CRYPTA
Shades Of Sorrow
NAPALM
Former Nervosa members whip up an old-school black/death assault
Last March, Crypta had just finished their support slot for Morbid Angel in Illinois when a tornado ripped through the venue. These ravenous Brazilians, however, command elemental forces of their own, and have been making a powerful impact on live audiences worldwide with their old-school savagery and dynamic interplay – despite debuting onstage barely two years ago. This follow-up to 2021’s promising Echoes Of The Soul LP does everything a second record should: polishing the sound, diversifying the arrangements, advancing the melodies and maturing the performance while retaining the youthful vim. It’s not all gold; Crypta’s passionate but studied blend of death and black metal is far from novel, and a few fillers chase their tails to little effect, but there is much to relish here. ■■■■■■■■■■