Thursday, May 25: Cypher16, “Castle”
Cypher16 might be the only Western metal outfit to first gain traction in China and India, but the British group earned their keep the hard way by playing anywhere and everywhere that would have them. And on a global level, their timing was perfect, as Cypher16’s style of technical metal was coming into fashion on a large scale just as The Great Surveyor was released. “Castle” was emblematic of the songs on that album, featuring charging riffs, prog-minded drumming and aggressive but not inaccessible vocals. The song was progressive but unpretentious, its brief running time hitting all the necessary beats and moving on quickly to the next thing. As a result, “Castle” could feel a bit faceless, and the album as a whole suffered from a lack of identity, but the song illustrated Cypher16’s potential and suggested that with more roadwork and a little more attention, the band could one day develop a signature sound.
