Dutch futuristic metallers Cryptosis take a darker, heavier, more melodic and extremely cinematic journey through their new album "Celestial Death"released on March 7th, 2025 via Century Media Records. (Read our review - HERE-.)
RockOverdose caught up with the band’s vocalist-guitarist Laurens Houvast on the eve of the album’s release, and we got answers regarding the album’s themes, touring plans, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the future.
Cryptosis online:
https://www.instagram.com/cryptosis_band
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6wOhrwpLn8mjwUs14xh9nD
RockOverdose: First of all, our sincere congratulations for “Celestial Death”. It’s surely one of the most unique and different sounding albums I can remember the past… many years. How do you perceive it as a product at the moment and how do you feel for the massive response it has so far?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): Thank you for having us! The response to “Celestial Death” has been overwhelmingly positive, and we couldn’t be happier with how it’s being received. Both fans and media outlets have praised the way we’ve expanded our sound, incorporating more melody, atmosphere, and a colder, blackened edge into our music. We took a bold step forward with this album, pushing our songwriting and arrangements to new heights while maintaining the intensity and technicality that define Cryptosis.
RockOverdose: Let’s take thing backwards a bit. “The Silent Call” was given as a first sample of the album, where we get to realize the sound has changed. Was the whole album ready at the time, or was it just an opportunity for you to show where the thing was going? Did it help you realize better the dynamics of the rest of the songs?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): When we recorded “The Silent Call” for the EP, we were about 60% through writing “Celestial Death”. Since the album took longer to complete than expected, we wanted to release something new in the meantime. That’s why we put together the EP, including “Master of Life” (a track originally recorded during the “Bionic Swarm” sessions but left off the album) along with two live songs from our 2022 show in Athens. Around that time, we were invited to join Obscura and Cynic on their EU tour, making it the perfect moment to release new music. When we played “The Silent Call” live on that tour, the energy, both on stage and in the crowd, confirmed that we were on the right path.
RockOverdose: I dare saying that “Celestial Death” is very adventurous in its listening. You feel you’re going places with it, mainly out of this Earth. Its atmosphere is phenomenal and the whole result takes your music many steps further. How did you decide to walk this path? It is something you intend to continue in the future?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): We’ve always embraced experimentation in our music, and that mindset continues to drive us. Over a span of about a year and a half, we recorded every idea that came to mind (whether on guitar, drums, bass, vocals, or anything else) and stored them in a shared cloud drive. This process allowed us to capture raw creativity without limitations.
After this period, we sifted through the material, selecting the strongest and most compelling ideas to develop into full songs. As we refined these tracks, we noticed a natural evolution in our sound. Compared to our debut “Bionic Swarm”, these new compositions carried more melody, atmosphere, and depth. It wasn’t something we consciously planned. It was simply where our inspiration led us. Over time, our creative instincts naturally pushed us toward a more dynamic and immersive sonic landscape, and “Celestial Death” became the result of that journey.
RockOverdose: You were never afraid of changes. First with the name, leaving behind the Distillator days (which we still love to be honest). Then leaving behind the tech-thrash sound of “Bionic Swarm” which was received warmly. Do you believe that change and evolution is the key for any band to endure and succeed eventually?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): Absolutely. I believe evolution is key to survival in the ever-changing metal world. Stagnation leads to irrelevance, and too many bands fall into the trap of repeating themselves, which eventually becomes uninspiring for both the musicians and the fans.
From the very beginning, we’ve embraced change as a natural part of our creative journey. Moving on from Distillator and transitioning into Cryptosis was a bold step, but it allowed us to explore new musical dimensions and push ourselves beyond the constraints of our past sound. It felt really great to not be bound to a specific genre.”Bionic Swarm” was a defining moment for us, yet we never wanted to just recreate it. Instead, we allowed our inspiration to guide us forward, leading to the darker, more atmospheric, and more dynamic sound of “Celestial Death”. Ultimately, music should be an adventure and something that challenges both the artist and the listener. As long as we stay true to our artistic vision and keep pushing boundaries, we believe we’ll continue to grow and connect with people in new and exciting ways.
RockOverdose: Speaking of changes, we all refer to the whole sound, production, songs and everything else, but there’s a certain question I have that needs an answer. What the hell did they do to you and you sound like that? What kind of torture were you put through? Your voice sounds like the agony of a person about to die, and death might be a relief to what else might find him!
