• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

We're really getting into the underground here, folks, with Portuguese nutbags Cripta Oculta shining that foul light of Black Metal magic for those out there who like it wild and raw. Already onto their second album, Cripta Oculta have produced a rather clamorous affair, though it's not without its charm. Eros dos Dolmens Esquecidos reminds me of Taake in parts (they go for an almost folky fix, which they meld with the extreme lo-fi sound of the scene's truest players), and at others, all I can hear is Gallhammer. In truth, there is a lot of melody going on beneath the fuzzy surface, but the production is well and truly harsh, way below the quality classified to be a demo, sounding like a chainsaw that has somehow learned to harmonize with itself.

Hidden below this hash of noise are some great riffs, most of which don't even belong to the Black Metal genre. A lot of the time, Cripta Oculta are happy to dwell in some weird void between folk and true metal, with keyboards that (again, in Taake fashion) bring atmosphere to the fore. We're looking at a solemn feel mostly, with the pace staying in the middle reaches, which is a blessing in some ways. If this thing was blasting Hate Forest style only the purists would find it amusing. It's the vocals that kept my interest, though – they are some of the cruelest I've heard yet. Anyway, it's limited to 1000 copies so if you want it, you'll have to be quick. We're going deep with this one, gang. Lord only knows what the scene will spit at me next...