Cryptopsy
Once Was Not ()
Wydane przez Century Media RecordsRok wydania 2005Kraj CanadaNapisał Wouter6
To say that "Once Was Not" is a hotly debated album, and a controversial one at that, would be stating the obvious. Not only does it mark the return of legendary vocalist Lord Worm, it's also the first studio output since long-time guitarist/songwriter Jon Levasseur's departure earlier this year. Honestly, "Once Was Not" is a regression instead of a progression in a numbers of ways. First of all, Lord Worm's vocals fit brilliantly with what the band was doing on "Blasphemy Made Flesh" and their genre-defining "None So Vile" recordings at the time - nowadays Cryptopsy have grown, technically and compositionally, beyond that scope. In that aspect, "Once Was Not" feels just too familiar to be comfortable. It isn't "None So Vile - part II" down to the numbers, but it's a major distraction as the band are generally better than this, to just repeat an old trick again. Notably, the material on this record is less frantic, technical and dense compared to its highly impressive predecessors "Whisper Supremacy" and "And Then You'll Beg". Flo Mounier's drumming is surprisingly restrained and Lord Worm's grunt doesn't seem to have aged all that well. Production-wise this album is a step back as well. If you go in expecting the crystal clear production values that graced "And Then You'll Beg" - you'll be disappointed upon hearing this album. 'Carrionshine', 'The Frantic Pace Of Dying', 'The End' and 'Endless Cemetery' are the highlights of the album. Why the riff of 'Cold Hate, Warm Blood' is re-visited in the last track I leave in the middle. All things considered, sole guitarist Alex Auburn does an admirable job in the guitar department, although Levasseur's absence can't be denied here. Lord Worm is his usual self, not as spastic as on "None So Vile" - but it's good having the man back in the vocal slot. Flo Mounier displays his awesome skills and proves that he's still the most talented drummer in extreme metal around these days, even when he keeps things basic. If there wasn't a Cryptopsy logo attached to this album, I would have rated it very highly. As things are, this is a solid album in the extreme death metal genre, but Cryptopsy will have to do better next time around to fully convince me.
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