SILVER CYPHER – Cryptic Characters

Since 2005, the American group from Cincinnati, Ohio has been conveying their side of Dark Metal. Their version of darkness is not extreme or something similar to that. These guys actually use elements taken from the 80s and 90s Metal. In accurate terms, Silver Cypher mixes American Metal, such as US Heavy Metal, Thrash/Power Metal and British Metal like NWOBHM and Classic Doom Metal. Bands which are comparable to Silver Cypher’s approach are acts similar to the likes of Black Sabbath, Iced Earth, Iron Maiden, Demons And Wizards, Amon Amarth, bits of alternative Tool, Type O Negative and Paradise Lost. You can infer from this info that this band is very diverse in its music and that is what is so exhilarating about their new release, Cryptic Characters.

Another special thing regarding Silver Cypher is the fact that they are also very miscellaneous about their written lyrics. Their fictional creations are associated with movies, comics and the members’ own wide vision of the imaginary world. Alongside fiction, there is also the reality check; Silver Cypher tends to write about religious antics, history and social issues. With these themes, the band’s music also takes different courses that might appeal to many Metal fans from all sub-genres.

Cryptic Characters, on first impression, sounds like Iced Earth meets Type O Negative. It is very easy to come up with that perception because of the gloomy and heavy sound of the whole production effort. This nature of production is like a loom of dimness waiting to burst out in order to be mingled with the light. The famous Iced Earth like guitars (mostly from albums such as Something Wicked This Way Comes and Night Of The Storm Rider), which are full of power and authority marching forward with the well known Jon Schaffer galloping, are in charge of maintaining the ominous aura of these songs of sin, war, medieval, relationships and loss of one’s way. At the side of the rhythmic heavy riffs there are also the melodic lead ingredients and the remarkable overcast solos armed, sporadically, with wah-wah effects with the principle of embracing additional influence around them and they add the perfect filling for several of Silver Cypher’s doomy riffs.

Another specialty by the band is the ultra varied vocal line. Jon Krech is the man behind the mic and his vocal style is rarely heard. On several occasions he sounds like a regular Heavy / Power Metal singer full of depth (something like Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate or even Iced Earth’s first two singers) and on other moments he sounds like Peter Steele’s (Type O Negative) gentle voice pattern or Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost. Krech’s vocals and diverse abilities are incredible and they generate an energy that takes the music into the next level of greatness.

The album consists of six songs so you can expect a long journey through lengthy tunes. In general, all the tracks are good and they all share what was formally written. However, a few of them stretch into too many directions which make them a bit repetitive with overly repetitive riffs no matter how great the heavy tunes are.

Highlights: “The Knights Templar” – a Folk like song in a way, holds a great chorus with a doom attitude. “Old Blood And Guts” – the all around paramount smasher in the spirit of old wars and old bones. “No Forgiveness” and “Highway Lost” close down the list with deep thought and great music.