Outside Italy, Epitaph, originating from the beautiful city of Verona, aren’t that known at all. They were actually formed in the Eighties, and did release three demos, but that’s about it. And now, finally, almost three decades after their birth, Epitaph come up with their debut studio full length album, called Crawling Out Of The Crypt. It seems to be a mostly fitting title, isn’t it…
This material was recorded at the end of 2013 at the Opal Arts Studio, and mastered at the famous Temple Of Disharmony with Sound Savant Patrick W. Engel (think: Nemesis Sopor, Hellish Crossfire, Darkthrone, Triumphant, Wigrid / Sunshine And Lollipops, Chaos Echoes etc.). Most of the material is quite ‘old’, yet revamped, and the whole album lasts for fifty six minutes (at least the CD-version; the vinyl edition comes with a bonus track). And each single track lasts for more than six minutes (one clocks nearly ten minutes). What this band brings with Crawling Out Of The Crypt is a pretty chilly and Rock-laden form of Eighties Doom, closely related to the Epic Doom scene as well as the Italian Occult Rock current, and injected with elements from late Sixties / Seventies Doom Rock, traditional Heavy / Speed Metal, and so-called death Rock. It’s like Pentagram joining forces with Black Hole, or Death SS covering Trouble or Memento Mori.
The compositions are pretty average in essence and execution, unfortunately. It has to do with the primal mentality, of course, and a certain lack of originality (though, that may not be a problem), but this stuff isn’t that memorable at all. Emiliano’s voice isn’t strong enough to carry the whole idea of heaviness, the main riffs are too goody-goody (guys, try to break the chains [the paul chains, hehe]), and the overload on clichés isn’t bot boring / bothering.
It is sad, but with this comeback, Epitaph unfortunately do not impress at all. I do not want to say that this material totally sucks, but actually, it does. With exception of the intro on Necronomicon, nothing on Crawling Out Of The Crypt can convince me to crawl out of my crypt – I’d rather stay here, musing about the glorious days of Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus etc…