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| Ben Davis of Cystic Dysentery |
PitGoddess: Cheers Ben, I hope you’re doing well! Congrats on the release of CULTURE OF DEATH. What kind of feedback have you gotten so far?
Ben Davis: Thank you very much. The feedback so
far has been awesome. The CD was just
released, not even a week ago, so a lot of people haven’t heard it yet, but
what we have heard has been all good and supportive. Deathgasm
Records had sold quite a few pre-orders, so we’re anxious to hear what all
those people think of the album. Cystic Dysentery has some awesome fans and friends from years ago, who
have been waiting for this release. We are glad to finally have something to show
for all the time we’ve been working at this.
PG: It took a long-ass time between the EP release and the
album. What factors contributed to the
time between releases?
BD: I guess just a few lineup changes; everyone being broke, just things happening in everyone’s lives. Our first demo CD, Demo 2003, was recorded in the summer of 2003 but we didn't get them pressed and released until 2004. We did lots of shows with lineup changes here and there. We recorded a couple of songs as demo tracks in 2008 that were put on a couple of Deathgasm Records compilation CDs. Here it is, 2012 and we finally have a full length out. I’m very proud of this recording, my band mates, and everyone that helped with making it happen.
BD: I guess just a few lineup changes; everyone being broke, just things happening in everyone’s lives. Our first demo CD, Demo 2003, was recorded in the summer of 2003 but we didn't get them pressed and released until 2004. We did lots of shows with lineup changes here and there. We recorded a couple of songs as demo tracks in 2008 that were put on a couple of Deathgasm Records compilation CDs. Here it is, 2012 and we finally have a full length out. I’m very proud of this recording, my band mates, and everyone that helped with making it happen.
PG: You have not a stable line-up the whole time
either. Is it just really hard to find
dedicated death metal musicians in Jacksonville?
BD: Yeah, I guess you could say that. We have been a band for a while and it’s one of those things where you try to make the most of what you have around you. There are a lot of talented players around Jax, but everyone has their own thing going on, so it’s hard to find people who can be 100% dedicated to the cause. Between everyone’s jobs, schedules, locations, and their families, it’s pretty hard to get a full band together to be able to work on a regular basis. So, sometimes you get dedicated players, but the situations and life just seems to not want to work.
BD: Yeah, I guess you could say that. We have been a band for a while and it’s one of those things where you try to make the most of what you have around you. There are a lot of talented players around Jax, but everyone has their own thing going on, so it’s hard to find people who can be 100% dedicated to the cause. Between everyone’s jobs, schedules, locations, and their families, it’s pretty hard to get a full band together to be able to work on a regular basis. So, sometimes you get dedicated players, but the situations and life just seems to not want to work.
PG: Are there any Jacksonville or Florida metal bands that
you think deserve more recognition?
BD: Yes, absolutely, in Jacksonville you got Dead Centre, Queef Huffer, Extremely Rotten, lots of bands that are trying really hard to get out there. But you tend to find that revolving door- musician thing (like Cystic has had) with most of the bands around here. Usually one or two guys will play in 3-4 other bands in the area. There’s a lot of talented individuals bouncing around, keeping the local metal scene moving forward. It’s like when you cut a head off a dragon and three more immediately grow in its place, hahah. But in general, when you see a good band really getting out there and trying to make it happen, you tend to want them to do well.
BD: Yes, absolutely, in Jacksonville you got Dead Centre, Queef Huffer, Extremely Rotten, lots of bands that are trying really hard to get out there. But you tend to find that revolving door- musician thing (like Cystic has had) with most of the bands around here. Usually one or two guys will play in 3-4 other bands in the area. There’s a lot of talented individuals bouncing around, keeping the local metal scene moving forward. It’s like when you cut a head off a dragon and three more immediately grow in its place, hahah. But in general, when you see a good band really getting out there and trying to make it happen, you tend to want them to do well.
PG: You worked with Daniel
Gonzalez (Possessed) to mix and master the album. What was it like to work with him? What sound were you trying to achieve?
BD: He’s a cool guy and a very good friend, very cool and easy to work with. He understood what we wanted to do and sound like. Dan is also a very talented guitar player and musician. He plays guitar with the legendary Possessed and also one of Florida’s sickest bands Nailshitter, who we played shows with and always had great times. He has a great ear, two of them actually, haha. I think we achieved a great sound, it’s brutal technical death metal with an old school feel at times. I’m always listening to albums like Malevolent Creation’s Retribution, Suffocation’s Effigy of the Forgotten, Pyrexia’s Sermon of Mockery, Death’s Human, and Morbid Angel’s Covenant.
BD: He’s a cool guy and a very good friend, very cool and easy to work with. He understood what we wanted to do and sound like. Dan is also a very talented guitar player and musician. He plays guitar with the legendary Possessed and also one of Florida’s sickest bands Nailshitter, who we played shows with and always had great times. He has a great ear, two of them actually, haha. I think we achieved a great sound, it’s brutal technical death metal with an old school feel at times. I’m always listening to albums like Malevolent Creation’s Retribution, Suffocation’s Effigy of the Forgotten, Pyrexia’s Sermon of Mockery, Death’s Human, and Morbid Angel’s Covenant.
