LIVE(STREAM) REVIEW: Cryptosis @ Metropool, Enschede, The Netherlands
As livestreams have become more and more popular over the last year, it’s tough to keep them fresh and interesting. Luckily for fans and potential fans of Dutch progressive thrash mob CRYPTOSIS, their album release stream was a showcase in stage production and sound while also being enlightening as they gave us a short insight into the record’s creation before their set.
After a couple of countdowns, we’re treated to a behind the scenes gander at the making of Bionic Swarm which included words from the band themselves. There’s also a brief interview with the man behind the album’s alien sci-fi artwork, Eliron Kantor. It’s great that the band acknowledges every aspect of the making of a record. After some final words of praise from Phillipe Schulte, Director of Century Media, who signed the band, the trio get ready to take to the stage.
The lights dim and the screen backdrop comes to life as their album intro Overture 2149 builds to a dramatic crescendo. The lads rip into Decypher with ferocity. The release of playing again looks mighty cathartic after having been away from any stage for so long.
Their stage layout is simple but effective, with chrome styled equipment and striking lighting matching the dystopian sci-fi themes of their album’s concept. Lead vocalist/guitarist Laurens Houvast’s mic stand being a strong contender for the sickest design of recent times, looking like something you’d see standing at the doors of Cyberdog in Camden Town. The lighting up of the eyes whenever Houvast barks his vicious thrash vocals is a quality touch.
The slower, more progressive tracks such as Prospect Of Immortality and Mindscape are brooding and eerie and let the band take a well-earned breather before they unleash back into their signature shredding attack.
Transcendence and Conjuring The Egoist would open up pits in the centre of any festival crowd, and the pure energy radiating from the stage would be enough to send any future attendees into a frenzy.
The production quality is top-notch but sadly marred by YouTube’s compression. The mix is one of the best heard from a livestream so far. Every note is heard clearly and everyone is perfectly balanced. The musicianship shown here is truly incredible as they show off how tight they are live and how they can bring the sound from Bionic Swarm onto the stage. Hopefully, the band can actually showcase this off to a live audience soon.
Rating: 9/10