Prehistoria – Cryptic Halo

Prehistoria
Cryptic Halo
Label: StormSpell Records
Out: February 11^th, 2025
Playing time: 44:59

Prehistoria are a traditional Heavy Metal band from Indiana in the Midwest of the USA. The musicians combine influences from Power Metal, Thrash Metal and Black Metal. Banging riffs and lively melodies are combined with a touch of modern metal. The four-track EP ‘Cursed Lands’ was released two years after the band was founded in 2020. The debut album ‘Cryptic Halo’ will follow in February 2025.

The intro with the unwieldy title ‘Futile Invocation Of Cosmic Acknowledgement’ essentially contains sound gimmicks that have nothing to do with the following tracks in purely musical terms. So, it could have been left out. The album only really takes off with the seamlessly following ‘Rise’. High Metal screams and high-speed riffs and drumming can be heard at the beginning. The high speed continues. The vocals are very melodic despite all the banging. ‘Salvation Denied’ is also high-speed Metal. The vocals sound a little more hectic. But it is catchy again, especially in the refrain. On ‘Obsidian Gateways’, drummer Cody Johns and the two guitarists Shaun Cothron and Max Otworth have to work hard again. And singer Alonso Donoso can also shine with occasional Metal screams in addition to his powerful voice. Previously unmentioned, but of course not forgotten, are the great guitar solos. ‘Everlasting Legacy’ is once again dominated by extremely fast and whipping drumming. And the blasting continues right to the end, whether on ‘Paradise Lost’, ‘Crown Of The Resolute’, ‘Crucible Of Shadows’ or the final song ‘Dreamchaser’. But despite all this primal power, the songs don’t seem unimaginative.

Apart from the intro, Prehistoria go full throttle for almost three quarters of an hour on ‘Cryptic Halo’. The impressive thing is that, despite all the rawness, there is always a lot of emphasis on melodic arcs. So, we’re not dealing with Speed Metal where all the songs sound the same. And it is precisely this variety that makes the album so worth listening to. I can confirm the influences of Power Metal and Thrash Metal. However, I couldn’t detect any black metal.

Prehistoria – Cryptic Halo (Album Teaser): https://youtu.be/s7iRtjVmq-c?si=cNsiJErVSUwSh0bz

Lineup:

Alonso “Zo” Donoso – Vocals
Shaun Cothron – Guitar
Max Otworth – Guitar
Ian Bender – Bass
Cody Johns – Drums

Track list:

• Futile Invocation Of Cosmic Acknowledgement
• Rise
• Salvation Denied
• Obsidian Gateways
• Everlasting Legacy
• Paradise Lost
• Crown Of The Resolute
• Crucible Of Shadows
• Dreamchaser