Encryptor - Cryptic Works

Now this is an interesting release. Encryptor is an underground death metal band by Phil Diez who used to live in Panama but now resides in the U.S. He released two albums under the Encryptor name...Drowning in Flesh and Sermon Decay. I know that the first album has become pretty hard to find and come to think of it, I haven't seem the second disc for sale lately as well. Anyways...I'm assuming that this "collection" disc that contains both complete albums is an attempt to make two hard to find discs easy to find now. 

Like I said, this disc contains both complete albums listed above and also a bonus track by an extreme metal band from Panama called Nocturnal Faith. Nocturnal Faith is currently recording a full length album that will be released on Dysmorphic Records (which is Phil Diez' record label). The Nocturnal Faith song is actually pretty good and this should be a band to keep your eyes on.

As for the Encryptor material, I won't re-review it all here. You can just look up my individual reviews that I've already posted. The biggest disappointment is that the production wasn't improved on this re-release. The production on both releases leaves a lot to be desired, but at least Sermon Decay is consistent. Drowning in Flesh is all over the map, from decent to almost unbearable. Encryptor is pretty solid, brutal death metal overall, but nothing that will really turn heads all that much in the genre. What Diez really excels at is his black metal project, Sorrowstorm, which is much better quality than Encryptor. Sorrowstorm actually had the same re-release of their first two albums about a year ago.

As far as packaging goes, this release has a reversible front cover, one with a picture of some tombstones (see above) and the other is a mixture of the artwork from both of the previous two releases. The inside does not contain lyrics, but contains a write up on the history of Encryptor. Only problem is, the font color on the left hand side is very difficult to read if you are in the wrong light.

Overall, I'm not sure this was a completely warranted release...especially without any improvements on the production. Even though Encryptor's albums are somewhat difficult to find, they both were released very recently and still pop up now and then. Plus, I'm not sure if the demand was all that huge...but I may be wrong. Regardless of the reason, the release is here and it is good news for fans that have been searching for the band's previous releases to no avail.

Rating: 62/100

Review By: Matt Morrow

Label: Bombworks Records

Total Songs: 17

Total Time: 75:16

Tracklisting: 1. Infernal Catastrophy, 2. Post Mortem Soul, 3. Prophecy of Infinity, 4. The Price of Submission, 5. Misfortune at Birth, 6. Into the Lives of the Unblessed, 7. Portal of Demonic Torment, 8. Drowning in Ignorance, 9. Cast into Darkness, 10. Rebrutalization, 11. Sermon Decay, 12. Horrific Engenderment, 13. Vomit Congregation, 14. Images of Tragedy, 15. Everything Must Decompose, 16. Bloodflow Towards Salvation, 17. Nocturnal Faith - Untitled.

Best Songs: Tracks 2, 10, and 16.

Band Lineup: Phil Diez

Band Website: http://www.encryptoronline.com