Review: “Stargazer” by Crypt Of Reason

After starting out on a journey of Progressive Doom Death Metal painted with themes of despair, solitude, loneliness and depression in 2008, Belarusian four piece Crypt Of Reason appeared to reach their final destination after main song writer Pavel Minutin tragically passed away unexpectedly in 2016. At the time was whispered in silent corridors that they had almost completed a debut album to follow 2013’s debut EP “Creation of Despair” but it seemed unlikely the work would ever see the cold light of day. However, in tribute to their fallen brother, the remaining members of the band, vocalist Alexander Naumenko, drummer Vladimir Izotov (Grindzilla) and bassist Konstantin Nikiforov (Vein of Hate) began work with producer and guitarist Alex Sedin (White Ward, Anachronism, Blighted Eye). Together they painstakingly crafted “Stargazer” from drafts and demos, rooted in Funeral Doom and Post-Metal while drawing influence from early Doom Death acts like Anathema and more modern, dissonant bands like Ulcerate. Adorned by cover art by Lenore (Daniel Tompkins, White Moth Black Butterfly, Woe Unto Me) the final cryptic writings of Pavel Minutin have been given life…

“Man has gone out to explore other worlds and other civilizations without having explored his own labyrinth of dark passages and secret chambers, and without finding what lies behind doorways that he himself has sealed” ~ Stanislaw Lem, Solaris

The ominous sounds of dark dirge laden riffs played on thick gauged strings by calloused hands register as a seismic event as the ground trembles beneath the feet, the density of the sound sending post earthquake tremors as wave after wave of thunderous percussion give “Dissolving in Fractal Chaos” its shape and form. The gravelly harsh vocals from Naumenko are have a distinctive Death Metal flavour that permeates the air like a plague wind, the Post-Metal groove breaking only for a sombre melody and spoken word in the mid section. A colossal tower of strength and a monument to behold, the opening cut of “Stargazer” is a sea beast of a track that has the power of Hundred Year Old Man and the presence of Fit For An Autopsy. Rich, dark melodies then drift as “Illusions of Meanings” rises from the back depths with mesmerizing, almost shoegazing qualities before 90 seconds in the guitars and vocals come crashing down. Fleeting blast beats snap the beast out of its slumber, the terraforming power of crushing mid tempo groove harnessed once more. Another delicate spoken word passage adds depth and texture in contrast to the brutality of the main vocal and the band leave nothing but scorch marks in their wake with the sheer intensity of it all.

Fleeting moments of Meshuggah inspired riffs and blast beats give “Argon” a weight and energy before the track drifts elegantly into a melodic passage of stunning quality, as if ascending to heaven from a hellish post apocalyptic wasteland. A false ending then sees the band return to dragging the lake, the contrast between the two distinctive passages like painting the white to grey. The sheer power the band are able to generate is immense, each track ploughing a furrow deep into the cranium while leaving the ears ringing and bleeding for more. The sinister opening phrases of “Lemma” will leave you twitching like you’ve got something to hide before the accompaniment of throat scraping vocals which tear through the fabric of space and time. Pushing deeper into atmospheric territories the Belarusian’s confirm if confirmation was needed that they have mastered the dark arts and will leave you swaying like a marionette teetering on the edge of an active volcano. Stripping out the guitars and replacing them with synths and programming to go alongside the eerie spoken word of “Savior” changes the dynamic without letting go of any of the energy or atmospherics before the sombre and sobering introduction to “The Origin Curse” threatens to overwhelm. Heavier guitars rise and fall underneath a delicate melody, the ache of the spoken word floating like an autumn leaf in a gentle breeze before the bass heavy finale leaves you wondering what you just heard.

Blackened qualities wrap around the neck of “Erebus” like a boa constrictor, fleeting blast beats and sinister guitar sounds driving home the nails of unease with disturbing accuracy. The darkness remains rich and the cold waters inviting but there is a harrowing sense of impending doom that you simply can’t shake as this one swallows you whole. Once again the musicianship is impeccable during an enthralling and captivating listen that captures the imagination like a page turning psychological horror novel. “Hollow Cycles” follows the holding pattern like a vulture circling overhead, the dense rhythms and chanted vocals of the final third reverberating around an empty chamber as if searching for something once lost. One more down tuned offering remains in “The Bliss of Quiet” which despite its brevity is just as vital as any other component part of this grand design. Another scalding final verse soaked in muscular, angular guitars creates a tension you could cut with a knife before an eerie spoken word leads to the sounds of imploding into oblivion. A fitting tribute to the genius of Pavel Minutin’s creations, it becomes clear as “Stargazer” plays out that every second of time spent completing these compositions was time well spent because the end product is worth its weight in Gold [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Dissolving in Fractal Chaos
2. Illusions of Meanings
3. Argon
4. Lemma
5. Savior
6. The Origin Curse
7. Erebus
8. Hollow Cycles
9. The Bliss of Quiet

“Stargazer” by Crypt Of Reason is out 24th September 2024 and is available over at bandcamp