CRYPTIC RISING

BAND NAME: Cryptic Rising
GENRE: Raw / Post-Black / DSBM / Depressive / Blackened Funeral Doom / Various
STATUS: Active
LOCATION: USA (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)

Formed in 2012.

This project no longer identifies as Christian. The context surrounding this is somewhat confusing; refer to the note at the end of their discography for more information.

Lineup:
Matthew Plunkett - All instruments, Vocals
Zack Plunkett - Vocals (early), Guitars, Drum programming (now)

Links:
Instagram
Bandcamp (Independent)
Bandcamp (Label)
Spotify
Apple Music
SoundCloud
ReverbNation
Facebook
Twitter

Discography:

Note: In addition to the discography below, some sites list a song called "Yesterday, This Would've Meant So Much to Us", supposedly released in 2014. I found a song with this title by an unrelated band called Tape Loop Orchestra, but can find nothing reliable indicating Cryptic Rising ever did a song with that name... Can anyone clear this up?

Hopeless in Dead Winter Storm (demo)

Left: 31 August, 2012, Independent, Bandcamp, link expired
Right: 4 April, 2015, SkyBurnsBlack Records, Bandcamp
(???), 2012, Unblack Metal Scene Records (RIP-OFF LABEL), CD-R

NOTE: Currently unsure if the "Unblack Metal Scene" version uses the same artwork or not.

1) Hopeless in Dead Winter Storm
3:08, lyrics:
Frostwind, you are my enemy. The cold chills you bring to my flesh bring me to my knees. I will make it to the mountain tops. I will climb the mountain to the throne room. Frostwind, you are weak.

2) Sea of Decay
3:13, lyrics:
I'll float in Your waters to the shores of life, but my body decays. The sea brings me to the shores. Heal my broken corpse. Let me live once more. I am yours. Take this body and make it pure.

3) Life Lay Still
1:43, lyrics:
Black skies, wind moving the trees. Snow cold, life not to be seen. The waters rage. My life lay still.

4) My Heart Weeps No More
2:51, instrumental

5) Skyfall
4:06, lyrics:
Oh dark sky, why does your darkness empty my soul? I have yet to breathe. I have yet to see a light. My Father, I call upon You. Bring forth the light of my request Lord. Bring the beauty to my soul. You are the one I desire Lord.

Isolation (album)

Top:
Left: 17 September, 2013, Black Metal Underground (RIP-OFF LABEL), Cassette, limited 50 copies
Right: 3 October, 2013, Independent, Bandcamp, link expired
Bottom:
4 December, 2014, SkyBurnsBlack Records, Bandcamp

1) Suffering in the Arms of Death 5:16
2) Drawning 3:43
3) Dead Leaves in the Wind 5:25
4) Isolation 4:01
5) A Ghost Screaming My Name 3:08
6) Forever Alone 2:48
7) You Are Holy 2:52

 

Demo (1 April, 2014, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
link expired

Not to be confused with "D e m o", released in 2017.

There's some debate in the reports / update history on Metal Archives about this possibly having a release on Black Metal Underground. Does anyone know anything about this?

1) Like Branches on a Tree 6:02
2) II 2:00
3) Onward 1:50

Cryptic Rising / Self-Titled (album, 17 November, 2014, SkyBurnsBlack Records)
Formats: CD-R and Bandcamp
Buy the CD-R (OFFICIAL)
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

1) Lone
1:43, instrumental

2) Wither
3:12, lyrics:
Death has become my destiny
But reality it has been defeated
Jesus conquered
Jesus shared His victory
Death free us so we may
Experience the glorious
Heavenly presence of God
Death has removed us
From those we love
But not from the One
Who loves us most

3) Canvas
6:03, lyrics:
Where have I gone
This is not
The man I claim to be
Into the fire
Is where I should be
Throw me into
Into this world of pain
Watch it tear me apart
I live this life in hope of
What You will make of me

4) Weep
6:59, instrumental

5) The Fear Unknown
3:00, lyrics:
Fear Him
Don’t fear the people
The fear unknown
Is what's upon us
Give us the sound mind
To be prospective
Let us see as You do
Let us not use fear
To disobey You
There is a reason
To live in fear
When You are within us
Fear will enslave us
But Christ has come
To set us free

6) Grief
1:19, lyrics unknown

7) Fragile
4:05, lyrics:
I want to show you love
I want to give you peace
Don’t be so broken inside
Because what is beyond
Will set you free
I’ll show you a reason to live

8) A Part of Something Bigger
5:30, lyrics unknown

Demo II

6 February, 2015, Independent, Bandcamp, link expired
19 February, 2015, SkyBurnsBlack Records, Bandcamp, link expired

1) Illuminate
3:28, lyrics:
Lord lead me back to You
I want to be in Your presence
Lead me down the path I once walked
because I'm falling away from You

2) The Path
3:44, lyrics:
I walk forward looking for answers
The world seems to get in the way but I press on
Still searching for You
I seek the word I seek the truth
Help me see the love You share

