Release Date: March 07th 2025. Record Label: Apollon Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Kryptonomicon - Track Listing:
1.Beyond The Horizon
2.The Blade
3.Kryptonomicon
4.You and I
5.From Below
6.Lost at Sea
7.The Gales
Members
Vegard Strand - Guitar / Vocals
Odd Erlend Mikkelsen - Guitar / Vocals
Eirik Arntsen - Drums / Vocals
Eivind Standal Moen - Bass
Review
Proto-Metal/Doom Rock specialists Kryptograf with their fantastically titled new album Kryptonomicon and it’s another round of finely played grooves that stretches the classic hard rock era of the 1960’s, 1970’s with a splash of 1980’s NWOBHM thrown in for good measure. Using bands such as Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer and Pentagram as a starting block, the band create their own highly stylish sound that explores the heavier side of the Proto-Metal era with flashes of Doom, Stoner and Psych Rock which gives the album a wonderful “RETRO” feel whilst feeling quite modern at the same time.
Opening tracks Beyond The Horizon and The Blade taps right into the seedy Doomed Out energy which has sadly been lacking on the last couple of Uncle Acid records. The sound is quite melodic with the band expanding into areas of Classic Rock, Psych and Fuzz Rock with the sublime vocals providing a cool storyline for the majority of the tracks. Kryptonomicon can be quite “GARAGE ROCK” obsessive in many ways with the hard hitting 1960’s sounds moving the album into heavier waters on tracks such as Kryptonomicon, You And I and From Below.
The instrumental surroundings are unashamedly brash, bold and hip with a superb use of Psychedelic noises and trippy effects which leads into multiple areas of screeching guitars and amplifier reverb which can be quite distorted at times. Kryptograf never outstays their welcome with their highly addictive sound that delves right into the heavier side of the Proto-Metal sound on the later stages of the record which is perhaps where the band throw caution to the wind and start playing their most aggressive sounds.
WIth a meaty Blues Rock swagger holding everything together, Kryptograf proves there is still new music and sounds to be discovered within the Proto-Metal scene that offers a wholly fresh creative perspective. The production values are exquisite which makes the band feel like they’re destined for bigger and better things which wouldn’t surprise me once this album has been released.
Kryptonomicon is a splendid, aggressive and dark record which builds upon the excellent work Kryptograf have achieved with their previous two albums with this perhaps their best work to date. As it features their heaviest music yet which will go down a storm with the Doom/Stoner Rock community far and wide.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Kryptonomicon will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Apollon Records from Friday 07th March 2025.
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