The English word “grave” comes from the Old English word “græf”, meaning a hole dug in the ground, a trench or a place of burial. Its origins goes back even further to the Proto-Germanic word “graban?” and the Proto-Indo-European root “ghrebh”, meaning to dig, scratch or scrape. I have no idea how many bands have adopted this enchanting word, but it is certainly one of the most common used words when it comes to Death Metal, whether in band names or album / song titles. The grave ghouls we are talking about here are a French band that was formed in 2015 and has recorded two EPs so far, namely the self-entitled debut from 2017 and in 2023 the follow-up “Awake In A Grave”. Both are now re-released by Nihilistic Holocaust on tape. The promo text promises “Death Metal from beyond” and that really hits the nail on the head. Whether the reference is intentional or not, CRYPTIC GRAVE play classic early 1990s Florida Death Metal and MASSACRE, with their debut album “From Beyond”, are a major point of reference alongside bands like OBITUARY and DEATH. Some people, like me, even think “From Beyond” is one of the most underrated albums. Although “From Beyond” was not released until 1991, some of the material dated back to the mid-1980s. As a result, the album comes across in places as a historical record of an earlier stage in the evolution of Death Metal. But back to CRYPTIC GRAVE. Their sound is characterized by dense and dirty guitar riffs that alternate between sluggish mid-tempo passages and faster, more aggressive sections. Typically deep, raw and guttural vocals, reminiscent of the classic style of John Tardy and Martin van Drunen. The drumming combines pounding double-bass patterns, up-tempo passages and beats with slower, crushing rhythms. In places, the songs have an almost doom-like feel, characterized by eerie melodic passages and dark instrumental intros. Of course, the production reflects that, everything here still sounds raw and rough, which is definitely in keeping with the musical style. With this release Nihilistic Holocaust managed to pull off a real highlight, hats off! More at www.facebook.com/cryptic-grave-1032897623419642 and https://nihilisticholocaustrecs.bandcamp.com