Isolation can often result in unique outcomes. Hailing from the tiny, frosty, untamed and detached Australian state that is Tasmania, Psycroptic have become an unparalleled act in an enigmatic world wide movement commonly known as death metal. Fifteen years have passed since their formation in 1999, the band having released five critically acclaimed studio albums, all which show an organic progression along a clandestine path from which they will never stray.
On the eve of their sixth full-length, though more technical and brutally intuitive than ever, the four-piece has not been afraid to get in touch with their softer side. Long known as the ‘Tasmanian devils’, they recently became the first band in the world to adopt their own Tasmanian Devil, whom they dubbed Psycro, in an attempt to help preserve the critically endangered carnivorous marsupial. Newer elements too can be expected when the new album is finally unleashed – more vocal variation, a heightened handle on instrumental melody, and an overwhelming sense that this act has truly mastered their craft.
Psycroptic have toured all corners of the globe with names that need no introduction to those in the know – Cannibal Corpse, Suicide Silence, Decapitated, The Faceless, Obituary, Carcass, Nile, The Black Dahlia Murder, Origin, Kataklysm, Aborted, Despised Icon, Suffocation, Veil of Maya, Cryptopsy, Misery Index, Vader, Born of Osiris, Hate Eternal… you get the picture right? They also recently guest hosted the ABC music video program Rage, an honour reserved for only the most class Australian acts. Metal legend Max Cavalera has also been sporting the band’s merch in recent promotional photos, bringing things full circle from the days when they were influenced by Sepultura in their youth. It’s safe to say that Psycroptic’s place in the history of heavy metal is solidified, and that everything that happens from here on in is simply a bonus…
