Cryptopsy – As Gomorrah Burns Album Review
Cryptopsy is a band that deserves to be on everyone’s extreme metal pedestal. Ever since releasing Blasphemy Made Flesh and None So Vile, this band became legendary with their iconic blend of inhuman drumming and riffing, sounding like a cacophony of brutality. Cryptopsy’s discography has ebbed and flowed since then, but I can honestly say they re-found their strength.
On September 8th, Cryptopsy will release As Gomorrah Burns. It’s an ode to early Cryptopsy albums but sounds more refined and modern. And with their signing to Nuclear Blast Records, this long-awaited full-length finally found the right home.
The album starts with “Lascivious Undivine.” It has a “Crown of Horns”-esque intro, with inhuman drumming from Flo Mounier and Matt McGachy’s vocals punching in shortly after. The song follows this insane momentum but also weaves back and forth between the technicality and groovier parts, and there’s even a slight breakdown at the end. The breakdown is a surprise but is random, and I can see Cryptopsy fans thrown off by it.
Still, I was curious if a song on this album would take me back to earlier Cryptopsy days. It does, and that song is “Godless Deceiver.” The drums pound constantly in the song, never flowing down for the nearly four-minute song length. McGachy also does some Lord Worm worship with his vocals, so this song will feel nostalgic for early Cryptopsy fans. This is also where guitarist Christian Donaldson shines; he unleashes a crazy solo toward the end of the song, creating the perfect progression between the psychotic musicianship. This slight change keeps Cryptopsy’s material fresh without taking things back to the brutality of older material like Blasphemy Made Flesh.
“The Righteous Lost” is another stand-out track. Donaldson and bassist Olivier Pinard stand out here, unleashing some parts so insane they will blow your head off. The song goes from technical insanity to hard-hitting heaviness, and you never know what will come next. Donaldson’s solo toward the middle is my favorite on the album; he doesn’t do any fancy riffing but rather uses an esoteric style that fits Cryptopsy’s iconic sound.
The album ends with “Praise the Filth.” At five minutes, this is the longest song on the album and moves in different directions. This track starts off a little slower than the other songs on this album, changing the momentum a little bit. It flows between murderous parts to slower sections, easing into the album’s finale.
As Gomorrah Burns is another stand-out album in Cryptopsy’s discography. This album is only eight songs, but I can see fans praising this record for years to come. They hold all the best parts of their original material while still evolving. While I wish they did away with the breakdown in the first song, all other tracks are a success.
Rating: 9.5/10
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