Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly the finest Death Metal album ever released, 7 Nov 2003
The second album from the top Canadian death squad, and the final one to feature the incomparable vocal talents of the lunatic (and Chad Kroeger look-alike, another Canadian, interestingly!) Lord Worm, this is quite simply one of the finest Death Metal releases of all time. The music is slightly less technical than on the two follow-ups ‘Whisper Supremacy’ and ‘And Then You’ll Beg’, but it is the vocal style which sets it apart. For sheer aural ferocity, Lord Worm simply blows Mike DiSalvo out of the water, which is no mean feat in itself, as the big man packs a fair bit of power himself, though his style is more hardcore than Death Metal. Lord Worm is Death Metal through and through, with his style being roughly halfway between that of Chris Barnes (ex-Cannibal Corpse) and Kevin Sharp (ex-Brutal Truth) – as gutteral is it is possible for a man to get! The other notable feature of this, and every other Cryptopsy album is Flo Mounier’s almost inhuman drumming ability; simply phenomenal, almost like a constant blastbeat!
After the recording of this album, Lord Worm left (possibly to form Nickleback, who knows?) and Mike Disalvo joined, and the music became more technical and progressive, and less extreme. This album, though, catches the band at the very peak of their awesome powers, and stands as a classic of the genre. The cover art, showing a 17th century painting of the head of John the Baptist fits the mood perfectly as well. Absolute class.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They did that rather well... don't you think?, 3 Feb 2004
None So Vile (1996), Cryptopsy's second album, was out of print for several years until this reissue. Its status as the Holy Grail of technical death metal was reflected by the fact that it changed hands for significant sums on eBay, although anyone who availed themselves of a copy in this manner would doubtless have considered their purchase a worthwhile investment.NSV exhibits everything you'd demand from a techinical death metal album; inventive, accomplished, catchy riffing, complex compositional structures, a crushing guitar tone and a monstrous production job. What raises this album to the level of an elite release for me, however, is the mesmerising vocal performance of Lord Worm. In a genre which gets a lot of flack for its monotony, Lord Worm's vocal turn is the perfect antedote. From barking like a dog to issuing forth screams which simply stop mid-howl to jarring effect, the vocals on this album are unique. Lord Worm proved to be a deft lyricist as well, both grotesque and amusing in turn. In addition, the humour on this album is often overlooked, as guitars and bass on occasion trade wierd squeaks and plucks in-between the deluge of riffage. The two post-Worm albums were still technically accomplished, but lacked NSV's 'X factor'. The good news is (January 2004) that The Lord is Returning for Cryptopsy's next release -- if they can equal this outing, then fair play to them.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best death metal albums ever released, 13 Feb 2003
By A Customer
People often talk about supergroups but Crytopsy really are a supergroup! The intricate and varied riffs that John Levasseur and Eric Langlois bring to this album are just a treat to listen to, once you get over the initial shock of the intensity of this album. Flo Mounier is possibly the greatest drummer in the history of music. Only Gene Hoglan could come anywhere near him for speed, ability to change tempo and creativity of rhythm. Lord Worm is just terrifying. His roars, grunts and screams could be mistaken for that of the Devil himself.
If you liked or only have And Then You'll Beg, this is much more extreme. The music is definitely Cryptopsy but the 'live in a basement' sound, as opposed to the glossy, crystal clear production of And Then You'll Beg makes this sound like a proper death metal album. Given the lack of money Cryptopsy must have had (still have!) when making this album the quality of the production is some achievement.
The first three songs on here, and Phobophile, are the best tracks, although each track is very strong. Crown of Horns begins with a monster's roar and then an old man gasping, "I do that rather well don't you think?" This excerpt from the Exorcist III is instantly followed by a "song" from the bowels of hell. It's the kind of song you have to hear yourself to be able to understand how heavy it is. Slit Your Guts is another career best from the band, a track that will always be on their setlist. Grave of the Fathers is my favourite of the lot, though. It has a plethora of irresistible hooks, whilst the breakdown in the middle of the song sounds important to the structure of the song rather than just padding. Phobophile is an utterly fantastic song. The riff on it is instantly memorable. The album ends with an excerpt from Army of Darkness where Ash taunts, "yeah, that's it...run home and cry to Mama!" It's the perfect quote to end an album like this, and the perfect antidote to the XFM and Virgin Radio brand of "rock".
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