Band:	Kryptos
Album:	Decimator
Style:	Heavy metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	July 2024

01. Sirens Of Steel
02. Fall To The Spectre's Gaze
03. Turn Up The Heat
04. Electrify
05. Solaris
06. Decimator
07. In The Shadow Of The Blade
08. Pathfinder
09. We Are The Night

NWOBHM and 80s thrash may be scenes of the past, but the music they spawned still remains alive and well, thanks to bands from unlikely regions far and wide.

India isn't a nation particularly renowned for producing internationally known metal bands, but much like anywhere else in the world, you'll likely stumble across a few hidden gems if searching hard enough, and the heavy/thrash band Kryptos is definitely one of those groups worth looking into. Since emerging onto the scene back in 1998, the band have gone on to release 7 full-length albums, which now includes latest offering Decimator. Over their 26-year existence, Kryptos have been steadily building a solid reputation for themselves whilst improving with each passing release, but will this latest effort be the one that rightfully secures them a position of significance on the modern heavy/thrash map, and reach heavy metal fans from far and wide who've yet to hear what this band can do?

The band is a foursome featuring founding member Nolan Lewis (guitars/vocals), who is joined by Rohit Chaturvedi (guitars), Vijit Singh (drums), and latest edition Vasu Chandran (bass). Starting off as one of the leading pioneering acts on the Indian heavy metal scene, they focus on fusing 80s thrash with NWOBHM, incorporating influences that range from Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, to Coroner and Kreator. The line drawn between traditional heavy and thrash metal isn't often met; usually bands opt for one rather than the other, rarely combining both genres in a single movement. However, one of the few notable bands that has succeeded in doing so is Metal Church, and although not quite following in their footsteps, Kryptos also chose to go down a similar route, albeit with a more ferocious approach. Inevitably this music style is continued on Decimator, which at just over 30 minutes in length is far from a lengthy offering, but for what it lacks in length and originality, it certainly makes up for in energy and memorability, while the classic Judas Priest-style cover art should also be a giveaway for what to expect.

Starting the album off is "Sirens Of Steel", an opener that is nothing out of the ordinary, but the classic breakneck thrashing leads, traditional melodic heavy metal riffs, and energetic Di'anno-style vocals should be an indication of where the album is heading. The following track, "Fall To The Spectre's Gaze", is a delightful album highlight, and although it may have some listeners screaming for more speed, you simply cannot resist a good old-fashioned headbang to its high-quality catchy main riff that's led by a tremendous upbeat rhythm section. Following in a slightly different manner is "Turn Up The Heat", a song that doesn't necessarily do that, but it definitely brings a powerful sense of nostalgia that cries out 80s heavy metal like nothing else I've heard all year.

I suspect by the time you've reached the halfway point you'll be left thinking "this is great and all, but there's nothing original about this"; that's until you're met by the short folky instrumental interlude "Solaris". It does seem quite out of place, but I believe this to simply be a chance for the musicians to break the mould and show their capabilities for improvising if need be. The band then get back on form following the short interlude and slightly underwhelming title track with "In The Shadow Of The Blade"; this song features yet another incredibly catchy and memorable main riff, with super melodic leads, similar to the previous highlighted track "Fall To The Spectre's Gaze". "Pathfinder" then follows a similar template to "Turn Up The Heat" as another classic 80s-style anthem.

Simply put, Decimator is not going to win you over if you're looking for an original modern masterpiece; this style of classic heavy and thrash metal has been done countless times since the turn of the century. It was all new back in the 80s, and bands developed and evolved by the time the 90s came about, but now we find ourselves in 2024, where bands from unlikely regions such as India are bringing the old glorious days back in style. At the end of the day, I class myself as a simple man with simple tastes; I like to delve into the realms of extreme metal obscurity from time to time, but when I want to lighten up my mood with a simple headbang, nothing satisfies me more than a bit of traditional heavy or thrash metal, and Kryptos has proven to be a band that meets those needs; Decimator will be a replayable album for this very purpose, I'm sure.