Cryptopsy is revered in Decibel’s worldwide headquarters. None So Vile is a Hall Of Fame member and ranks among our best death metal albums. Flo Mounier is on the short list for best extreme drummer ever. We’ve been waiting for the band to fully hit their stride again for more than five years.
Trust us when we say that their new self-released EP The Book Of Suffering – Tome 1 is an absolute fucking burner. This is without question the best material the band has released in the new century (and that includes a record with revered original vocalist Lord Worm). Despite featuring only one original band member (Mounier) this material has the psychotic yet precise feel of early Cryptopsy. And vocalist Matt McGachy, who has been criticized for simply not being Cryptopsy’s original vocalist, delivers his best-ever performance. Dropping any label association has worked very well for the band.
Stream “The Knife, The Head And What Remains,” and read a quick Q&A with the band below. You can preorder the EP on Bandcamp in advance of the October 30 release.
Can you tell us more about the track we are premiering?
This song is based on a true story about a man who brutally beheaded and ingested pieces of his victim on a Greyhound bus. He claimed that God warned him that this man was sent to kill him and that he must protect the rest of the passengers.
Wasn’t The Book Of Suffering a concept kicked around during the second installment of the Lord Worm years? When did you decide to revive this idea?
It was always in the back of our mind because it is a fantastic album idea. When it came time to think of a title for a series of EPs what better idea than the utilization of a book. Flo asked Worm if we could use his old concept and he said that it was a concept created for Cryptopsy and we could use it with his blessings.
Can you tell us more about the recording sessions?
It didn’t take long to get everything in line. We recorded everything at our guitarist Chris Donaldson’s studio The Grid and then handed off the mixing job to the great Jason Suecoff from Audiohammer studios. To complete the formula we went with Alan Douches at West West Side Music for the mastering.
Can you tell us how the entire Book Of Suffering concept will play out? What can we expect from future releases?
We intend to release three installments of TBOS over the next three years. That way we can keep moving, touring and releasing new material.
Why self-release? I’m sure Cryptopsy would have no problem finding a legitimate label.
We have not received an offer which has made sense. It’s a lot of work being independent, but it has been really encouraging to see the support of our fans.
If the Q&A and song premiere weren’t enough Cryptopsy to satisfy your death metal addiction (it’s a serious problem, we know) you can check out our exclusive Hall of Fame for None So Vile,featuring the complete making-of story with interviews with the entire band in the January 2012 issue. Now available in both print and digital.
