Cryptex, The: Nimbus

Our next stop is Germany and the progressive/alternative rock band The Cryptex. They formed in 2006 and their fourth album titled Nimbus is my first foray into the band’s music. This is a very interesting album mainly due to the band’s diverse approach covering prog, theatrical, hard rock, and metal. Suffice to say this stuff is far from boring, and indeed Nimbus is a very good album.

Huge riffs define the album opening “Fall Down�, the vocals gruff and gritty and the chorus catchy and addictive. Between the groove, guitar work, and the vocals, this is a tasty tune all around. The winding synths on the heavy “Cobra� add another dimension and the vocals traverse between cleans and growls. The band really cooks here and had me thinking this might be something Ghost could come up with. The razor edged riffs on the rocking “Sugarleaf� combined with some interesting twists and turns and a quirky arrangement brings out the progressive side of the band. I hear a little Queen in this one. The melodic “Holy Ground� with its tasty guitar and keys goes from a pop feel to heavy rock and back again and features another smart arrangement. The East Indian melodies and Queen-like vocals in the title track offer up more progressive twists.

The Cryptex have made a fresh and exciting album with Nimbus. An easy recommendation for any fan of rock music that wants to explore a little outside the box.

A Phonotraxx Publishing release.

The band is:
Simon Moskon (keys, synths, percussions, lead and backing vocals)
André Jean Henri Mertens (lead and rhythm guitars, banjo, lead and backing vocals)
David Silesu (bass and backing vocals)
Markus Kleiner (drums, percussions, backing vocals)

Track Listing:
1. Fall Down
2. Cobra
3. Sugarleaf
4. Holy Ground
5. Nimbus
6. Devil’s Casino
7. Somanoid
8. How Many Days
9. Nevermore Creek
10. Abyss
11. The Day We Will Meet Again
12. Son Of Fortune

Added: May 11th 2025
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 234
Language: english

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