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): Haha, no torture involved here. Just pure dedication! Since I’m writing this myself, I can tell you that I really wanted a more aggressive vocal approach on “Celestial Death”. I felt like the music demanded it. The darker, more atmospheric direction of the album needed vocal lines that matched its intensity, so I pushed everything to the absolute limit. To enhance the impact, I experimented with a lot of different vocal techniques and layered multiple takes to create a broader, more dynamic sound. There are extra overdubs in many parts, blending different styles of screams and growls to make it feel even more intense and epic. It was physically demanding, but hearing the final result and experiencing the raw emotion behind every word makes all the effort worthwhile.
RockOverdose: I think there’s a better balance to all instruments on this album, I can hear the bass clearer, the guitar is not so much on the front like on “Bionic Swarm” but still delivers, and Marco has a devastating sound. How easy was it to achieve such a result, how much did you experiment with your abilities?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): We stuck with the same team behind the scenes. Studio engineer Olaf Skoreng, mixer Fredrik Folkare, and mastering engineer Tony Lindgren, so the foundation of our sound remained familiar. However, the way “Celestial Death” turned out was something that happened very naturally.
From the start, we aimed for a more balanced mix where every instrument had its own space to shine. On “Bionic Swarm”, the guitars were very much at the front, but for this album, we wanted a more dynamic and immersive sound. We worked closely with Fredrik to make sure the bass had more clarity and presence, the drums hit even harder, and the guitars still delivered their impact without overpowering everything else.
We also pushed ourselves musically. We did a lot of experimenting with different tones, layering techniques, and even our individual playing styles to create the most intense and cohesive sound possible. In the end, it felt like a very natural evolution, and we’re really happy with how it all came together.
RockOverdose: There’s something special with Cryptosis on this album, though some parts might remind of other band’s song parts, in the end it’s still you. It’s definitely not thrash anymore, it’s definitely not black though some riffs could fit in older genre’s albums, it’s not death metal though your technique matches such of great bands, it’s not prog either, as it sound very direct. You’re everything and nothing at the same time. How do you see it as the creator of all this sum?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): We take the best elements from every genre and blend them into something that feels right for us. We never set out to fit into a specific category or follow a certain formula. Instead, we let our influences, creativity, and instincts guide us toward a sound that excites us.
We draw from thrash, black, death, progressive metal and even genres outside of metal like electronic music, but we don’t fully belong to any of them. The raw aggression, the eerie atmospheres, the technical precision, and the direct impact, all of these elements come together naturally in our music. In the end, it turns into something unique that we simply call Cryptosis. It’s an ever-evolving sound, and as long as it feels fresh and challenging for us, we know we’re on the right path.
RockOverdose: You have given so much material from the album available, does this show a kind of certainty for its value? To me “Reign Of Infinite” is the song of the year so far. Out of the 5 videos (including “The Silent Call”), was there any difficulty to shoot them or any special story? We can see the band evolving on the clips sector too, accompanying their quality with the likes of the music.
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): We definitely want to promote “Celestial Death” as much as possible, and music videos are a powerful way to bring the songs to life visually. Each video helps expand the world of the album, giving listeners a deeper experience beyond just the music.
Frank is the creative mastermind behind the video concepts and storyboards. He puts a lot of thought into crafting visuals that complement the themes and energy of each song. Of course, shooting these videos always comes with challenges. Whether it's finding the right locations, working with special effects, or making sure everything aligns with our vision. But in the end, it’s all worth it when we see how they enhance the music and connect with our audience.
We’re also excited to keep evolving in the visual aspect of the band, just as we do musically. The goal is always to push things further, and we’re glad to hear that people recognize the effort we put into both the music and the videos!
RockOverdose: The lyrics at parts are bleak but also produce some grandeur, like all humans are about to decay but in the end of it, Cryptosis will still be there to shed some light in the darkness of our times. Where did you draw inspiration for them and how is the middle Cryptosis song created mostly?
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): We draw a lot of inspiration from “Black Mirror”, a series on Netflix. Ever since we discovered it, we’ve been deeply influenced by its themes of technological dystopia, human fragility, and the consequences of progress. Which we started on “Bionic Swarm” and now continue doing on “Celestial Death”. The way Black Mirror explores the dark side of innovation and its impact on identity, free will, and society resonates with us, and we channel that same eerie, thought-provoking energy into our lyrics.
