SB: Hey! Really grateful for the interview and ready to make our way to Europe sometime soon hopefully!
CW: The ice in my vodka soda hasn’t melted yet so I’m good.
FF: Ha. Beer? More like the weed is sticky!
BG: Weeeeeeeddd !!!!
Just want to make it clear right away. Rumor has it that you’re planning on releasing a full album. Is it so? What are you working on right now?
CW: Correct! We’ve been writing and fine tuning new material since our first tour with Lycanthropy last summer. We’re going into the studio very soon to record and hopefully have it released by RSR later this year.
SB: We are really honored by the response to our releases so far, but they aren't anything compared to this upcoming LP. We are pretty excited to get it out!
KP: There's also some splits in the near future we have in the works.
CW: I can honestly say that nearly every show we played this last tour was killer. Big turnouts with everybody raging and there’s no better feeling, especially when it’s your first time visiting that city as a band. Even the few smaller attended shows we played there were still people moshing. I love the West Coast and all our homies out there. Can’t wait to go back!
FF: Every show was pretty solid and fun. Some shows were small attendance, but still those were cool shows since we got to hang with close friends. Most memorable thing on the last tour would have to be; I don't really want to make this a long story. But we stayed with a random guy and his mom after the Fresno show. Everyone was asleep. I was up late with a couple of the guys hanging and rolling a joint in the living room. And the guys mom comes out of her room and asks, "are you smoking marijuana?!!?!?" I immediately said no mam. But I didn't lie. It wasn't burning yet. She just walked off all pissed and started yelling at her son in Spanish in his bedroom. Then we decided to hold off on the joint until the morning. Not that good of a story.
KP: Frank also spilt a box of cereal all over their kitchen floor the next morning. I felt kinda bad for that lady.
SB: Frank didn't mention that that guy was basically telling us his friends always try to sleep with his mom. He even gave us permission to do so, it was beyond weird! When we got to their house, she was a really old woman with Catholic paintings all over the house hahaha! It was pretty confusing...
BG: She was nice, though.
FF: No way fuck that. We love each other too much for these games. Actually we do the exact opposite. We leave whoever we stay with a signed picture thank you card stock type flyer and merch.
CW: We’re a pretty tame bunch of Bobs. We like to shit talk and joke but not to the extent of pulling pranks on each other. Ben farted on me one time in El Paso and I farted on him back later that night but that’s about as far as it goes.
It’s hard not to notice that the art on your covers is somehow connected. All this mystery, occultness. What’s the story behind all this? And (if there’s a background story) how is it going to evolve?
SB: I'm glad you noticed! I do the art for the band and each release has an independent story and theme that the art corresponds to. Psychomanteum uses the real occult practice of mirror gazing as a tool to explore the human mind, desires, and the perils of obsession and greed. It's about a man who seeks to gain great power and wisdom by speaking to an entity from beyond. In the process of this he is confronted with the darkest parts of his psyche and is confronted by a manifestation of this darkness. He descends into madness as this entity multiplies into many inhabiting spirits and begin to overshadow him in his own mind. I use the occult as a metaphorical tool to explore the idea of an autonomous complex, a personality created in the mind that operates on its own brought upon by traumatic experience. The purpose in using the occult practice of mirror gazing is that this outcome is very possible and is easily created by imagining an entity separate from yourself in the mirror that is communicating to you. The easiest way to perceive Psychomanteum is as if the lyrics are his magickal journal entries throughout this experience. The LP is written in more of a story form and is inspired by H.P. Lovercraft and also explores the human psyche, desire, and a metaphorical narrative that plays out a persons mental collapse. The lyrics from the Wasteland tape serve as a decent introduction to what to expect in the full LP.
CW: I play bass in Türbokrieg with Ben, Frank, and a lovely gentleman by the name of Eric T. Neal. We have a full length that we just recorded that I’m really excited about but still need to get the vocals done and mix all the tracks. I hope we can release that by the end of the year as well. I also play in Mindboil with Frank. We have a split with Plague Rages from Brazil coming out this summer and we’ll probably book a local show or two after its release but nothing is planned for Mindboil after that. Frank and I have been working on another new project called Apocalyptic Noise Syndicate with our friend Joe who moved to Houston from Tampa. So be on the lookout!
FF: I just recently started a new band or took over drums in Apocolyptic Noise Syndicate. My buddy Joe just moved here from Florida and I picked up where the old drummer left off. Good shit. Grinding PV madness. Also, I play drums in a band called Fuck With Fire. Its members of Crime Wave, 50/50, Machine Gun Romantics, etc. Not all blast beats. Kind of a crossover, thrashy hardcore punk band with fast parts. Think rupture! Then of course Türbokrieg and Mindboil, if Seattle ever wants to play the mind grind again. We've been on hiatus for a while.
BG: I play guitar for Türbokrieg, which is like, crazy speed metal, grinding, ultracore madness. Imagine Metallica had a baby with Repulsion. I am also newly involved in a Cthulhu Death Metal recording project called S’Glhuo.
