Out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a demo and two previous albums since 2013, Crypt Sermon have quickly become a priority band to pay attention to from the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal. Take equal parts of the Swedish band Morgana Lefay with Nevermore and just listen to the atmospheric aggressive opening number "Glimmer In The Underworld" and those sweeping guitar leads; it's all Jeff Loomis inspired. 

Yes, Sermon are described as epic doom, and that they are, but the arrangements are colored with charging tempos and riff changes, and these beautiful melodic parts, as in this first song. And the solo section is full of excellent purposeful choices in notes. With only six songs on the album and an average of five plus to seven minutes it takes talent to hold one's attention. Something Crypt Sermon have no problem achieving. 

Second track "Thunder (Perfect Mind)" is like a lost Lefay song, with a deep strong projected voice behind the music even includes some melodic (slow) black metal leads accents. Keys start "Open The Hollow" into a catchy mid pace riff and rhythm, while video track "Heavy Is the Crown Of Bone" chugs along with movement, seamless proggy changes amongst drum and bass patterns. These guys are talented. Spooky keys pose a melancholy tone for "Scrying Orb" where singer Brooks Wilson uses his smoother singer side too. And the title track is eleven minutes of darkness and doom wrapped into the album artwork. 

The Stygian Rose will easily make my top 10 albums of the year. I have missed Nevermore since the passing of Warrel Dane, and now I get some of that void filled.