Once Was Not is the fifth album by Cryptopsy. Unlike previous albums, where Lord Worm's lyrical content consisted of gore, blasphemy, and sex, his lyrics on Once Was Not dealt with more realistic topics that affect the human race, such as war, famine, plague, and death. A video was filmed for the track "The Pestilence That Walketh in Darkness". It is the first album to feature original vocalist Lord Worm since 1996's None So Vile, and would be his last with the band. It is also the first album not to feature original guitarist Jon Levasseur.