Cryptex – Once upon a Time

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Prog Metal is one of the most flexible subgenres of Metal. Under its umbrella it is possible to cover lots of features from Metal itself to jazz, rock, blues, and all around them all. This “Once upon a Time” is full of those different influences around Art Rock. First of all, I’m not really sure if I label them as Prog Metal. I guess modern Art Rock fits much better because it lacks the heavyness Metal needs. The guitars are too opaque, as intentionally hiding their heavyness, in some tracks. Of course, it’s not a bad thing at all, it is only to situate the fan around the band. That’s what reviews are for.

After the first round around the album, the impression is that Cryptex  based their music in three main bands: Pink Floyd, Supertramp and Queen. From Pink Floyd they got the idea to vary the instrumentals of the songs mixing jazz, blues, some classical music, and some other; from Supertramp they got the flexibility to use other features as the theatrical and vaudeville combined with the vocals, and finally from Queen the high range of vocals possible including dous, trios and whatever. I dare to say that “Once upon a Time” is an album of vocals due to the variety of vocal influences and genre reach. As the fan may notice the album lacks the major or declared influence of any Metal band because all the heavy guitars possible to find are within the Art Rock universe. Remember that some Pink Floyd songs are pretty heavy. It’s obvious the care the band had in order to write vocal lines always worrying to vary. Opening and title track “Once upon a Time” tell this tale. It’s one of the tracks that reminds a lot Supertramp along with the second “Because The Reason Is You.” It’s hard to believe that all this was made by only three people. Ok, I know studio resources are huge and unbelievable these days, but even so the result outstands.

Here’s an effort that will please only the fans who into Art Rock or any kind Prog Metal due to its out of the box constitution. As I said before, the album is great but not for the average Metal fan. “Once upon a Time” as all the great stuff isn’t for everybody.

Cryptex  “Once upon a Time” will be released on May 08th via Steamhammer / SPV.

Track Listing:

  1. Once Upon a Time
  2. Because the Reason Is You
  3. Bloodmoon
  4. Body Language
  5. Two Horned Crown
  6. Haunted
  7. Reptiles
  8. I Don’t Know Why
  9. The Promise Keeper
  10. I See It in Your Eyes
  11. A Mo(u)rning
  12. Leaving

Watch “Haunted” official video here:

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