RockOverdose: There are many Eliran Kantor freaks out there, including me, who always start listening to an album with a cover of his stating “If the cover is his, the album is amazing”. This time with you, he chose a very different approach, like death will come from above and that’s the face you’ll see when the time comes. We would like your hint for the cover and how it was created.
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): As with our previous album “Bionic Swarm”, the artwork process began with a detailed briefing that we provided to Eliran, along with early demos of the new material. From there he started assembling all the thematic and musical elements into a cohesive vision. It was a one-hit wonder. The very first sketch he sent us captured the essence of the album perfectly. The only refinement we requested at the end was to intensify the expression, making the face appear more aggressive, as if the person was in agony. This to mirror the aggressiveness and intensity of our new music.
Eliran's ability to translate sound into imagery is beyond great. With this cover, he has once again created a piece of art that feels like an extension of the music. We are very glad how things have turned out.
RockOverdose: We were very happy to see 2 songs recorded live from the legendary gig in Athens with Vektor, included on “The Silent Call” EP. It was an amazing performance which is still mentioned and we know you have “obvious” reasons to come back to out country. We would like to know your plans for the promotion of “Celestial Death” and what is already confirmed for your fans all over the world to know where they can see you.
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): We were absolutely thrilled to include two live recordings from our legendary Athens show with Vektor on “The Silent Call” EP. That night was unforgettable, and it’s amazing to see that people still talk about it! We definitely have every reason to return to Greece, and we’re already in contact with several Greek promoters to make it happen. Our goal is to bring “Celestial Death” to our Greek fans in the best possible way. Hopefully soon!
As for our worldwide plans, here’s where you can catch us live:
Onslaught + Cryptosis
Power From Hell 40th Anniversary Tour 2025
🔥 29.05.2025 - Oldenburg (Germany) - MTS
🔥 31.05.2025 - Essen (Germany) - Turock
🔥 01.06.2025 - Diest (Belgium) - Hell
🔥 03.06.2025 - Dijon (France) - La Vapeur
🔥 04.06.2025 - Bergamo (Italy) - Druso
🔥 05.06.2025 - Bologna (Italy) - Alchemica
🔥 06.06.2025 - Vienna (Austria) - Escape
🔥 08.06.2025 - Salzburg (Austria) - Rockhouse
🔥 10.06.2025 - Stuttgart (Germany) - Der Schwarze Keiler
🔥 11.06.2025 - Aschaffenburg (Germany) - Coloss-Saal
🔥 12.06.2025 - Leipzig (Germany) - Hellraiser
🔥 14.06.2025 - Selb (Germany) - Rockclub Nordbayern
Cryptosis Live 2025
🔥 10.05.2025 - Eibergen (NL) – Achterhoeks Metalfest
🔥 11.05.2025 - Apeldoorn (NL) – Gigant
🔥 30.05.2025 - Alkmaar (NL) – Herrie Festival
🔥 07.06.2025 - Steyr (Austria) – Röda
🔥 06.09.2025 - Dronten (NL) – Dronten MetalFest
🔥 18.10.2025 - Monterrey (Mexico) – Cacique Metal Fest
🔥 13.11.2025 - Aabenraa (Denmark) – Sønderjyllandshallen
RockOverdose: Last but not least, I’d like to thank you for your time and for the quality of this album, which is the highlight of your career, until the next one. What are you willing to do to be established furthermore in the future and what should your fans know as the primary goal of the band in the years to come? Take care of yourselves, you really nailed it this time!
Laurens Houvast (CRYPTOSIS): Thank you so much for your kind words and support! It truly means a lot to us. Our new album “Celestial Death” represents a new peak in our musical journey, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone around the world.
Our primary goal moving forward is to promote “Celestial Death” as much as possible. Bringing it to every stage as much as we can and sharing its intensity with our fans across the globe. In between shows, we’ll already be picking up songwriting for the next album, keeping the creative momentum going. The work never stops, and we’re eager to push ourselves even further with each release.
Stay tuned, stay metal, and see you on the road! 🤘
On behalf of RockOverdose,
Aggelos Katsouras
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