Retro-Inspired Doom Rockers Kryptograf Release "Kryptonomicon"
Kryptograf is a doom rock quartet from Bergen, Norway whose retro-toned sound is infused with psychedelic, heavy, and occult rock. The band is inspired by the musical vibes of the late 60s, as well as bands such as Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Witchcraft, Uncle Acid, and Motorpsycho. While the influence of all of these is apparent in Kryptograf's music, their overall sound is all their own, moving freely from the sinister tones of doom to the brighter and more fluid dimensions of psychedelic and heavy rock, but always with an authentic vintage hue.
The band got their start in 2019, releasing their debut self-titled album the following year. This was quickly followed by their sophomore release, The Eldorado Spell, in 2022. Now, on March 7, 2025, Kryptograf is releasing their third full-length album, the nautical voyage-themed Kryptonomicon. The band released three singles from the album: You and I in March 2024, Beyond the Horizon in January 2025, and The Blade in February 2025. While these latter two tracks have more of a classic Kryptograf sound, You and I proved to be something quite different, buoyant with some energetic and infectious alternative rock textures that left me very curious to see which direction Kryptograf would take on Kryptonomicon. Was You and I a one off, a singular side quest through brighter skies before plunging back into the brooding gray? Or would Kryptograf be debuting a totally revamped sound on their new album? Let's discuss.
Kryptograf - Kryptonomicon
Album cover art by Lars Kvernberg
Kryptonomicon encompasses a septet of songs:
1.) Beyond The Horizon
Beyond the Horizon very appropriately kicks off Kryptonomicon. While this lively, seafaring track utilizes bright and feel-good retro rock tones, it also seems to serve as a warning from the sea itself; the sailors' knowledge that they may not return from the voyage is abundantly clear. This is communicated with a whisper of apprehension in the verses, as well as lyrics such as:
"Beyond the horizon
Up and over the edge
Fade into nothing
Forever lost"
A major slowdown in the middle of the song characterized by spiraling, wispy atmospheres, much like sailing through a dense fog, is an interlude of seriousness as the gravity of the situation dawns on our motley crew. We're suddenly snapped out of this somber haze as some excellent guitar work rips into the final third of the song while the vocals frantically warn,
"I worship the evil
Forever lost to the sea
The curse is hidden beneath you
You're too blind to see"
Beyond the Horizon not only sets the tone, but the entire stage for the album, as any great prologue would, but it will also enchant you with its catchy heavy rock hooks in the process.
2.) The Blade
The Blade is a much darker track than the album opener, both in sound and subject matter. It features much more sinister, crunchier, and weightier guitars that often lean further into metal territory, intense and prominent percussion that's always in one ear like a throbbing pulse, and an absolutely delicious bass feature about two thirds of the way in that will hypnotize you with its evil groove. The vocals, which are still very retro rock in their delivery particularly when combined into harmonies, promise "pools of blood" and a "swift return to dust" as the "wretched" meet their maker.
Overall, The Blade waxes a bit fantastical with some traditional doom influences, reminding me of The Sword's first album, Age of Winters, with a propensity for proto metal.
3.) Kryptonomicon
The title track has a healthy infusion of heavy psych and occult rock vibes, reminiscent of early Witchcraft in the guitar tone in particular. However, every verse of darkened psychedelic groove is capped by a haunting and stripped-down doomy refrain in which possessed-sounding vocals repeat,
"He hides the sun and we shiver
Now the earth turns black beneath us"
By the final third of the song, any unease that has plagued our troop dissipates as the instrumentals launch into the most engrossing jam session, ending Kryptonomicon with what feels like one hell of a party.
4.) You and I
As alluded to in the intro of this review, You and I has a live wire alternative rock energy amid the vintage rock tones, as well as some stoner rock grit and even a hint of punk in the main vocal. Did I mention there's also some harmonica in there?
Both lyrically and instrumentally, You and I adheres to the plot of Kryptonomicon but could just as easily stand on its own as an infectious stoner rock tune with 70s heavy rock proclivities.
