Kryptos are another one of those bands to file in my personally lengthy “heard of, but never listened to” list. I remember first hearing their name a few years ago, when a good friend was hyping up their last studio outing, Force of Danger (2021). Why I didn’t get around to reviewing it, I don’t know. Probably because unfortunately for me, there’s only 24 hours in a day and I don’t get to review a fraction of the albums I want to, but that’s another rant for another day. I figured I may as well rectify this mistake with the release of their latest album, Decimator.
Although Kryptos seem to be marketed as a “newer” band, they’ve been together in some capacity or another as far back as 1998. Granted, we live in a strange age where bands who have been at it for two decades are still being pedaled as “up and comers”, but I digress. At the center of it all is one Mr. Nolan Lewis, founding guitarist/singer (although more a shouter than anything). With a trusty band of sidekicks at his side, Lewis has apparently transformed Kryptos over the years from a melodic death/thrash outfit to NWOTHM torchbearers, which is quite the 180.
Decimator opens with a high speed blast in “Sirens of Steel”, which gives off serious Enforcer vibes. The only big differences are thrashier guitars and the harsh vocals, which brings me to the crux of this entire review. Ever wonder what Judas Priest would sound like with Schmier of Destruction on vocals? Look no further. It’s a bizarre combination to say the least, but it’s the only way to describe cuts like “Fall to the Spectre’s Gaze”, “Electrify”, and “In the Shadow of the Blade”. While these vocals aren’t completely unlistenable, they’d definitely fit more in an aforementioned death/thrash release and occasionally leave us longing for one of the D grade Halford clones clogging the traditional metal scene today.
The songs themselves are decent, but nothing out of the ordinary for this style of metal. The aforementioned three cuts boast largely interchangeable riffs and arrangements, while melodically inclined tracks like “Turn Up the Heat”, “Pathfinder”, and “We Are the Night” showcase the band’s knack for Sunset Strip inspired sleaze. However, the vocals and musical redundancy are what derail these songs ultimately. I’m not necessarily saying traditional metal or even glam metal/hard rock can’t boast harsh vocals. Look at Sister. I’m just not overly convinced here.
All this being said, Decimator is not completely devoid of charm. “Sirens of Steel” and the title track are rock solid slabs of ’80s metal worship, while the harder rocking songs on here give off a serious Decline of Western Civilization vibe that I’m digging heavily. There’s just any number of bands out there tackling this style harder and with more originality. But hey, if you don’t mind 30 minutes of no frills, Stranger Things sanctioned, unabashed mullet metal (and who doesn’t), Decimator certainly won’t hurt for a spin or two.
6 out of 10
Label: AFM Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Judas Priest, Enforcer, Accept