Hailing from Portugal, PHENOCRYST were formed in early 2020 during the recording of their debut EP, in which they set out to create the foundations of a death metal act with influences such as doom and some psychedelic vibes, to illustrate soundscapes of disastrous, catastrophic and annihilating volcanic and natural events. There aren't many artists singing about this specific theme, if any, and so the lyrical content is also something to explore. Already in 2024, with a reconfigured line-up, Phenocryst presented their debut album in which, sonically, ‘Cremation Pyre’ comes close to the meaning of its title: dark but furious, spreading dread and inexorable austerity, portentous and spacious in equal measure. The riffs are huge and heavy, with production that harks back to Bolt Thrower in the mid-90s. In short, it's death metal thrown into a vortex of cosmic ash, not to mention the bits of melody that subtly reverberate into the abyss. A SWR debut was a must.
