I never really got into Crystal Lake, despite all the attention they've been getting from the modern metal scene. I liked Into The Great Beyond from their rerecorded album, but most of their recent work slipped past me. Mephisto caught my eye though, partially due to Nik Nocturnal reacting to it, but I found it a super fun track to listen to.
It's my first and so far only taste of the heavier side of Crystal Lake, and it sure is heavy. Named after one of the pseudonyms of the devil, it definitely has a hellish atmosphere to it, and thematically relevant as well. It immediately comes in with feedback and sharp harmonics to let you know it's angry, and Ryo's vocals are super beastly to match.
The song gets a bit experimental at times with speech bits and weird digital whisper parts, but overall it has a very bouncy modern metalcore sound, with low-tuned guitars and fast drumming. It's relentless in its energy and doesn't give a single break until the solo comes around. Having it on top of the same chuggy riff is a weird choice, but its pretty cool sounding.
The breakdown is the highlight for sure, a great buildup to a perfectly jawdropping moment. The callout with the instrumental dropout just accentuates the growl, and the double kicks are ridiculous. Them going for the lower-and-slower second round is just overkill, but it is so fun to have anyways.
Mephisto is a really fun high-energy track, and despite being mostly one moment, is still a song I enjoy revisiting every now and then. Whether Crystal Lake remains on my radar after Ryo's departure is yet to be seen, as his solo project Knosis has yet to intrigue me either, but I'll gladly keep listening to Mephisto.
Rating: 3/5