How does a band meet expectations after delivering what’s arguably the best material in their entire career? That’s a debacle that has plagued throngs of talent over the decades with it being a riddle that is still very prevalent to this day. Some throw in the towel wishing to end on an undeniable high note while most tend to surge forward into whatever may come next. Last year, Crypt Sermon released “The Stygian Rose”, a truly career-defining effort that stands as the certifiable high mark of the rising force. Thus, the question stands: how do you follow up after delivering such a widely hailed work? In this case, with a little bit more!

I’ve never been one to be into reviewing B-sides, but, as with anything, there are always exceptions. I make my love of Crypt Sermon no secret. It has been a true privilege to witness this act rise out of the nothingness to become one of the premier names in the entirety of modern doom metal with time only seeming to sweeten their sound that was already deadly and captivating right from the beginning. “The Stygian Rose” was no different, and it’s an absolute joy to be able to have just a little bit more from the same recording session brought forth to us in such a form that feels just as satisfying and enthralling. “Saturnian Appendices” could have easily been little more than a whatever EP, yet, against the odds, Crypt Sermon manages to make it an essential piece of their growing discography. It would be all too easy to consider this work a mere morsel of a larger platter, but I would implore you to recognize these four tracks for what they are: Crypt Sermon doing what they do best in exemplary fashion. A tour de force of epic doom metal that is nigh on infectious, masterfully crafted, and invigorating to become lost within at virtually any given moment, “Saturnian Appendices” manages to stand on its own two feet with such supreme grandeur that you forget these are the B-sides to their previous effort. The magic and power of “Saturnian Appendices” speaks for itself. Without even taking into consideration the intensely flavorful cover that closes out the EP, it demands to be made clear that this work is a piece of classic Crypt Sermon that demands to be experienced.

This is the definition of “a cherry on top”. It’s that little extra bit of sweetness that you never quite anticipated but damn is it ever so sweet beyond your expectations! Crypt Sermon hasn’t needed to prove anything for years now, yet it’s with everything that was brought together to bring “Saturnian Appendices” to life makes it clear that there should be no mistake; this is one of the most fascinating names of our time!

LISTEN to “Saturnian Appendices” on Bandcamp here.

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