Return of the Riff Fest 2025

Evolution is essential to survival. In the ever-changing world of heavy music, that’s an undeniable reality. As the march of time gathers speed and threatens to crush us all under its heels, it’s time to make way for the futuristic multi-metal eruption of CRYPTOSIS. Formerly known throughout the European metal underground as old school thrash mob Distillator, Laurens Houvast [vocals/guitar], Frank te Riet [bass/mellotron/backing vocals] and Marco Prij [drums] have undergone a wholesale transformation and upgrade, resulting in a brand new band with a sound that is guaranteed to blow minds and wreck necks.
“When we started Distillator we were kids,” says Laurens. “We were still students and had a totally different vision of music. But wherever we went on the road, we learned more and more from each other, and we learned about each other’s preferences in music. “We love the music we used to play and we really wanted to play music that sounded like that at the time, but then you start to develop as an artist. We want to make music that is our sound, and not somebody else’s. That’s Cryptosis.”
“We took the name Cryptosis because it’s two words put together – on one side it’s ‘crypto’, like technology, crypto-currency and the digital world,” Laurens explains. “On the other side it’s ‘osis’ which comes from hypnosis, so the combination means the hypnosis of technology. People can’t live without technology and they’re hooked, and it will only get worse in the future, with technology being in total control. You’re hypnotised by the technology around you, and that’s Cryptosis.”
“The sound is a mix of everything that we personally love,” Frank explains. “Everything from Rush to Dimmu Borgir. It’s progressive, symphonic, it’s death, thrash, old school and modern, with some black influences in there too. Everyone puts their individual stamp on this new band. It’s a mixture of everything we love!”
“We really pushed the limits,” adds Marco.