CRYPTOPSY (Eng.)
– Hello Flo, thanks for answering to our questions. What are you currently up to?
I just came back from teaching at the Ultimate Drum Camp with the likes of Dennis Chambers, Todd Sucherman and Heracio Hernandez. Still buzzing from all the fantastic drumming, lollll
– You have a new album coming out really soon, 4 years after your previous “The Unspoken King” came out. What have you been up to during these years?
We did some touring for TUK and after we wrote 3 songs to finish our contractual obligations with Century Media records. These songs will be released in a best of compilation late this year. Then after some line up changes Jon and i started working on new material for a self released album. All the actual members were on the same page which is what were staving for for a while.
– With your previous record you changed abruptly your musical style. Why did you feel back then the need of doing something such different after almost 20 years remaining true to your music?
You see to me it wasn’t a drastic change of anything. We wrote the music and it was brutal. It wasn’t with Jon so thats why it sounded different then previous albums but it was still brutal metal. The 5% of clean singing on the album is why people said oh this is so different which to me is funny cause its such a small percentage. So did i do anything different then last releases? no i played drums.
– Anyway with your new opus you have gone back to your roots. Maybe the response “The Unspoken King” got has had something to do with this?
I have always played hard and fast, i see what you mean by my roots, yeah Jon and i are writing again and there’s no clean singing on this release the rest is the same. I don’t think about past things when recording a NEW album so we just write what feels right.
– It’s funny this is your first self-titled album. Is it a way to say what we hear on “Cryptopsy” is your actual personality?
It was time i think that we come out with a self titled album and yeah having my all time favorit writing partner helped a lot, also we all feel that this is the most talented line-up the band has ever had so appropriately it is self titled.
– With this new effort we see the return of Jon Levasseur. What motivated his departure and the later return?
Timing i suppose, life throws us different things constantly and we have to make decisions and choices. He felt at the time of his departure that he had nothing to contribute to the band anymore, and his return was the opposite. He came back to jam with me to have fun, and turns out we started piecing a lot of his ideas into songs.
– And you also have a new bass player, Olivier Pinard. How is he fitting in? As I personally think he has provided a lot to your new opus.
He’s great! Young very talented musician with a great attitude, couldn’t ask for more. He was the only bass player we had to audition, it was quite easy to decide.
– Due to this again different approach and the new blood on the band; has he songwriting process been different?
It has been with different people but no not different. Also it was very easy and effortless because everybody was on the same page and we did this for the enjoyment of it not seeing it as a necessity.
– The overall vibe on this CD reminds me to “None so Vile”. While creating it, did you look back to any of your previous releases?
As i mentioned before a lot of this was written by Jon and myself in piecing things together. We also wrote None So Vile like that so if you see the similarities that’s good, but it wasn’t necessarily intended that way, or at least not purposefully.
– In fact I’d dare say “Cryptopsy” is your most brutal and fastest album so far. Was this how you envisioned the album since the beginning?
No, again, we did not set specific goals we just wrote songs to write catchy brutal music. Some people will see it as you do and others won’t so thats just personal taste. But i’m glad you feel that way about the album.
– It has a great technicality but it’s also quite versatile, which creates a really enjoyable final output. Could you say this is something important for the band and for your listeners?
Yes for sure! It is important that each song has something to offer and that they are also Unique. We like to throw different styles in the cryptopsy melting pot and then see what comes out, lol
– This time around the production it’s just excellent, we can clearly hear what each instrument is doing. If I’m not mistaken you took such duties with Chris Donaldson. How was this process like?
Well it was home made, if you wish. Chris is an amazing technician and what helps is that he has an amazing ear and tons of talent. We did the drums at my studio and the rest at his. We spent a lot of time in the mix and mastering process and i think in the end it paid off.
– This has also been your first album after you left Century Media. Would you mind to shed some light on this?
It’s simple logic, we have an international market so all we really need is a product for that market. With the help of Clawhammer Promo, Revolution Harmony rec., JVC Japan, Galy rec., and Plastichead distro we have chosen to release ourselves. Our fans get our product through us, very simple.
– And how has been like self-releasing this effort? Why did decide to do so? I guess now with all the social networking sites it’s not as hard as some years ago to promote your work.
Its more work of course but its work that is being done for ourselves and our fans, so it’s quite motivating. Record labels, for those of you who still don’t know, take huge percentage of a bands income on sales of everything they put out even merch. So you work to put out music that these labels take to make 90% of the profit on and they decide to do whatever they want with the product after. Not a very fair deal, right?
– I’ve read you are about to announce some Canadian dates for the fall. Could you already tell us something about it? And besides this, do you have other touring plans?
Nothing to confirm just yet, we will be ready and willing to take (logical) offers of all sorts.
I have a feeling that 2013 will be a heavy touring year for us, lets just see how it goes.
– That has been everything from my side, thank you once more. If you want to add some final words; last lines are all yours.
Thanks for the support, it is much appreciated and see you on tour!!!
