Kryptos: Burn Up the Night

I have to admit, I don’t often think of India when it comes to old school heavy metal bands, but Bangalore-based band Kryptos is maybe the perfect example of that kind of music. They’ve been around for more than a decade, and in that time have had the distinction of being the first Indian band to play a set at the Wacken Open Air festival. They’re out with a new album this year, their fourth full-length, titled Burn Up the Night.

Kryptos has a really interesting mix of sounds. Heavy thrash – think Coroner and Kreator – dominates, but there’s also a strong NWOBHM vibe to the guitars and melodies. Plus harsher vocals that almost, but not quite, make it to death metal territory. The combination of sounds is positively lethal, making Burn Up the Night a really memorable release. You normally expect high-octave vocals on an album like this, but the gruffer approach makes this album stand out.

With eight songs totaling just 40 minutes, Burn Up the Night is a gloriously old school release. Even the Mattias Frisk (Ghost, Miasmal) cover art looks like something on either Neat Records or Metal Blade circa 1984. Highlights here (not that there are any low points) are the galloping, Maiden-esque “Waverider” and “Burn Up the Night,” the sinister, doomy “The Summoning” and the beast of a closer “Prepare to Strike.”

There is no shortage of really impressive traditional heavy metal albums this year, but Kryptos has to be added to the list of the year’s standout releases with Burn Up the Night. This is a must-have album for fans of Kreator, Coroner, early Iron Maiden, Enforcer and Wolf.

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