Visit the Underground Labyrinth with Crypthios

Newcomer Crypthios finds serenity in a post-apocalyptic world and shares those moods in the debut album, Vestigium. Usually, when an album rooted in some form of grimdark or bleak setting releases, we, the listeners, are treated to sinister drones and barely audible stabs and percussions; albums displaying existential dread and dire consequences for the subjects of said bleak world. Crypthios refreshingly changes this paradigm with Vestigium, and rather than bestowing us with tenebrous wind and descanted, reverbed field recordings, we are treated with gentle, meandering pads and more introspective, organic notes. 

The basic narrative of the album is that you have departed the last city of man, New York, and crossed the sea to the “graylands”, whereupon you are met with colossal buildings and a labyrinthian network of tunnels beneath. Readers familiar with my reviews know how much I enjoy good narrative in dark ambient albums, and I encourage you to read the precis for this album while listening. The folds and textures of the tracks lend to the subdued nature of the story well - again, this is not a collage of sounds to evoke cyclopean dread as is the usual standard for this style of dark ambient; this is more emotive; languorous, and without agenda.

The sound design is reserved, with modest inflections of layered pads and keys, interspersed with the occasional bass stab or sound design transition technique, all of which combine to envelop the listener and lull them into a calm state of mind.

Vestigium is an excellent debut to the Cryo Chamber roster, and you can purchase this excellent album in CD digipak and digital format on the Cryo Chamber Bandcamp page.