Pathogenic returns with Crowned in Corpses, their first full-length album in over five years. Blending technical prowess with raw intensity, they deliver a thought-provoking and powerful exploration of societal decay.
1. "Crowned
in Corpses" marks your first full-length release in over half a decade.
What inspired this triumphant return, and how has the band evolved during the
hiatus?
Justin: Like
most bands, the pandemic brought a host of challenges and changes. Our vocalist
and our drummer at the time stepped away to pursue other opportunities. Dan,
Chris, and I decided to regroup and move forward. We brought back our previous
vocalist Jake Burns and welcomed Tyler Montaquila on drums, who had filled in
for us before and a long-time fan, and hunkered down on writing.
Chris: And
because of the pandemic, we felt like our last release (self-titled released in
2019) never got the proper release cycle. We wanted to write an album and
give it the proper send off with the right line up and give it our best shot
while also writing an album we feel passionate about and proud of. As far as
evolution goes we always try to push ourselves to a higher level with our music
whether it be songwriting, technicality, harmony, rhythm. There are so many
levels to improve upon and we just try to push the bar a little higher every
time we work on some new music.
2. The
album combines intricate progressive elements with relentless death metal
brutality. How did you balance these contrasting aspects in your songwriting
process?
Chris: I
think at this point it’s a matter of our own taste and many revisions of the
same song! We’ve gotten to the point where we all know whether an idea has the
“Pathogenic” vibe to it or not. We may end up writing 20 or 30 songs per album
cycle and only pick about 8 or so for the actual album. It's a very
collaborative process and we all have to agree on an idea before it gets worked
on any further. I think another contributing factor is that we all have very
different tastes in music with enough common areas that overlap so when we come
to write music we can bring in all of our influences in a way that’s organic.
It also helps that the main songwriters of the band have been playing and
writing together for many years. Getting to the level of where you build the
chemistry just takes time!
Justin: It
all stems from the initial riff or idea; the trick is to find what the bones of
the song need, and what we’re looking to accomplish with the song; do we want a
more ambient progressive direction? Do we want direct and heavy? A mixture of
the two, maybe in the same song? We’ll try it all; we have five musicians with
varying tastes of their own who will hear it going in twice as many ways. Every
song has plenty of revisions as we determine balance and path. A song like
Fragments or Silicon Regime will go through nine or ten iterations, whereas a
song like Dead but Not at Rest took only one.
3. Jake
Burns and Tyler Montaquila joined the band in 2022. How did their addition
influence the sound and direction of "Crowned in Corpses"?
Justin:
Jake was a founding member and our original vocalist; the comfort and
familiarity was instantaneous when he came back. We have admired his musical
style from inception.
Chris: His
return was like putting on an old pair of shoes… It just fit!!! He knew how we
worked and what we were going for but brought a new sense of inspiration and
energy that helped keep the wheels moving. Tyler had been our live drummer for
a couple years before bringing him on full time. He knew most of the old tunes
and had chemistry already with him so that was all set. He played a big part in
the writing and arranging of the new album so its was fun and refreshing to
write with a new member who brought in a whole new set of skills and playing
style to the band.
4. The
track titles, such as "Mass Grave Memory" and "Silicon
Regime," suggest themes of decay, societal collapse, and
technology. Can you delve into the overarching concept or message behind the
album?
Jake: In
2024, we’re hyperconnected yet profoundly isolated. Technology, meant to unite
us, now manipulates and divides, while those in power show a callous disregard
for human dignity. Across the globe, governments wage wars—not just against
their enemies, but against humanity itself—holding us hostage with threats of
unimaginable violence and nuclear annihilation. It’s a terrifying new reality,
one we’ve yet to fully grapple with. The lyrics on this album are, in many
ways, an attempt to cope. They confront the harsh truths of this fractured
world, exploring the moral, material, and existential costs of continuing down
this dangerous path.
5. Having
shared stages with bands like Suffocation and Revocation, how have those
experiences shaped your approach to live performances and your music?
Chris: It
helps with professionalism and again continuing to set the bar higher and
higher. Its easy to look at these bands as examples of what to do/not to do! We
love delivering a kick ass performance full of energy while also playing the
parts really tight. We just want to give the audience something they won’t
forget!
6. The
album is being released through Skepsis Recordings. How did this partnership
come about, and what role has the label played in the creation and promotion of
the album?
Justin:
It’s been tremendous working with them. We were introduced to Justin from
Skepsis Recordings by our manager Rob Wharton of Cognitive. The album was
already written and we were in the studio when Rob first pitched the idea of
working with Skepsis. As for creation and promotion, we’ve worked very closely
with Skepsis Recordings on presenting the album in its highest form and
creating a product that we are proud of. The vinyl variants and packaging was
all worked on together and it’s been a fun process. And I’m a bit of a vinyl
collector so I was extra excited.
7. Pathogenic
is known for its high-energy performances. How do you plan to translate the
intricate and technical nature of "Crowned in Corpses" to the live
stage?
Chris Through
practice and repetitions! We know how to play the music and we know what kind
of show we want to put on so it's a matter of just going out there and doing
it. As we play more shows the parts come much more naturally and allow us to
really get into the performance and deliver the best show we can.
8. The
longest track on the album, "Silicon Regime," clocks
in at over eight minutes. Can you share the story behind this song and what
listeners can expect from its epic length?
Chris: Musically
we would say it was one of our most collaborative efforts as far as a single
song goes. Some of the other tracks on the album are typically spearheaded by
one or two members kind of taking the reins on the writing and some of the
other guys might contribute here and there. This was a truly collaborative
effort and the original demo sounds nothing like the final product. Through
many revisions, back and forths, and late nights this finally evolved into what
it became. It's a great example of how Pathogenic comes together and delivers a
technical death metal song while also paying attention to harmony, melody, and
rhythm and bringing in our own musical taste into a single song.
9. Progressive
tech death is a demanding genre for musicians. How do you as a band maintain
precision and intensity while exploring such complex compositions?
Justin: Practice,
preparation, and ego death. Nothing can hurt you like a metronome.
Chris: It
also helps that the writing process is very collaborative and we all record our
individual parts on the album so we know exactly what we are supposed to play
when it comes time to perform these songs. We just need to make sure we
rehearse on our own time so that way when we come together it sounds like it
should!
10. What
do you hope fans take away from "Crowned in Corpses," both
musically and thematically? Are there any specific emotions or ideas you want
to resonate with listeners?
Jake: The
one thing I hope listeners take away from the lyrics is that we cannot accept
our current reality as "normal." The societal and geopolitical
landscape we’re living in is unfathomably dangerous, and unless we demand
substantial change, the violence and suffering will only worsen and spread.
Thematically, I hope to shed light on the consequences of disengaging from or
acquiescing to this reality. We cannot afford to ignore what’s happening around
us.
Chris: Musically: That we are here to make a statement. To deliver music that is true to us, and to push ourselves to the edge and hopefully brings inspiration to the listener.
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