Death metal juggernaut Cryptopsy return to pummel our collective senses anew with their new album, As Gomorrah Burns. Their first for Nuclear Blast, the Montreal-based quartet—featuring founding member/drummer Flo Mounier, guitarist Christian Donaldson, vocalist Matt McGachy, and bassist Olivier “Oli” Pinard—advance their signature Northern power as they celebrate 30-plus years of extremity. The merciless blasts of “Lascivious Undivine” and “Flayed the Swine” offer Cryptopsy at their most intense and maniacal, while “In Abeyance” and “The Righteous Lost” groove savagely. As Gomorrah Burns underscores the animus of fan-favorite None So Vile (1996) and the meticulous technicality of And Then You’ll Beg (2000) with a strikingly sinister vibe.

“As we were writing the new album, we kept asking ourselves if the music was too dark—too ominous,” says throat-master Matt McGachy. ”We were unsure that it would fit into the realm of what Cryptopsy had created over the past 20 years. As the songs came together, we saw the melding of darkness and groove-based riffs ‘vibed’ perfectly within the Cryptopsy ‘sound sphere.’ We also wanted to let our riffs breathe longer for the first time since None So Vile. We take forever to write and create these moments, so we decided to give them a tad more air and let them be repeated a few more times than we would have in the past.”

Formed in 1992, Cryptopsy has released eight full-lengths—counting As Gomorrah Burns—to date. Out of the gate, the Quebecers set new standards in death metal with their no-compromise attack and next-level musicality. Debut album, Blasphemy Made Flesh, shell-shocked all that encountered it, as follow-ups None So Vile, Whisper Supremacy (1998), and Once Was Not (2005) positioned the Canadians as apex predators. Throughout their storied career, the group embarked on high-profile tours, such as the inaugural Death Across America tour in 1998, the Summer Slaughter Tour in 2008, and the Devastation on the Nation tour in 2017. To date, they’ve performed over 1,000 shows across 47 countries. The release of As Gomorrah Burns on Nuclear Blast re-positions Cryptopsy for yet another reign of death metal domination.

“It’s been 10 years since we released our self-titled, independently-released album,” McGachy says. “We gave being independent a huge push and invested a lot of energy into that career path. However, the dynamic has shifted a lot since the early 2010s regarding online promotion. When we dropped the self-titled album, all we had to do was make a Facebook post, and our fans would be aware of the new release. As the Facebook algorithm grew more and more financially motivated, we discovered it had become harder to communicate directly with our fans. This is why we took the leap when the opportunity arose to join the roster of metal’s most influential and important labels.”

As Gomorrah Burns isn’t merely the follow-up to EPs The Book of Suffering - Tome I (2015) and The Book of Suffering - Tome II (2018). It’s another beast entirely. Crafted over two years during the pandemic, the initial sessions took place in a cabin in the forests of Quebec. McGachy calls the horror-like backdrop “surreal,” but, as with everything Cryptopsy, the songwriting process was expectedly arduous. Donaldson was the primary motivator behind As Gomorrah Burns. The guitarist and producer served as taskmaster and advocate, grinding out of his bandmates in McGachy, Mounier, and Pinard eight slabs of unadulterated barbarity. If Cryptopsy were formidable before As Gomorrah Burns, they’re absolutely monstrous now.

“The songwriting was fragmented and awful,” says McGachy. “We like to destroy ourselves to get to the root of our ideas. You take that and add in some Zoom writing sessions, and you get some brutally difficult situations. This album took so long because we simply could not get into a room together. People were all over the place, and the songs would sadly sit unfinished for long periods. I am glad that Christian pushed us, though. As Gomorrah Burns is some of our best work to date.”

Conceptually, As Gomorrah Burns pits the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah against the modern-day Internet. McGachy’s idea was to show how it’s both the birthplace of invention and a cesspool of exploitation. The stories are based on real-life incidences—online stalkers, cults, misinformation, isolation, and intimidation—but ornamented deviously to enhance their potency. Cryptopsy commissioned Italian artist Paolo Girardi (Power Trip, Temple of Void) to complement the old-world lyrical themes. If Renaissance masters Hieronymus Bosch and El Greco were thrust into McGachy’s modern mind, the stunning cover of As Gomorrah Burns would be the outcome. 

“We really love Paolo’s work,” McGachy says. “As soon as I had the concept for the album, I researched Renaissance Art pieces that covered the subject matter of Sodom and Gomorrah. I stumbled upon a series of paintings that depicted my idea well in my mind. I sent these paintings to Paolo, who painted the cover in a few days. He is a machine. We were all beyond amazed by what he created. The cover fits the album perfectly.”

As with The Unspoken King (2008) and the self-titled (2012), Cryptopsy enlisted their bandmate Donaldson to helm the production, mixing, and mastering of As Gomorrah Burns. Dom Grimard, of Ion Dissonance fame, also came into the production fold. McGachy says the time in the studio took much longer than anticipated, but with Donaldson directing and everyone finally in the same room again post-pandemic, Cryptopsy were able to capture newfound vigor (and velocity) on As Gomorrah Burns. Tracks such as “Godless Deceiver,” “Ill Ender,” and “Praise the Filth” demonstrate Donaldson’s death metal mastery.

“Working with Christian is always a pleasure,” McGachy says. “He is a killer producer and doesn’t hold back when it’s time to push us. He knows what we are capable of and ensures we get our best takes. Of course, we wanted the album to be a Cryptopsy album. Cryptopsy has such an honored legacy—we wanted to capture those vibes while still being relevant. We wanted to include many classic Easter egg moments but still have something fresh. We pushed some new vibes into the fold, but it’s still 100 percent Cryptopsy.”

Aggressive to a fault yet thoughtful in its entirety, As Gomorrah Burns—with songs such as “In Abeyance,” “Flayed the Swine,” and “Lascivious Undivine”—pierces mundanity thoroughly and relentlessly. This is no-quarters death metal, the kind our bellicose world needed and only Cryptopsy could deliver.

“We are back,” says McGachy. “I want our fans to know we’re more than a legacy band. Yes, we have had massive cult favorite albums—like None So Vile—but we are creating modern and relevant extreme music 30 years later. We’re so proud of As Gomorrah Burns, and we can’t wait for you to hear it!”