PG: I love that you
guys do a Slayer cover; with so many out there, what makes your cover unique?
BD: I know many bands have done Slayer covers over the years, but we are big
Slayer fans, and I always imagined this song with death metal vocals for some
reason. Grover (drums) is all about Slayer, so we did it and I think it came out
pretty well. It’s just one of those
songs that kicks your ass from start to finish & has a lot of energy. It wasn't us really trying to be unique so
much as it was paying tribute to a band that has influenced us all.
PG: I know you collect guns/are a gun enthusiast. What kinds of guns do you have? Do you have a favorite?
BD: I started shooting guns with my dad and my brother when I was around 10 years old, just like shooting them. I respect them and am responsible with them. At the moment I have a tricked out Noveske N4 Switchblock AR-15 build with an Aimpoint optic, Heckler and Koch USP 9mm, a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9mm, a Ruger GP100 357 Magnum. In the intro to our song Cadervous Compost, all the war sounding shit is me shooting my old Sig 556 SWAT rifle. My favorite is the Noveske by far, it’s sick and my first AR build. In the near future I want to get a badass 1911, 45, just a good solid classic.
BD: I started shooting guns with my dad and my brother when I was around 10 years old, just like shooting them. I respect them and am responsible with them. At the moment I have a tricked out Noveske N4 Switchblock AR-15 build with an Aimpoint optic, Heckler and Koch USP 9mm, a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9mm, a Ruger GP100 357 Magnum. In the intro to our song Cadervous Compost, all the war sounding shit is me shooting my old Sig 556 SWAT rifle. My favorite is the Noveske by far, it’s sick and my first AR build. In the near future I want to get a badass 1911, 45, just a good solid classic.
PG: Now that the album is out, do you have plans for live
shows?
BD: At the moment, it’s kind of in the air, but maybe two CD release shows, one
in Jacksonville and one in Atlanta. Nothing confirmed yet.
PG: Pretend for a
minute you've been given an unlimited budget for a US tour…which three bands do
you take with you? How fancy would your
RV be?
BD: We have an ‘unlimited’ budget and we only get to pick three bands? Hahaha, that’s hard to say. Probably some of our favorite bands like: Immolation, Dying Fetus, and Suffocation, would be cool as fuck! The RV would have hot-tubs filled with gorgeous naked women and booze and all the good things in life. The best audio system we could get blaring brutal death metal throughout. It would be fancy I guess haha.
BD: We have an ‘unlimited’ budget and we only get to pick three bands? Hahaha, that’s hard to say. Probably some of our favorite bands like: Immolation, Dying Fetus, and Suffocation, would be cool as fuck! The RV would have hot-tubs filled with gorgeous naked women and booze and all the good things in life. The best audio system we could get blaring brutal death metal throughout. It would be fancy I guess haha.
PG: Where can people buy your album and other merch?
BD: They can order them from Deathgasm Records and Sevared Records. I know other distros are doing trades, so they will be out there. There is a store here locally that is selling the album, and people can order them from us directly too. The CDs were just pressed and I received a box of them only a week ago so I’m sure there will be more places to get them from as well. Deathgasm and Sevared are getting some new t-shirts, long sleeves, and girlie shirts made at the moment, so people should be able to order those soon. When we play shows, we usually have merch with us there as well.
BD: They can order them from Deathgasm Records and Sevared Records. I know other distros are doing trades, so they will be out there. There is a store here locally that is selling the album, and people can order them from us directly too. The CDs were just pressed and I received a box of them only a week ago so I’m sure there will be more places to get them from as well. Deathgasm and Sevared are getting some new t-shirts, long sleeves, and girlie shirts made at the moment, so people should be able to order those soon. When we play shows, we usually have merch with us there as well.
PG: Thank you so much
for your time. Do you have anything you
want to add?
BD: Just glad to finally have this album done! It’s been a long time coming, and now we can move forward. And for anyone interested, we’re planning on releasing a guitar/bass TAB book for the entire Culture of Death album soon. We’ve already got enough new material for the next Cystic Dysentery album, and these songs are going to be SICK! So we are going to get to work on that ASAP! Thanks a lot for the interview. \m/ METAL \m/
BUY: http://deathgasm.net/product_info.php/products_id/3355
http://www.sevared.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=10194&osCsid=c525abc43a5a9952
BD: Just glad to finally have this album done! It’s been a long time coming, and now we can move forward. And for anyone interested, we’re planning on releasing a guitar/bass TAB book for the entire Culture of Death album soon. We’ve already got enough new material for the next Cystic Dysentery album, and these songs are going to be SICK! So we are going to get to work on that ASAP! Thanks a lot for the interview. \m/ METAL \m/
BUY: http://deathgasm.net/product_info.php/products_id/3355
http://www.sevared.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=10194&osCsid=c525abc43a5a9952
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