Style: Progressive death metal, progressive thrash metal, technical death metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Vektor, Voivod, Death, Atheist, Revocation, Gorod
Country: United Kingdom
Release date: 27 February 2026

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If confronted face-to-face with an intelligent alien lifeform, how would you react? Our minds have the habit of anthropomorphizing imagined extraterrestrial beings into four-limbed, upright humanoids. Though in this scenario, if the properties of this alien species were so starkly different from our own carbon-based existence, we would lack the framework to meaningfully contemplate the being’s actuality. In reality, it may be impossible for even our brightest minds to understand alien intelligence. This concept is tackled by Stanisław Lem’s novel Solaris, in which scientists grapple with an intelligent planet-spanning gelatinous ocean entity covering a distant planet who ultimately fail to make any meaningful connection. Cryptic Shift explore an auditory version of this experience in their new release Overspace & Supertime, a progressive metal epic that transports the listener to deep, unfriendly regions of distant galaxies. So buckle in and prepare for high G-forces on this turbulent voyage through interstellar space.

Overspace & Supertime follows its protagonist, The Recaller, on her tumultuous quest to find a distant alien sorceress; the story is largely told musically through constantly evolving epic soundscapes of progressive thrash metal. Cryptic Shift employs a strange, dissonance-tinged version of progressive thrash that recruits sideways and unconventional riffs, merging rapid bursts of distorted technicality with jazz-laden clean passages. The use of unexpected guitar pinch and natural harmonics with rapid finger tapping sprinkled throughout guitarists Xander Bradley and Josh Farrington’s alien approach results in a volatile and panicked feel. In addition, the combination of Bradley’s frantic harsh vocals, interspersed and interjected voice recordings from the distant homeplanet, and sound effects of The Recaller’s spacecraft traversing unknown regions of space provides an otherworldly, unsettling atmosphere.

Within the nearly thirty-minute epic, “Stratocumulus Evergaol,” the listener finds The Recaller stuck on an unfamiliar planet after falling off course.¹ Initial clean guitars, spoken word, and overlying distorted harmonies find the protagonist staring up to the skies, discussing and dreaming of what lies beyond, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Following takeoff, the perils of space become a reality. She delicately maneuvers through sudden meteoroid streams of rapid-fire death metal fury. Alien probing signals are sent in the form of clean, isolated guitar sequences which turn distorted, darker, and more ominous with repeated waves of increasingly threatening messages. After seemingly traversing this hazardous region of space successfully, The Recaller propels forward at lightspeed with a Vektor-like thrash section, as Bradley growls and throws higher-pitched wails amongst a groove-filled rhythm backing. Suddenly, it becomes apparent that the craft did not break free of suspicion, as alien spacecraft engage in a rapid chase with harmonized guitar lines and the sound of laser guns firing. Panic ensues with rapid, nauseating, evading maneuvers employed in the form of a fiery, technical thrash. With the entrance of acoustic guitar lines, the ship seems to relax after avoiding danger. A slower, lumbering section atop of explosive drum fills precedes the tracks’ intermission, as the music pauses and gives way to the mechanical sounds of the spacecraft. 

When the music resumes, it does so in a call back to the earlier thrash section of the track, though this time with a celebratory attitude and excitement, emphasized with vocal shouts, of a mission successfully accomplished. Unfortunately, the celebration is short lived as tremolo guitar lines usher in the spacecraft’s sudden capture. The ship hopelessly emits emergency beacons in the form of a high-pitched distressed guitar line, lined with panic, as the calls for help go unanswered. “Stratocumulus Evergaol” seems to end with The Recaller being led into a swarm of alien craft. In wailing guitar melodies, she seems to accept her fate, gathering the courage to confront her captors in an epic battle, via a mid-tempo section of melodic guitar lines. The listener loses contact in a flurry of confusion as the track ends violently with an emphatic, exclamatory riff.

Throughout the immense journey of Overspace & Supertime, Cryptic Shift have a hyperfocused attention to detail. The fluid and unpredictable song structures provide a different experience with each listen, with a musical variety that often defies current subgenre classifications. An example is the track “Hyperspace Topography,” where Cryptic Shift connects a groovy-chug with rapid blast beat synchrony prior to a cacophony of acoustic guitar dissonant bursts on top of Ryan Seperson’s rapid drumming. Guitar notes are often thrown purposefully slightly off pitch, projecting the unease of The Recaller’s journey and strange confrontations with newly discovered alien beings. Novel sounds are constantly introduced, like the rapid phaser guitar effect and insect moaning of “Hexagonal Eyes (Diverity Trepaphymphasyzm)”, preventing the listener from lapsing into boredom, despite the expansive eighty-minute runtime.

Like all intergalactic journeys, Overspace & Supertime is a lengthy voyage. Admittedly, once the album’s closer “Overspace & Supertime” begins, an additional twenty-minute song an hour into the album feels intimidating. However, Cryptic Shift’s work is constantly compelling to the point of addicting. The song-writing and dynamic performances drip with originality, and the frequent musical style changes result in an engaging and exciting listening adventure. So enjoy repeated exploratory missions in the vast, mysterious universe created by Cryptic Shift, just be wary of the dangers that lie hidden along the way.

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Recommended tracks: Stratocumulus Evergaol, Hyperspace Topography, Overspace & Supertime
You may also like: Xoth, Dissimulator, First Fragment, Glacial Tomb, Fractal Generator
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Metal Blade Records

Cryptic Shift is:
– Xander Bradley (guitar & vocals)
– Joss Farrington (guitar)
– John Riley (bass)
– Ryan Sheperson – (drums)
With guests:
– Mike Browning (theremin)

¹Disclaimer: this is my personal interpretation of the events of the track, so take it how you will