Cripta Blue - "No Return"
Cripta Blue is a genre-blurring trio from Ravenna, Italy, whose sound is rooted in the retro psychedelic and proto doom sounds of the late 60s. Other than that, as you'll find out, their sound isn't so easy to pin down. From these roots of sinister doom-laden reverberations and sepia-colored retro rock, Cripta Blue sprouts climbing tendrils of many kinds. Some of these make their way to the gritty, unforgiving desert. Others are cloaked in a smoky, mysterious haze. Still more are just, well...downright groovy. No matter how you choose to describe their unique sound, Cripta Blue is a true chameleon of a band who doesn't let the confines of genre affiliations hold them back.
Cripta Blue began releasing music around 2021, dropping one full-length album that year. After a lineup change, the band began working on new songs for a three-track EP, "Rather with the Devil" (2023). A little bird ;) told me that Rather with the Devil provides some great insight into the latest incarnation of the band's sound, and I found this to be quite accurate indeed. Rather with the Devil combines a more Sabbathian approach to proto doom, particularly on the standout track Figure in Black. On the flipside, the final song Spectrum has a noticeably more atmospheric approach to heavy psych that floats among some bluesy tones. After hearing this, it's easy to see how these influences lead to Cripta Blue's most recent album, No Return, released via Argonauta Records on Halloween 2024.
No Return
1.) No Return
Dripping with dark doomy psych, No Return was the first single released from the album and my first time hearing Cripta Blue. In fact, I was so psyched about this song that I wrote about it here. No Return really embodies the bluesy inclination of proto metal. There's also a certain percussiveness and choppiness in the instrumentals and vocals alike that provides a unique spin, making the tone a bit unsettling in a good way. This song is incredibly sophisticated in that it's both smooth and rough, groovy and eerie.
2.) Dark Temptation
Unlike No Return, second track Dark Temptation relies far less on the smoothness of retro rock and blues and is much more agitated and apprehensive for the majority of the song. An airier psychedelic vibe in the final third of the song in conjunction with a prominent, snaking bass line and wailing guitar lifts the mood.
3.) The Hermit
One of two longer tracks on the album, The Hermit features a gritty, driving riff with a psychedelic slowdown and deliciously evil bass groove in the middle. This song feels a bit more stripped down and raw, each element of the music - guitar, vocals, bass, and drums - shining through with their own individual contributions. The overall vibe by the end is a hazy, mind-bending one, almost a bit spooky in places.
4.) Desert Deceit
Oh wow...where to start with the diamond that is Desert Deceit? For starters, and to continue with the image of precious stones, this song stands out as being particularly multi-faceted. While the tracks that precede it seem to have a more bare bones approach (in the best way), Desert Deceit feels fuller somehow, primarily with emotion and passion from both vocals and instrumentals. I absolutely adore the opening to the song as it begins with moody bass and a simple two-note organ accompaniment, setting the stage with a melancholy spirit and an air of frustrated resignation. This is also conveyed in the lyrics, for example:
"No one, no one, no one, I can see no one
The sand, the silence, the wind
In a struggle from within"
More of that gritty guitar is especially fitting here, working with the crawling bass lines in the verses to create a trudging feeling before opening up to lighter choruses. It creates a cycle of sorts: the hardship of the journey, the acquisition of hope, and that hope getting dashed with an admission of defeat. I think the "hope" in this instance is "deceit": fleeting, a mirage.
Desert Deceit picks up in the end with a stellar heavy rock groove, giving the impression that, if you're going to go out, you might as well go out in a blaze of glory.
5.) Edge of Instinct
The second single released from the album, Edge of Instinct is very much a ballad, but it's a ballad as done by Cripta Blue. Lighter, spiraling guitar mingles with that awesomely weighty bass that's been present throughout the entire album, providing a moody contrast. An occasional whine or wail from the Hammond organ seals the somberness of the mood.
6.) Hypnotic Haze
The appropriately titled Hypnotic Haze is certainly both hypnotic and hazy in the best way. It's an instrumental track that's essentially an insanely fun retro psychedelic jam session that alternates between a smoky, trippy sway and an all out rollicking, acidic groove. This song beautifully showcases Cripta Blue's instrumental prowess, taking a break from the darkness and weight of doom and totally letting loose.
Final Thoughts
First of all...the bass! I love bass guitar, particularly low, evil, prominent bass guitar, and No Return is absolutely filled with the stuff. Best of all, this isn't only the case on the heavier, "doomier" songs, but it's a constant throughout the entire album, even on the ballad, and it just works SO WELL.
I also love the eerie undertone throughout No Return. You can hear it in the instrumentals, but it's especially noticeable in the vocals, really putting a unique touch on the band's overall sound.
More than anything, I adore how Cripta Blue is so adaptive and pliable, creating a sound that is uniquely their own. This is a band that truly lets creativity, their unique musical influences, and their exceptional skills lead them in a very natural way, which is the mark of a successful band in my humble opinion.
More About Cripta Blue
Cripta Blue Is:
Alessandro Melandri - Bass, Lead Vocals
Federico Bocchini - Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Silvio Della Valle - Drums
You can follow Cripta Blue and listen to their music at the following links:
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