Billy Strings Joins Cryptopsy for “Blasphemy Made Fresh”

Not every underground icon lives long enough to lord above death metal’s crypt three decades into their career. But Cryptopsy are proving once again why they’re the most vile band of them all. A year after winning their first JUNO Award, the brutal Canadians have graced the cover of Decibel, snatched Metal Injection‘s Artist of the Month honor and cracked the Billboard charts with their critically-acclaimed new album An Insatiable Violence.

Of course, Cryptopsy have been making blasphemy fresh ever since they came writhing and screaming into the world of extreme metal with their instant classic debut. This Friday, the band are reissuing Blasphemy Made Flesh for the first time since signing with Season of Mist. And they’ve added another bloody milestone to commemorate this special occasion.

“For a while now, we have performed a medley of Blasphemy Made Flesh on tour”, Cryptopsy vocalist Matt McGachy says. “But for the album’s 30th anniversary, we wanted to do something really special”.

“Blasphemy Made Fresh” is a new 8-minute medley that sharpens and steels the album’s many surgical hooks and pathological rhythms with a murderer’s row of today’s top death metal vocalists: Ben Duerr (Shadow of Intent), Bridget Lynch (Stabbing), Alexander Sason (Undeath), Johnny Ciardullo (Carcosa) and Mallika Sundaramurthy (Emasculator). This hellacious parade of death growls paves the way for a righteous guitar solo from none other than two-time Grammy winner and mega Cryptopsy fan Billy Strings.

“We are super stoked at how excited each guest was to be part of this unique homage to Cryptopsy’s first classic”, McGachy says. “We are beyond proud of this medley and are so happy that we can now share it with our new and old fans”.

Listen to “Blasphemy Made Fresh” on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/miPjohxeXxo

Season of Mist is reissuing Blasphemy Made Flesh this Friday, July 18.

Pre-order
https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/CryptopsyReissues

Available Formats
Digital Download
2xCD Jewel Case*
12″ Vinyl (Black)
12″ Vinyl (Red with Black Splatters)
*includes “Blasphemy Made Fresh” + 1995 Live Set

Cryptopsy have been stringing together bits and pieces of their first album into the setlist since they first cracked open The Book of Suffering. “When we cut together this medley, we went straight for the parts that make our blood boil and heads bang”, the band’s guitarist Christian Donaldson says. “If it does that for other people, too, then mission accomplished”.

But the seeds for “Blasphemy Made Fresh” were sown just a few years ago, while McGachy was listening to The Jasta Show. “Jamey had suggested to Terrence Hobbs that Suffocation should invite a bunch of guests to re-record vocals for one of their classic albums”, he remembers. “That inspired me to hit up some killer young extreme metal vocalists to perform on this medley”.

As the first guest to sink his teeth into “Blasphemy Made Fresh”, Alexander Jones is quick to stake his claim. “‘Defenestration’ is a Top 5 all-time metal opening track – argue with a wall”, says the Undeath vocalist, who rips through the merciless “Abigor”. “Cryptopsy is by far one of my all-time favorite death metal bands and hold a special place in my heart due to them being one of the very first that I got into. When Matt asked me if I’d like to contribute to this medley alongside so many other contemporary vocalists I admire, I was floored. It was truly an honor to contribute even a little bit to a celebration of such an incredible, landmark record. I can’t begin to thank the guys enough for this incredible opportunity”.

To help fill the brutal grooves of “Born Headless”, Cryptopsy didn’t have to look any further than their fellow Canadians in Carcosa. “Cryptopsy is sewn into the fabric of my Canadian death metal soul and has been since I was young”, the band’s vocalist Johnny Ciardullo says. “It would be an understatement to say that it’s an honour to have performed on a Cryptopsy song, but I mean it in every sense. I truly cherish the opportunity to celebrate such an important record in Canadian metal history”.

Bridget Lynch nails the riff-lashing of “Swine of the Cross” with demonic gutturals. “I’ve been into brutal death metal since I was a young teenager and Blasphemy Made Flesh was my introduction to Cryptopsy early on”, Stabbing’s vocalist says. “I think Lord Worm is one of the most iconic vocalists in the genre, so I tried my best to do this part justice. I feel really honored to be a part of this”.

While the original is known for its deranged delivery, Mallika Sundaramurthy puts on a vocal clinic during the knuckle-dragging midsection of “Open Face Surgery”. “Blasphemy Made Flesh was such an important album for me as a youth getting into brutal death metal”, the Emasculator vocalist says. “I wouldn’t be the vocalist I am today without Lord Worm and Cryptopsy. So of course I was honored when Matt invited me to participate in a medley honoring the album’s legacy. I’m really stoked to have collaborated with the living legends!”

Bringing together a rabid pack of extreme metal vocalists is memorable feat on its own, but to do the legendary solo on Blasphemy Made Flesh justice required a real twist of fate. Last year, Cryptopsy were getting ready for a show when who should happen to be playing up the road from them that night but one of their most famous fans.

“Cryptopsy is my all-time favorite death metal band”, says William Apostol, who’s better known as Billy Strings. “I was so bummed that I had my own show, because I’ve always dreamed of seeing them live. So I figured that the best thing to do was send the guys a cake that said ‘Open Cake Surgery'”.

After sending someone from his camp down to visit the band’s merch booth, Strings got a video of the guys devouring his gift. “It blew my mind!” he continues. “I was just so happy I could at least pay my respects in the form of frosting and that they didn’t think I was a total weirdo”.

Despite returning to their respected corners of the music world, when Cryptopsy needed a guest guitarist to perform “Open Face Surgery”, they knew just who to ask. “Of course, the answer was a resounding HELL YES!” Strings says. “Blasphemy Made Flesh is one of the best albums ever. That and None So Vile changed my life!”. While he’s used to picking bluegrass, his fretwork on “Blasphemy Made Fresh” is downright filthy. “I was a bit nervous because I hadn’t played heavy music in quite some time, but I got comfy on the track and I’m really pleased with the end result. Contributing to a Cryptopsy track is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life. I’ll always be grateful to the guys for trusting me with this great honor”.

Billy Strings appears on “Blasphemy Made Fresh” courtesy of Reprise Records.

The cover art for “Blasphemy Made Fresh” was created by Remedy Art Design (@remedyartdesign)

Cryptopsy’s new album An Insatiable Violence is out now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream
https://orcd.co/cryptopsyaninsatiableviolence

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