Cryptopsy Item ID: #929 Whisper Supremacy
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Product Information:Grab the quality album Whisper Supremacy by Cryptopsy. Brand new merchandise, ready to be shipped… Item Description
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Cryptopsy’s previous effort, “None So Vile” is easily my most listened to death metal album ever (with Suffocation’s “Pierced From Within”, another fantastic album, as a runner up). After picking this up recently, I’m starting to think this is going to give it competition! I was sure I had experienced the best this band had to offer with the more ambitious and diverse “Once Was Not”, but even as absolutely relentless as it is, “Whisper Supremacy” is truly an equally creative effort.
Cryptopsy always distinguished themselves from the death metal pack with their ridiculous, boundless energy, for which amazing drummer Flo Mounier is primarily responsible. Even when using the same techniques as other bands, they just always seemed to ROCK harder, somehow. Every bit of the energy of the classic “None So Vile” is here, but their newfound technical style allows for even more repeated listening.
It’s obvious here that the same person is doing the riff-writing as on “None So Vile”, and the riffs are equally memorable and groovy as they were there. Fans of that album will find plenty of riffs that wouldn’t have been out of place on it, but there are a wealth of new elements as well. The rhythms here are simply clever and unique. Melody plays a greater part here than on any other Cryptopsy album except “Once Was Not”, and it’s is arguably better integrated into the songs here than on that album. Even though the songs all fit into the same general style, each has some wildly creative element that distinguishes it.
“Cold Hate, Warm Blood”, as many may have mentioned, is a masterpiece of a song. For the first time in a Cryptopsy song, the melody develops throughout the piece. The jazzy break that opens the song provides the main theme, which mutates and bends into various heavier permutations until the jazzy break appears again in a highly evolved and extended reprise. The song is final proof positive that Cryptopsy’s songwriting is neither chaos nor nonsense. The other major highlights, for me, are opener “Emaciate”, “Loathe”, for its absolutely insane final moments, and “Flame to the Surface” for its strange and creative rhythmic structure. “Faceless Unknown” has an extremely short but memorable, almost ambient break, as well, to haunting effect.
New vocalist Mike DiSalvo sounds fantastic, in my opinion, sounding a bit higher than what is typical in death metal, but sounding hardly out of place. I have to disagree with the sort of complaints I typically hear about him… he’s too decipherable? Compared to Lord Worm, maybe! (He is among the most unintelligible death vocalists I’ve ever heard… not that that’s bad) I, for one, still can’t understand him most of the time, and find Frank Mullen of Suffocation, for example, much easier to decipher. Many classic death metal bands, like Obituary, to use one example, have vocalists that growl at a pitch similar to this, and in my opinion people who say he would be more suited to a ‘hardcore’ band are far too concerned about their metal sub-genres mixing.
In summary, this is one of the most energetic, creative, heavy, relentless albums I’ve ever heard. When it ends, I wish it hadn’t. A masterpiece. 5 stars.
This could convert the death metal hater, potentially. Anyone already into death metal should buy it immediately. Don’t let the anti-DiSalvo rants throw you off.
4.5 stars
This album is, in a word: INSANE. No amount of capitalization can emphasize that word enough as applied to this album. Holy Christ, am I in awe… Completely atonal at first listen, yet beneath the surface brilliantly melodic and structured, and utterly devastating…in a good (great) way. It will *literally* take your breath away, especially if you don’t know what to expect (as I didn’t upon first listen). I can only describe the experience as the gasping one typically experiences after a sucker punch to the gut…I mean, seriously! No other band that I’ve heard even comes close to the accuracy of this one at this speed…the musicianship here is nothing short of phenomenal, and was presumably/is a lesson for all other death metal bands in Cryptopsy’s wake. This album needs to be recognized for what it is…absolutely punishing, simply *inhuman* death metal at its certain technical pinnacle. If you know me and my reviews, you know that I don’t hand out 4.5 stars to just any old album like the fanboy next door; this one genuinely deserves it. The only thing that keeps it from being a true masterpiece is the fact that the songs tend to roll together after the first few; however, whether or not that’s a drawback is debatable, as each new song possesses exactly the same high technical and creative quality of its direct predecessor. Basically, this album is almost exactly what I’ve always envisioned the perfect death metal album to be but never heard anyone pull off successfully (and God knows that many have tried in utter futility); I really just want to slap myself for having never experienced it before. You really just need to own it now…stop reading, prepare yourself, and start listening!
