Kryptograf - 2022 - The Eldorado Spell

(45:22; Apollon Records)

Track list:
1. Asphodel 5:55
2. Cosmic Suicide 3:30
3. Lucifer's Hand 4:54
4. Creeping Willow 5:18
5. Across the Creek 1:44
6. The Eldorado Spell 4:49
7. The Spiral 6:54
8. When the Witches 5:51
9. Wormwood 1:36
10. The Well 4:51

Line-up:
Odd Erlend Mikkelsen - guitars, vocals
Vegard Bachmann Strand - guitars, vocals, keyboards
Eirik Torgersen Arntsen - drums, vocals, percussion
Eivind Andreas Standal Moen - bass, guitars
with:
Örjan Hammer Vollvik - trumpet
Kristian Eivind Espeland - vocals
Iver Sandöy - keyboards, percussion


Prolusion.
Norwegian band Kryptograf is, to my knowledge at least, a fairly new band in Norway's music scene. It would appear that they were formed a year or so before the Corona pandemic happened, and have presumably spent the many months with restrictions to properly develop as a band unit in addition to recording new material. "The Eldorado Spell" is their second album, and is set to be released at the end of February 2022 through Norwegian label Apollon Records.

Analysis.
When listening through this album, it doesn't take all that many seconds before a strong and distinct association will form, namely that of Black Sabbath. The rhythms, the riffs, the guitar sound and to some extent the vocals as well come with a few layers of 70's Black Sabbath attached to them. And as we move through the album we also get a few additional small touches, like two brief atmospheric laden instrumentals, that for me also comes with some automatic associations in that direction. So, indeed, retro-oriented metal with doom metal touches is probably the core and foundation of this band.

That being said, in the very first song of this album the band also displays talents and interests a bit beyond this sphere, with a blazing psychedelic hard rock section, energetic folk-rock oriented escapades and a majestic variety of retro-oriented heavy progressive rock all blooming before the first song comes to a stop. So there is a bit more to this album than what the first impression brings to the table.

Most of the material that follows does stick closer to a retro-oriented variety of heavy metal and doom metal though, with some detours into 70's style hard rock, stoner rock and a nod or two in the direction of doom metal from the late 80's. We do get alterations in pace and intensity on some occasions, and a couple of instances where the beefier retro-style metal have an ebb and flow thing going with alternating psychedelic escapades. So while perhaps not blatantly progressive in  nature, this is a band that at least on occasion does add a progressive approach to the retro-oriented landscapes they explore. They do manage to pull it off quite nicely of course, which isn't all that surprising considering that Black Sabbath had something of a habit of doing the same back in the day. The founder of the progressor website, the late Vitaly Menshikov, considered Black Sabbath to be a progressive band all along, at least the 70's incarnation of the band.

Conclusion.
There are many bands out there that explore music similar in sound to good, old Black Sabbath, some managing to capture the guitar sound and the vocals to perfection and creating plenty of clever songs similar to the originals. Kryptograf does have a foundation in this department as well, but they do bring in some additional flavors to the mix as well, up to and including the addition of a more progressive approach to the songwriting and execution. So while primarily an album for those who enjoy bands exploring the legacy of 70's Black Sabbath, this is also a production to note down for inspection if you think a more progressive approach to this type of music is interesting and fascinating.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, February 2022

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/KryptografMusic
https://www.apollonrecords.no/