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Dark heavy metallers Crypt Sermon unveil their bewitching new album, The Stygian Rose, under the Dark Descent banner. Featuring guitarist Steve Jansson (Daeva, Unrest), vocalist Brooks Wilson (Unrest), drummer Enrique Sagarnaga (Daeva, The Silver), guitarist Frank Chin (Daeva), bassist Matt Knox (Horrendous, The Silver), and keyboardist Tanner Anderson (Obsequiae, Majesties), the Philadelphia-based sextet parlayed their time away from the spotlight into a grander, more mysterious Crypt Sermon. The interflow of doom and heavy metals underpins The Stygian Rose, but these boundaries are effortlessly transcended. From the blistering solo salvo of “Glimmers in the Underworld” and the commanding rhythm of “Heavy is the Crown of Bone” to the evocative Near Eastern vibes of “Thunder (Perfect Mind)” and the intricate, masterful journey of the 11-minute title track, The Stygian Rose epitomizes the band’s burgeoning musical and conceptual prowess.
“We wanted The Stygian Rose to scratch a lot of itches that aren’t being scratched,” says guitarist Steve Jansson. “That’s my goal when I make music. I want to make things that I don’t hear other people doing or at least don’t hear others doing all in one package. The music also has to have staying power and replay value. [I wanted] that addictive feeling you had when you listened to records as a teenager.”
Crypt Sermon tracked The Stygian Rose with acclaimed producer Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Cirith Ungol) and engineer Aidan Elias (Blood Incantation, Wayfarer) at Redwoods in Philadelphia. Although Rizk handled Out of the Garden (2015) and The Ruins of Fading Light (2019), the team captured the band’s multi-genre chaplet in a new light this time. Singles “Glimmers in the Underworld,” “Heavy is the Crown of Bone,” and “Thunder (Perfect Mind)” are frighteningly effective in their [Neil] Kernon-esque production. At the same time, deep album tracks “Scrying Orb,” “Down in the Hollow,” and “The Stygian Rose” cast long, mysterious shadows. Rizk summoned from Crypt Sermon the same big-stage sound producers Dave Jerden and Rick Rubin coaxed out of Alice In Chains and Trouble, respectively.
“We knew we wanted an aggressive sound,” singer Brooks Wilson says. “Like [Metallica’s] Black album or [Queensrÿche’s] Operation: Mindcrime with loud smashing rock drums. The guitars had to be aggressive and loud. The bass had to be tuned in more than on our previous albums. The bass had to be clean and deep. We were generally after a more clean, distinct, and audible production. The Stygian Rose has way more depth than anything we’ve done before.”
Adorned with captivating artwork and featuring an enchanting (yet dark) lyrical concept by Wilson, this is Crypt Sermon’s level-up moment. Dive into The Stygian Rose and experience its rich rewards.
