As much as I am a fan of metal that breaks the mold and tries something new, bold, bombastic, and downright unexpected in virtually every capacity, you just can’t knock a damn good performance for all that it brings to the table no matter the style with the question of grand innovation simply irrelevant in the face of a job well done. Few things can stand before a slab of death metal done with expert precision, and that has been a rule for decades now with there always being throngs of bands coming forth to try their best to continue the trend in stupendous fashion. From the sweltering heat of Australia, Crypt Crawler has made quite the name for themselves doing just that with their latest effort almost certainly their most captivating yet.

To come to a great understanding of your craft is to set yourself apart from much of the competition. It’s the sort of thing that can immediately grab people’s attention in seconds and keep them around to see what kind of tapestry you have woven, and it’s clear that Crypt Crawler has become quite adept at their dark weaving as the years have piled on. Already, they were a force to be reckoned with, yet it is with damn near every given aspect that’s to be found within “The Immortal Realm” that this Australian act further elevates their local scene to an even higher level while putting for death metal that is the definition of uncompromising and nigh-on satisfying from beginning to end. Laced with devastating melodies and more than enough peak songwriting to keep you crawling back time and time again, this is death metal of an ilk that we can always use more of. A pure wall of sound that delivers so much of what many claim modern death metal has been missing in recent years, it’s only fitting that an up-and-coming band like Crypt Crawler would be able to summon forth such a formidable beast with no so much as a shred of mercy to be had throughout the whole of this decimating record as the intense harmonies and oppressive themes speak for themselves at practically every possible instance. The argument can certainly be made that “The Immortal Realm” is the album that earns Crypt Crawler the title of true masters of death metal, and I would be inclined to support such a standpoint.

This is death metal as it was meant to be. An abrasive experience that raises the dead, pummels the flesh into a fine red mist, and calls forth otherworldly abominations to consume our own world in such a display that can only be considered horrific, many thousands have tried but only the finest like Crypt Crawler have been able to deliver on the concept. Nothing held back and almost certifiably the band’s absolute best work to date, “The Immortal Realm” delivers macabre majesty on all fronts.

LISTEN to “The Immortal Realm” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Crypt Crawler on Facebook here.