ITP V.024 REVIEW: CRYPTOPSY: "AS GOMORRAH BURNS"

 

BAND:CRYPTOPSY (MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA)

GENRE:TECHNICAL DEATH METAL

LABEL: NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS

 RELEASE DATE:9/8/2023

TITLE: "AS GOMORRAH BURNS"

 RELEASES: 

"THE BOOK OF SUFFERING TOME II", 10/26/2018 via DEFEN SOCIETY. 

"THE BOOK OF SUFFERING TOME I", 10/30/2015 (SELF RELEASED). 

"CRYPTOPSY", 9/11/2012,   (SELF RELEASED)...

"THE UNSPOKEN KING", 5/26/2008 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"ONCE WAS NOT", 10/18/2005 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"NONE SO LIVE" (LIVE RELEASE), 5/19/2003 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"AND THEN YOU'LL BEG", 10/31/2000 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. 

"WHISPER SUPREMACY", 9/22/1998 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS..

"NONE SO VILE", 7/3/1996 via WRONG AGAIN RECORDS. 

"BLASPHEMY MADE FLESH", 11/25/1994 via INVASION RECORDS. 

 

. .

 

  .

 

BEST RELEASE(S): "NONE SO VILE" (1996), "WHISPER SUPREMACY" (1998), "AND THEN YOU'LL BEG" (2000)

'

CRYPTOPSY: "AS GOMORRAH BURNS"  TRACK LISTING: 

1.  "LASCIVIOUS UNDIVINE" 

2. "IN ABEYANCE" 

3. "GODLESS DECEIVER" 

4. "III ENDER"

5. "FLAYED THE SWINE" 

6. "THE RIGHTEOUS LOST" 

7. "OBEISANT" 

8. "PRAISE THE FILTH"

 

ITP RATING: **** (VERY GOOD, WELL WORTH THE PURCHASE)

PRODUCTION: ****

SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE:****/1/2

 

CRYPTOPSY are a legendary technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. CRYPTOPSY have been through three vocalists, all representing legendary eras in the bands history. 

CRYPTOPSY drummer FLO MOUNIER founded the hyper blast (blastbeat). 

After a nearly 10 year abscence CRYPTOPSY are back with a new label and album "AS GOMORRAH BURNS". 

CRYPTOPSY'S   "AS GOMORRAH BURNS"  kicks off with "LASCIVIOUS UNDIVINE" reminding me of riffs from CRYPTOPY'S "...AND THEN YOU'LL BEG.". "LASCIVIOUS UNDIVINE" destroys in a familiar way as vocalist MATT MCGACHY'S vocals have improved considerably from previous releases. 

CRYPTOPSY'S  "IN ABEYANCE" kills it with excellent blast beat drumming and simple but effective riffing. Good vocal performance via MATT MCGACHY'S as him death and screamed vocals are  well. done. I love the little technical riff that runs through  "IN ABEYANCE", unique. 

CRYPTOPSY'S  "GODLESS DECEIVER" features a down tuned slam riff to die for, and a faced paced grind through death metal tones. FLO MOUNIER'S drumming is spectacular as usual and varied. 

CRYPTOPSY'S "III ENDER" features super tight drumming and and death and roll riffing. CHRISTIAN DONALDSON performs some excellent rhythm guitar riffs, melodic in parts. Killer track. 

CRYPTOPSY'S "FLAYED THE SWINE" features a tasty intro riff segueing into some excellent rolling riffs and good melodic rhythm guitar parts. 

 CRYPTOPSY'S  "THE RIGHTEOUS LOST"  features some excellent slap bass courtesy of OLIVIER PINARD. death and roll riffs adorn  "THE RIGHTEOUS LOST" segueing into more juicy riffage, enough to shake your metal horns at. 

CRYPTOPSY'S "OBEISANT"  enters as a mid paced slow burner before speeding up with some awesome picked riffs as some are similar to the CRYPTOPSY classic "WHISPER SUPREMACY". There's even some tech death riffs thrown in "OBEISANT" for good measure. . 

 CRYPTOPSY'S: "AS GOMORRAH BURNS" closes with  "PRAISE THE FILTH" as syncopated riffs paint a brutal atmosphere... "PRAISE THE FILTH" assaults the senses with simple but destructive riffing, great varied and tight drumming, a doom ending and brutal death vox. 

CRYPTOPSY have gone through various lineup changes during the last 15 years. Vocalist MATT MCGACHY'S and guitarist CHRISTIAN DONALDSON have been withe the band a while now as new bassist OLIVIER PINARD has joined CRYPTOPSY'S ranks. 

Although vocalist MATT MCGACHY has been crtitzed for sounding "metalcorish" , MATTS vocals have improved to a variety of death metal growls and screams.

The riffs on  CRYPTOPSY'S: "AS GOMORRAH BURNS" show variable dynamics in a death and roll style. Not bad for a band demoted to only one guitarist. 

A bone to pick as some of the riffs featured on "AS GOMORRAH BURNS" sound recycled from "AND THEN YOU'LL BEG" and  "WHISPER SUPREMACY". Although many familiar with CRYPTOPY'S catalog might like the extension of songwriting from the bands late 90's early 2K output. 

I just wish CRYPTOPSY had two guitarist, specifically a lead guitarist to cover solos live. 

 CRYPTOPSY'S: "AS GOMORRAH BURNS" features an organic production and varied songwriting, as welcome ideal vs. today's metal core bands...

While "AS GOMORRAH BURNS isn't the unique classic that "NONE SO VILE" turned out to be, it still has it moments and will brutalize your innards. 

As also there is enough amazing musicianship and some technical parts to get the heads spinning and the necks snapping. 

...And there's FLO MOUNIER, one of the best death metal drummers ever, still excellent after all these years. .

All is not lost, as it's good to have CRYPTOPSY back.  

 

     .

ITP RATING:**** (VERY GOOD, WELL WORTH THE PURCHASE)

PRODUCTION: ****

SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE:**** 1/2

 

 

 

.