Artist: Cryptopsy
Label: Century Media Records
Release Date: 10/18/05
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Title: Once Was Not Artist: Cryptopsy Label: Century Media Records Release Date: 10/18/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Abyss's Review:
While the return of vocalist Lord Worm will most likely be the initial focal point of this new album, it really has very little effect on the overall product. Granted, the vocals here are quite unique, even if they’re not completely mind-blowing, so its important to give credit where credit is due - but the real meat of this band is, and has always been, the music.
"One word review: Ambitious." Cryptopsy have returned after a lengthy absence with a challenging and diverse death metal statement. A mixture of Meshuggah, Mr. Bungle, Morbid Angel, Primus, and just about anything else you can think of, Once Was Not is nothing if not an ambitious product. The album utilizes numerous stop/start changes and contrasting musical interludes that will keep musicians enamoured, while maintaining a brutal undercurrent that makes no compromises. In short, I can see this being an album a whole lot of people really dig.
All this begs one question: why aren’t I digging it that much? On paper it seems like the exact thing that really gets my blood pumping, but when I put it on the stereo, I often find it lacking. While I’m impressed by their ambition, I find many of the musical eccentricities too disjointed or distracting. Perhaps I’m just not in the mood for this right now, or perhaps I’m just not up to the challenge, but I find that I respect this album much more than I actually enjoy it.
This is unfortunate because there are some really sick parts to the record that really blow me away, but then the band, for one reason or another, will lose me again. I keep trying to force myself to like this record more than I do, and it is quite possible that my mind will change on subsequent listens, but as of now I consider this a great album that I don’t really like that much. One word review: Ambitious.
Death's Review:
I don't know John Gnesin, but his review of Once Was Not for the Digital Metal website sets the stage for the debate over the merits of this record quite nicely. To summarize: the Cryptopsy fanbase is divided between the old school death metal fans who love Lord Worm and the classic None So Vile album, and the new school metalcore fans who like the technicality of Whisper Supremacy. Personally, I though Lord Worm's return to the fold was a masterstroke, but then heard that he was not really all that engaging in the live setting this time around in some of the early shows he played after coming back to the band. However, most people changed their opinion as time went on, and I have to say that when I saw Lord Worm jam with Cryptopsy later in the tour, I thought he was great.
"There's a little something for everyone on this release." So now we've got the tradition of Lord Worm and the musicianship of the modern band. And thus, the resulting studio record Once Was Not does an excellent job of combining two great tastes that taste great together, as they say. This is a well-produced and well written platter of death metal splatter, with the insane drumming you expect from Cryptopsy (mixed at early Krisiun like levels of "lead drumming"), together with the spastic technicality the young 'uns love and all of the charisma and personality Lord Worm has become known for. There's a little something for everyone on this release. And while it goes without saying that this isn't forging any totally original ground, it definitely bears mention that there is some fabulous musicianship and some intricate song structures on display here that really should not go unnoticed by Crytposy fans especially as well as the general metal community at large. So whatever category you fall into, Lord Worm fan, DiSalvo fan, or just plain metal fan, this is an above-average release from a legendary band and is definitely something you'll want to consider to get you through the cold winter months ahead.
Hel's Review:
The Cryptopsy carousel of vocalists has stopped once again and this time Lord Worm has returned to the fold. Beloved by some, reviled by others, it seems everyone has an opinion and is willing to argue their point of view. And it also seems that this point of view has a direct impact on their opinion of the record heralding his return: Once Was Not.
"I think the music on this album could be among the best the band has delivered." For me, the person filling the vocalist slot is a minimal issue, as my fandom stems from the amazing musicianship the band has always delivered, regardless of the voice on the mic. In particular, the drumming of the great Flo Mounier has been my main draw all along, and it has remained consistently mind-boggling. The guitar work remains blistering, and the music on Once Was Not is of the quality that I always look for in a Cryptopsy record.
Too bad the production is so damn awful. I actually adore this band, and have long been willing to accept pretty much anything they put out as being fairly brilliant. But the poor production job really ruins this for me. And it is stupid things, like during “Carrionshine” at around the 1:55 mark it sounds like a speaker blows or something – a sudden burst of extra-loud distortion – how does something like that make it into the final product? Shame on whomever was responsible for the fiasco that is the recording and mixing on this record (my promo doesn't provide that info).
I think the music on this album could be among the best the band has delivered. Lord Worm’s vocal performance is fine by me, and I’ve already enthused over the rest of the performances enough, methinks. Damn that horrid production. I’ve been in crappy little clubs with better sound... Oh man, it’s disappointing. As much as I want to give this album five skulls, I’m so disheartened by the abominable sound that I am compelled to deduct a skull. Still, I think everyone needs to check this out, just be prepared to listen to it cloaked in fuzz with uneven levels.
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