Hailing from the Netherlands, I had the great pleasure of attending Stonehenge Festival last July. It is a festival I have always wanted to visit, due to the incredible nature of the old-school Death Metal bands that play there. It was there that I literally stumbled across a Dutch act who, from my recollection, opened the festival at around 11:30.
The band in question is From the Crypt, a five-piece from Helden. All members have a solid background in the Dutch Metal scene, having played in various bands such as Callenish Circle, Mangled, Mass Deception, and several others. They are a fairly new outfit, having released just one demo prior to their debut album, ‘Born in the Grave’, which was released on the excellent Raw Skullz Records and Into It Records in 2025. I must confess to having missed out on the demo when it came out in 2022; however, those three tracks appear as bonus material.
From the Crypt play good old-fashioned, mid-paced, and face-melting Death Metal. This is punishing old-school material with a serious, heavy nod to crushing every bone in your body! The six tracks on offer, combined with the three bonus tracks from the 7-inch, clock in at just over 36 minutes.
The production and mix are top-notch, with all the instruments firing on all cylinders. The guitar tone and drums are fat, pummeling you constantly. This will appeal to old-school metalheads as well as younger fans who are into the new wave of Death Metal bands popping up; there are some Frozen Soul moments that spring to mind, particularly during the second track, ‘Drained’.
The whole album is an easy listen and flows perfectly. The only downside is that it is perhaps too short, leaving me wanting to hear more, which is, of course, a great thing! I will be following this band’s career path carefully and am eagerly awaiting to see what they come up with next.
