UK progressive death metal band Cryptic Shift has revealed details of their second full-length album, Overspace & Supertime, set for release on February 27 via Metal Blade Records. The announcement includes the debut single Hexagonal Eyes (Diverity Trepaphymphaszym). The record builds on their science fiction narrative from the 2020 debut.
Formed in Leeds in 2015, Cryptic Shift emerged from the collaboration between vocalist and guitarist Alexander Bradley and drummer Ryan Sheperson. The band fuses technical thrash and death metal with intricate science fiction themes. Their first album, Visitations From Enceladus, released in 2020, elevated them to international recognition.
Overspace & Supertime extends the storyline from the debut, delving into an alternate reality connected to prior events. Ryan Sheperson notes that the new tracks broaden the narrative while refining the band's Astrodeath sound, making it heavier, more precise, and deeply immersive.
Produced by Jack Helliwell and mastered by Greg Chandler—known for his work with Esoteric and My Dying Bride—the album features cover artwork by Jesse Jacobi, which echoes visual motifs from the debut. Bradley describes the lead single as the band's most intense effort yet, blending technical ferocity with recurring thematic elements.
The tracklist includes:
- Cryogenically Frozen
- Stratocumulus Evergaol
- Hyperspace Topography
- Hexagonal Eyes (Diverity Trepaphymphaszym)
- Overspace & Supertime
To mark the release, Cryptic Shift will perform a record launch show on February 28, 2026, at Boston Music Rooms in London, UK. They are also scheduled for Maryland Deathfest from May 21-24, 2026, in Baltimore, MD.
