Review by Ben for Cryptopsy - None So Vile (1996)

Cryptopsy ripped death metal a new hole with this immensely vicious album that defines the word "brutal".

I'd been thoroughly impressed by Cryptopsy's debut album Blasphemy Made Flesh. Unfortunately, the rather shitty production made listening to it more than just a bit demanding. But it was clear to anyone that experienced these Canadian’s first outing that they had the skills to create something wonderfully horrendous. Two years later and that promise would be delivered on in fine style! There was one line-up change between the releases, with bassist Martin Fergusson making way for Eric Langlois (formerly of Aggression). Fortunately, this means the extraordinary talents of Flo Mounier, Jon Levasseur and Lord Worm are all still present, and this time they have a far more suitable production to display their wares. But before discussing the controlled insanity that these individuals unleashed upon the Earth with None So Vile, I simply must mention “that” album cover. This morbid piece of work was painted by Elisabetta Sirani, a young and talented Italian artist of the 1600s. The rather calm looking woman in the painting is the Jewish princess Herodias and the head on the plate once belonged to John the Baptist. It’s certainly a disturbing piece of work and an eye-catching way for Cryptopsy to warn anyone of the blasphemous brutality contained within this album.

There have been many bands out there that have attempted to create the most brutal, ferocious death metal album in existence, but it must be said that often this ambition results in a messy cacophony of disjointed ideas. Suffocation undoubtedly took things to a whole new level with albums such as Effigy of the Forgotten and Pierced From Within, but Cryptopsy would not be satisfied with merely cloning previous efforts. Everything this band does here is done with extraordinary velocity, yet the technicality is first rate and the result surprisingly memorable. Jon Levasseur is the sole guitarist on None So Vile and I have immense respect for what he achieved here. Fantastic, chunky death metal riffs abound complete with bizarre timings and numerous techniques, but it’s the inhuman tremolo picked riffs that really impress and stay with me after this 32-minute album has run its course. Speaking of inhuman, Flo Mounier performance here is simply out of this world. It may on first listen seem that he’s endlessly blasting away, but further listens reveal stacks of creative fills and constant change-ups that make this one of the most important releases for any aspiring death metal drummer out there to check out.

But where would any early Cryptopsy review be without mentioning Lord Worm. His frenzied vocals contain indecipherable guttural death growls, an indecipherable throat ripping mid-range holler and indecipherable vicious screams. If you’re one of those softies out there that can’t enjoy anything where you can’t understand the vocalist, then you’d be well advised to do what the album closing Army of Darkness quote suggests and run home and cry to momma. You’re just as unlikely to be singing along to these tracks as you are to be selecting them on karaoke night. The fact that Lord Worm doesn’t even bother following the lyrics sheet suggest the band don’t exactly place much importance on getting any sort of message out there. It’s about atmosphere in the end and I’m a firm believer that None So Vile would not be the album it is without Mr Worm’s rabid feats of violence. None So Vile is simply put, a landmark death metal album that deserves its place amongst the elite. Tracks such as Slit Your Guts, Benedictine Convulsions and the infamously jaw dropping Phobophile display a more than capable bunch of freaks at the top of their game. Just make sure you know what you’re in for before you press play.