When I first discovered this Spanish black metal band called "Cryfemal", my impression was that of indifference, maybe even a little bit of spite due to the guy behind this band being infamous for being bat-shit crazy. I ignored this band for a few years until I came across this full-length album. When I first heard it, I couldn't believe that what I was hearing was this much maligned band in my twisted mind.
This full-length release is the epitome of what it means to create the most mind-bending and fucked up form of claustrophobic black metal which literally crucifies the listener to a metaphorical inverted cross. The album is quite beefy with fresh material. The whole vibe is very crusty and depressive at the same time. If I could compare this album to something tangible, it would be mud. When you step in the mud, you know your legs and socks are probably in for a terrible ride. Listening to this album is sort of a similar experience, however, the pay-off is positive, unless you want to listen to black metal to get cheerful, which I very much doubt is the case.
When it comes to heavy metal from the Iberian peninsula, my knowledge is unjustly limited, so I can't really analyse this band in its specific national and regional context, however, I can very much say that Cryfemal follows in the heritage of the Norwegian second wave of black metal and of Swedish melodic black metal, spearheaded by mighty bands such as Dissection. The riffs on this album are mostly very simplistic in nature, however, they are weaved into each other seamlessly and the whole album seems to follow along a straight line, making the listening experience more enjoyable and smooth. The vocalist has a very unique way of expressing his angst and hatred. His screams alter from standard shrieks, to wretched screams akin to the shouts a mentally disturbed patient withdrawing from Xanax would howl. The drums plod along the album reasonably well. The patterns are relentless and quite fast, however, the drummer is not afraid to test shallower and slower tempos.
This full-length release was produced in a very particular way. The sound is not too raw, however, it is not even close to being professionally produced. This fact affords this album a certain charm which is quite hard to reach and be able to manipulate. The insane and unorthodox ideas expressed within this album, fit perfectly well within the more basic context of black metal. This album does not get boring or derivative and each song kept me engaged from the cradle to the grave. I would suggest this band, and this album in particular to anyone who is trying to get into this band.
Sample: youtube.com/watch?v=XDzHz09Boi4
Official promo video: youtube.com/watch?v=v6SpqQWEbOE
