Cryptic Fog – Staring Through The Veil (2017) CD Review | Twisted, Esoteric Death Metal

⛤ Melodic Death Metal, Black Metal | 9.50 € (Mint)
⛤ Pulse Rating: 8.5 / 10

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Cryptic Fog’s *Staring Through The Veil* is one of those death metal albums that instantly reminds you why this genre still rules when the right maniacs get involved. After years of silence and lineup changes, the band returned as a duo—leaner, sharper, and absolutely ravenous. The sound here is labyrinthine but always coherent: twisting riffs, violent drum patterns, unhinged vocal delivery, and that weird, almost mystical atmosphere that bands rarely pull off with this level of precision.

What hits first is how tight and chaotic the music feels at the same time. One moment you're in suffocating old-school death metal territory, the next you're being thrown into angular riffing that feels like a collision between Demilich and early Morbid Angel. The guitar work is especially wild—swarms of twisted leads, sudden tempo shifts, and a sense of controlled madness that gives the album replay value for days. Dan Klein’s drumming keeps everything locked in place while his bellowing vocals add that deep, cavern-born edge.

Even when the album slows down, it never loses its intensity. The slower passages ooze dread and tension, giving the faster assaults even more impact. There’s a ton of variety baked into these tracks—thrash-leaning riffs, melodic touches, blackened tremolos, bursts of technical flair—yet it all feels natural, like Cryptic Fog have been crafting this sound for decades. The production hits a perfect balance too: raw enough to feel underground, clean enough to let every twisted riff cut through.

Across its forty-six minutes, *Staring Through The Veil* feels like a journey through every corner of extreme metal the band loves, but filtered through their own warped vision. It’s ambitious without feeling bloated, technical without losing heaviness, and atmospheric without sacrificing violence. For a two-man lineup, the songwriting depth is insane—proof that if you have the right players, you don’t need a full roster to destroy.

Tracklist:
01. The Grand Berator Walks Among The Hall Of Misery – 8:28
02. Cast Into The Ghastly Pits Of Execration – 5:20
03. Cursed Oil Upon The Abhorrent Idols Of Men – 5:52
04. Eternal Internment Of The Prolific Paradigm; Staring Through The Veil Of Aberration – 9:09
06. Cleansed By The Black Flame Of Absolution – 11:39

Credits
Dave Bennett – Guitars, Bass
Dan Klein – Drums, Vocals

Recorded and engineered by Dan Klein at Iron Hand Audio.
Mixed and mastered by Dan Klein.
Released by Blood Harvest Records in 2017.


Links
Bandcamp * Facebook

🔥 For fans of: Demilich * Morbid Angel * Suffering Hour * Immolation * Angelcorpse
💀 Label: Blood Harvest Records


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