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Full Review | User Ratings (236) |
10 of 10 thought this review was well written
Around eight months ago, I read, on this very site, something about Cryptopsy vocalist Lord Worm’s insanely long scream in the song “Open Face Surgery.” It sounded interesting so I opened up my AIDs-infested Limewire and downloaded the song, despite the Death Metal tag. I was blown away. I had never heard anything like Cryptopsy before. The song completely turned my world upside down. It was my first taste of death metal (all I listened to then was pop-punk) and my view of music completely changed. I fucking hated it man.
I deleted the song but kept the band at the back of my mind. As I started to grow musically and listen to other genres, I decided to give Cryptopsy another try. I downloaded their 1996 album None So Vile. Just like when I heard “Open Face Surgery,” I was blown away, but this time it was for a different reason. I loved it. I don’t mean “loved it” in a happy, gooey feeling sort of way. I mean that I was terrified and morbidly fascinated with the music, and I loved that feeling. None So Vile opened me up to a whole new musical world, one that I had chosen not to acknowledge until I heard that opening roar in “Crown of Horns.” Cryptopsy made a convert out of me.
Lord Worm is the best death metal vocalist I’ve heard, hands down. He’s got vocal chords made out of steel, evidenced by the fact that he can hold screams and growls for well over a minute. He sounds like ten chainsaws running at once, he sounds like the mangled screams coming from a torture chamber, he sounds like a primordial beast roaring as it rears up on its hind legs, proclaiming triumph over a recent kill. You have to hear him to believe him. Beware though; his vocals aren’t exactly easy to get into. If you’ve never heard something like him before, as it was with me when I first heard “Open Face Surgery,” you just might hate it. I only have on complaint, which is that he is absolutely impossible to understand. Normally with death metal this wouldn’t be such a problem, but Lord Worm’s lyrics are fantastic. Although he usually writes about typical death metal subjects, he does so with poetic skill. For example, read some select lines from “Slit Your Guts,” which is the best song title ever: Pardon, please, the narrow confinement of your limbs; unfortunately, it’s necessary for your correction. Shriek to your heart’s content, if you wish. I promise you pain and nightmares, in that sequence. That’s a familiar story for the genre, but Lord Worm gives it quite the poetic twist, infusing the narrator’s voice with a sick cordiality. The song goes on: Permit me to introduce you to “Tuesday.” I favor her, this pretty blade, so tall and fine; hatred and violence are not our ways, but firm we are. Squirming is useless; so is this colon. Cry for me! Brutal scenes of torture, yet the shock is lessened somewhat by Lord Worm’s amazing lyrics. It wouldn’t be so farfetched to refer to him as the Bob Dylan of death metal.
But don’t let me mislead you into thinking that Lord Worm is all that Cryptopsy has to offer. Their music is incredibly technical on all fronts. Drummer Flo Mournier is amazing. Incredibly fast double bass playing coupled with great cymbal and snare work have made him one of my favorite drummers. Check out “Graves of the Fathers” for his best work on this album. Jon Levasseur’s guitar playing is fantastic as well. His riffs are bone-crushingly heavy (and they aren’t all played at 100 mph either) and he throws in some skillful solos here and there. I'm not too impressed by solos anymore, but he's definitely one of the better metal guitarists. Eric Langlois is an absolutely overlooked bassist. His great bass licks are rampant throughout the album (check out the slap fill in “Slit Your Guts”) and this is accentuated by the fact that you can clearly hear his bass in every song. On a technical level, this is one of the best groups of musicians ever.
Cryptopsy’s None So Vile is my favorite death metal album. Almost everything is perfect. Lord Worm’s vocals and lyrics are top notch, and the musicians are all extremely skilled in their respective crafts. Cryptopsy write songs that will slit your guts and feed you your head on a platter. You’ll love every minute of it.
It’s for your own good;
You need guidance, I provide.
What is your pleasure?
This is mine:
A welcome change!
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| Recent reviews by this author | | |
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
i needed to write a short review so here it is
Digging: Made Out of Babies - The Ruiner | | | Album Rating: 4
Good album, good review, but I wished you would've spent more time on the technical aspect of the album rather than that small paragraph (when compared to the vocal/lyrics one). But again, it's just a personal view of the music. I'm not as impressed by Lord Worm as you are, instead, I rather think the guitar work/drums are the highlight here.
EDIT: wtf, I had this as a 4 earlier, and I guess it got deleted...? Oh well, it's back now 
This Message Edited On 03.19.07
| | | Album Rating: 4
Good review for a great album.
Digging: Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent Jens | | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
ech yeah i know i need more musical **** in there but i couldn't think of much more to say
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I should listen to this more.
But I don't like Lord Worm still.
Digging: Six Minute Century - Time Capsules
| | | Album Rating: 4
Another good review. I've only heard the song on here and I like it a lot, so I may check this out.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Should I listen to this before or after those Burzum and Ulver albums?
Digging: Red House Painters - Down Colorful Hill | | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
it probably doesnt matter. if you can get into burzum then you can probably get into this.
| | | Album Rating: 5
Good review. I'm trying to get into a lot of death metal, so I'll check this out for sure.
Digging: Cursed - II | | |
Great album, Great Review. Cool avatar Syn.
Digging: Death in June - Rose Clouds of Holocaust
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
This album slays, and you caught me listening to this album as I came upon this review. It's one of my favorite death metal albums.
Benedictine Convulsions has such a sick bass part.
Digging: Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine | | | Album Rating: 4
This album is alot better than I originally thought. Phobophile, Slit Your Guts, Graves of our Fathers, and Benedictine Convulsion are all so brewtal
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
The myth behind the vocals/lyrics is that he recorded them drunk and wrote the lyrics after the fact
Digging: Quincy Jones - Walking in Space | | | Album Rating: 4.5
I doubt that. I can understand a word every once in a while...so I bet he wrote the lyrics before recording, but just used such br00tal screams that no one could understand them.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I dont know, I believe it. The odd word matches up but the phrasing and syllable counts don't seem to make sense.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Well that's where the whole "being shitfaced" factor comes into play. 
This album is so awesome. I love Benedictine Convulsions.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I love reading your reviews.
I would love to have this album. What Ive heard of it and what people have told me about it make me really want it. Every instrument is insanely good.
SLIT YER GUTS
Digging: Radiohead - In Rainbows | | | Album Rating: 4
Im impressed Chan. Good to hear that you are expanding you musical tastes. Good review too, but a little light on the guitar and technical side of this album. Sounds like you clicked more with the vocals than the music side but thats just how you interpreted these guys at first listen. Good review!
Digging: Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger | | | Album Rating: 5
Quote:
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I read, on this very site, something about Cryptopsy vocalist Lord Worm’s insanely long scream in the song “Open Face Surgery.”
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Just curious, did you happen to read that in a comment in an L.D. 50 tbt review?
Because I read that one right before I came here, and saw that.
This Message Edited On 03.19.07
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That cover is so brutals and tr00.
But seriously, good review. This sounds pretty good.
Digging: Coldplay - Viva La Vida
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