3) With New Focus
3:29, lyrics:
I feel Your healing hand upon me
I see change in my life
The path is not so hard to walk
With new focus and with prayer
I feel closer to You

Illuminate (single, 19 February, 2015, SkyBurnsBlack Records)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
link expired

1) Illuminate
3:28, lyrics:
Lord lead me back to You
I want to be in Your presence
Lead me down the path I once walked
because I'm falling away from You

United We Skate - Benefit Comp Volume 5 Metal (16 June, 2015, SkyBurnsBlack + Thumper Punk Records)
Formats: CD and Bandcamp
Buy the CD (OFFICIAL)
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

10) Cryptic Rising - Wither 3:12, see above for lyrics

With Sorrow and Dread (single, 1 August, 2015, SkyBurnsBlack Records)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
link expired

Not to be confused with the "III" / "With Sorrow and Dread" EP, the release directly below this one.

1) With Sorrow and Dread 2:40

With Sorrow and Dread / III (EP)

Left: With Sorrow and Dread, 6 August, 2015, SkyBurnsBlack, Bandcamp
Right: III, 7 July, 2016, Independent, Bandcamp, link expired

Not to be confused with the "With Sorrow and Dread" single, the release directly above this one.

I'm not entirely sure what's going on with this EP. If you check the page source for the SkyBurnsBlack version, (CTRL+F, search the phrase publish_date) it was released 6 August, 2015... But why, then, does it have a July 2016 date manually listed? That's the date for the independent version. Was the SkyBurnsBlack version originally something else, and it was modified into "With Sorrow and Dread"?

1) Turmoil 3:21
2) Memory of You 3:29
3) Endure 3:00
4) Arcane 3:28
5) With Sorrow and Dread 2:40

I n h e r i t a n c e / Inheritance (EP)

Top, left:
I n h e r i t a n c e, 15 October, 2016, Independent, Bandcamp
Top, right:
Inheritance, 31 August, 2017, SkyBurnsBlack Records, Bandcamp
Inheritance, 17 August, 2020, Coleiosis Media, Bandcamp

Bottom, left:
Inheritance, 26 November, 2016, Independent, Cassette, limited 25 copies, sold out
Bottom, right:
Inheritance, year unknown, Dead Tapes, Cassette, limited (???) copies

I don't know which songs are on Side A or Side B of each tape. Does anyone have these and can clear this up?

1) Death Threat 1:42
2) Drown Yourself 1:55
3) Life Taker 1:45
4) Worthless 3:01
5) Agony 1:25
6) Sorrow Awaits 2:03

D e m o (demo, 20 January, 2017, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

Not to be confused with "Demo", released in April 2014.

1) In Your Blood 4:45
2) Skeptic 1:24
3) Wearer 3:17

Emergence (album)

31 August, 2017, Independent, Bandcamp, link expired
1 September, 2017, SkyBurnsBlack records, Bandcamp

1) Emergence 1:10
2) Alleviate 3:43
3) Come to Life 5:47
4) Blossom 5:30
5) Embody 2:00
6) Accent 4:37
7) Epilogue 1:50

D e m o II (demo, 10 October, 2017, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

1) I Can Feel Your Pain 2:20
2) Orthodox 2:10
3) Adversity 3:15

O l d w o u n d / Oldwound (EP)

Top, left:
O l d w o u n d, 19 December, 2017, Independent, Bandcamp
Oldwound, 17 August, 2020, Coleiosis Media, Bandcamp
Top, right:
Oldwound, 20 December, 2017, SkyBurnsBlack, Bandcamp
Bottom:
O l d w o u n d, 28 December, 2017, Independent, Cassette, 15 copies, sold out

1) Tomb of the Dead 4:30
2) Altered 1:15
3) Unborn 3:02
4) Rotting Earth 2:03
5) Living Stench 2:09
6) Marching into Hell 1:47

^ Original 3010x3010 res [here].

D e m o III (demo)

Top:

Left: 2 June, 2018, Independent, Bandcamp
Right: 19 October, 2018, Independent, Cassette, limited 6 copies, sold out
Bottom:
25 March, 2019, Static Void Records, Bandcamp

1) The Baleful Phantoms Underground 5:08
2) Times End 1:37
3) Letter from a Haunted Room 3:35

S p l i t (split, 8 June, 2018, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (Cryptic Rising, OFFICIAL)
Stream / Download (MYZR, OFFICIAL)

Split with Myzr.

3) Cryptic Rising - Gravesend 4:30
4) Cryptic Rising - Living Will 2:10

The Sequential Sting of Existence (single, 16 June, 2018, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

Guest appearances:
Zack Plunkett - Guitars, Drum programming

1) The Sequential Sting of Existence 3:07

D e m o IV (demo)

Left: 3 September, 2018, Independent, Bandcamp
Right: 20 November, 2018, Independent, Cassette, limited 10 copies

1) Mutilated 2:21
2) Ritual 1:02
3) Circle of Bones 1:45

D e m o V (demo, 8 November, 2018, Independent)
Formats: Cassette (8 copies) and Bandcamp

Cassette sold out

Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

Guest appearances:
Zack Plunkett - Guitars

1) Mortuary 4:15
2) False Hope 1:35
3) Hollow Soul 3:00

This image has been resized.

