Review Summary: I am the old and the new; the chameleon flame that will burn you eternally.
It's hard to live in someone else’s shadow, whether it's a famous relative whose glow seems to outshine everything you do or someone in your class/job who, deservedly or not, always seems to be one step ahead, keeping you out of the limelight and relegating you to the sidelines. In the case of Canadian extreme metallers Cryptopsy, that shadow doesn't come from any close relatives or outside competition, but from within, specifically from the band's 1996 magnum opus
None So Vile, whose massive impact on the genre and fanbase would condition Cryptopsy's entire career, overshadowing later works such as
Whisper Supremacy,
...And Then You'll Beg or 2012's self-titled album, which deserved greater recognition. Living in the shadow of a successful endeavor is nothing new; on the contrary, it's quite common in the music industry. However, there are only a few cases where it is so apparent as with these lads, who have never fully escaped the
None So Vile curse, at least in the eyes of the more conservative segment of the fanbase that keeps yearning for Lord Worm’s (second) return and for some kind of
None So Vile Part II (I'm still doing that rather well... don't you think?) that might satiate their nostalgia. I, on the other hand, belong to those who have embraced the band's many stages, especially the Mike DiSalvo-era and the last
post-The Unspoken King incarnation with Matt McGachy, which shaped Cryptopsy's new modern sound. Both 2012's self-titled full-length and the two EPs that followed showcased an artistic desire to move forward and be contemporary, without neglecting the roots that catapulted the collective to the top of the food chain. A musical direction that has remained essentially unchanged in Cryptopsy's new chapter,
As Gomorrah Burns.
Inspired by the band's early name, Gomorra, and the conceptual parallel between the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the birth of the Internet,
As Gomorrah Burns orbits stories related to the dark side of the modern-day web, such as self-isolation, online bullying, false accusations, or proliferation of religious cults. Occurrences which in Matt McGachy's eyes mirror the decline of humanity as we know it. A contemporary narrative of religious symbolism that fits into a musical direction that somehow gives continuity to
The Book of Suffering (Tome I & II), namely in building bridges between the present and the past, while honoring the band's legacy. Similarities that, nevertheless, don’t overshadow
As Gomorrah Burns' very own identity, which displays a catchier and groovier character than prior releases, making it more accessible. The increased repetition of sections, be they riffs, verses or choruses, also lends greater orthodoxy to the songs, thus eschewing the more chaotic structures of the Mike DiSalvo-era without jeopardizing the collective's identity or venturing into uncharacteristic, far-flung territory a la
The Unspoken King. The choruses of the slow-paced 'Ill Ender' and 'Frayed the Swine', as well as the groovy sections of the former and 'Praise the Filth,' are among the finest examples of this catchier approach, as is the mellower segment of the massive 'Lascivious Undivine', which together with 'Ill Ender' is among my personal highlights. The contrasts between these more colorful tones and the softer blackened post-metal(ish) textures present in tracks like 'Obeisant' and 'Praise the Filth', and how they interact with Cryptopsy's trademark chaotic blast beats, form
As Gomorrah Burns’ sonic core. A dynamic stylistic foundation underpinned by Christian Donaldson's inspired creative vision and the synergy of a cohesive and technically immaculate collective.
Much like the wrath of yesterday's gods,
As Gomorrah Burns is the flame from above that comes to consume us all, whether we are believers or not, as it encapsulates the present and the past in a chameleon form that has never been so accessible and deceptively sexy. An inspired contemporary offering that is not only the very best of the Matt McGachy-era, but also one of the finest albums the Canadian collective has ever released.
