Kryptos: Afterburner (AFM , 2019)

Hailing from Bangalore, India, heavy/thrash metal band Kryptos is back with a new album, titled Afterburner. It’s their fifth full-length release, and second since signing to the AFM label. Kryptos was a really fun discovery for me when their previous album (Burn Up The Night) came out in 2016, not only because I wasn’t aware that India even had a metal scene, but because the band did such a great job channeling that classic thrash metal sound.

Kryptos comes in with an old school heavy thrash style, clearly influenced by the likes of Coroner, Kreator and Destruction, but there’s also a traditional heavy metal vibe, especially in the melodies and overall attitude. Nolan Lewis’s harsher vocals almost, but not quite, make it to death metal territory, which amplifies the Kreator comparison.

Like Burn Up The Night, Afterburner gets right down to business. Eight songs, 40 minutes and zero filler. Right from the start the title track, “Cold Blood” and “Dead Of Night” beat you into submission, and later on songs like “Mach Speed Running” and “Crimson Queen” stand out.

If you’re looking for an album that celebrates everything great (and fun) about heavy metal’s glory days, Afterburner definitely gets the job done. Raise your fist, bang your heads and get to know one of the more exciting newer bands playing old school metal. Fans of Kreator, Coroner, early Iron Maiden, Enforcer and Wolf will especially want to check out Kryptos.