Dark heavy metallers Crypt Sermon unveil their bewitching new album, The Stygian Rose, under the Dark Descent banner. Featuring guitarist Steve Jansson (Daeva, Unrest), vocalist Brooks Wilson (Unrest), drummer Enrique Sagarnaga (Daeva, The Silver), guitarist Frank Chin (Daeva), bassist Matt Knox (Horrendous, The Silver), and keyboardist Tanner Anderson (Obsequiae, Majesties), the Philadelphia-based sextet parlayed their time away from the spotlight into a grander, more mysterious Crypt Sermon. The interflow of doom and heavy metals underpins The Stygian Rose, but these boundaries are effortlessly transcended. From the blistering solo salvo of "Glimmers in the Underworld" and the commanding rhythm of "Heavy is the Crown of Bone" to the evocative Near Eastern vibes of "Thunder (Perfect Mind)" and the intricate, masterful flight of the 11-minute title track, The Stygian Rose epitomizes the band's musical and conceptual prowess.

"We feel unrestrained now," singer Brooks Wilson says. "We thought, if the word 'epic' in doom metal means anything, it's without constraint. What's more vast than being unconstrained?

"We've said this in every interview we've ever done," offers drummer Enrique Sagarnaga. "The whole ethos of this band has been to keep things exciting and constantly moving. We're not doom metal or trad metal guys per se. Between the six of us, we're into a lot of different stuff. The unifier of The Stygian Rose is the hook—the hooks always progress. Each song is heavy in a different sense, too. Breakdowns, heavy Sabbath riffs, and left-field tonal ideas all made sense. There's a lot of variety on the album, and I think that's not just because we get bored easily—which we do, actually—but rather this is who we are."

The City of Brotherly Love has had a sordid history—Anvil Bitch, Krank, and a few others are worth noting—with the heaviest of metals. When Crypt Sermon formed in 2013, their vision was intentionally singular. They aimed to bring the stately boom of Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Trouble, et al. into the modern era, fusing groove and bone with flecks of malice, shred, and inquisitive lyrics. Demo MMXIII (2013) paved the stones for the band to sign a multi-album deal with Colorado-based indie Dark Descent. Albums Out of the Garden (2015) and The Ruins of Fading Light (2019)—both produced and engineered by Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Cirith Ungol)—immediately recalled genre greats and Crypt Sermon's live performances in support of those albums, including appearances at Hellfest, Decibel Magazine's Metal and Beer Fest, Maryland Deathfest, and Psycho Las Vegas Fest, demonstrated to Philadelphia and the rest of world, new kings were in the making. After five long years, The Stygian Rose is the ascension.

"We wrote this record probably quicker than we've ever written any other record," Sagarnaga says. "This is the most prepared our band has been, especially going into the studio. It's about respect for each other's time. We were more patient with one another regarding how we expressed musical ideas. We committed to practicing on a regular schedule—that was important. And as we get older, we hopefully have become better musicians. The Stygian Rose is also the longest time we've had with Arthur in the studio. Every little detail you hear in the final result of the record is very deliberate."

"I've known Steve, Enrique, and Brooks for way longer than I've been playing music with them," states guitarist Frank Chin. "We all got along and were cool with one another. Going through two records with Crypt Sermon and one Daeva, I learned how they write. I've known Matt for a while, but we only recently feel like friends—he's really fun to write with. Tanner, who's new to the band, is also really enjoyable to be around. The Crypt Sermon process has evolved, particularly with this record, and it all feels solid. We're not holding back."

The songwriting for The Stygian Rose started in late 2022. The first song off the slate was "The Scrying Orb." Written by Wilson, it's an octaval "ballad"—in the same way [Metallica's] "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" or [Ozzy Osbourne's] "Diary of a Madman" are ballads—that has all the power of an opener, but the subtlety to be a deep album sleeper hit. The album's actual ingress, "Glimmers in the Underworld," was written by Jansson and assembled by the rest of the band. The solo-wild intro gives way to horn-throwing riffs as if imbued with genuine Dio or Malmsteen-esque attack. "Thunder (Perfect Mind)" strides the other way. The song's big vocals, smoky caravanserai themes—a Tanner inclusion—and regal middle eight are pure fireworks. That it feels like it's from another time bulls the proverbial eye. "Heavy is the Crown of Bone" is rife with heavy metal gallop. The tempo change and Knox's bass jabs after the song's midpoint are just two of the many design elements Crypt Sermon carved into The Stygian Rose.

"I think this whole record tries to put you in this very ambiguous time and place," Sagarnaga says. "It doesn't necessarily sound like a throwback record, but it doesn't necessarily sound modern. 'The Stygian Rose' is a good example of this. When Steve first demoed the song for us—before Brooks laid down vocals—I was on my way to meet Matt for drinks. I'm listening to this rough cut of a song. As soon as I got to the bar, I had to lock myself in the bathroom to hear it play out. It struck me so emotionally that I knew it was something special. Even at the demo stage, I knew 'The Stygian Rose' would be the album closer. I take pride in the fact that we've always written great album closers, but I think this one is, bar none, our greatest.

