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Underground Extreme Metal Fanzine


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The site has been rebuilt and refined with new features like Fanzine Reviews, "The Past is Alive" section where we review old releases in a retrospective way, Articles and more. Also we have made some layout changes. Hope you will enjoy our work and feel free to contact us if you would like to submit your music or would like to join the staff.

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Again a new discovery, never heard about Cryptic Realms before, but certainly will from now on after the listen of «Enraptured by Horror». This international combo was founded in 2015 an released a demo and a split prior to the full length which we are now discussing. 8 tracks of the most cryptic death metal the ancient way which should already be enough make fans of the genre buy a copy of the 500 pieces on CD that was released in 2016. The production is great, every instrument is audible, but not clean, sounding natural with a good dose of reverb to make sure the atmosphere is the right and necro one. The riffs are simple but crushing. Same for the entire rhythm department. Cool basslines, groovy, but not complicated, just doing his thing to help the songs. The drums vary from backbeats, straight up tempo beats, doomy cymbal accentuated grooves, and some blast beats from time to time with power and class and not overloaded. The vocals are mostly high pitched ugly disgusting shriek like behemoths, a mixture of Tardy (Obituary) , Schuldiner (Death) and Mameli (Pestilence). Almost perfect old fashioned death metal? Yes almost. The entire things becomes even greater if you listen to the fantastic guitar solos which add some Azagthothian-quality to it. If the guys will be able to write hooks like their death metal forefathers did we will be able to see some new death metal classics for sure. Recommended for fans of Massacre, Death, Obituary, and the likes. (DPF)