Echoes of the Soul

As Crypta is getting closer and closer to the release of their sophomore effort (for those unaware, "Shades of Sorrow" arrives on August 4), I thought maybe it was a good time to revisit their first stone cast into the renewal of the modern spectre of death metal. And as I anxiously await for the arrival of their second studio offer, I realize that Crypta used the paragons and circumstances of a difficult time to their favor, creating an album that stood with us through the final stages of the pandemic and that calls us to arms for what really matters.

Going into details, I'd say "Echoes of the Soul" is a fine extreme blend that contains the mix of death and thrash metal that was to be expected from an album that is still pretty influenced by Fernanda and Luana's past work in Nervosa. But what sets the album apart from the rest is that it also presents a touch of horror ("The Awakening" and the closure of "From The Ashes" are fine examples of that) and also a fine hint of lyrical philosophy ("Dark Night of the Soul"). The myth of the Phoenix explored in "From The Ashes" takes the philosophical aspect to new heights as well, presenting a general perspective of life as something that is built upon cycles: Some need to be closed for others to open and present new oportunities. But that doesn't mean we can't reemerge from the mess we've made, on the contrary: It only serves to make us more powerful. Besides, this album also presents Fernanda in her most authentic self from a lyrical standpoint, with "Starvation" depicting the social plague that was the result of the effects of the pandemic being mishandled, but at the same time expressing the anger and revolt that came with its consequences. Everything in that song screams fury, combined with a desire to change things up: From Fernanda's fierce - yet demonic - vocals to the unstoppable blast that was Luana Dametto's drum assault, everything in "Starvation" emanates the fury of a relatable topic in society, that does not - or should not - concern only those who experience it first hand.

From the songwriting standpoint, the album is absolutely flawless, but I think what stands out the most is Sonia Anubis' songwriting ability. Considering that, in recent years, Sonia drove herself away from her extreme metal roots in favor of a more accessible, almost "glamy" approach to the genre (check her band Cobra Spell if you haven't already), she definitely shows she hasn't lost a step, with the solos in "Kali", "Bloodstained Heritage" and "From The Ashes" being among her best lead guitar works and showing incredibly maturity and technique for a musician in her early 20's. Production wise, it is still good, but I fear it is not as good as the production in "Shades of Sorrow" will probably be. Somehow the mixing, mastering... all those aspects feel more "modern" in this record, and it lacks a bit of the punch a death metal record should have in that aspect.

All in all, "Echoes of the Soul" presents us the need for reinvention, the urge to start a new cycle when the one we're a part of doesn't fit us anymore. It presents a hardening of Fernanda and Luana's sound (their work in Nervosa had a bigger emphasis on thrash) without losing sight of what really matters. Metal, philosophy, horror, a little bit of personal experience - this album created the perfect combo that allowed it to fulfill its primordial goal: Symbolize the arrival of a new band with an absolute blast, leaving the refinement of the sound to future records. "Echoes of the Soul" started the work that "Shades of Sorrow" will finish. And every album after that will just be better and better, because the expectations will be just as higher.