Review: Crypta Outdo Themselves on Shades of Sorrow

Okay, confession time. When I first heard Crypta, I was impressed but not blown away. As I took in their music, I heard a lot of talent and a lot of old-school influence, but being that I originally hail from Richmond, Virgina, I’ve heard the throwback thing and classic metal worship before. And while they were a great band from the get-go, I wasn’t really hearing anything that made them stellar or stand-out. Their most recent record, Shades of Sorrow, out now via Napalm Records, changes all that.

The Brazilian band pull out all the stops with their second album, which not only sounds a bit more polished than their first, but it also hones in on a more complete and realized version of their classic-influenced sound.

The album’s first single, “Lord of Ruins,” set the tone for the full album when they dropped it back in May. Thanks to its adept blend of aggressive riffing, thumping bass lines, and its through-line of melody, this track has that hard-to-reach balance of melodic death metal influence and straight-ahead heaviness that greats like Morbid Angel and Death had before them.

Another standout track, “Trail of Traitors,” is probably my favorite from the record, as it nails an almost tech-death-esque level of proficiency while still retaining the band’s more classic sound. “Lift the Blindfold” is another notable track thanks to the impressive guitar work and memorable riffs.

In addition to honing in on this more refined sound, this record is stellar because the band have upped their musicianship to even greater levels. Bassist and vocalist Fernanda Lira is my favorite in the band, though I’m a bit biased since I’m particularly drawn to that instrument. I love when the bass is mixed more on-level with the guitars, as it is on this record, since it really gives the whole thing a more punchy, beefy sound. Guitarists Taina Bergamaschi and Jessica di Falchi were always great at what they do, but I hear them taking even more leads and solos on this album.

The TL;DR of this review is definitely that if you’ve been sleeping on Crypta up until now because you think of them as just another throwback worship band, sleep no more. The band obviously have so much more than that to offer, and they’re truly showcasing it here.

Crypta’s Shades of Sorrow is out today via Napalm Records. You can grab yourself a copy wherever you get your music.