When thinking of a colour scheme for a death metal band, what comes to mind? Perhaps blood-red, such as Cannibal Corpse’s logo, or maybe shades of pink, like the colour scheme of Death’s album Leprosy. Whichever hue you’re thinking of, it’s most likely warm. However, what if I told you there was a band that made their aesthetic cold?

Cryophilic is a self-proclaimed ‘blackened brutal death metal’ band from Hamilton, Ontario.  They’ve been in the metal scene since 2016, and have gained ~8,500 social media followers throughout their career. As of now, Cryophilic has released two studio albums, Barbarity and Damned and Decayed. 

Upon discovering the band, my eyes were immediately drawn to the gorgeous album art of Damned and Decayed: snowy, mountainous landscapes with a splash of edginess to them, featuring a barbarous-looking character that is either preparing to kill or has already killed. Sliver, ultramarine, blue-gray, and many more shades of blue adorn the art in a way that makes you shiver. I had the pleasure of seeing them perform at The Rockpile on September 13th among an array of underground metal bands. Each had their own unique branding, but Cryophilic’s stood out because it was… well… blue! 

Starting this album felt like a slap in the face. It’s like “Damned and Decayed,” without giving any time to consider leaving, took me by the collar of my shirt and forced me to listen purely out of its chaotic nature. Throughout the album, there are two types of vocal styles delivered by the lead singer: a low, grumbly, gruff sound commonly known as a ‘death growl’ and a higher-pitched vocal fry reminiscent of the voice of Gollum from the Lord of the Rings that I call ‘gremlin vocals’ (with love, of course). The voices sound like two mythical villains of the Arctic singing about their killings in gruesome detail. 

As an aspiring guitarist, I couldn’t help but notice the opening riff. I like how, although short and simple, its high pitch contrasts with the barking vocals, creating a variety of keynotes to keep the listener involved. The solo was similarly short but sweet. It included technical elements like scale shredding mixed with feel, all in a matter of seconds. 

Four songs in, I couldn’t help but notice a formula: a three-second intro riff, followed by incessant scream-singing, halted by either a guitar interval or solo, and a sudden outro. No slow parts, no clear vocals, just raw, powerful emotion. The songs effectively emulated the state of someone facing a storm headfirst, feeling like impending doom or a terrible twist of fate is coming on. “Into the Storm” also had a rushed outro, but for a good reason. Its abruptness adds to the track and gives it a punch. 

Halfway through the album, I started to wonder what the lyrics were, and if death metal listeners enjoy not knowing the words that go with songs. Sure, there’s usually Genius lyrics, but what if the band doesn’t make their lyrics public? How are their fans supposed to sing along? Alas, many questions, few answers. I grew fond of the repeated rhythm as it sounded like something you would hear from a djent band like Meshuggah, and I felt that it heightened the musicality of the track. It was around here that I realized death metal was growing on me. 

When listening to “Beware” it was like the two voices are warning me—about what, I cannot make out, but besides that, this track is very catchy! The riff compliments the vocals by imitating the notes of the singer, becoming a sub-melody of sorts. This song is one of my favourites off Damned and Decayed. 

What a weak ending to an album. “Unleashed” is essentially an amalgamation of the first four songs, with no separating qualities in its composition. I’m not opposed to the fact that, just like most tracks, the song ends abruptly with an echo and a slight fade out. The outro is just as important as the intro, and ending on a basic note does not leave the listener satisfied. 

Overall, Damned and Decayed was an okay album. Although death metal is not my favourite, there are some aspects in which it is unique, like its vocals. There was a lot of repetition, and the ending left a bad taste in my mouth. I think Cryophilic should focus on how to format an album in a way that properly introduces the nature of the work and leaves with a gratifying end. In my opinion, the lead guitarist’s potential is wasted because of the band’s need to rush instrumentals. Their next album might be perceived more positively if they focused on making their solos longer.