Cryptic Shift “Visitations from Enceladus” (2020) Interview and Review

The debut album by Cryptic Shift, an English band from Leeds composed by: Xander Bradley on vocals and guitars (Defacement, Slimelord); John Riley on bass (Slimelord, Brass Animal, Encopresis); Ryan Sheperson on drums (Slimelord); and Joss Farrington on guitars (Seprevation); is an album that, from the outset, and in an ambitious way, presents the full capacity of these four musicians, only the first song Moonbelt Immolator lasts more than 25 minutes, where the settings and the sensations are futuristic, wrapped into a death/thrash dark and intricate progressive sound, so well composed that there is no loophole for boredom in all four songs on the album.

The aggressiveness of their music is epic at times as can be heard in (Petrified in The) Hypogean Gaol, where the thrash is splendidly expressed by the guitars and the bass … that bass! … is a delicacy, while the drums follow the rhythm while accelerates and decelerates impeccably, showing that each of the instruments is masterfully performed.

The Arctic Chasm and Planetary Hypnosis are also tremendous achievements for the band, as throughout the album, the balance and the high points between the level of progressiveness and aggressiveness of this kind of death, with highly contagious riffs on four songs that twist, transform, teleport, with surprising solidity for a debut album.

There are several elements, details and arrangements, which must be listened to carefully in order to fully understand the level of complexity of the songs, which are not impenetrable for this matter, but rather give freshness to the album while digesting everything that is developed in it, including the fantastic cover art, that it is part of everything as we’ll see it in the interview below.

Visitations from Enceladus is definitely memorable, where although the influences of bands like Voivod, Death, Gorguts, Obliveon, Timeghoul are noticeable; The band’s own character quickly takes shape and raises the bar high not only for themselves and their future records, but for the other bands that go this way, and it’s positioned as one of the best albums on this very strange year…

In the end, this is an album that must be enjoyed, supported, shared and broadcasted on its different platforms.

Interview

Well, it is really a pleasure to have this interview here at our Abismo, with Ryan, drummer of Cryptic Shift, whom just recently launched their debut album Visitations from Enceladus”; after a couple of demos, a split with Bestial Invasion in 2015, an excellent EP entitled Beyond the Celestial Realms from 2016, and a single from 2017, Cosmic Dreams; where it became clear where the band was aiming… the vast space and beyond… with their phenomenal technicological astrodeath as they define themselves.

Hi Ryan, and thanx for letting us know more about Cryptic Shift and your wonderful debut album. Being myself a fan of this metal subgenre that mixes death/thrash with lots of progressive and sci-fi/horror contexts, like Tomb Mold, Blood Incantation, Horrendous, Vektor or Sweven, but also looking behind at the masters of Voivod (with whom I think there is a powerful link with Cryptic Shift), Death, Atheist, Obliveon, or Timeghoul, it was amazing to find this great four song album. So, I wanted to ask you, how come you decided to go this way or path, musically speaking?

We developed as musicians and wanted to create a more complex record to showcase our abilities as performers and songwriters! Since 2016 EP Beyond the Celestial Realms we have always created music with the Sci-Fi realm, because Sci-Fi is our favourite general interest within all media. This time we wanted to push our personal boundaries and create a record that reflects that progression as a musical act. A record which creates this unique world for the listener. It’s great that you can hear this with Visitations from Enceladus.

I think album covers and their arts are an important part of the album, I like to think of them as a whole in terms of what the band tries to express; in your case there is a fantastic drawing by A. Nagamasa, can you tell us a bit about the theme?

Alongside creating the record musically we created a story which can be followed within the lyrics. The artwork of the record had to represent that. Nagamasa did a fantastic job creating ‘The Arctic Chasm’ – our character is seen holding an elusive device in the air, facing the obelisk of Rasskhakzu – an ancient celestial being. The concept story is the main focus of the record itself. It’s a real treat for all the true Sci Fi nerds out there who come across our music!

Which are your favorite and/or your most influential books and films behind your imagery and music

Alien, the X Files, Star Wars, Close Encounters, any sort of UFO documentaries, Cosmos, Issac Asimov, Chariots of the Gods, Ancient Aliens, Terminator, Predator… basically anything Science or Science Fiction related gets our veins well and truly pumped

How this actual context that the whole planet is living with covid-19 and social distancing applies to this complicated future that await us… how music will be affected, and how are you seeing the future of our planet?

The future of our planet will be more advanced than anyone cares to notice. We are already living in a futuristic society – but everything is normalised. I’m typing this interview to you on a device no bigger than my hand, inputting thoughts from my brain and sending them to you via invisible waves within the air, for an interview that will be projected across the world within an instance. It’s kinda weird, but totally awesome. I really enjoy reading into theories of the future, how technology will advance. It’s scary and exciting at the same time – no one knows what the next step is, but it will happen. Go read the lyrics to Killing Technology by Voivod – that sounds like modern society to me. The virus right now will die down but I feel as though it will encourage a means of enhancing global security – technology will have to improve. I don’t know how much more technology could improve. I hear theories about microchips being introduced, turning the human race into some cyborg human-robot being. Once that thing is inside you’re no longer human… the thought is terrifying.

Terrifying!!! Thanx Ryan for the interview, congratulations for your album, hope you can take it on the road as soon as possible!