Review by Richard Henry for MPM
It’s sometimes hard to believe how old this band is, Blasphemy came out in 94 and I think I started with them in 96 with “None So Vile”, having a think back on the albums, was there really two albums that sounded the same, not really, so I am really interested to see were they go on this one, caught them on the last tour and they were amazing, let’s see what album number 9 (plus the 2 Eps would maybe make it 11??)
The Nimis Adoration
Kicking off right from the start with an incendiary riff, the first thing is that production is dry, like very direct, then in with the blasts and a scream from Matt, again it could be me but that very first verse could be off Whisper Supremacy, immediately gave me Mike DiSalvo vibes, nice tempo changes, flying double kicks and blasts from Flo, the feels are all over the place, D Beat section next, if this doesn’t satisfy you as a Cryptopsy fan, there is a riff at two mins exactly that sounds like a cross of Faceless Unknown and a Black Metal part, Christian comes in with a lovely solo there that is again reminiscent of older Cryptopsy with a hint of James Murphy in the harmonies, now that is an opener!
Until Theres Nothing Left
Another dizzying riff to kick this off, nice switch in the blast as well changing the feel, the vocals just seem more brutal, less deathcore and more again in that DiSalvo sort of feel, again for me, this is just pummeling and then it hits an almost Cattle Decapitation sort of melodic guitar part with a more screamed vocal, there is a really lovely half time breakdown comes in, that production is so clear and really intense, nice bass solo melody part from Olivier comes in when the tempo slows, and as they do as it slows for a bit then it changes to the blast beats again, then again a nice bass part takes prominence in the mix, Christian really gets to unleash with the solos on this, nice to see, then the ferocity comes in again, I love the more black metal style riffs they are throwing in here, adds something completely different, another absolute banger!
Dead Eyes Replete
Really driving riff after the initial scream, so this one has more of those high deathcore screams in it, it’s a different feel for sure, love that breakdown part, that really drops down into the heavier grindy end of the feel before the tempo picks up, there is an absolute beast of a riff comes in nearly 1:30, really cool descending melodic line and then the kicks come in with it, beautiful, the middle section of this is schizophrenic, the feels keep changing at the drop of a hat as does the time, for the drummers out there, I could be wrong but pretty sure that’s the first time I have heard Flo do a gravity blast on a record, the last 30 seconds of the song is just a nasty riff with some different feels over it, now this one is different to the last two songs but I really enjoyed it as well!
Fools Last Acclaim
I love that little sort of drum fill part into that pummeling blast beat riff straight from the off, I think it’s really easy to hear this and think it’s just straight blasts but there is a lot going on with Flo back there, so many rolls and fills but keeping the time straight, the riff is immense, melodic with crushing parts, then the is a fast double bass part with a sliding riff, again I love the rhythm work where it constantly changes, there is a lovely plodding riff in the middle of this that is sure to have the pit moving, this one is definitely to the point, the production is so sharp, that adds to the heaviness and precision of the songs!
The Art of Emptiness
Really melodic rhythm guitar part comes in with some stops from the drums and then it comes in with a slow groove, spoken word over the top of this part, before the kicks step up, then it bangs straight into high gear, the verse part is all over the pace with the drums, still that sort of slow guitar part but everything else is moving around it, Matt on this sounds more like older Matt in the mid-section of his vocal instead of the lower end, and again there are parts you could swear it was DiSalvo on vocals, lovely solo again comes in, lovely harmonies on that and some really nice sweeps in there, there is a sledgehammer of a riff at the three min mark, nice and slow and grinding, I love that they transitioned then back into the original riff to play the song out!
Our Great Deception
Almost a clean classical guitar intro with percussion ominously in the background to kick this track off, then a bass and drum groove comes in underneath, again I say black metal a lot, but I mean it in the atmosphere of the riffs and this is a prime example of that where the riff is carrying the melody as well, when the vocals come in it straightens out again, and goes to where you would expect, the next part is pure Gojira groove with the rake son the guitar but again there is that sort of trem picked guitar part on the outskirts to bring back in the melodic aspect as well, I think the thing for me of featuring the solos, it gives you that break from the aggression, something that Jon used to do so well back when he was the lead player, Christian is playing some beautiful stuff so far on this album, near the end of the track there is a blast section that stops suddenly into a really slow pumping riff that will just be circle pit heaven!
Embrace the Nihility
I love that opening riff, sort of a dissonant play off against the other strings, again it has that atmosphere that a lot of the riffs have had on this album, then the verse riff is nuts in as far as listen to what Flo is doing underneath it, he is switching all the time in feel, then there is a really weird riff comes in next, again it’s the rhythms under are the key to this one, 1:40, that riff with the blast beats is so savage, again the solo on this is just class, technique and feel and really well placed harmonies, everything is watertight in this song, the riffs the drumming, everything, i love it!
Malicious Needs
Well, I mean it’s the last song so you might as well chill and hit you with a wall of blast beats from the start, the riff has loads of space and that’s the thing, it sorts of leaves room for the drums, I love the dissonant feel of it, lots of tempo shifts on this, then you are met with a slow groove part that just grinds along, being peppered with accents, there is a very cool riff with a little melodic twist on the end of it that comes in next over a much slower groove, there’s really sickening part at two mins in, almost like your drunk listening to this groove sort of move from side to side, the drums are god like, but that’s what you expect from Flo, constantly changing feel, fills, it’s a real masterclass!
I love that break then this slow majestic riff comes in, again I am going to say Black Metal in feel, then yeah, the more Deathcore vocals are there, but it really suits it, then as the song leaves the riff hanging you can hear the other riff in the background and you just fade into atmospheric noises
10 out of 10
This could be in my top 3 Cryptopsy albums already, None so Vile and Whisper Supremacy are the top 2, this is an unreal album, I absolutely loved every track.
Matt commands this one vocally and again there are parts he sounds like the Mike era of the band, the musicianship is another level above, Christian in particular shines for me on this, the production as well, Flo, well I could write another 5 pages on the drumming, the guy is unreal and I’m not a drummer but I got his DVD and watched him all night in Belfast.
The elements they have added, the atmosphere on the guitar parts have added so much to the sound, plus it harkens back and touches Whisper also And Then You’ll Beg era with the paying and the vocals, just go buy it is all I would say, you will not be disappointed!!
Pre-order & Pre-save:
https://orcd.co/cryptopsyaninsatiableviolence
Follow Cryptopsy:
Bandcamp: https://cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cryptopsyofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cryptopsyofficial/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/29PgYwTelpNl6370XLqFtN
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CryptopsyDeathMetal
BandsInTown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2941-cryptopsy
