CRYPTA
Echoes Of The Soul
Napalm Records
This list of debut albums that hit it out of the park is an endless one. That first introduction to a new band you discover can leave a lasting impression. Many come to mind and that list is always growing to the day. Enter CRYPTA and their debut album has made that list with Echoes Of The Soul. Their first full-length release brought to you by the also outstanding Napalm Records is a pleasurable listening experience. It brings that Old School Death Metal feel channeled through a fresh young band. In no way new to the scene, the group consists of 4 women, 3 from Brazil and 1 from The Netherlands – who have had plenty of experience. This new group formed by former members of NERVOSA and BURNING WITCHES (continuing my previous discussion regarding the “New Wave Of Femme Fatal Metal” - you heard it here first) look to earn their place with such an intense record.
In the race of being a 300bpm band, you lose A LOT of the organic rhythmic essence of a song (arguably) but CRYPTA’s music embraces the much needed rhythm in their music to make the songs breathe and gain character. A sick combination of speed, grind, death and thrash with ‘blackened’ elements, CRYPTA have created a catchy sound with their debut. Featuring Fernanda Lira on bass and vocals, demonstrating a vocal fury that is very fierce with an equal thick bottom-end that you feel in your gut. The duel guitar work of Dutch shredder Sonia Anubis and Tainá Bergamaschi from Brazil combines for some intense double team action filled with crispy, crunchy guitars with face-melting solos and harmonics that make the songs sound so sinister. Nailing the coffin on drums in amazing fashion is Luana Dametto on drums who simply destroys with awesome fills and calculated blast beats that are perfectly disciplined to fit the songs.
Nothing is over played on this record. There is no sign of unnecessary overwhelming riffs, drum beats or lyrics that overshadow anything. Every aspect of CRYPTA’s songwriting fits perfectly with each other. These girls have a firm grip on things and demonstrate an excellent team effort by the quartet. A modern band that can capture the raw, old-school sound that traditional Death Metal had going on back in the day. The clarity on Echoes Of The Soul is so clean thanks to today’s recording technology that you hear every “PING” of the ride, rumbling of the bass and crisp sound off the guitars topped off by Lira’s vocals. Credit for this goes to the “Family Mob Studio” in Brazil where the album was recorded. Arthur Rizk (CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP) mixed the album and then mastered by the Jens Bogren (OPETH, DIMMU BORGIR, SEPULTURA).
Undoubtedly when the girls left their previous respected bands, there was still a fire in each of them and those flames combined to create CRYPTA. I’m already looking forward to hearing a second album from them and hope to catch them live real soon. As they prepared to unleash this album onto the world, they released various behind the scenes in the making of the album as well as a couple of videos that complimented their music in great fashion. It showed the effort these four women put into the music, the band and into each other and it definitely shows on Echoes Of The Soul.
Right from the start with "Starvation" with the 4-count on the snare, a staple in Death Metal, and Lira’s scream makes you realize that this album holds a lot of promise and lives up to that. Every song is catchy and makes this album one that should get constant play. Old School Death Metal fans will have an appreciation for what they did on this album and is why this album will land on my “Best of 2021” list without a doubt. The “New Wave Of Femme Fatale Metal” is here to stay and proves that girls can grind just as good if not better than the boys.
4.5 Out Of 5.0