Adds bassist Matt Knox: "There was a closure to 'The Stygian Rose.' We knew that was the last song. That was the last demo that was sent out. We knew that there was one more song left. When I heard it, I immediately knew it was the 'next thing.' It felt different—important. When we finally played it together, and everyone did their homework, we knew we had reached the end. That all felt really good."

The Stygian Rose follows a character inspired by Paschal Beverly Randolf, an early American spiritualist and sex magician. In The Stygian Rose, the unnamed character seeks to reconnect with his now maybe dead, definitely lost (though intentionally left vague) idealized female, embodying the Sophia/Shakti/Persephone divine wisdom/feminine concept. This lost love is believed to be waiting for him, calling for him from 'the hollow.' Conceived by Wilson, the protagonist's harrowing jaunt starts with "Glimmers in the Underworld" and ends naturally with the title track. The story, as unfurled in the lyrics, is directly connected to the album's artwork and booklet, painstakingly painted and illustrated by Wilson. Clearly, The Stygian Rose and its lyrical and artistic regalia were thought through from the onset.

"I didn't want to feel burdened by heavy metal tropes," reveals Wilson. "I wanted to be able to use them but not be bound by them. In Crypt Sermon, we're ambiguously traveling through time as we release albums. For this album, I took a lot of inspiration from Randolf. He's really only a snake oil salesman, but his character inspired me to write the character in The Stygian Rose. There's also a Saturn Time Cube conspiracy thing that I'm into, which I tie to Saturn, a persistent theme throughout alchemy and hermetic practices. That's where the Saturnian rose—the black rose theme—came from. The Stygian Rose is a death cult that understands the limits of time. The lyrics build on themes of being doomed."

Crypt Sermon tracked The Stygian Rose at Redwoods in Philadelphia. Rizk produced, mixed, and mastered, and Aidan Elias (Blood Incantation, Wayfarer) engineered. Since the band and Rizk had previous history, they dialed in sounds quickly and got to work. In contrast to the sporadic two-month process of their last album, The Ruins of Fading Light, Crypt Sermon had just over a week to capture their The Stygian Rose. While "Glimmers in the Underworld," "Heavy is the Crown of Bone," and "Thunder (Perfect Mind)" jump out with frightening effectiveness, the direct/dreamy dynamic of "Down in the Hollow" and the title track's uneasy gloom ultimately highlight Rizk's [Neil] Kernon-esque studio wizardry.

"Everyone was very prepared," Jansson says. "This is the fourth record with Arthur, three with Crypt Sermon, and one with Daeva. That said, as a musician, this was one of the more inspiring times for recording guitar solos, largely because I didn't over-plan a lot of it. I did a lot of improvising and piecing together the best takes in the studio. It was a lot of fun. Of course, that wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Arthur. We're both guitar enthusiasts, guitar nerds, heavy metal guitar nerds. I've also toured with Arthur a little bit. I've done some fill-in work for Eternal Champion in the past. There's a relationship there—it's a cool one."

"We knew we wanted an aggressive sound," says Wilson. "Like [Metallica's] Black album or [Queensrÿche's] Operation: Mindcrime with loud smashing rock drums. The guitars had to be aggressive and loud. The bass had to be tuned in more than on our previous albums. The bass had to be clean and deep. We were generally after a more clean, distinct, and audible production. The Stygian Rose has way more depth than anything we've done before."

Black Sabbath changed the world we know and love with Paranoid. Candlemass defined their career with Ancient Dreams. Pantera were four albums in before they heavily shifted paradigms on Cowboys from Hell. And Mayhem weren't even a band when De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas slithered into metaldom's cellar. Crypt Sermon now stands at the forefront with The Stygian Rose. It's their time—the culmination of their journey. "Glimmers in the Underworld," "Heavy is the Crown of Bone," "Thunder (Perfect Mind)," and the title track are heralds to the band's mastery of dark heavy metal. Dive into The Stygian Rose and experience its rich rewards. There's no looking back!

"We want to feel haunted," says Wilson. "We were very ambitious this time. So, it's intentional to have a lot of hooks and staying power. We tried to write an album that you listen to a lot. It feels new but also familiar. It sounds like heavy metal, but it doesn't sound like any heavy metal coming out right now."

"We wanted The Stygian Rose to scratch a lot of itches that aren't being scratched," Jansson reveals. "That's my goal when I make music. I want to make things that I don't hear other people doing or at least don't hear others doing all in one package. I agree, it also has to have staying power and replay value. That addictive feeling you had when you listened to records as a teenager."

BIO by Chris Dick