News from the Crypt: Sceptocrypt Rises Again

After nearly three decades beneath the sonic soil, Malta-born extreme metal act Sceptocrypt is clawing its way back to the live stage — and this time, it’s not creeping but erupting.

The band has officially announced its return as a full five-piece lineup for February 6th, 2026, marking 28 years since their last full-band performance in 1997. “Sceptocrypt return with its new sound and songs off a forthcoming full-length,” reads the statement issued on September 30th, 2025, signalling not just a reunion but a rebirth.

Earlier this year, the outfit re-emerged tentatively as a one-man acoustic teaser set at Renaissance Open-Air, but their next appearance — as part of Dark Clouds over Camden at The Dev — promises to be an entirely different beast. Or, as the band themselves put it: “Expect dissonance & annihilation to meet harmony & peace… We promise to disturb and relax you in (not so equal) measures!”

From the Smallest Nation to the Largest Noise

Sceptocrypt’s origins trace back to Malta in 1992, when a group of underground devotees decided to sculpt a sound that — at the time — didn’t have a label. Long before “extreme metal” became a catch-all term, Sceptocrypt were “cross-bordering death, doom, black metal and more,” while unapologetically “embracing non-metal styles, but without losing [their] abrasive edge.”

Despite releasing only a demo and a rehearsal tape before dissolving in 1999, their vision did not go unnoticed. Their early efforts were “received warmly by the leading press,” suggesting that Sceptocrypt’s roots were not merely planted — they were fertilised.

The Cryptkeeper: Malcolm’s Relentless Pursuit of Uncomfort

Much of the band’s modern resurrection is driven by co-founder Malcolm, who relocated to London in 2007. There he founded EthnaMorte, an “avant-world-noir” project that released two CDs before folding in 2014. From there, the path led inexorably back to Sceptocrypt.

A music tutor by profession yet a sworn enemy of musical comfort zones, Malcolm describes his artistic creed simply: “to challenge, not conform to tradition.” Whether through respecting Sceptocrypt’s “extreme metal heritage but not being confined by it,” or through numerous collaborations documented on malcolmcallus.com, his philosophy has been consistent — creativity must never calcify.

Beyond performance, Malcolm has also held the pen and the mic, serving as editor and DJ for the cult Rancid Soup zine and radio show, and contributing to Aussie Black Death Zine as well as Dutch portal brutalism.com.

In 2025, Malcolm welcomed Mark Andrews as the band’s new drummer. Mark, who has been playing since his mid-teens, brings versatility and a groove-based swing, effortlessly navigating “free flow to hard hitting” styles. According to the band, he “elevates the riffs thrown his way to make the ritual of playing the songs more rewarding.” His previous stints include death metal group Helestios, symphonic metal act Deity and Devilry, and even a heavy metal covers band, Entropy, giving him a uniquely varied foundation and rapid adaptability.

On bass, the youngest member of the quintet, Skyler, joined earlier in the year. As Sceptocrypt proudly notes, he plays a 5-string bass, but his contribution goes much deeper than that: Skyler is also programming drums for an upcoming release, producing, and even handling pre-mixing duties. Such multi-tasking underscores Malcolm’s willingness to break traditional band roles, encouraging members to stretch into new creative territories.

Rounding out the soundscape is Jacek, who brings samples and synthesizer textures to the five-piece configuration. According to the band’s announcement, Jacek “dedicates his life to a triumvirate of passions in the form of music, writing, and cooking,” believing that “music, like literature, won’t be good unless it has flavour.” He originally played bass in Poland, then took a hiatus, but now — after resettling in London — he channels his lyrical sensibilities into sonic backdrops, enhancing the narrative depth of Sceptocrypt’s compositions. His creative sensibility is exemplified in early previews, such as the audio snippet for a forthcoming track entitled “The Clown is Dead.” 

Finally, on vocals, Paweł, drawn “across the hills and valleys, from the cold winters of Polska to the bittersweet rumble of London town,” completes the lineup. He brings not only his voice but also theatrical stage presence, contributing to new songs with evocative titles like “Cherish the Tail that Chokes You,” “This Odometer Syndrome,” and “A Place for Thorned Souls.” 

Together, this lineup reflects Malcolm’s enduring creed: to challenge, to provoke, and to refuse comfort—not just in sound, but in creative roles, geography, and personal expression. The Cryptkeeper remains restless, and the crypt is very much alive.

The resurrection begins February 6th at The Dev. Enter willingly.

More at https://sceptocrypt.com/