Cryptal Darkness were an Australian
doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
band from Melbourne featuring
Mark Kelson, now of
The Eternal and
InSomnius Dei and for a short period, former
My Dying Bride
My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 13 studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.
Alo ...
/
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their l ...
member,
Martin Powell
Martin Powell is an English musician. In 1991, Powell auditioned for the position of bass player in the band My Dying Bride, but was turned down as the band had just filled the position. Upon informing the band he was also a violin and keyboar ...
.
History
Cryptal Darkness started life as a grindcore/death metal band, that later changed styles and became doom metal band. With the line up of
Mark Kelson, Oneil Alexander (drums), Geoff Kloprogge (vocals, guitar) and Jade Von Nagy (bass) the band released a four track single, Descend into Thy Grave and shortly thereafter the debut album ''Endless Tears'', which has been re-released for international distribution. An opening slot at the 1997 Metal for the Brain festival raised awareness of the band somewhat, and much of 1998 was spent working on new material. Former
Paramaecium
Paramaecium (sometimes typeset as Paramæcium) was an Australian death metal, death/doom metal, doom metal band formed in 1991. There is use of instrumentation like flutes, cellos and violins on some albums. Paramaecium is one of the few doom ...
guitarist Chris Burton replaced Kloprogge in 1997 and after some time as a temporary member, Luke Wong finally joined as full-time bassist mid-1998. Around the same time the band started working with ex-
My Dying Bride
My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 13 studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.
Alo ...
keyboards player
Martin Powell
Martin Powell is an English musician. In 1991, Powell auditioned for the position of bass player in the band My Dying Bride, but was turned down as the band had just filled the position. Upon informing the band he was also a violin and keyboar ...
, who came to Australia to join the band and record ''They Whispered You Had Risen'', which displays a more Gothic character than earlier work. Cryptal Darkness had plans to tour Europe in late 2000, but this seems to have not occurred. Kelson has also featured in the
Paramaecium
Paramaecium (sometimes typeset as Paramæcium) was an Australian death metal, death/doom metal, doom metal band formed in 1991. There is use of instrumentation like flutes, cellos and violins on some albums. Paramaecium is one of the few doom ...
line-up and Alexander played drums for
Vomitorial Corpulence
Vomitorial Corpulence was a grindcore band that originated in Melbourne, Australia. The band was started by Paul Green. "Vomitorial Corpulence". Retrieved on 14 October 2016. The band's name is inspired by Revelation 3:15-16. Vomitorial Corpulen ...
; both were also members of Desolate Eternity. In early 2003 the band split up and Kelson and Burton formed
The Eternal. Kelson is also involved with
InSomnius Dei with fellow Cryptal Darkness alumni, Terry Vainoras.
Members
;Last Known Lineup
*
Mark Kelson – guitars (1995–2002), vocals (1996–2002), keyboards (1996)
(ex-Paramaecium
Paramaecium (sometimes typeset as Paramæcium) was an Australian death metal, death/doom metal, doom metal band formed in 1991. There is use of instrumentation like flutes, cellos and violins on some albums. Paramaecium is one of the few doom ...
)
*Chris Burton – guitar (1997–2002)
(ex-Paramecium)
*Oneil Alexander – drums (1993–2002)
(ex-Vomitorial Corpulence
Vomitorial Corpulence was a grindcore band that originated in Melbourne, Australia. The band was started by Paul Green. "Vomitorial Corpulence". Retrieved on 14 October 2016. The band's name is inspired by Revelation 3:15-16. Vomitorial Corpulen ...
, ex-Vomoth)
*Luke Wong – bass (1996–2002)
*Sean Hinds – keyboards (2000–2002)
;Former
*
Martin Powell
Martin Powell is an English musician. In 1991, Powell auditioned for the position of bass player in the band My Dying Bride, but was turned down as the band had just filled the position. Upon informing the band he was also a violin and keyboar ...
– violin, keyboards (1999–2000)
(ex-My Dying Bride
My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 13 studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release.
Alo ...
, ex-Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their l ...
)
*Terry Vainoras – keyboards (1997)
*Geoff Kloprogge – guitar, vocals (1993–1996)
*Jade Von Nagy – bass (1996)
*Paul Venables – bass (1993–1996)
;Timeline
ImageSize = width:900 height:300
PlotArea = left:110 bottom:120 top:0 right:30
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/2004
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals
id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:Keys value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:Violins value:pink legend:Violins
id:Lines value:black legend:Studio_albums
id:Lines2 value:gray(0.55) legend:Other_releases
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom
BackgroundColors=bars:bars
ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:1993
LineData =
at:01/01/2004 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:01/01/1994 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:01/01/1995 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:01/01/1996 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/1996 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:01/01/1997 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:01/01/1999 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/2001 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Geoff text:"Geoff Kloprogge"
bar:Mark text:"Mark Kelson"
bar:Chris text:"Chris Burton"
bar:Paul text:"Paul Venables"
bar:Jade text:"Jade Von Nagy"
bar:Luke text:"Luke Wong"
bar:Oneil text:"Oneil Alexander"
bar:Terry text:"Terry Vainoras"
bar:Martin text:"Martin Powell"
bar:Sean text:"Sean Hinds"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
bar:Geoff from:start till:01/01/1996 color:Vocals
bar:Geoff from:start till:01/01/1996 color:Guitar width:3
bar:Mark from:01/01/1996 till:end color:Vocals
bar:Mark from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/1996 color:Guitar
bar:Mark from:01/01/1996 till:end color:Guitar width:3
bar:Mark from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1997 color:Keys width:5
bar:Chris from:01/01/1997 till:end color:Guitar
bar:Paul from:start till:01/01/1996 color:Bass
bar:Jade from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1996 color:Bass
bar:Luke from:01/01/1996 till:end color:Bass
bar:Oneil from:start till:end color:Drums
bar:Terry from:01/01/1997 till:01/01/1998 color:Keys
bar:Martin from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2000 color:Keys
bar:Martin from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2000 color:Violins width:3
bar:Sean from:01/01/2000 till:end color:Keys
Discography
*''Chamber of Gore'' (EP) (Independent Release)
*Endless Tears (1996/Obscure)
*"Descend Into Thy Grave" (Single) (1996/Obscure)
*''The Coldest Winter'' (EP) (1999/Icon)
*They Whispered You Had Risen (1999/Icon)
*Chapter II – The Fallen (2000/Icon)
{{Authority control
Australian doom metal musical groups
Musical groups established in 1993
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Musical quintets
1993 establishments in Australia