Look, I know, I know, we’re in October now and the onslaught of notable releases is overwhelming us too. And here I am. A few weeks/ months/ years late to pretty much every party. [All that said, I am super into the new Blood Incantation record… Starspawn, right?] So on that note, let’s roll back just a handful of days to September 20. It was a couple of weeks ago that Dungeon Crawl released their new album, Maze Controller, through Carbonized Records. A blend of thrash and other extreme metal influences smashed up against some orchestral/ symphonic themes, all inspired by RPGs many of us are familiar with, makes for quite the listen. I mean just look at these visuals – absolutely brilliant. So! In this feature, the Dungeon Crawl gang shared a little more about what they’re up to, specifically in their latest release, through our Profile questions. Give it a read and hit that Bandcamp embed while you’re down there.

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start? Any pushback from family/those close to you?

My music journey started around 8th grade, maybe 12/13 years old. This was probably in the year 2003, when I was introduced to metal music by our former guitarist and my long time friend who let me borrow a Squier Stratocaster and taught me a few things on guitar.

I played for years, not very seriously, until the summer of 2015 when my friend Jared and I had decided to take this thing seriously and get a project off the ground. All in all, I would say that all those close to me have been nothing but supportive.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

We play fast loud music that combines heavy riffs with highly melodic ones, with the added flavor of synths and symphonies. If you’re into that sort of thing, and have any interest in the fantasy aesthetic or tabletop RPGs, check us out!

Is there one (or more) thing about your latest album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

This is an interesting question. We wear our influences on our sleeves, and I feel like there’s not much about the album that someone who’s curious and has a few hours wouldn’t be able to decipher.

I think the one interesting thing that no one has clocked (or at I haven’t been approached about) is where the title “Maze Controller” came from. It’s a pretty easy one to figure out, and I’d assume a lot of the hardcore D&D enthusiasts who listen to us probably already have, but it’s what they called the game master in the 1980s anti-D&D propaganda film “Mazes and Monsters”. We used a sample from the movie in one of our songs from the split with Throne of Iron too.

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

Last time we played the power went out during the second song in the set. Definitely a way to leave a lasting impression!

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

I feel like the metal scene as a whole is a bit more open-minded when it comes to what’s acceptable in the genre. Maybe it’s the people I surround myself with now, or the fact that I don’t care as much as I’ve gotten older, though, but it seems like there are fewer purists and more people who are into experimenting with the sound.

Case in point: Dungeon Crawl. My influences are all over the place, and I try to incorporate that in the sound, even going as far as getting synths and symphonic instruments involved. 

As far as bad parts of the scene, I don’t have too much to say other than things like crowd killing suck, and elitism and gatekeeping are never fun. People listen to music and go to live events to feel something and be a part of a community. Let them have a good time!

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music?

Lyrically, the music is pretty tongue-in-cheek. It’s never been about addressing social or political issues, and more just about creative expression and telling stories. I guess in that sense, creative expression would be the cause, since music and tabletop RPGs are both methods through which those who don’t normally have a voice can put theirs on display.

Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?

Totally! I’m just a regular guy who works in IT, and our drummer does sound design as an audio engineer for video games. You can probably guess what my biggest hobby is outside of music, since it’s what I based my entire band around.

Other than that, we have kids that we love spending time and sharing our lives and interests with.

What advice do you have for music critics and outlets out there? How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

From a personal standpoint, anyone that’s taking the time to critique or review my music is awesome. The fact that someone took time out of their day to listen and provide feedback – good or bad – is more than I could have ever hoped for when I started this thing. There’s not much I can add to that other than keep doing great work!

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

Play more shows, get out to other states, and most importantly write the next album. With the new direction we’re going, I feel like there’s a ton of room to experiment in the songwriting process and change things up.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

I like to think my tastes are pretty eclectic, but doesn’t everybody? I won’t claim to be one of those people who ‘listens to everything’, but some of the albums in my current rotation are:

The Beths – “Jump Rope Gazers”
Vile Rites – “Senescence”
Origin – “Omnipresent”
Hemotoxin – “When Time Becomes Loss”
Rhapsody (of Fire) – “The Frozen Tears of Angels”
Blind Guardian – “Somewhere Far Beyond”
Gnoll – “Cro-man I & II”

What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

We’re doing a record release show in Redwood City, CA on the 27th of September. If you’re in the area, come through! On top of that, we have a local show in Santa Cruz as well with a band called A Band of Orcs that they call oRctoberfest in October.

The goal is to do some regional tours at some point soon, hopefully next year, but we’ll need to play it by ear!

Summarize your band in one word.

Interesting.

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Many thanks to Dungeon Crawl for the time!

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Maze Controller is out through Carbonized Records. For more on Dungeon Crawl, jump over to their Instagram or Facebook pages.