Cruentus were an odd beast; I'd be hesitant to call them full blown progressive death metal yet at the same time their sound was far more expansive than most other death metal groups during the 90's. When it comes to the band's more "straightforward" death metal sections I can't help but think early Morbid Angel; the group just has a certain way of writing and arranging riffs in ways that seem scattered but together create totally enthralling passages. They also have a strong ear for melody but they don't let it dominate their work, letting the parts that should be heavy stay that way and unveiling the more harmonic moments during the sections where they let their progressive influences reign free. I guess another point of interest would be that the band includes a fair share of clean vocals and while that may turn some people off it actually works quite well in the band's favor as their lead singer has a great voice. Overall I'd say that Cruentus were easily one of the more original and most underrated bands to come from the great death boom on the 90's and should certainly be remembered and celebrated for their unique approach to the genre.
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