Interview: Joshua Hobbins
Perth death metal purveyors, Crypt Crawler have dropped their brutal new album, The Immortal Realm and will be hitting the road across the country this September/October in support of it, which includes an opening slot for the mighty NILE!
Josh had the chance to ask Marco from Crypt Crawler a few questions about the record, tour and more!
You must be stoked with how it’s turned out and that you were able to have James Murphy feature on “Higher Society”? How did this collaboration come about?
We couldn’t be happier with how this album has turned out and without being cliché, it’s definitely our best album yet. We’re also still blown away by the fact that we have James Murphy as a guest on it. The collaboration came about when a fan of ours from Sydney, who is friends with James, showed him our music which he really liked. James ended up commenting on our ‘Force Fed to the Dead’ music video on YouTube which was really cool. We got to talking and the guest solo was mentioned and we thought it was a no brainer and here we are.
What was the creative process like for writing and recording the album?
We were a lot more collaborative this time around, with a lot of the songs either being written in the jam room or all of us in a room together in front of a computer with our instruments. This definitely made the songs grander in a sense, where it felt like everyone’s ideas and influences really came through. Guitars, bass and vocals were still very much recorded DIY as we have in the past in my own home studio, with drums recorded at Sumo Sound Studios. This was also the first time our music wasn’t mixed and mastered by myself, where instead we had Wynter Prior of Sphynx Studios mix the tracks and Jacob Hansen (The Black Dahlia Murder, Aborted, Katatonia, Arch Enemy) mastering them, which definitely elevated the album sonically above anything else we’ve released.
What are your personal favourite tracks on the new album, and why?
My personal favourites at the moment are ‘Gateway of Souls’, ‘Higher Society’ and ‘Abhorrent Abominations’. I really love the more melodic nature of ‘Gateway of Souls’, and especially the guitar solo, along with the arrangement of the track. ‘Higher Society’ also has a really cool song structure along with some really versatile sections that work really well together, a massive chorus as well as the guitar solo by James Murphy which is a big tick. Finally, ‘Abhorrent Abominations’ has some of the heaviest moments on the album and just some really exciting riffs and vocal patterns. These could all change tomorrow though, especially as we start playing the new tracks live and finding out how they’re received in that environment versus the private listening experience.
What message or emotions do you hope listeners take away from “Higher Society” and the rest of “The Immortal Realm”?
That by shedding your skin, you too can experience immortality. Haha, I kid. A lot of the song lyrics deal with very fictional narratives that have been inspired by horror films and books, such as Hellraiser, From Beyond, Martyrs, Society, The Void etc. There are some tracks with personal meanings or that may have been influenced by life events that I’ve layered under the fictional horror lyrics, however they were more written as a catharsis for myself, so if someone else finds catharsis or if our music provides an escape from the struggles of daily life then I’ll be very happy with that take away. If the listener also discovers horror films they haven’t seen before from my influences, that’ll also be a win.
With your growing discography, how do you feel the band has evolved since your first release, To the Grave?
I feel on our first release, we weren’t exactly bringing too many new ideas to the table, we just wrote a kickass death metal record influenced by our favourite bands. However as time has gone by, we’ve definitely started adding our own unique traits to our own version of death metal, incorporating elements from all over the metal genre. Especially with elements such as groove sections, melodic and progressive passages to guitar leads that are very reminiscent of 70s and 80s traditional heavy metal bands, that all come together to fall under the Crypt Crawler sound.
How do you balance old-school death metal elements with more modern influences?
Especially as we become more collaborative, we all bring our own influences to the table that may not, “strictly speaking,” be an inherent trope of old school death metal. This is where we can take our strong basis of the 80s/90s death metal greats we look up to and incorporate our own tweaks to this sound. Chuck Schuldiner of Death, especially, never wanted to write the same album twice and was always expanding on what death metal should be, and we completely agree with that way of thinking and want to grow and form our own sounds with ‘death metal’ as the strong foundation beneath. As long as we keep that at the core of this band, then any other modern influences definitely balance themselves nicely in our sound.
