Cryptopsy has sacrificed so many things -- among them melody, harmony, discernable rhythm, and song structure -- for the sake of one overriding goal: extreme brutality.

Consider the goal met.

Replacing former vocalist Lord Worm (who supplies background vocals on two tracks), new throat-scraper Mike DiSalvo lets loose on Whisper Supremacy with the characteristically undecipherable grunts and muffled screams of the genre.

The mix is all vocals and drums, a good decision if the desired result is deconstructed anti-music, but a little confusing for the listener who wants to hear clearly the riffs played by guitarists Jon Levasseur and Miguel Roy.

As is, they are often buried under Flo Mounier's furious blast beats and ferocious double bass drumming, a tendency that also leads to the songs running into each other a bit.

However, the riffs really aren't the focal point of the music here; even this heavy metal mainstay is subordinated to Cryptopsy's desire for aural devastation.

However, there are some nice moments where the guitars are temporarily melodic, as on "Cold Hate, Warm Blood" or "Loathe." Levasseur's rather conventional (although exceptionally played) lead guitar is also prominently displayed in the mix, which provides good melodic counterpart to the destruction all around it.

Whisper Supremacy is a better album than is apparent upon first listen, as Cryptopsy's progressive tendencies add a pleasing amount of depth to the record.

For example, the tricky rhythms of "Flame to the Surface" or the stop-on-a-dime fits of "Emaciate" reveal a great deal of thought and precise execution.

A fine progressive death metal album from a band at the top of its game.