Review Summary: THAT'S IT, GO AHEAD AND RUN, RUN HOME AND CRY TO MAMA!
Ahhhh yes, good ole Cryptopsy! One of the most polarizing bands in the history of death metal. They're still mostly known for making arguably the best brutal death metal album of all-time,
None So Vile. Many people will tell you that the band fell off after that release, but those people also have no idea what they’re talking about. No, the band did not die with Lord Worm’s departure. Yes, his vocals were a huge part of what made this band famous, but it’s not like the other members stopped knowing how to write riffs and head-spinning blasts.
Now here we are, over 30 years later, and Cryptopsy is still going strong. Yes, there have been some hiccups (ugh…
The Unspoken King) and lineup changes over the years, but not much has really changed. Now, in 2025, the boys have graced us with the followup to one of the best death metal albums of the 2020s,
As Gomorrah Burns. So, how does
An Insatiable Violence hold up? Not bad, my friends, not bad.
Some people will complain about the production. Yes, it’s very in-your-face and maybe a bit too clean, but it sounds like these riffs were written inside an alien spaceship, blazing at the speed of light. The combination of brutality and technicality is just right. Jon Levasseur was most known for writing riffs that were off-kilter and wonky and his contributions were elite-level, but let’s stop acting like his replacement, Christian Donaldson, is some slouch. This man now has multiple LPs and EPs where his riffage is absolutely mindblowing, and this album is no different.
Flo is still Flo. Even at 50 years old, he hasn’t slowed down a bit. He’s still as technically proficient as ever and his blast beats will still hit you as hard as Muhammad Ali punching you square in your jaw. His work on the past two albums sounds refreshing and like he has his groove in complete control. There’s a reason he’s considered one of the best drummers in death metal history and it’s on full display here.
And now we get to the vocals from Matt McGachy. This man was universally clowned when he replaced Lord Worm, and I have to say, I clowned him as well. Going from Lord Worm’s final performance on
Once Was Not to the generic deathcore shouts on
The Unspoken King was an unpleasant surprise to all fans of the band, but ever since that point, Matt has shined. His gutturals are as menacing as ever and his high-pitched howls are chill-inducing. He has really been on top of his game since the Tome EPs dropped and he’s never sounded as evil as he does today.
So basically, it’s another banger of an album from Cryptopsy. As I said, the production may irk some people, but if you’re a fan of face-melting riffs and testicle-smashing drums, I can’t imagine you not liking this. Cryptopsy has been striking terror into the hearts of death metal fans for over 30 years now, and
An Insatiable Violence is no different.
