Psycroptic: The Endless Wanderers

What is it like making your touring debut in a country? Australian metal act Psycroptic, with nearly 20 years of experience playing across the world, has the quintessential answer. Drummer David Haley says, “The first time in any new country is almost a sensory overload; the sounds, smells, climate – everything is different. I’m sure it will be a similar experience when we get to India.”

The band–comprising Haley, his brother Joe Haley on guitars and production duties, bassist Cameron Grant and vocalist Jason Peppiatt–started off as Hobart, Tasmania’s death metal dealers, gaining a following for impeccably crushing albums like The Scepter of the Ancients (2003). Haley doesn’t necessarily think of their music as technical-death metal, though. He says, “We are a metal band, trying to write the best songs possible while keeping things as interesting for ourselves as well as the listener. We listen to and take inspiration from a lot of different styles of music, but we want to above all write cool songs; regardless of it fitting in to a particular style.”

Their self-titled album, which released in 2015, turned away from their sci-fi and fantasy-leaning storytelling to a keeping-it-real introspective condemnation, a calling of the end-times and how the human race has fucked it all up. Their next record is already in the works, according to Haley, who has tracked drums for three tracks, with the rest of his work set to finish by July. He says, “We have a bit of a unique situation where Joe our guitarist works in a studio, so it’s a little easier for us to record than some bands. This time we will use the same studio for drums, and another studio for everything else. Each time we record it’s a bit of a different process, and we learn more from each experience.”

Psycroptic’s India connection prior to arriving is with Hyderabad death metal band Godless–Joe Haley mixed, mastered and played a solo on their debut EP Centuries of Decadence. David says he’s looking forward to meeting the band, who, along with Delhi prog/death metallers Fragarak, are supporting Psycroptic on their India tour between August 4th and 13th (put together by event management firm Orka Networks and several city-specific promoters). Haley says, “From what I hear we are going to quite a few different and unique cities for touring–which is cool. It will be good to see all aspects of the country while we are there–and not just the usual tour routes.”

When asked about whether there are sightseeing and touristy plans in the works–considering they’re going from the North East to the major metros and wrapping up in Hyderabad–Haley says there’s probably not much downtime, but does take it as a benefit of playing in a band. He says with a laugh, “Things are always very busy for everyone in the band, with not much downtime. Sometimes the actual tour is the downtime.” 

Psycroptic India Tour 2017 w/Godless and Fragarak

August 5th – Callous Amass w/Plague Throat, Dymbur, Eternal Scorn – Polo Ground, Shillong

August 6th – Domination – The Deathfest w/Primitiv, High Frequency – Antisocial, New Delhi

August 10th – The Other Side, Hyderabad

August 11th – Unwind Centre, Chennai (Psycroptic and Moral Putrefaction)

August 12th – Hardwired w/Inner Sanctum – Straight Up, Bengaluru

August 13th – Detonate w/Dark Helm – Blue Frog, Pune