Who are some of your musical influences, past and current bands included, and how do they shape Crypt Crawler’s sound today?
We all bring our own influences to the table, however I think the most common influences would be Death, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Aborted, Gatecreeper, The Black Dahlia Muder and even Lamb of God. My personal favourite band is Metallica, so that will undeniably try and weave its way into our music too. Also bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne, definitely find their way into our sound, especially when it comes to melody and leads.
How do you feel about the Australian extreme metal scene today, and how does Crypt Crawler fit into it?
There are some amazing extreme metal bands in Australia today and we’re incredibly proud to be among this scene. The level of quality is also unreal, with bands such as Faceless Burial, Freedom of Fear and Flaming Wrekage absolutely killing it with their latest releases along with touring internationally, which we’re also incredibly stoked to be in this category now too, along with being friends with many of these bands. There are just so many great bands in the Australian extreme metal scene with some shout outs to Banished Realm, Gosika, Ashen, Asylum, Carcinoid and the list goes on.
You’ve supported major acts like Obituary and Gatecreeper, and now you’ve scored the Nile support, again Congrats on this. How have these experiences influenced your performances, and can you share what fans can expect from your upcoming shows?
Thank you. Those shows definitely boosted our confidence as a band, especially playing on a big stage with Obituary and an even bigger stage at Hammersonic Festival in Jakarta. Watching bands from the side of stage and really paying attention to the crowd response and seeing what the ‘pros’ do, is a great learning experience too. In terms of what fans can expect, we always deliver a fun, energetic and crushing live show with plenty of riffs perfectly curated for headbanging, moshing and just a good time in general.
Finally, what has been the most memorable experience for Crypt Crawler in 2024 so far, and what’s next for the band after this album release and tour?
If it isn’t releasing our best album so far, then it would probably have to be traveling internationally to play Hammersonic Festival in Jakarta, which was an incredible experience. Playing outside of Australia was definitely a bucket list item for us and to have been able to tick that off this year was amazing. After the album tour, we’ll keep pushing ‘The Immortal Realm’ and touring, and just keep spreading the Crypt Crawler name, whilst continuing to write new music.
Conjuring an old school sound together with a modern approach, Crypt Crawler has been carving their path since forming in 2018. Unleashing a relentless assault of neck snapping riffs, blistering solos, technical drums and an undeniable sense of melody, they quickly cemented their place in the Australian extreme metal scene.
The release of their debut album, To The Grave in 2019 showcased their mastery of the genre, incorporating elements of old school death metal with modern nuances. It was followed up in 2020 with the release of the Blood Sustenance EP which further showcased their ability to craft catchy hooks and merciless riffs. 2021’s offering, Future Usurper, showed the bands’ musical maturity and songwriting prowess, delving into more intricate and progressive arrangements, while maintaining their signature brand of death metal.
Now in 2024, Crypt Crawler are pushing the envelope even further with The Immortal Realm. Sharper riffs, heavier harmonies and a wall of sound that’s been sorely missing in modern death metal.
Crypt Crawler’s blistering live performances have earned them opportunities to support acclaimed acts including US death metal kings Obituary, Gatecreeper and Skeletal Remains, as well as playing Hammersonic 2024, the biggest heavy music festival in Southeast Asia. This October sees them opening for US death metal titans Nile when they come through Perth.
The Immortal Realm is out now
Orders are available now
www.cryptcrawlermetal.com/
AUSTRALIAN IMMORTALITY TOUR DATES
Saturday, September 21: The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne
Saturday, October 5: Electric Eye Heavy Fest, Fremantle
Tuesday, October 15: Milk Bar, Perth#*
Thursday, October 24: Tomcat, Brisbane*
Friday, October 25: Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast*
Saturday, October 26: Crown & Anchor, Adelaide*
# Supporting Nile (USA)
* Featuring Ashen (WA)
Tickets are available from
https://linktr.ee/cryptcrawler