It's very evident that Kryptograf is trying on a brighter and more modern sound on this track and I can genuinely say they did a phenomenal job. While I can certainly hear several (beautifully executed) deviations from the band's usual fare, I can still very much tell that You and I is a Kryptograf song.
5.) From Below
Dark and stormy, this turbulent track brings both the doom and heavy psych like no other on the album.. A wicked, Sabbathian intro sets the ominous tone, leading into some crunchy and apprehensive verses in which the vocals relay the cause for alarm:
"My destiny, to die in agony
My dreams are not my own
Something calls me from below"
These verses are punctuated by ghostly howls, a haunting yet mesmeric call from which you couldn't escape if you tried.
When the slow trudge of doom returns near the song's end, ringing like a death knell, we can only surmise that our heroes fell victim to the creature (or forces) lurking in the depths.
From Below, like You and I, surprised me a bit in the best possible way. This time, that astonishment arose after hearing just how heavy Kryptograf can get, particularly when it comes to the original late-60s style of doom metal. Not only that, but the band manages to keep the sound fluid and layered with the addition of heavy psych, never letting the song get bogged down. This helps immensely when it comes to keeping the story moving and adequately conveying emotion. From Below is undoubtedly one of my favorite songs on the album.
6.) Lost at Sea
Lost at Sea is a natural follow-up to From Below. While the waters are choppy, still reeling from the recent tempest, there's a much stronger emphasis on spiraling psychedelia. Booming drums and wailing guitar solos culminate in an isolated, pulsing doom riff at the song's end that leaves many more questions than answers. Overall, Lost at Sea signals a disconnect from reality and delivers a sense of hopelessness.
Kryptograf packs a ton of sonic imagery and instrumental prowess into this three-minute track, and it goes by very quickly while still leaving quite a mark on the listener, especially as the final few notes of its haunting outro evaporate into the salty air.
7.) The Gales
The longest song on the album at just over eight minutes, The Gales begins with some aquatic undercurrents beneath the doom rock riffs that echo and flow like ripples in a pond. However, there's an undeniable and very ominous electric charge hovering in the atmosphere, almost like that specific smell in the air before a strong thunderstorm. This premonition is confirmed as the song launches into some forbidding moods, filled with percussive and crisp metal guitars and ultra-expressive, commanding vocals.
The final third of the song is earth-shattering in both power and emotion, the impassioned wails of both the lead guitar and the vocals join forces to underline the intensity of the situation as our voyage draws to an end, the stark contrast between the pounding doom riffs and cool blue flow of psychedelia illustrating the incongruous nature of such a dark and tragic event occurring amid the scintillating beauty of the sea. We're especially reminded of this disparateness as The Gales takes us out with some soothing beachy tones and sounds of the ocean waves lapping at the shore, this directly following the despairing sound of the doom-laden nautical battle with the water-dwelling inhabitants of the underworld.
Final Thoughts
I feel completely confident in saying that Kryptonomicon is Kryptograf's most complex, layered, nuanced, and best work to date. The album not only sees the band testing out some brighter sounds (heard on You and I), but leaning infinitely harder into progressive rock, primarily with their focus on storytelling. Kryptonomicon relays an entire epic within its seven chapters, but it's divided into short, digestible doses, especially when compared to many other yarn-spinning progressive and traditional doom albums, something this listener greatly appreciates. However, the most compelling take-away for me is that Kryptonomicon, in spite of its relative brevity, sounds like an album that was developed over a long period of time, gaining odds and ends like a folk tale and aging like a fine wine, allowing intricate details to blossom quite naturally.
Having demonstrated these creatively sophisticated compositional skills as well as the instrumental aptitude that we already knew the band possesses, Kryptograf proves with this release that they can truly sail beyond the horizon and into any direction they choose: doom, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, an upbeat stoner/alternative jam, or wherever the wind takes them...the sky's the limit.
More About Kryptograf
Kryptograf is:
Vegard Strand - Guitar, Vocals
Odd Erlend Mikkelsen - Guitar, Vocals
Eirik Arntsen - Drums, Vocals
Eivind Standal Moen - Bass
You can follow Kryptograf and listen to their music at the following links:
If you like Kryptograf, you might also enjoy Motorpsycho!
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