, mellotron, synthesizers, backing vocals
- Marco Prij – Drums
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