Band:	Crypta
Album:	Shades Of Sorrow
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	August 2023

01. The Aftermath
02. Dark Clouds
03. Poisonous Apathy
04. The Outsider
05. Stronghold
06. The Other Side Of Anger
07. The Limbo
08. Trial Of Traitors
09. Lullaby For The Forsaken
10. Agents Of Chaos
11. Lift The Blindfold
12. Lord Of Ruins
13. The Closure

If you thought Echoes of the Soul was hard-hitting, then think again. Crypta have returned once more, this time adding an extra dose of brutality, as they continue to strive to nail their classic old school-meets-modern death metal sound.

Crypta are a Brazilian death metal act that formed back in 2019, consisting of Fernanda Lira (vocals/bass), Luana Dametto (drums), Tainá Bergamaschi (guitars), and now their latest addition Jéssica Di Falchi (guitars), having joined the ranks in 2022. Although only having been around for a short period of time, this mighty death metal foursome have already begun to develop quite some reputation for themselves. I like to think this is not due to the fact that they're a fully female death metal line-up, with there not being too many fully female line-ups in this extreme genre; no, I believe their increasing reputation in death metal is due to the quality music featured on their full-length debut back in 2021, Echoes Of Soul. These musicians, however, aren't exactly new to the metal scene, with two members, Fernanda Lira and Luana Dametto, previously making a name for themselves from their time spent with Brazilian thrash metal act Nervosa.

This now brings us to their sophomore release. Shades Of Sorrow. Does this album continue in the same aggressive and brutal manner as their debut? Yes, it certainly does, in fact, even more so than the debut. Shades Of Sorrow features thirteen tracks, with a total running length of fifty-one minutes, which means this album is by no means short. However, of those thirteen tracks, three are short instrumental interlude, including the minute-long opener "The Aftermath", short mid-album "The Limbo", and sub-forty-second closer, simply titled "The Closure". These three short instrumental passages allow for necessary breathing space so that the album can otherwise sustain its relentless, brutal onslaught.

Now, what I found to be the most striking element from the debut was the impressive soloing, and here, this is made all the more impressive with Di Falchi joining the team. As far as guitar duos in death metal go, Jéssica and Tainá are up amongst the best in the business. Between the two, there is a fine display of breathtaking shredding solos, with furious complexity and striking melody, and brutal yet groovy riffing. Each and every track contains at least one or two strongly memorable solos, which is rather unusual for any death metal album, as it's usually the riff department that's mostly remembered. This is also thanks to the strong rhythm section driven forward by Luana's snare blasts and Fernanda's excellent bass work, this allowing the dual guitars to shine through the course of each track, and ultimately, throughout the entire album.

Now, onto the vocals, this is the one element that I have to say is a hit-and-miss area. Fernanda's vocal style may be an acquired taste for some, and at first, may take time to sink in, but once they do, they're fierce. Her distinctive shrieks and beastly growls are impressive, especially in terms of range and the sheer power she possesses. Now, I have a huge admiration for anyone who is able to play the bass in the way which she does while still being able to hit those insanely high shrieks and screeches, along with deep monstrous growls; that is a true work of art.

One factor worth taking note of is the album's great production. The sound is both heavy and clear, from the crushing sound of the bass, to the powerful authenticity of the snare. The mix is done at an exemplary standard. The twin guitars, vocals, and rhythm section all contain an equal presence in the mix, meaning no element overshadows another. It's this great sound quality, along with the strong performances, that more than makes up for the lack of originality, and not terribly impressive songwriting. It's not the grooviness, melodies, or catchy choruses that this album will be remembered by, but it's the way this beastly Brazilian foursome perform.

Whilst they strive for their own style and sound, you will still undoubtedly hear those moments of nostalgic brilliance. There are times that bring back to Morbid Angel and fellow Brazilian Sepultura, and you may also hear glimpses of Behemoth, if I'm not mistaken, but if there's one thing for sure, Crypta will give any modern death metal act a run for their money. Now, mark my words, Crypta could well become a force to be reckoned with in the near future if they continue along this route, making several minor changes along the way.