CRYPTOSIS – Celestial Death (Album Review)

Since time immemorial, man has gazed up to the stars above him in wonderment of their gleaming beauty. In some ways, our fascination with space, though in its nature has changed throughout the tides of history and progress, has always maintained a foreboding sense of scale, its sheer size, complexity and power both self-evident and often alarming.

I remember as a child both being fascinated but also terrified of space, after all, we are condemned to fear what we do not understand. Dutch tech-death staple Cryptosis in their first full length since 2021 wield the power of space in all its inky splendor in Celestial Death to complete a spasmic, intense, epic feeling release that hits many of the right notes for those looking for tech-death that avoids falling too hard into the traditional traps of the genre, both thematically and in their compositional approach.

Celestial Death opens in a manner that has become almost obligatory for modern tech-death bands: a synth-heavy, ambient intro track. “Prologue – Awakening” may be standard fare, but it effectively sets the tone of the album, evoking an alien, space-like atmosphere. While some might argue for diving straight into drop-tuned chugs or mind-melting riffs, doing so would strip the album of the necessary buildup and sense of occasion. Context is everything, and here, the intro serves its purpose.

With formalities out of the way, the album truly begins with “Faceless Matter,” which erupts into a supernova of blast beats and a razor-sharp guitar tone. The most immediately striking element is Lourens Houvast’s vocal delivery — a mix of deep gutturals and a raw, strained fry that carries an almost punk-inspired edge. This nuance adds a layer of intrigue to an otherwise solid but conventional track. Without Houvast’s distinctive voice, “Faceless Matter” might not stand out as much as it does.

Despite my skepticism toward short, synth-laden intro tracks in metal, I have to admit that “Prologue – Awakening” proves essential. Without it, launching straight into “Faceless Matter” would feel jarring, robbing the album of the thematic framing it carefully constructs. What makes Celestial Death compelling isn’t just its aggression but its surprising melodic sensibilities—perhaps reflecting the eerie contrast between the chaos of deep space and its vast serenity.

Bands that truly embrace the abstract qualities of their themes always stand out. It speaks to a level of collective thought, a vision crafted through deep discussion rather than a fleeting idea. This commitment becomes clearer as we progress into the lead single, “Static Horizon.” Here, the band delivers fret-dancing guitar lines, driving percussion from Marco Prij, and an anthemic, high-octane climax reminiscent of Japanese metal’s soaring lead work. This track is an immediate standout — expansive, technically impressive, and irresistibly compelling. If you were introducing a friend to Cryptosis, “Static Horizon” would be the perfect gateway. The song’s resolution into weightless, ethereal electronics—playfully dubbed “ET Go Home” synths—wraps it up beautifully.

Reigning in the extravagance, but injecting some dissonance and brutality into proceedings is “The Silent Call,” which is ironically, about as far from silence as a SpaceX rocket launch. Midway through, the unexpected appearance of an organ adds an intriguing textural shift. While likely synthetic, its placement deep in the mix makes it feel natural, blending seamlessly with the rest of the instrumentation.

By this point, Celestial Death has firmly established its identity — showning a commitment to common tropes within the genre(s) it encompasses, whilst simultaneously carving out its own constellation of stylistic trappings. It would be easy to become overly formulaic, but by this point in the album, such potential issues are broadly unfounded, with each track presenting its vision of Cryptosis’ distinctive soundscape.

The album’s midpoint introduces “Ascending” and its ambient counterpart, “Motionless Balance.” While “Ascending” charges forward with intensity, it unfortunately falls a bit flat compared to the tracks before it. “Motionless Balance,” however, plays a structurally important role in maintaining the thematic continuity of the album, by once again redirecting attention to the Sci-Fi influences present within the work. The ambient soundscape reminds me of watching my father play EVE Online as a child — the music in the game sounding remarkably similar to what is presented here in the ambient, reflective, maybe even meditative passages of Celestial Death.

This raises an interesting question: how do we define “spacey” music? Space is effectively silent, it is a functional vacuum, even if it is for the most part not *quite* a perfect one. Why is it that amongst all the environments we evoke with music, something sounding as if it resembles space, given its silence, is one of those that is near instantly recognizable?

It would be easy to suggest that it is simply down to a deluge of films and media obsessed with it, from Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon to modern works like Interstellar giving us a base from which to make such genre-like distinction, and sure, somewhat this is true. However, I would argue that Jean-Michel Jarre’s Oxygène series is foundational, its curious, jaunty, impassioned and unfamiliar sounds successfully encapsulated man’s reverence, fear and curiosity for what lies beyond our pale blue dot. Celestial Death wisely builds upon this well-established sonic legacy, to its own advantage, rather than trying to reinvent it.

Somewhat philosophical digression now concluded, we are wormholed into track seven, “Reign of Infinite,” which continues the established formula: hybrid death/sludge vocals, propulsive percussion, and Icarian soaring synth-work and your broadly typical tech-death guitar work, alternating between overt virtuosity and well-incorporated complementation of the rest of the soundscape. However, some listening fatigue starts to creep in. The early album’s variety kept things fresh, but by this point, the structure begins to feel predictable. Despite the previous ambient reset, the sheer length of “Reign of Infinite” makes this stagnation more apparent. Cryptosis has demonstrated their capability for innovation, making this moment of repetition feel like a missed opportunity.

Thankfully, the album’s most distinct track, “Absent Presence,” follows. Slower, doom-laden, and atmosphere-driven, it provides a necessary contrast. With a more conventional song structure, a downtempo broodiness and an overt reliance upon atmosphere perhaps beyond that of much else existing on Celestial Death you’re granted some sonic and compositional variety that is integral to keeping one’s attention moving into the final throes of the release.

The final stretch brings “In Between Realities” and “Cryptosphere,” which echo earlier tracks but more concisely and effectively. Of the two, “Cryptosphere” cuts a slightly different angle with its neoclassical intro, quickly spiraling into a frantic and claustrophobic assault before becoming a hectic and claustrophobic affair, amping itself up to a satisfying resolution.

The album closes with its longest ambient piece, “Coda – Wander into the Night.” Unlike the earlier interludes, this one prominently features guitar, providing a peaceful, contemplative resolution. It allows the listener to transition smoothly out of the album’s intensity — a rare and appreciated touch. It means you can transition from this heavier sort of music to something much more peaceful if you’re on a listening binge, and you are an album listener, as I am. Many tech-death albums maintain relentless energy until the very end, leaving no natural exit point. Cryptosis, however, understands the importance of release, giving listeners the option to come down gently.

Ultimately, Celestial Death is a well accomplished and thematically driven ode to the cosmos, man’s inability to comprehend and good metal fundamentals. Whilst it perhaps becomes a bit constrained by its adhesion to its theme — and it could benefit from greater variety in its latter half — the overall listening experience is compelling, and offers something for those wanting to get away from the more common tropes of the genre. Celestial Death makes landfall on March 7th, 2025, and audionauts of all death metal enjoying colors should don their proverbial suits and join the expedition to the eerie and foreboding world of this release.

Released By: Century Media Records
Release Date: March 7th, 2025
Genre: Technical Death Metal

Musicians:

• Lourens Houvast / Vocals, guitars
• Marco Prij  / Drums
• Frank Te Riet  / Bass, melotron, synths, backing vocals

Celestial Death Track-Listing:

1. Prologue – Awakening
2. Faceless Matter
3. Static Horizon
4. The Silent Call
5. Ascending
6. Motionless Balance
7. Reign of Infinite
8. Absent Presence
9. In Between Realities
10. Cryptosphre
11. Coda – Wander into the Night

Order Celestial Death here.