Unsigned Spotlight: Crypitus
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Doug: Im the guitarist vocalist and band manager
Zach: Hi I'm Zach. I hit things with sticks, in rhythmic time with these guitar players.
Pete: I'm Pete, I melt faces with bone crushing riffs on guitar.
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Crypitus? How long has the band been around
Doug: Crypitus is my first and only band thus far! I started the project in 2015 but the line up was never complete until May 2016!
Zach: Before Crypitus I was in a dozen or so bands that you've never heard of. None have ever made an impact like Crypitus. We've been together a little more than a year.
Pete: I've always jammed with friends and had little projects but none ever got out of the practice space.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Doug: The name Crypitus actually came from my high school teacher who came to me one day and said excitedly "Do you know what a sick metal band name would be?! Crepitus! Its the sound of breaking bones! I was sold immediately.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Doug: Most of the songs and themes have been thought of by me at this point. My main theme I preach is death destruction and pure dystopia, I believe that as time goes on the subject may change but turmoil is ageless!
Zach: When I joined, Doug and Pete had like a dozen songs that needed some percussion written into them. Doug does most all of the primary writing and all the lyrics, but Pete and myself write our own parts. Personally, I'd like to start writing some more funny and spoofy material. I don't have a lot of aggression to get out these days.
Pete: Most of our songs Doug had written years ago and Zach and I added our parts to them. Our newer songs we've written since we became a band are a little bit of all of us.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Doug: Death, Megadeth, Dissection and Death Angel and all very inspiring to me musically and content wise.
Zach: Blake Richardson from Between The Buried And Me greatly inspires my drumming. I've been taking some lessons listening to Blotted Science lately. That's some groovy fucking metal.
Pete: Mastodon and Children of Bodom always inspire my playing. Sithu Aye, Widek, Chronologist, and Plini are all so creative and surprising with their songs; I always get motivated to play better listening to them.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Doug: Honestly I saw a lot of shows happening in my town and I thought why the fuck am I not doing that! Then I was like duh I don't have a band so then I found my band and out we went!
Zach: Not one in particular. Since I was pooping in my diapers, I've been rocking out, even if just in my imagination. It's in my blood.
Pete: Iron Maiden and Mastodon were some of the earliest metal I listened to. I knew I wanted to play music since I was a little kid trying to play an acoustic guitar.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Doug: Just the drive to the venue with good music blaring and a car packed with good people is enough to get me properly pumped and prepared!
Zach: Caffeine. Lots of caffeine, and about a half gallon of water. I always have to stretch before a set. My legs, arms, hands, fingers.... If I don't, I can't keep up, I'm dropping my sticks, my muscles cramp, and I sound like an idiot, as far as drums go.
Pete: Stretching the fingers and hands is always needed. A little warming up with scales and tremolo picking too.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Doug: The enthusiasm we had from of first Maine show was incredible! That alone was one of the highlights to the band thus far.
Zach: That's a good question. We opened for Lich King in Greenfield, MA, and this month were playing with Psychostick, but for me, it was the first time we played in Maine. The music scene is unbelievable there. This whole run with Crypitus has been unbelievable. I never imagined we would have some much success.
Pete: Playing in front of a constantly cheering crowd in Maine was awesome. Coming out with a demo is farther than I've gotten with any other musical project so that's a big deal to me.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Doug: I would tour with Death, Dissection and Gojira! That would shake the fabric of the earth!
Zach: Between The Buried And Me. Pantera. Death. Cause I couldn't imagine anything more awesome. What an honor that would be!
Pete: Touring with Death when they were still bar hopping would be sweet. If I had a time machine I would check out some of the early death metal shows in Germany or Norway back in the day.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Doug: Just keep your eyes peeled for the demo "Exhibit 1: Prelude to the Death World" coming out this summer! Along with the try to make it to one of our summer gigs and we will show you what home grown Vermont Metal is all about.
Zach: Keep an eye out. We're just getting started. Crypitus will be coming to raise hell in your hometown. I don't care where you are. Just you watch!