Once Was Not - Cryptopsy

Along with the introduction of new guitarist Alex Auburn, Cryptopsy's 2005 album 'Once Was Not' saw the return of original vocalist Lord Worm to the fold, meaning that the album was highly anticipated by fans disillusioned by the unsuited, hardcore barks of the band's previous replacement vocalist Mike DiSalvo. The album also saw the arrival of new guitarist Alex Auburn, and fans were hoping for a return to form after several solid but underwhelming full-length efforts. Whilst the band's trademark demented, jazzy tech-death-metal style is still evident on 'Once Was Not', the different sections to not gel together as well as on previous efforts, and instead the ...  Read the complete review

Cryptopsy's fifth album saw the return of vocalist Lord Worm and arrival of new guitarist Alex Auburn, making for something of a confused and ultimately disappointing reunion. The band is still obsessed with proving its technical credentials at a cost to the music, now more than ever, and any time that a song seems to be going somewhere interesting, its structure is usurped by pointless tech-death masturbation, something that will attract some to this album and deter others. The songs now sound too long, having lost the morbid fascination of earlier releases such as 'None So Vile' in particular, and even the top-notch production job draws too much attention to ...  Read the complete review