Small Artist Spotlight: Kryptograf
Kryptograf: A diamond in the rough
Born and based in Bergen, Norway, Kryptograf was formed in 2019 and makes heavy metal music inspired by the sound of the mid-late ‘60s. Their 2022 album, “The Eldorado Spell”, features larger-than-life riffs and haunting vocals. Their unique style shines through here, especially in tracks such as “Lucifer’s Hand”, “The Eldorado spell”, and “The Spiral”. In a similar style to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon”, this album features lots of song transitions: which means it’s best listened to all in one sitting.
“Lucifer’s Hand” is a nearly five-minute-long jam driven by a heavy bass riff and echoing lyrics. The song, which explores themes of guilt, temptation, and pleasure, offers a unique listening experience and a delightfully spooky, grungy apmosphere.
“The Eldorado Spell”, just a few seconds shorter than the previous, opens with an eerie bass melody, soon followed by the main riff and lyrics performed masterfully. As a title track, it does an exceptional job at setting the mood for the rest of the album. It’s my personal favourite of the album.
“The Spiral”, a heavy, doomy, slow, and bass heavy anthem, describes a feeling of hopelessness. An interesting change in tempo occurs about halfway through the song, morphing almost into a ballad at times. It also has a false end, the music going almost completely silent around 5:40 just to instantly pick back up.
Kryptograf’s style can best be described as “dark medival metal”. As much as I hate to say it, it’s a very love-it-or-hate-it kind of music and I don’t ever see them gaining the broader attention they deserve. However, when compared to the endless stream of mediocrity coming from spotify and soundcloud these past few years, Kryptograf is truly a diamond in the rough.