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Kryptograf — Kryptonomicon
(Apollon Records AP200, 2025, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2025-03-27

Kryptonomicon Cover art

The mighty Kryptograf is back with another tasty slab of heavy psychedelic rock. This isn’t the only band out there taking the sound of early Black Sabbath (first four albums, say) and stretching it with more spaced out and trippy touches. Their self-titled debut (2020) and The Eldorado Spell (2022) were both very good albums, but Kryptonomicon ups the game once again. If you like your riffs heavy but not sludgy (or stupid), this album is meant for you. Unlike many bands in this style, Kryptograf tackles a variety of tempos on these seven tracks, from the occasional doomy section to the ripping “You and I” and spots in between. “From Below” starts out slow and dramatic, then kicks into a killer riff in seven. Adding to the variety, “Lost at Sea” and “The Gales” bring an acoustic guitar into the mix. One thing I really like about their riffs is that they often make interesting chromatic choices instead of limiting themselves to the typical blues scale. There are also some very nice vocal harmonies. In short, this is the kind of heavy rock that really works for me in a way that the vast majority of metal just doesn’t.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases

Related artist(s): Kryptograf

More info
http://kryptograf.bandcamp.com/album/kryptonomicon

 

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