Cryptosis – The Silent Call Album Review

Rewind to 2021 when Cryptosis released their debut album Bionic Swarm. Many fans couldn't
believe the blend of sophisticated songwriting, near-flawless technical execution, and polished
production shown by the scene newcomers. Cryptosis very much presented and played like a
band that had been around the block before. Well, that’s because they have. 

The trio of Laurens Houvast (vocals, guitar), Frank te Riet (bass, backing vocals, mellotron), and
Marco Prij (drums) formed the thrash band Distillator in 2013 and released two studio albums
before changing their name to Cryptosis.

 According to Houvast, the name change marked both their signing with Century Media as well
as a stylistic departure from the traditional thrash sound. So, technically, that makes Bionic
Swarm the band’s third release and, flash forward to December 2023, we now have an EP from
the Dutch trio dubbed The Silent Call.

Avid fans of Bionic Swarm, myself included, may feel a bit cheated by The Silent Call’s modest
sub 20-minute length, but, as they say, it’s supposed to be quality over quantity. That’s where
Cryptosis delivers.

“The Silent Call” opens with a brooding riff against ominous overtones courtesy of the mellotron.
Let’s take a minute to acknowledge the mellotron, courtesy of Frank te Riet, because a lot of the
ambience that elevates the music beyond standard thrash and death conventions is courtesy of
this instrument and it is used ubiquitously throughout the EP.

The eeriness of the intro is almost immediately pierced by a scream from Houvast and a blast
beat from Prij. “The Silent Call” falls into conventional death and thrash metal sounds here, but
the mellotron makes a triumphant return at the 2:30 mark when a melody-rich breakdown
switches things up yet again.

“The Silent Call,” in this regard, is a journey that challenges many standards of modern metal
music and succeeds at creating something innovative, original, and endlessly intriguing. Those
who praise genre fusion will find a lot to love.

That doesn’t mean the genre purists are SOL, however. The second track, “Master of Life,”
shows Cryptosis paying homage to their thrash roots with scale-shredding guitar fills, double-
bass heavy beats, and shrill falsettos. Fans of Slayer, Kreator, and Destruction are sure to
gravitate towards this thrash banger.

The duo of “The Silent Call” and “Master of Life” displays much of what makes Cryptosis a true
up-and-comer in the genre, but it’s unfortunately all we get in terms of new music. Live versions
of “Prospect of Immortality” and “Transcendence,” originally released on 2021’s Bionic Swarm,
serve as the final tracks of The Silent Call.

The question with live versions is always, “Does it sound as good or better than the original?”
Some fans will always prefer the polish you get from a studio recording, whereas others love
live versions so long as they capture the energy of the performance. Luckily, Cryptosis falls in
the latter category; the sound quality is on point, with all instruments audible, and the crowd’s
electricity is palpable.

Whoever’s decision it was to feature “Prospect of Immortality” and “Transcendence” over the
other Bionic Swarm songs deserves credit; it was definitely the right choice. Not only do these
tracks follow one another on the original release, but they mirror “The Silent Call” and “Master of
Life” by serving as a juxtaposition of the two predominant sounds that Cryptosis is known for.
So, where does The Silent Call lose points? Brevity. The two new tracks are solid and the live
versions are a treat, but, as a follow-up to a 10-song 10/10 full-length, The Silent Call is an
amuse-bouche when I’m hungry for a real meal. Thankfully, Cryptosis expects to release a full-
length in 2024, so we shouldn’t have to wait long.

But let’s not judge it for what The Silent Call didn’t give us and focus on what we do have: an
ironclad EP that more than earns its way into my rotation where it will likely enjoy heavy play
until the next album drops. For that, I’m awarding The Silent Call an 8/10 rating.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be practicing the dance from “The Silent Call” music video, and you
best believe I’ll be busting it out in the mosh pit!

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Review by: Chris Covello