Romanian quartet KREPUSKUL formed in 2005. They have two prior full-length albums under their belt (2007 and 2010) and have been described a number of different ways...from Melodic Black Metal, to Modern Metal, to Death Metal, and Experimental Metal. Their newest album in seven years is presented here, titled "Hybrid." It contains nine new tracks and will be released in early November 2017. A two minute introductory track "OCD (Let's Start a War)" opens the album. It has a heavy and aggressive sound, with a mid-tempo pace, fueled by harsh vocals. It is indeed an amalgam of a few different genres fused together and is hard to nail down to one specific style. "Hybrid High Breed" has some harmonic guitars mixed in with the main riff, which is structured and brow-beating. There are definitely some elements of Melodic Metal and Core at times as well. The combination is alluring but in the darkest of ways. Semi-clean vocals make an appearance in a little interlude that breaks up some of the brutality with some strong melodies.

"As Long As You See The Sky" has a hearty rhythm and some great chord progressions that venture off the low E key and the guitars are stellar in this track. The vocal chants are like an anthem of anger and hate, and something you can shout along with. "The Disciples" is the first song that opens with clean vocals and clean guitars, presenting a softer side of emotional feelings, but quickly segues into a brutal sound going forward. Adding a bridge with a completely different sound makes for a diverse track. "The Limits of Hate" opens with some nimble guitar work and a Melodic Death Metal type of sound for me. But the power of the heavy sound wins out and it's a menacing display of Metal. "Under the Black Flag" has a punchy rhythm that grabs you by the throat and pushes you into submission. "No more will we stand in the shadows...no more will they steal the light...no more will they ask us to follow...we'll get up and fight" is the message presented here.

"Psychotherapy" has a tenacious sound, fueled by a slower and more deliberate pace that gives you pause to take in the weighted nature of the track. "Everybody needs some psychotherapy" is a pretty truthful message here. "They Will Fall" has a desolate sound, like a damaged beast that might have crawled out of the wreckage of Chernobyl. Bleak and inviting at the same time, it's really gloomy, almost to the point of something in the Doom Metal genre. "Awake 17" closes the album. If I'm not mistaken, it's an updated version from their 2012 release "Game Over." I'm really glad they included this song on the album as a tie-in to the past, and can't help hearing the IRON MAIDEN influenced sound, from dual guitar roles and the nimble lead breaks as well.

Overall, what I think the album has going for it best is the diversity of genres that they mix in here, but with a polished and unified sound. It's dark, heavy and brutal but also has enough melodic elements to keep it fresh. This is the third excellent band I have heard from the country recently, though KREPUSKUL are not newbies to the music scene there. I have the feeling that more good things are to come, and this is an album and a sound that you need to listen to.