Unending Degradation (2013) - Krypts

Released in 2013, Unending Degradation marks the debut full-length effort by Finnish death/doom metal band Krypts. The album is a grim descent into darkness, showcasing a crushing, atmospheric approach that blends cavernous death metal with haunting doom passages. It quickly established Krypts as a force within the underground metal scene, revered for their ability to craft oppressive soundscapes.

Tracklist:

1. Perpetual Beyond
2. Blessed Entwinement
3. Open the Crypt
4. Dormancy of the Ancients
5. Inhale...
6. The Black Smoke
7. Day of Reckoning
8. Beneath the Archaic

Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, Unending Degradation immerses the listener in an atmosphere of dread and decay. The album opens with Perpetual Beyond, setting a foreboding tone with its eerie, ambient intro. Tracks like Blessed Entwinement and Open the Crypt feature crushing riffs and guttural vocals that epitomize the band’s heavy sound, while slower sections evoke an oppressive sense of doom.

Dormancy of the Ancients and Beneath the Archaic exemplify the band's mastery of pacing, seamlessly shifting between blistering death metal assaults and slow, suffocating doom interludes. The album’s title track, Unending Degradation, serves as a powerful closer, leaving the listener enveloped in the band’s chilling, morbid atmosphere.

Unending Degradation stands as a remarkable example of modern death/doom metal. The balance between heaviness and atmosphere is executed with precision, making it a captivating listen from start to finish. Tracks like Blessed Entwinement and The Black Smoke stand out for their ability to evoke both dread and awe, offering a masterclass in dynamic songwriting.

This album is a must-listen for fans of oppressive, atmospheric death metal, and it remains one of the standout releases in Krypts’ discography.