Cryptopsy is a Canadian death metal band from Montreal, formed in 1988 by drummer Mike Atkin, guitarist Steve Thibault, and vocalist Dan "Lord Worm" Greening. The band is recognized as a significant act in technical death metal and brutal death metal, with their second album, "None So Vile", regarded as an influential release in the death metal underground.
The band originally performed under the name Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, later renaming to Necrosis
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Cryptopsy is a Canadian death metal band from Montreal, formed in 1988 by drummer Mike Atkin, guitarist Steve Thibault, and vocalist Dan "Lord Worm" Greening. The band is recognized as a significant act in technical death metal and brutal death metal, with their second album, "None So Vile", regarded as an influential release in the death metal underground.
The band originally performed under the name Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, later renaming to Necrosis, and released several demos including "Mastication and Heterodontism" (1989), "Realms of Pathogenia" (1991), and "Necrosis" (1992). After Atkin left and Flo Mounier joined as drummer, the band adopted the name Cryptopsy. Early lineup changes included bassist John Todds being replaced by Kevin Weagle and guitarist Dave Galea being replaced by Jon Levasseur. Their debut album, "Blasphemy Made Flesh" (1994), initially released independently, gained attention in the Canadian underground and was later licensed to Germany's Invasion Records and Dutch label Displeased Records.
In 1996, Cryptopsy released "None So Vile" with the lineup of Lord Worm, Flo Mounier, Jon Levasseur, and Eric Langlois. Following the supporting tour, Lord Worm left the band and was replaced by Mike DiSalvo for the album "Whisper Supremacy" (1998), which incorporated jazz and fusion elements. Their fourth album, "…And Then You'll Beg" (2000), featured guitarist Alex Auburn and experimentation beyond previous releases. The band's first live album, "None So Live" (2003), documented a concert in Montreal with singer Martin LaCroix.
"Once Was Not" (2005) marked Lord Worm's return on vocals, with Alex Auburn and Christian Donaldson on guitars. Cryptopsy’s sixth studio album, "The Unspoken King" (2008), featured new vocalist Matt McGachy and keyboardist Maggy Durand. The album incorporated melodic riffs and clean vocals, and its departure from the band’s traditional technical death metal style received mixed reactions.
In 2012, the band released the self-titled album "Cryptopsy", returning to a more technical death metal sound. Between 2015 and 2018, they released the EPs "The Book of Suffering – Tome I" and "Tome II", funded via an Indiegogo campaign.
Cryptopsy signed with Nuclear Blast Records in 2023 and released their eighth studio album, "As Gomorrah Burns", in September 2023, followed by touring. In December 2023, they performed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the first performance by a Western metal band in the country. Their ninth studio album, "An Insatiable Violence", was released in June 2025 through Season of Mist to critical acclaim. The band toured Europe in early 2026 and is scheduled to headline the 2026 Decibel Tour in North America, celebrating the 30th anniversary of "None So Vile".
Musically, Cryptopsy is categorized as both technical death metal and brutal death metal, noted for its extreme brutality, complex arrangements, and dark atmosphere. Their sound features rapid, intricate guitar work, technical drumming by Flo Mounier, and intense vocal performances by Lord Worm. Critics have highlighted the band's uncompromising technical proficiency and aggressive approach, with some describing their music as challenging even for accomplished musicians.
Studio albums
Blasphemy Made Flesh (1994)
None So Vile (1996)
Whisper Supremacy (1998)
...And Then You'll Beg (2000)
Once Was Not (2005)
The Unspoken King (2008)
Cryptopsy (2012)
As Gomorrah Burns (2023)
An Insatiable Violence (2025)
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…shrink me down again