Cryptic Slaughter

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Cryptic Slaughter

Background information
Origin Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Crossover thrash
Thrashcore
Hardcore punk
Years active 1984-1990, 2003
Label(s) Metal Blade, Relapse
Members
Bill Crooks
Bret Davis
Les Evans
Dave Hollingsworth
Brian Lehfeldt
Rob Nicholson
Scott Peterson

Cryptic Slaughter was a Santa Monica, California-based crossover thrash/hardcore punk band.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Cryptic Slaughter was formed in 1984 by Les Evans (age 17), Scott Peterson (age 14) and Adam Scott (age 15), who met through their mutual participation in the American Youth Soccer League (AYSO). Soon they were joined by Bill Crooks (age 15), a friend of Adam Scott and a fellow soccer player. Adam Scott was let go a few months later due to conflicts regarding his parents and school.

Their first demo, Life in Grave, was produced in 1985 and became well circulated in the burgeoning tape-trader underground. Their first full length LP, Convicted, was released in 1986 on Death/Metal Blade records, whose artist roster also boasted D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Dr. Know, The Mentors, and Beyond Possession. Within its first year of release, Convicted sold over 25,000 copies and earned Cryptic the reputation as being one of the fastest bands in hardcore. Next came Money Talks in 1987, which is still considered by many to be the band's best effort. Mixing crushing grooves with lightning speed, Money Talks surpassed Convicted's success by selling 35,000 in its first year and by earning Cryptic Slaughter a fanatical following around the world.

The original line-up recorded their final studio album, Stream of Consciousness, in 1988. Unhappy with the recording process and the album's production, the band's internal problems were magnified by life on the road. They broke up in the summer on tour before Stream was released later that fall. They played their last show in Detroit on July 14, 1988.

Shortly after returning home, however, guitarist Les Evans and bassist Rob Nicholson recruited new member Eli Nelson and continued on in a new direction. This new incarnation was short-lived, however, and Evans moved to Portland in May 1989 to reform the band with an entirely new line-up, which included Brian Lehfeldt of Wehrmacht fame. The final Cryptic Slaughter album, Speak Your Peace, was a definite departure from the previous material, heavily influenced by a changing music scene.

Cryptic Slaughter are often credited as one of the progenitors of crossover, the thrash metal and hardcore punk crossover genre, along with such seminal acts as D.R.I. and Corrosion of Conformity.

In 2003, Relapse Records reissued Convicted and Money Talks with added bonus tracks from Cryptic Slaughter's demo and live recordings.

[edit] Members

  • Bill Crooks - vocals, 1984–1988
  • Dave Hollingsworth - vocals, 1989–1990
  • Les Evans - guitar, 1984–1990
  • Rob Nicholson - bass, 1984–1988
  • Bret Davis - bass, 1989–1990
  • Scott Peterson - drums, 1984–1988
  • Brian Lehfeldt - drums, 1989–1990
  • Adam Scott - 1984–1985

[edit] Discography

[edit] Demos

  • "Life in Grave" (1985)

[edit] EPs

[edit] Studio Albums

[edit] Trivia

  • Napalm Death covers "Lowlife" on their 2004 album, Leaders Not Followers: Part 2.
  • Bass-player Rob Nicholson used to play with Rob Zombie as Mr.Blasko and now plays bass for Ozzy Osbourne.
  • Powerviolence band Spazz covers "M.A.D" on their 1997 album "La Revancha"
  • "Lowlife" is featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Project 8.
  • A Convicted album is seen being handled by Johnny Depp in the 21 Jump Street pilot.
  • Cryptic Slaughter is featured in the book Sound of the Beast, the Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal.
  • Swedish orchestral dark ambient artist In Slaughter Natives wrote a song called "Cryptic Slaughter" on his 1988 eponymous debut.[1]

[edit] External links