ALBUM REVIEW: Krysthla - The River

"Few albums have been more anticipated than the third release from possibly the best UK metal band around today …” 

My words from my review for Musipedia of Metal in July 2019, when Worldwide Negative arrived in the in-box. The band were on a roll, with a memorable set on the Ronnie James Dio at Bloodstock Open Air weeks later another huge highlight in a journey that has been in train since 2012. 

Since then, it’s been a time of change for the band, with personnel shifting out and in. But having regrouped and refreshed, the Northampton five-piece are back with The River, and I’ll tell you now, you’ll need your seatbelt buckled, for this is one wild ride that bucks and throws from start to finish. But that only tells a small part of the story, for although Krysthla has retained every piece of intensity that has always pulsed beneath a seemingly calm exterior, there are some curve balls lurking within this monster of a release. 

Not the exceptional drumming of Liam Turland, who hits speeds that leaves one scratching the head at times, such as the opening section of Disfigurement of Pain or first single Unto the Loveless. No, Turland is a beast who brings an unstoppable battery to the engine room, locking in tight with new(ish) bassist Jake Coles, hardly a novice himself with a CV that includes Eviscerate Carnage, Reaper X and Disinherit. No, it’s the subtle flicks and tricks that explode from the shadows, bringing new elements to the band’s already hybrid sound that has always been challenging to label. The technical aspects remain firmly rooted deep in the psyche, the explosive pace features in every track, and Adi Mayes guttural roars that reach deep into your soul and rip out your very being are more aggressive and ferocious than ever. It’s the brief moments of calm, measured passages that provide space, allowing the sonic melodies and richness that sits just below the surface to emerge. 

Dive in deep to the second track, Reborn in Seclusion and you’ll wonder what I’m talking about, for the first five-minutes of this nearly nine-minute sprawling masterpiece is as blistering in tempo and temperature as anything the band has ever released. But then we hit it, a passage of play that sees the band show a more organic sound, with swirling, mesmerising guitar work from Tom Kelland and Neil Hudson, providing an early opportunity to breath, before the band slowly ramp up the energy levels once more towards the conclusion. It’s a song that symbolises the evolution of Krysthla, and something that is just a bit special. 

Once again, it’s Hudson that has taken the production duties, using his initiate Audio and Media Recording studio to wring everything out of the band. There’s the explosive eruption of Unto the Loveless, which we’ve covered already in these pages, the bruising bass and crushing breakdowns of Limerence that switch styles, all angular and jagged elements that are both uncomfortable yet welcoming in a slightly unreal way. It’s got more spice that a chili farm and leaves a taste that burns just as fiercely. When the Blade Meets the Bone doesn’t really need any description, for it’s the aural equivalent of the title, savage and slightly unnerving, with a harrowing black metal riff that underpins the whole song. 

Talking of riffs, penultimate song Universal Confines contains one of the most addictive riffs on the whole album, a real delightful groove that gets the head nodding, if that is allowed with Mayes’ continual roar that permeates the airwaves. His snarling rage is almost uncontained, and I’m desperately looking forward to seeing how this translates to the live setting. Universal Confines is unwilling to be categorised, instead missing a myriad of genres into one heady, whirlpool of a track that sees the clean vocals of Hudson that I welcomed on Worldwide Negative. Harmonies on a Krysthla album? You better believe it. This track is an absolute belter, accelerating to Mach 3 at times in a tempest of power and vibrant energy that captures the essence of the band. Another evolving song that flows with what feels like its own life force, the very creativity of the track seems to develop as you listen. 

And when you think you might have opportunity to draw breath, the finale hits you. The title track, a glorious seven-minute epic simply takes that breath away. A truly sonic soundscape that smoulders before igniting with a blast, throwing in the band’s progressive tendencies into the pot and spewing them out in an organised yet beautifully chaotic way. If Reborn in Seclusion was the symbol of Krysthla, then The River is the song that was forged in fire to lead the charge into the next chapter of the band. The River is no instant record. You need to spend time with it. I’m waiting for the CD to arrive and the opportunity to explore the lyrical content. But it’s already got enough hooks to secure a top ten place in 2024. It’s only going to get better with further plays. It’s time to welcome back a band who have taken their time and have created a masterpiece that will take some beating.

Review and live photo by Hutch

Order The River here