Brilliant. ‘Embryonic Devils’ begins with a creaking door and stealthy bass/piano notes. Classic horror. Creeping fear. And then all hell breaks loose with a riot of churning guitar-driven mayhem and snarling, satanic vocals.
There’s nothing subtle or unexpected about ‘Embryonic Devils’: you probably have a fair idea of what to expect here, and Crypt Rot sound exactly as their name suggests. For the most part, it’s a relentless, bloody racket. When they slow it down, it’s dark and doomy. Dolorous, chiming bells chime and demons snarl and whisper guttural unpleasantries amidst a swirling maelstrom of black metal noise. It’s fucking ferocious from beginning to end, the preposterous guitar solos rising from amidst a tempest of double-pedal bass drum and guitars that are so heavily overloading as to become impenetrable, a sickening wall of low-end annihilation.
‘Embryonic Devils’ is very much an album of its genre, despite the pleasant acoustic guitar breaks and quiet interludes which conjure altogether more pastoral scenes – and that’s not a criticism. You want your metal black, gnarly and positively subterranean in its demonic darkness? Then ‘Embryonic Devils’ will not disappoint.