Making sure we cover all areas of our musical spectrum, we’ve got something nice and heavy for you today.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We consider home base to be Columbus, Ohio, but we’re scattered around the central Ohio area.
How did you meet?
We were all friends / acquaintances that knew each other through the metal scene in central Ohio. The original core of the band was formed by Donny (guitars) and Dave (drums) in late 2015. Dan joined as the singer in early 2016. After a minor lineup change, Pete (guitars) joined the band in mid-2016. After a final lineup change in late 2017, Dan began playing bass and singing.
How long have you been playing as a band?
The band has been together since late 2015 / early 2016. Played the first live show in June 2016.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
That’s a funny story, because it happened in a sort of backwards manner. We were struggling to come up with a name, as Donny had about 800 ideas and I (Dan) hated every single one of them! Crucible of Hate was one name that had been suggested early on that Donny brought up to the group again some time later. We all thought we’d consider it, and at that point more lyrics had come together and I had a better feel for what the band meant to me and was really about. We all agreed the name was more than just a cool-sounding metal band moniker, but something that reflected what our music is about.
What are your influences?
We all have varied tastes in music, but have a common love for metal. Some core influences would be Carcass, Gojira, and Metallica.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
In an era of metal that seems to have lost a lot of the groove element, we’re trying to bring back the power of the riff. We remain heavy, but try to write music which is memorable. Catchy riffs that you can easily bang your head to, and make you want to hear more.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
I (Dan) write all the lyrics, with subject matter ranging from fictitious scenarios in my head to releasing the anger I have at people who’ve wronged me, to philosophical concepts about impermanence and the fallacy and futility of organised religion and a belief in “God.”
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We always try to bring a high energy show. While our music isn’t over the top with technical musicianship, there are parts that require some skill, so we don’t do a bunch of jumping around or have crazy stage antics as we all want to be sure we’re giving a fair representation of our craft. Admittedly, we aren’t a juggernaut when it comes to live shows. We all have careers and families, so we make the most of the time allotted to us. We’ve only played about 10 shows in this band. I’m sure we’ve logged hundreds of shows if you count our other current and former projects.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
I personally have been playing live shows since 1990. I’ve seen a lot. As far as something I’ve personally done…I’m not proud of it, but I once threw a guitar at another band member. Luckily, I missed. There may have been some alcohol involved…
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
I won’t bore everyone with too much detail (some of us are total gear nerds), so here is our core gear…ESP guitars, Ibanez guitars, Dean basses, EVH / Fender amplifiers and speaker cabinets, Mesa / Boogie amplifiers, Quilter amplifiers, Hartke amplifiers, VHT / Fryette speaker cabinets, Carvin speaker cabinets, Eden speaker cabinets, Line6 Helix signal processors, Yamaha drums, Zildjian cymbals, Trick drum pedals.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
Our debut full-length release, Dark Metamorphosis drops on 15th September. We are all very proud of our recorded work, and look forward to releasing it to the masses. We will be playing a release show in Columbus, Ohio the same day at King Avenue 5 to celebrate.
What are your plans for 2018?
As mentioned earlier, we are getting ready to release our debut full length. We then hope to play a bit more often to support the release. We are already booked in Lexington, Kentucky on 10th November, but want to get some more shows locked in. We would like to get out to other cities in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and possibly more. Only time will tell…
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
We of course would love to put ourselves on a bill with Carcass and Gojira, but being realists, we’d much rather put together a kick-ass bill of local talent from our area. We have so many great bands playing right now. Bands such as Race of Devils, Well of Night, Goatmill, The Conquering, Eternal Bloodshed, Engraved Darkness, Mercurial Void, Obsidian Flow…I could go on and on.
