There is a very specific feature on the music of Philadelphia’s CRYPT SERMON that is evaluating since their “Demo MMXIII” release. The way they compose their songs.
And no I am not referring only to the song writing itself. I mainly focus to the very specific way that those Epic Doomsters are using the right element, on the right time point and under the right way, to complete each and every part of their music.
Their second long awaited album is here, entitled “”The Ruins Of fading Light”. And for one more time, I am facing a band that has the ability to transform their pure talent, to music that has the ability to last in time. But before I focus on the new stuff, I want to take another small flashback and ask my readers a question:
Do you remember their debut? Well I do, cause I have never quit listening to it. “Out Of The Garden” was released back in 2015. Back then CRYPT SERMON was marked as a serious new hope for the Epic Doom Metal genre -which already counts very few active bands anyway-.
Back then, those who had spent some serious time to listen to the album, had surely realized that the band had worked really hard to build each and every tune included in that debut. They carried a massive sound and a bunch of well arranged songs showing some huge steps forward compared to the initial demo stuff.
So… four years have passed since the debut and the band is following the very same way on their second release: Hard work, deep focusing on the song writing and the song structure building and a very specific method that casts the iron: turning their pure talent into great music.
I already mentioned the that the band’s way of composing is their most powerful and important feature, right? So lets focus into it for a while: CRYPT SERMON are handling their riffing on a very extensive way. They would generally combine three main genres of riffing. You got the pounding Epic Metal riffing, you got the storm-breaking Epic Doom Metal riffing mainly analyzed into slower and melodic themes and you got the classic Heavy Metal riffing. Band uses them all, separately on their songs. But the real magic is when they manage to combine all those riffing approachings to ONE unique theme that would be for example the main theme on one song. You can carefully listen to the main verse and the bridge on “Our Reverend’s Grave” to get my point.
Their lead guitar parts are marvelous. They are used as complete emphatic parts on the songs and I have to assure you that this is top class inspired material. And I have to point the very same about the vocal melodies.
Yes, the vocal melodies are probably the feature that has evolved the most compared to the debut album. And I got to refer to the marvelous expressive ways that are built around the vocals. To tell you the truth I would not consider the vocals to be the band’s strongest feature back the days of the debut album but now I can not stop hearing them. Just listen to the vocals on the same titled “The Ruins Of Fading Light” tracks and you would -once more- get my point. Some of the most amazing and expressive vocals I heard lately on this one.
The rhythm section is hammering the iron under a very special, complex and into the point way. Bass and drums are really enforcing the songs in here.
Keyboards and clean melodic guitar parts are also used very wisely offering this obscure and darkly majestic touch to the song parts in which they are used.
CRYPT SERMON are taking themselves very seriously. Period. They are taking their music very seriously: extensively and very carefully working on their songs. They are taking their overall concept very seriously: From the opening Sigil on the “Key Of Solomon” video to their lyrical approaching. Lyrically, “The Ruins of Fading Light” moves the band out of alternate takes on common, faith-based epistemology and into Wilson’s -main writer- own head, where existential anxiety and the metaphysics of life form a powerful yet nuanced storyboard.
“The Ruins Of Fading Light” combines the Epic Doom and the Heavy Metal vibe on an absolutely inspired and unique result. It is for sure included on the top five list of the Epic Metal albums released so far on the current 2010s decade.
If you are into Epic Doom Metal you WILL be obsessed FOR SURE. Those into Classic and Epic Metal would be blown away as well. At the end of the day I am sure that the album would shine in the general HEAVY METAL universe in general.
Don’t ask me to pick a song from the album. I can’t. Listen the album from start to finish, non stop. And you will understand my difficulty. This record is made to be listened at once.
I have nothing more to write. This is a masterpiece.
