Band:	Cryogenic
Album:	Parsifal 21
Style:	Symphonic black metal
Release date:	2003

01. Intro
02. Cryogenesis
03. Das Andere
04. 4
05. Momentum
06. Verzweiflung
07. Synthese
08. Erste Elegie
09. Persifal 21

The first time I met Cryogenic was via an interview and I enjoyed their views concerning music and Art. One day I decided, after a special person recommended it, to buy "Persifal 21." I am glad I bought it because it's an album proposing an alternative view concerning black metal, being different and more various from the average and classic black metal sound of the early 90s.

The only band I could compare Cryogenic with is The Kovenant of "Animatronic" in the cold industrialized feeling that floats in obscure ways in the air with this album. The Kovenant influenced Cryogenic mainly emotionally/atmospherically and not that much musically. A bit of Arcturus ("La Masquerade Infernale" era) appears at times too, as an idea mainly, lurking in the structure of the songs. Cryogenic are not a copy band though, they are just influenced and nothing more, harmonizing their influences with their own ideas.

Their atmosphere is imposing and riveting, having an obscure sense of frost being utterly inspired evoking visuals of deep blackened emotions. The feelings that float in the air vary, ranging from epic to melancholic and from dark industrialized to morbid elegiac ones. The guitar riffing is not in the Norwegian razorblade black metal vein. Instead it flows like the first three releases of Gehenna (I am not saying that they are influenced by Gehenna, I mean the way the guitars work like in this album). It paves the way with the rhythm section, which holds tight the compositions lending groove in any tempo, on which the keyboard melodies and the vocals will step on and enrich the atmosphere of the song/album. The guitars are distorted evoking a cold lifeless feeling in the air. They harmonize wonderfully with the harsh black metal at times, while at others dramatic reciting or whispering vocals. Now we reach the keyboards which are the strong point of Cryogenic and make their sound way more affected. They evoke various emotions and visions in the air, dreamy or nightmarish, devout or menacing, epic or lyrical, traveling you to the borders of the universe through their intergalactic soundcapes!

The album consists of 9 compositions and believe me it flows as one from the very first until the last. It opens with an atmospheric instrumental piece, "Intro" opening the gateways of the universe. As the album goes on we reach utterly inspired compositions filled with emotion and atmosphere. The 8-minute opus bearing the name "Verzweiflung" caressing your restless soul with the various soundscapes and emotions it evokes. The raging, and at the same time imposing, epic and atmospheric "Momentum," the dreamy but still threatening instrumental piece "Synthese" unfold their majestic symphonies in the air surrounding you under a cosmic veil. Finally the fabulous, musically and atmospherically, "Erste Elegie" strikes you down like a magical maelstrom of inspiration flowing in raging tempos without losing in emotion and atmosphere.

I forgot to mention that their lyrics are in German, but I am sure you will love Cryogenic since the music is fabulous and definitely not something you have the chance to listen at every day. Fans of The Kovenant/Covenant and of the majestic/symphonic black metal scene that are not afraid to flirt with industrial should definitely check them out. I tried to describe their sound in the best way that I could, hope I made it; enjoy Cryogenic!