Album Review – Cryptopsy / As Gomorrah Burns (2023)

And Gomorrah will burn to the sound of the incendiary new album by one of the fiercest Death Metal bands to ever rise from the Canadian scene.

Known as one of the fiercest Death Metal squads to ever rise from the Canadian scene since the band’s inception in the distant year of 1992, Montreal, Quebec-based Technical Death Metal juggernauts Cryptopsy are back to pummel our collective senses anew with their eighth studio album, the infernal As Gomorrah Burns, their first record in over 10 years. Produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s own by guitarist Christian Donaldson, with additional mixing by Dominic Grimard (who’s also their touring bassist), and displaying a stunning artwork by Italian painter Paolo Girardi, As Gomorrah Burns pits the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah against the modern-day Internet, with its stories based on real-life incidences such as online stalkers, cults, misinformation, isolation and intimidation showing how it’s both the birthplace of invention and a cesspool of exploitation, therefore proving why the band formed of vocalist Matt McGachy, guitarist Christian Donaldson, bassist Olivier Pinard and drummer Flo Mounier will forever be one of the references in the history of Canadian Death Metal.

The massive, ruthless drum attack by Flo sets the tone in Lascivious Undivine while Matt roars like a true beast in the name of Technical and Brutal Death Metal. It’s a bit generic, though, but a decent start to the album; and they keep destroying their instruments in In Abeyance, with Matt barking the song’s wicked lyrics nonstop (“Boom / I was promised a utopia / I’ve been silenced and isolated / Cast aside human garbage / Tortured monotonous futile existence / Another day, yet another pointless trip”), whereas Godless Deceiver sounds very technical yet violent and frantic just the way we like it in Death Metal. Furthermore, Christian’s riffage sounds absolutely mental accompanied by the metallic slabs by Olivier armed with his bass, followed by Ill Ender, a fantastic creation by the quartet presenting an amazing job by Christian and Olivier with their stringed axes, consequently adding a lot of groove and insanity to the overall result (not to mention how demented Flo is behind his drums once again).

Flayed the Swine showcases a band that’s once again extremely technical and vile, with the song exhaling madness through its lyrics (“Blasted little rotting pick / Egotistical asshole / This puny little mongrel / I will put an end to this / This simple-minded shit”), whereas their grim and thunderous metal attack continues in full force in The Righteous Lost, with Olivier stealing the spotlight with his menacing, in-your-face bass jabs, keeping the album at an insane level of aggressiveness and intricacy. Obeisant is another hellish hurricane of Death Metal sounds spearheaded by the unstoppable blast beast by Flo and the deep, inhumane growls by Matt, a song beyond perfect for heading into the circle pit for some high-quality action, flowing into the closing tune Praise the Filth, offering us all almost six minutes of total darkness and rage where Christian and Olivier are once again flawless with their stringed weapons. Put differently, we face nonstop adrenaline flowing from all instruments, putting a heavy and pulverizing ending to As Gomorrah Burns.

“We are back,” said frontman Matt McGachy. “I want our fans to know we’re more than a legacy band. Yes, we have had massive cult favorite albums – like None So Vile – but we are creating modern and relevant extreme music 30 years later. We’re so proud of As Gomorrah Burns, and we can’t wait for you to hear it!” Hence, if you want to stay updated with all things Cryptopsy and let the guys know how much you love their music, you can get in touch with them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel and stream more of their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the breathtaking As Gomorrah Burns from their BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Having said all that, let Gomorrah burn to the incendiary new album by one of the torchbearers of Canadian death!

Best moments of the album: In Abeyance, Ill Ender and Obeisant.

Worst moments of the album: Lascivious Undivine.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Lascivious Undivine 3:50
2. In Abeyance 2:56
3. Godless Deceiver 3:40
4. Ill Ender 4:19
5. Flayed the Swine 4:25
6. The Righteous Lost 4:16
7. Obeisant 3:52
8. Praise the Filth 5:50

Band members
Matt McGachy – vocals
Christian Donaldson – guitars
Olivier Pinard – bass
Flo Mounier – drums