Cryptopsy is a Canadian death metal band from Montreal, formed in 1988.The band continue to record and release music, so far having released nine albums, two EPs, and a live album. Here's an interview with vocalist Matt.
Hi Matt and welcome to Soulgrinder Zine! Before starting work on the last album, did you have in your mind how you wanted it to sound? Are there specific requirements for a Cryptopsy album?
Yeah… but it’s not like we sit down with a manifesto or anything. It’s more like a feeling we recognize when it starts to happen. For Cryptopsy, there are a few unspoken rules: it has to be extreme, obviously, but it also has to *groove*. If it’s just chaos for the sake of chaos, it doesn’t stick. We want riffs that feel violent but also memorable—like something you can almost hum, which is a weird thing to say about this kind of music. So going in, we knew we wanted something that felt urgent, aggressive, but still very *listen-able* in a Cryptopsy way. Not a nostalgia trip, not reinventing the wheel… just pushing our version of it forward.
Tell us about the recording process of the last album released through Season of Mist. Where did you record it, and what are its biggest strengths?
We recorded in a pretty controlled, modern way—everyone kind of doing their parts separately, really dialing things in. It’s not the romantic “band in a room bleeding into each other” thing, but for this style, precision matters. For me personally, I actually went and lived with Christian for about a week while we were working on vocals. It was a really immersive process—basically waking up, working on vocals all day, refining things line by line. That kind of environment lets you really focus and experiment without distractions, which I think made a big difference in how detailed the vocal performance ended up being. The biggest advantage overall is control. You can really sculpt the performances, especially vocally. I’m not just screaming from start to finish—I’m thinking about texture, placement, pacing. It becomes more like building something than just capturing it. I think the strength of the record is that balance: it’s tight, it’s sharp, but it still feels aggressive. It doesn’t feel sterile, which is always the danger with modern production.
You guys are headlining the 2026 Decibel Tour in North America with support from Fulci, Necrot and Blood Monolith. This tour is in celebration of the 30th anniversary of None So Vile, congrats about that.
It’s kind of surreal, honestly. That record means a lot to people, and we don’t take that lightly. For me, I came into the band later, so I’ve always been very aware that I’m stepping into something that already had a legacy. Getting to celebrate *None So Vile* with fans who’ve been there since the beginning—and also with younger fans who just discovered it—is pretty special. And the lineup is stacked. Every band on that tour brings something different, so it’s going to be a pretty relentless night from start to finish.
Do you think the album/tour cycle many bands follow is something that works for your band, or is it limiting?
It’s both. On one hand, it gives you structure. You make a record, you go out, you play it, you connect with people—that’s kind of the lifeblood of being in a band. But yeah, it can become a trap if you’re just doing it because that’s what you’re *supposed* to do. Then you end up forcing records or repeating yourself. For us, it has to feel natural. If we don’t have something worth saying, we’d rather not say anything. There’s enough noise out there already.
What do you think of modern metal sound? Do you care for any of it? Do you follow how metal has evolved?
I keep an ear on it, yeah. Some of it I really like, some of it doesn’t connect with me at all—and that’s fine. Metal’s always evolving in weird directions. That’s kind of the point. You get these pockets of innovation, and then you get bands bringing it back to something more raw. It’s a constant push and pull. For me personally, I gravitate toward stuff that feels honest. Whether it’s super polished or totally filthy doesn’t matter as much as whether it *feels real.
One element that has come to define the Cryptopsy sound is that piercing riff tone. How important is that?
It’s huge. That tone is almost like another member of the band. When you hear it, you kind of know what you’re getting into. It cuts through everything, and it gives the riffs this really aggressive edge that defines the whole experience. Without that, it wouldn’t feel like Cryptopsy. It’s one of those details that people might not consciously think about, but they’d notice immediately if it was gone.
Is it possible for Cryptopsy to get even heavier? Could the fans survive it?
I mean… we can always try. “Heavier” is a funny word, though. It’s not just about being faster or more brutal—it’s about impact. Sometimes a slower, uglier riff hits harder than a blast beat. So yeah, we’re always looking for ways to push it. Whether the fans survive is… not really our concern. *We’ll* be fine.
Are there any plans to film a show and release a live recording?
We hear that a lot, yeah. It’s something we’ve talked about. It’s just a matter of doing it right. If we’re going to put out a live recording, it has to capture what it actually feels like to be in the room—otherwise there’s no point. So no concrete plans yet, but it’s definitely on the radar.
Do you ever struggle to come up with strong death metal lyrics?
Sometimes, yeah. Not because there aren’t ideas, but because you don’t want to repeat yourself or fall into clichés. It’s easy to just default to gore or shock for the sake of it, but that gets boring pretty quickly. I try to approach it more conceptually—what’s the idea, what’s the feeling, what’s the perspective. Then I build from there. It’s more work, but it keeps it interesting.
Are there any young death metal bands that have impressed you recently?
Yeah, definitely. There’s a lot of great stuff coming out right now. I like bands that take the foundation of death metal but twist it a bit—whether it’s in the songwriting, the atmosphere, or just the attitude. You can tell when a band isn’t just copying what came before. There’s a healthy new wave happening, which is good. It keeps everyone on their toes.
What do you think about the extreme metal scene worldwide these days?
It feels strong. There are scenes popping up everywhere, and the level of musicianship is kind of insane right now. At the same time, you’ve still got that underground spirit—people doing it because they *need* to, not because it’s trendy. As long as that balance exists, the scene’s in a good place.
If you're into horror, what is your favorite horror movie of all time and why?
That’s tough. I tend to go back to stuff that’s more psychological than just straight gore. Something that sticks with you after it’s over, that gets under your skin a bit. The kind of movie where you’re still thinking about it the next day—that’s the good stuff.
Thanks a lot for your time—what are the future plans with Cryptopsy? Final words are yours.
More of everything, basically. More shows, more writing, more pushing ourselves to not get comfortable. We’re lucky to still be doing this, and we don’t take it for granted. So as long as people still want to hear it—and we still feel like we have something worth putting out—we’re going to keep going. And yeah… come to a show. That’s really where it all makes sense.
facebook.com/cryptopsyofficial
Interview by Paul Caravasi
Soulgrinder Zine
The Decibel Magazine Tour 2026 dates:
April 30: Worcester, MA • Palladium Upstairs
May 1: Brooklyn, NY • Brooklyn Monarch
May 2: Baltimore, MD • Baltimore Soundstage
May 3: Philadelphia, PA • Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly 2026
May 5: Atlanta, GA • Masquerade (Hell)
May 7: Houston, TX • White Oak Music Hall
May 8: Dallas, TX • The Studio
May 9: Austin, TX • Come and Take It Live
May 12: Los Angeles, CA • The Regent
May 13: San Diego, CA • Brick By Brick
May 14: Berkeley, CA • Cornerstone
May 16: Portland, OR • Hawthorne Theater
May 17: Seattle, WA • El Corazon
May 20: Denver, CO • Oriental Theater
May 22: Minneapolis, MN • Fine Line Music Cafe
May 23: Chicago, IL • Bottom Lounge
May 24: Detroit, MI • Crofoot Ballroom
May 25: Cleveland, OH • The Grog Shop
May 26: Pittsburgh, PA • Preserving Underground
May 27: Toronto, ON • Lee’s
May 28: Montreal, QC • Fairmount Theatre
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