Last week, several of you e-mailed us links to what were unconfirmed leaks of new tracks by Cryptopsy; the e-mails were usually accompanied by messages along the lines of “Cryptopsy are the biggest sellouts ever” or “Metalheads everywhere hang their heads in shame.” I didn’t want to write anything about the tracks at the time, though, because there was no way to confirm that they were actual Cryptopsy songs, and, well, after the whole Metallica debacle a few months back I wanted to be sure.

Well, I guess those tracks were real, because we just got a press release from the band’s label, Century, in which it’s announced that a new song, entitled “Worship Your Demons,” has been posted on the band’s MySpace page. In the same release, drummer Flo Mounier addresses, somewhat indirectly, the band’s shift in musical direction:

“We as a band have, since the beginning, been experimenting and trying to come up with music that is fresh and new. This album is no different… It was time for CRYPTOPSY to acquire new blood that would play out a vision we’ve seen for years. We took an approach that gives our music a huge dynamic range and brings out its power.”

Meanwhile, Blabbermouth is running a different statement from Mounier, in which he more directly addresses fan criticism of the new material:

“[I'm] very disappointed to see how closed-minded some of our fans are. We started extreme metal and now we are doing it even more then before, extreme dynamically. When you listen to the full album, you will understand or not… If you get it or not, that’s up to you, but people judge fast and I can guarantee that if you open your mind a little, you’ll understand and be in awe. No change, then just vote for Bush again while you’re at it. You know, [I'm] not an angry person by nature, but god, open your ears.”

These latest songs, featuring new vocalist Matt McGachy (3 Mile Scream) and just-added keyboardist Maggy Durand, certainly mark a shift in musical direction for Cryptopsy. There’s an awful, awful, awful song that was just posted on The Deciblog, but one song a reader sent us, “Resurgence of an Empire,” sound a little more like traditional thrash, while “Worship” has elements of modern deathcore. That being said, since I’ve always been kind of indifferent to the band (read my thoughts on their video for “The Pestilence That Walketh In Darkness (Psalm 91:5-8)” here), I’m not nearly as offended by this shift as some, and I do wonder if it’s worth considering that this an album the band really wanted to make (as opposed to just trying to go more mainstream for the sake of increased record sales). After all, The Deciblog track aside, this shit is still pretty fuckin’ heavy; sure, it’s one thing to make Load, but it’s something completely different to make Ire Works.

The band’s new album, The Unspoken King, will come out on Century sometime this summer, and I’ll reserve final judgment until then. In the meantime, feel free to voice your opinions in our comments section below.

-AR