You’ve already given a start to many new bands. What do you usually feel when forming a new band? Does it have anything to do with parental feelings or anything of the kind?
SB: The easiest and most common way for us to start new bands is with our friends. We have all been in other bands together and we know how to make it happen. Often starting a new band with people you havent worked with is difficult because everyone has a creative proccess that doesn't necessarily fit with another's. We trust each other and have similar tastes, so it is easy to just jump in and start again. After NIBIRU, we hadn't jammed for years, but as soon as we started Cryptic Void, it was like not one day had past. I think it's all about being close and creatively compatible.
FF: I like to think that I look at all my bands as a girlfriend more than as a child. I guess it could go both ways. I do care for and put 110% into every band I'm in. Even in life in general. I like to think I put forth all my energy into something. Whatever it is I am working on. Forming this new band Apocalyptic Noise Syndicate with Joe has been fun. I think it's especially cool to play with a guitarist I've never jammed with before. The different dynamic that always comes to the table is always new and interesting.
KP: We all have been playing together in different projects for a while, in a lot of ways Cryptic Void is the result of all that past experience. It really does take a lot of work to make progress as a band but we all share a pretty focused approach to playing music.
BG: Being able to explore different creative processes is always exciting for me!
We all live this boring, everyday life (work, family, etc) but what about the hobbies? Do you have any (except for grindcore, of course)?
FF: Fitness shit, dogs, weed, girlfriend hangs, and drums. That's about it!
SB: I like to read and write but mostly I draw. I make album covers and shirt designs but also have personal artistic projects. I am @meatballgrinder on Instagram and @StephenBowerArt on FaceBook if you want to check out my non-Cryptic Void related art!
KP: Comic books & kung fu
BG: Anything music related, books, animals, weed, more books.
CW: Would you consider getting drunk and flying a stunt kite with your dog a hobby?
I know that you are allowed to carry a gun in Texas. Do such regulations help to reduce crime? Does it make you feel safer, now that you have a chance to protect your family and yourself?
FF: Around my job is the only time I see crazy rednecks and therefore the only time I have ever seen someone carrying a firearm on their hip. Walking around showing off your piece makes me think you are asking for trouble. Any major US city is going to have crime and violent shootings, no matter what. To me it would be an easier way for someone to just walk up from behind and quickly snatch a gun out of someone's holster and obtain a free weapon to hold up a store or rob the person carrying the gun.
BG: Not sure, I’ve never seen what life is like without people owning guns. I’d say, being able to own guns makes me feel safer in my home, but I believe if I was to carry one around it would potentially cause unnecessary trouble. I don’t typically put myself in situations where I would need that kind of protection.
CW: I’m not a big fan of guns and wouldn’t be opposed to much stronger anti-gun legislation. That being said, I must admit that it doesn’t feel very different from any other city or state.
Frank, fixing car engines is part of your job, am I right? Do you do old car restorations at your workshop? Or do you usually deal with engines only?
FF: We actually do both. Our specialty at the shop is performance engines for street or strip motor sports. Lots of street legal high powered Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler's. The money is in the all out race engines though. Usually these are big projects. The old car restoration stuff is cool because you are making something beat down and rusted out back to life like it were brand new again. We've done anything from 1913 model A's to 2014 BMW's. It's better than working at a bar or sitting behind a desk I suppose.
Guys, do you go to local gigs and how often does it happen? You know, to support friends who play in bands, to drink beer/lemonade, etc)
FF: I will go to any show in Houston that has bands playing blast beats live. Most likely will drink lemon San pelligrino
CW: As often as I can. It’s hard for me to catch a show during the week that I’m not already playing because I get up so early for work. But weekends I love to go to shows and support all the other GCHC homies.
Grindcore is a great way to reduce stress. Do you agree with that?
FF: True. Two grinds a day keeps the doctor away.
BG: Absolutely! Can't imagine what a raging lunatic I would be without it.
CW: There’s been multiple occasions where I couldn’t fucking wait to get to practice or play show cause of a fight I got into with an ex-girlfriend or some bullshit that happened at work. So yes, I strongly agree with that.
Is there a Cryptic Void moto? If there’s any, what is it?
SB: We almost have our own language, and every tour more words and phrases are added. It's not just CV but a Houston grind thing in general mostly. A few examples are: "Bob" = a true grinder and good friend, we almost exclusively refer to each other as Bob. "Mauldicker" = A person who gives others a hard time or isn't on the ball. And every time we leave practice we say goodbye with a hand bump and a "Good grind Bobby".
KP: Yeah, we defiantly have our own way of talking amongst ourselves, it's an acquired taste.
FF: Grinding with best friends aka bobs
BG: Bob's your uncle
Thank you guys for the talk! Last words for our readers;)
FF: Someone convince makiko to do a FID/Cryptic Void split!
BG: We are grateful for everyone's support and for you taking the time to talk to us. Peace! P.S. What Frank said !
