Cryptopsy – S/T

I can’t tell you why, but I have always been intrigued by Quebec.  Even as a 3rd grader, we had to write a report about some other part of the world, and I chose Quebec.  Maybe it’s the idea the smack in the middle of English speaking North America there is this corner of Canada that refuses to let go of the old ways.  They speak French and celebrate their uniqueness.  I actually had the good fortune to live in and around Montreal for a couple of years after I got out of school and it was a dream come true for me.  Still intrigued and still love the place.

And speaking of the old ways, and Quebec, here we have Cryptopsy, from Montreal and getting back to the tried and true that brought them so many fans.  What a beast of an album this is.  Death metal through and through, with some really awesome technical stuff thrown in, this one will really get you moving.  Forget about previous album “The Unspoken King” and previous band personnel on said album.  Jon Levasseur is back and Flo Mounier is still there on the drums.  This is classic Cryptopsy, and a not at all gentle reminder of what these French Canadians are capable of when they are hitting on all cylinders.

I have spoken often of my love of music that gives you an aural pummeling, and I knew within a minute that this album was going to provide just that.  Opening track “Two-Pound Torch” ignites this release, and is one of my personal faves.  The one that really got me going is “Red-Skinned Scapegoat”.  This track is just relentless in presenting riff upon riff from the guitars and some of the more amazing drumming I have heard on any type of release this year.  Absolutely outstanding stuff fellas!

Besides the return to previous form, the one thing I enjoyed the most about this album is that it is death metal through and through, but it also has its touches of technical playing which is absolutely brilliant.  The band really mix it up and keep it from being pure technicality, which can really get old fast, and is mostly some guitar player going “widdly widdly” as fast as he can, but that type of technical death metal has never really done much for me.  This, on the other hand, with all the old school elements of classic death, along with just the right touch of technical playing, is fantastic.  Levasseur and Mounier are really two forces to be reckoned with and they seem to really have a chemistry together that proves they never should have split up in the first place.

This album will come at you like a freight train bearing down on one of those little Smart cars at a railroad crossing.  Except in this case, the train will blow its whistle in warning, but it ain’t slowing down, and if it obliterates the Smart car, oh well.  That is what death metal is about.  You better get out of the way if you can’t handle it.  But if you love it, let that train annihilate you and feel the crushing power tear you apart.

- ODIN