Cryptopsy’s 1998 album, “Whisper Supremacy,” is, quite simply, a ferocious, ceaseless, and monstrous onslaught. Skinsman Flo Mounier’s polyrhythmic, walloping, hyper-speed blasts are mind-blowingly technical (as evidenced by such songs as “White Worms” and “Depths You’ve Fallen”), and the massive, chaotic rhythms pulverize the listener incessantly. Then funky, slapped bass lines, and vocals (by Mike DiSalvo, who debuted with the band on this disc) that are delivered in the form of undecipherable grunts, roaring bellows, and sharp, high-pitched barks are added to the mix. But there’s no doubt that the devastating, white hot, highly discordant, ear-bleeding riffs are the sound’s main focal point. Guitarists Jon Levasseur and Miguel Roy rip through every song with smoke-inducing speed. Plus, their waves of monstrous riffs and crushing leads sound even better when they’re backed by a production job that’s as crisp and clear as this one. For proof, consider the first and third tracks: “Emaciate” and “Loathe,” two blinding maelstroms of explosive, rapid fire, speaker shredding guitar noise which is almost deafening. Also, “Cold Hate, Warm Blood” is highlighted by a jackhammer rhythm, a slow breakdown, and a superb, lengthy guitar solo; “Faceless Unknown” is a lumbering, cascading beat; and “Serpents Coil” boasts rapid, blistering riffs. By album’s end, the listener has almost never felt so clobbered. And even though there are a few standout tracks, most of the album blends together, and the songs are generally not as catchy as those on Cryptopsy’s 1996 disc, “None So Vile.” But if you like your metal lightning fast and thunderously loud, or if you just feel like being beaten into a bloody pulp, you should definitely already own “Whisper Supremacy.” Just make sure you listen with rested ears, and a heart that can withstand almost anything.
If you ever feel like turning into a beast, listen to this album. Whisper Supremacy is a 31 minute (enough to get it out) blast of death metal that will aid you in your anger management. Just put on the headphones, start Emaciate, and once the intro starts, just __________ rip. When listening to music like this, it makes me want to just that, forget all civilized and army like postures and actions you have to do everyday in school and society, and be inhumane (not to the point of self harm or harming others, of course, but just about).
Why did I say that? Well, some people just like death metal because it helps us get out the uncontrollable need to just rip and go berserk. Rest assured, it has nothing to do with feeling “eeXXtreMe” or being a freak, but we are mammals, after all. Some people just have this primal instinct to like out this inner beast inside of you, and the only way to get it out is to trash, head bang, or whatever actions. That’s the main reason why death metal is great.
It’s great for that reason, but if you can’t make a death metal album that some melody, a sense of composing, and a couple of melodic parts, there’s no reason to listen to it, and gets boring fast. I want to have some melody to carry me through the whole thing. It has to have some human touch, whether the melody can sense some evil or calm, anything that does some kind of a humanizing touch. ________ bands like Mortician lack that. Cryptopsy, Death, Nile, Suffocation, Morbid Angel do not lack that. Chances are, if you don’t find any memorable qualities after about five listens or so, then it’s not good death metal.
Whisper Supremacy has memorable riffs, crushing beats, it’s got it all. There’s a great sense of balance in this album, with crushing parts and a bit melodic parts as well. It never gets boring through the whole thing. What you heard is true, this is some of the most well played metal album out there. Cold Hate, Warm Blood shows some great examples of this, as well as the whole album, of course. There’s also some great technical playing put to good use. Technical music is great if it’s doing something to make the music sound musical. Popping and slapping takes a lot of time and certainly takes a long time to hone your skills (it’s very complex at times), but just look at the way Les Claypool’s hard as _______ basslines for Tommy The Cat totally set the wild craziness that the song is implying. The song’s mood is quite loony, and what else to relfect that musically and bring the emotions coming from that cartoon lunacy than a crazy, spastic bassline (and Tom Waits)? There’s just one example on bunking people’s theory that all technical music is made for the sole purpose of showing how technical and show off you get. This is why technical is naturally not a dirty word, it only becomes that if you like it to boost your ego to be considered musically intelligient by ignorant bands teachers forgetting what music is all about.
Whisper Supremacy? Awesome. The production, first off, is excellent. It really helps to further deepen the wall of sound that metal seems to give. Someone ever noticed that? It’s short, but once done, you feel like you got your fix. None of the riffs seem to be placed their for a reason, it all sounds quite catchy. What you heard is true, the musicians rip and do it with finesse. Oh, and the vocals are sweet. Mike sounds as berserk as you do when listening to it. He doesn’t result to cookie monster grunting that most people hate. Plus, Lord Worm does some back up vocals, and doesn’t grunt and growl, he adds some inhumane screams, great enchancing. That’s a pretty novel idea actually, death metal back up vocals. For years people have been harmonizing, we can do it in death metal as well. Plain great music, to be simple, not counting the heavy part.
If you ever want to get out your primal beast inside, Whisper Supremacy is just what the doctor ordered. Next time, if somebody wants to tell you bands like this are noise and lack any emotion, show em’ this review. One could argue that getting out your beast is not, if they do, well, I pity them. Just don’t take my advice in the school yard or the car. Not a good idea.
Ok, first I’d like to say that I wasn’t a big death metal fan before I heard Cryptopsy. Thankfully Cryptopsy opened my eyes and forced me to look further and discover quite a few bands that were really worth it in the death metal genre. Now to the album. Cryptopsy is not your typical death metal band. Their songs, even though short in length, are very technical and with numerous changes throughout them. What’s really adding to their music is their very strong rhythm section. The drummer is absolutely amazing , switching through different tempos and never keeping a single rhythm for more than 20 seconds (!!!) and the bass is really in the front in comparison to other similar acts. The lyrics are nothing too special but certainly better than the gore themes most death metal bands use. Overall, this is a must have for death metal fans and very recommended to any other fan of metal music. The vocals and the technicality might be too much for some people, but that’s Cryptopsy!