Cryptopsy: Moving With The Times
When discussions are held about the most technically gifted death metal bands, Canada’s CRYPTOPSY absolutely have to be part of the equation. Their influence on the genre is undeniable and despite extensive periods of dormancy and a slew of lineup changes they are still amongst the elite bands of their generation.
Frontman Matt McGachy is confident that the band are poised and ready to be firing on all cylinders once more. “We dropped two EP’s in 2015 and 2018 and the purpose of those was to release music faster to our fans so we could get ourselves out on the road and connect with the fans and showcase this new era of CRYPTOPSY. Jon Levasseur left the band in around 2012 and the lineup we have now is basically the longest standing lineup in the band’s history. Christian [Donaldson, guitars] suffered with a lot of imposter syndrome when trying to compose music for CRYPTOPSY and it’s something he’s been wrestling to overcome and then we toured for the anniversary of None So Vile. We’ve been working on this album since 2019 and it takes us a long time to write as we’re very particular and it’s been long overdue. Now Chris has defeated his demons we’re confident that the music will start to flow again. He spent a lot of time trying to feel comfortable in his abilities and find his own identity.”
The album Matt speaks of is now known as As Gomorrah Burns and will be their first full-length since 2012. The deafening silence is about to be well and truly broken. “It’s focused, it’s not just a pile of riff salad or musical masturbation,” explains Matt. “We toured a lot since the release of the self-titled album and we spent a lot of time experimenting with what we felt worked with the fans, honoured the legacy of the band but also pushed the new era of CRYPTOPSY. This material is a bit darker but very groovy and something you can bang your head to. The riffs are definitely not conventional though. They can be pretty fucked up and chaotic. Vocally I’m coming from a different approach this time, I’ve been using false chords and it has really helped with my pronunciation. I worked really hard on developing my technique throughout the pandemic. I also took a lot more time with this record too. Previously I knew the birth of my son was coming and I didn’t want to be stressed so I recorded everything way earlier than I probably should have.”
As Gomorrah Burns sees the band return to a major label after opting to attempt the independent approach for their self-titled album. This decision has been a big relief for Matt, allowing him to focus on other facets of the band. “A lot has changed since then in the world of the internet and online promotions. Back in the day we could just put new music on Bandcamp, make a Facebook post and everyone would see it. It was very successful. Now the algorithms have all changed and a lot of people don’t even realise we released those two EPs, it was definitely working against us. Nuclear Blast was one of the only names we had in our minds and we’re very excited to be working with them. I was in charge of everything internet-wise and schedules so it’s a big weight off my shoulders.”
The artwork chosen to represent an album is an important element of the process and CRYPTOPSY have always opted for striking and evocative pieces to be at the forefront of their releases. Matt wanted to ensure that As Gomorrah Burns followed suit. “I was thinking along the lines of a Renaissance piece like None So Vile and the picture of John the Baptist’s head and honouring that legacy so I started looking for paintings of Sodom and Gomorra. I found these perfect paintings of burning cities and I sent them to Paolo [Girardi, artist] and he’s just a genius. He’s amazing and we loved how we managed to honour the Whisper Supremacy artwork. We would talk about colours and tones and he would send me updates every night and it was amazing to see it come together. He’s a true artist and it’s got his distinctive style. I can’t wait to meet him, hang out and drink some beers.”
Despite this iteration of the band being the longest standing formation in the history of CRYPTOPSY, they will always have the uphill battle of being compared to what has come before. This is a factor which Matt is fully aware of but embraces with open arms. “No matter how many years pass I’ll still be the new singer. None So Vile is a legendary album and is going to sit in people’s top ten lists for years. It was like a perfect storm type situation. Lord Worm was a lyrical genius and his vocal approach was so weird but people loved that. He’s also a super cool guy and I’ve had the pleasure of drinking beer with him. He’s exactly what people would expect him to be. I’m okay with being compared to that, joining the band, doing the Unspoken King and eating as much shit as I did… it can only get better! I’m enjoying my new style as it feels a lot more earthy and human than my fry screams so I’m excited to showcase that.”
As Gomorrah Burns is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
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