A few growled words on the 30th anniversary of None So Vile, with Matt from Cryptopsy

As Cryptopsy were about to take the stage in Baltimore on Saturday May 2, 2026, I had the opportunity to speak with the band’s vocalist, Matthieu McGachy, aka Matt, about his early days with the group, their legendary album None So Vile on its 30th anniversary, their current tours, as well as their upcoming show in Montreal on May 28. 

Since you joined Cryptopsy in 2007, how did you first discover the album None So Vile? What was the first song you heard?

Matt : To be completly honest, I think the first time I heard None So Vile was when I started trying to learn the songs after becoming Cryptopsy‘s vocalist. Before I joined the band, I was really the biggest Cryptopsy fan. I knew they were internationally recognized, but I wasn’t that into death metal. I was in another band before (3 Mile Scream) which was more metalcore, so we really wanted to be closer to Killswitch Engage. There were choruses where I sang and other verses where I screamed, on top of breakdowns. I remember starting to learn the songs – it was very difficult, as Lord Worm has a very particular way of screaming and making sounds with his voice. But at the same time, he’s a very strong writer. His lyrics are very poetic, dark and strange. He would write the lyrics, and then layer sounds over them, and the syllable count didn’t always line up. When I started, at least for the first year, it was really hard to figure out what he was actually saying versus what was written in the lyrics. I remember it clearly: I’d read the lyrics, listen to the songs, and then call Alex Auburn, who was playing guitar with us, and he’d say: « Ah, I think he’s saying all the words… » and it felt like I had a mountain to climb, standing right at the bottom. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me before I’d be ready to perform live.

In that case, how did you end up crossing paths with Cryptospy? 

Matt: The Montreal music scene is actually pretty small, and everybody rehearses at Cité 2000. There a bunch of jam spaces there, and Cryptopsy practiced there too. I’d see them walking through the hallway and think to myself: « Oh wow, those guys are real musicians doing world tours. » So I knew who they were by name and by sight. 3 Mile Scream opened for Cryptopsy once or twice, always in Toronto, for some reason. 

Now that you’ve learned to love the album, what’s your favorite song from None So Vile? 

Matt: Ah, there are so many. Right now, we’re still in the middle of the None So Vile 30th anniversary tour. It started in Asia, then New Zealand and Australia, and we’ve toured all accross Europe. We’re playing a lot of songs from None So Vile so it’s hard to pick just one. But the one that gets the biggest reaction from the crowd, the one where you can literally see the light in people’s eyes when it starts, is Graves of the Fathers. There’s such a great groove in the middle section, and there’s a huge exchange of energy between the crowd and us, back and forth. Graves of the Fathers, is definitely very high on my list of favorite songs from None So Vile. The other one is Orgiastic Disembowelment. I love that one too, there’s another huge groove section where we can really connect with the crowd. Everybody’s headbanging together – I really love the verses in that song and the way it’s written. It’s rythmic, very oldschool: I love that song a lot!. 

Will you be playing the full album at your Montreal show? 

Matt: No. We decided not to play the album in full because we only have a one-hour set. Cryptopsy‘s music style is extremely intense. It’s a physical experience for everyone, both for the band and for the crowd. If we played all of None So Vile it would take around 35 to 40 minutes, with the speeches included. We also wanted to play newer material for the audience, because we just released an album last year, An Insatiable Violence. As musicians, it’s really important for us to play that material live, because it’s not only because of our first two albums that we’re a legendary band. We’re still releasing new material, even if we have the legendary status because of None So Vile and Blasphemy Made Flesh. We want to show people that we’re more than just one album, so we decided to play six of the eight songs [from None So Vile]. Our setlist has all the hits: the tracks from None So Vile, a song from Blasphemy, and a lot of newer material.

Did you make the call on the opening bands [Necrot, Fulci, Blood Monolith, Spirit Adrift] and if so, why did you pick them? 

Matt: Yes, I made a list of potential opening bands and looked at it. We have a booking agent who talks with all the promoters in every city. So I look through the roster to find artists who are with the same booking agency, and I go from there. It’s easier when it stays within the same family. Fulci was on my list, but unfortunately they didn’t get their visas in time to make the show. Luckily, Spirit Adrift joined the tour, stepping in less than a week before the tour started. They had to organize everything with their families, find transportation, jam their sets enough to be fully professional and ready to play the songs… and they did great. So thanks to them, the tour is complete and still going strong. 

Was it a deliberate choice to end the tour in Montreal? 

Matt: No, but it worked out perfectly. I think it just happened that way and it’s pretty convenient. We’ve done tours before with Aborted [2019] where we played Montreal and then had to go to Toronto afterward. With Belphegor, in 2017, we played Montreal and then played in Rouyn. It works much better for us when we can come home at the end of a tour. That way, my kids can come to the show and then we just head back home – that feels good! 

Are you planning anything special for the fans since Montreal is « home » for you? 

Matt: No, but I’d be thrilled for Lord Worm to come out and sing a song with us, even though I can’t really ask. However, we do have something new for this entire tour on the production side. We installed two LED screens with video synchronized to the music. The visual was created by an artist in Italy: it’s really captivating, intense, and it’s the first time we’ve done something like this.

Earlier you were talking about newer songs, are you currently working on more material? 

Matt: We’re actually starting on Monday [May 4, 2026], as we’re often writing while on tour and during our days off. We typically rest in the morning, and then in the afternoon we set up in a hotel room and start putting riffs together. That’s how we created An Insatiable Violence and it really helped us get a lot of work done in a short amount of time, it worked really well. It’s not always easy to stay motivated when you’re exhausted while on tour, but it’s definitely worth it. 

What are your plans after this tour? Do you already have something lined up? 

Matt: We’ve got another tour right after this one. We’re heading to Europe to play a lot of major festivals in late July and August. After that, we’ve got another really big festival in the US, that I can’t talk about just yet because it hasn’t been announced… but it’s something very cool, unique, and weird! It’s going to be an experience, as we probably shouldn’t even be on the bill.

Many thanks to Matt for the short interview and thanks to Will for helping set it up.

That said, make sure to grab your tickets for the show on May 28, 2026 at the Théâtre Fairmont in Montreal, so you don’t miss an evening of pure death metal and celebration of an album that changed the course of extreme music history!

Support Cryptopsy:

Tickets to the Montreal concert: https://www.universe.com/events/the-decibel-magazine-tour-2026-tickets-Z9CBJG?ref=share-widget-buffer

Bandcamp: https://cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com/music

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cryptopsyofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cryptopsyofficial/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CryptopsyDeathMetal

To read other articles on death metal, click here.

Credits:

Editing: Eddy H. Chavaudret

Translation: Jess Peach