There are few bands that can gain momentum and keep the up with the pace. Philadelphia’s Shadows in the Crypt is one of the few Black Metal outfits that can substantiate this claim. Formed in late 2009 by Guitarist Lawrence Wallace, Shadows in the Crypt hastily released their debut CD, Beyond the Grave, in 2011. After releasing Beyond the Grave, Lawrence Wallace recruited seasoned Black Metal veterans Stephen Corridean, A.K.A. Schatz, and George Loveland, A.K.A. HHammerhorde, from the Philadelphia scene. The group began working on the latest release, Cryptic Communications, releasing demos for the new album and negotiating a session drummer for the new full length.
There was much turbulence during the creative process of Cryptic Communications recording sessions, including musical and personal discrepancies between session members and full time members. The group played a few local shows to showcase the new material live but tensions grew between members concerning ideas for musical direction during the recording process. The earnest members of Shadows in the Crypt had booked even more shows, however the session members striked against the musical direction going as far as not showing up to the booked gigs. The future of the group looked uncertain and it seemed that the momentum was stalled. The wheels of destiny soon changed. The group in late May 2012 signed with Mike Juliano’s Horror Pain Gore Death Productions based in Philadelphia PA due to the intensity and integrity of the new material. Cryptic Communications was released on Horror Pain Gore Death on July 3rd 2012 one day before the USA celebrated it’s independence. Cryptic Communications release was highly anticipated by the Philadelphia Death/Black Metal scene which spawned Shadows in the Crypt. The momentum was soon returned.