To view the original 3024x3024 res, click [here].

Thrones (single, 7 January, 2019, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

1) Thrones 7:28

 The Fear Unknown (compilation)

1 February, 2019, Independent, Bandcamp
8 February, 2019, Independent, Cassette, limited 15 copies, sold out

A compilation of songs from "Isolation" and the self-titled album.

1) Wither 2:53
2) Suffering in the Arms of Death 2:50
3) Drawning 3:44
4) A Ghost Screaming My Name 3:14
5) The Fear Unknown 3:05

This image has been resized.

To view the original 3000x3000 res, click [here].

Home Burial / H o m e B u r i a l (single, 29 March, 2019, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

1) Home Burial 5:11

Nosral Noise (compilation, 4 April, 2019, Nosral Recordings)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

Written on the artwork:
"Nosral Recordings presents
Nosral Noise

A compilation of noise and ambience to glorify Jesus Christ"

4) Cryptic Rising - Home Burial 5:31

Vol. II (compilation, 5 April, 2019, From Corners Unknown Records)

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

"All earnings are being donated to the Cascades Raptor Center, a non-profit that rehabilitates birds of prey in the Pacific Northwest. With the purchase, you will receive a high-resolution image of the full five-panel compilation artwork as well as a digital insert detailing the compilation's track listing. An additional 1-hour bonus noise track from Sinepost is included with your download too."

"In six months time (10/05/2019), this compilation's price will be changed to "name your price"."

4) Cryptic Rising - Thrones 7:28

D e m o VI (demo, 3 July, 2019, Independent)
Format: Digital / Bandcamp
Stream / Download (OFFICIAL)

1) Staring at the Blood 00:39
2) Ghost Garden 00:49
3) Dead Man's Hate 1:31

This image has been resized.

To view the original 2568x2504 res, click [here].

Demos (compilation, 2 August, 2019, Nailbat Tapes)
Formats: Cassette (25 copies) and Bandcamp
Buy the tape + Stream/Download (OFFICIAL)

Originally posted on Cryptic Rising's Instagram with a slight blue hue, but apparently is actually black and white.

NOTE: The track "Skeptic" isn't mentioned on the packaging of the cassette... I'm not sure if it's on that version? At any rate, it is on the Bandcamp version.

Tracks 1-8 are on Side A. The other tracks(?) are on Side B.

1) Mortuary 4:15
2) False Hope 1:35
3) Hollow Soul 3:00
4) Mutilated 2:21
5) Ritual 1:02
6) Circle of Bones 1:45
7) The Baleful Phantoms Underground 5:08
8) Times End 1:37
9) Letter from a Haunted Room 3:35
10) I Can Feel Your Pain 2:20
11) Orthodox 2:10
12) Adversity 3:15
13) In Your Blood 4:45
14) Skeptic 1:24
15) Wearer 3:17





Music after this point isn't Christian. Now, whether the band members identify that way or not, I really don't know, but at the very least, the music is no longer focused on those themes. In talking to Matthew, he told me the music hadn't been Christian "since 2014" which doesn't make sense, because in both 2014 and 2015, there were still obvious Christian lyrics. Not to mention, as recently as April of 2019, Cryptic Rising appeared on that Nosral compilation with the clearly stated goal to "glorify Jesus Christ". Nevertheless, he doesn't seem eager to release the lyrics to other Cryptic Rising songs between 2015 and 2019, so until those lyrics can be published AND CONFIRMED like the lyrics to "Necrotic Sacrament", all of the releases above will stay labeled as "Christian".



Non-Christian releases:
Necrotic Sacrament, EP
Putrid Remnants, EP






________________________________________________
IncompletePage, CouldUseBetterImages, UncertainInfo
INFO:
1) When was the 2nd edition of "Inheritance" tapes released? 2) Which songs are on Side A / Side B of the cassettes (that don't already have that info listed)? 3) Any more info on the UMS version of "Hopeless ..."? 4) Info on a possible BMU version of "Demo"? 5) What's up with the "III" EP? 6) Missing lyrics for the rest of these releases? 8) Did Cryptic Rising ever do that "Yesterday This ..." song?

IMAGES:
1) The tape version of "Isolation". 2) "Demo" (2014). 3) "Hopeless in Dead Winter Storm". 4) The version of "With Sorrow and Dread" WITHOUT the logo on it. 5) Is there a better version of "Emergence"? It seems pretty pixelated, but it also seems like (based on smaller images I've found) this may just be what that artwork looks like. 6) Anyone have a larger version of the NEW logo?


Miscellaneous:
A photo from when Zack was in the band:

 

 

Similar to: [SECULAR] Lonesummer, An Open Letter, Xasthur, Procer Veneficus, Weakling, Requiem Aeternam (Rus), Silent Shepherd's Horn, Forest of the Renounced, [CHRISTIAN] Întristare (Intristare), Willow Mount, Dark Procession, Erasmus,
[Currently this list only pertains to the band's early/mid material.]