Over the last year it has become virtually impossible to ignore Behind Crimson Eyes in the Melbourne punk/hardcore scenes. Now having just launched their debut EP, and touring all around the country, it’s probably time we found out where they came from.
“Basically we formed from the demise of two other bands, Coniption Fit and Too Many Chances” says vocalist Josh Stuart. “I was looking to do something a little bit harder edged… [something] incorporating screaming and more techy guitar parts, and was lucky enough to find other people that also had the same ‘vision’.”
That vision seems to have taken root, thanks largely to the bands perseverance. “We worked pretty hard in 2004, playing any show we could, pulling favours from friends and just flat out net promotion.” It’s also inspired some serious dedication amongst their fan base, who have been setting a buzz through the bands website (www.behindcrimsoneyes.com), turning up in droves, and singing along with every word long before any official release was on the horizon.
“I think the key for us was recording a good quality demo and just giving it away at shows and on the internet” offers Stuart. “At least it is something tangible that they could walk away from a show with, not just a memory. I think this encouraged the kids to show their friends…. If you have something to listen to at home then you’re more likely to know the words and come along and enjoy the show a lot more. Currently every song we play in our set has been recorded and is available, whether for download or purchase.”
Which brings us to the bands debut EP, Pavour Nocturnus. The writing and recording of this EP has been a bit of adventure for the band, so how does it feel for them to have it out there? “It’s great. We finally can say “check out our EP”. It was a conscious decision to take our time and produce something that we can be totally proud of. Far too often you see bands rush into recording an EP or LP and end up with a product that doesn’t best reflect them.”
The recording process seemed fairly ad-lib and drawn out for the band, who had to juggle both time and budget constraints, with the desire to get a product which felt representative. “We hooked up with producer Richard Stoltz through Damo and Jay [of 28 Days] and basically Richard organised everything. We had to go in to record when it was cheaper, so this meant recoding for two days then going in three weeks later to record for two days…. So for the twelve days of recording time it took two months real time.”
But far more interesting was the writing process. The band have always been very hands on with their art and website design, but this time around, they attempted to push themselves beyond anything they had done before. Not only were a whole new batch of songs written, essentially Behind Crimson Eyes have created a concept (mini)album.
“When we began writing for the album we wanted to push the boundaries and do something a little different than bands at our level were doing. We decided that we were going to make it more of a piece of “art” [rather] than just music on a plastic disc.” This has extended to a DVD, as well as the album art, and a complete web overhaul being tied into the concept too. But what does it all mean, and how did it come about? “At the time we were writing I was having some weird dreams, and sleep paralysis” says Stuart. “After researching more on the net and various books about what was happening, I stumbled across Pavour Nocturnus [Latin for night terror] and thought that it would be a cool theme for the EP.”
“We wrote a story across the 6 songs themed in dreams, vampires, horror and confrontation with a narrative based on the constant struggle between good and evil within all of us. Hopefully it is general enough that people can still relate to it in one way or another.” But why vampires? This theme seems to be a favourite of many of the newer hardcore bands, is it something to do with the romantic imagery of eternal life? Feasting on the essence of another? (“Tonight I will feast on your flesh” Stuart screams at the end of The Black Veil.) “I think pop culture in general has a fascination with not only vampires but the darker forces…. Az and I [guitarist Aaron Schultz, who helps write many of the lyrics] were watching a lot of Horror movies and reading a bit of vampiric literature. Also there were a lot of vampiric references in the research I did on sleeping disorders, night terrors and sleep paralysis.”
The experimentation also extended to the musical side of things. The midpoint of the EP is a reflective acoustic track titled Destruction is Incapable of Creation, tinged with a melody which would seem at home in dusty desert bar such as that in From Dusk til Dawn. The opening track is also subtitled Part 6. On a six track EP, surely this is significant? “The EP was written to be kind of circular - every ending is a new beginning - so in a way it is the first but also the last song if that makes sense?”
And the ending of recording, leads to the beginning of touring and promoting. When I spoke to Stuart, they had just returned from a two week national tour, and were preparing to head interstate again. “Right now it is the only way to do things. To try and establish ourselves further we have to tour and tour everywhere. Its tough being away from home for so long, having a shit nights sleep, drinking too much and eating badly. But I wouldn’t want to be in a band that didn’t play shows, its one of the most rewarding aspects.”
I’m curious as to whether interstate crowds have picked up on the band as easily as local audiences have? “We have only just started traveling interstate to play shows. I think currently we have only played about 20 shows outside of Victoria and probably about five times that in Victoria. It’s sick to go somewhere that we have never played before and see people singing the words. However it is always amazing to come back to Melbourne and play in front of 500 kids going nuts. So hopefully over the next year or so we will develop BCE in other states, which means a butt load of touring.”
A butt load indeed, for it is live shows on which their reputation has been built. Fast paced and energetic, running, jumping, screaming and even mid-air collisions of band members all have their place. “We love the music we play and get into the music we play…. I like to interact with the crowd at shows - get them to sing lines, clap and get up on stage.” But how do they feel afterwards? “Buggered” is the response I get. “We all need to start some fitness regime. I think I might order a Chuck Norris Total Gym off late night TV. It takes a lot out of you singing on stage and jumping around and shit. I wish sometimes I just played guitar or something.”
So what are the plans for the future? “We have a few things planned release wise at the end of this year but they are a bit hush-hush at the moment. We are hoping to release a full length early next year - maybe around April - but I guess that depends on how everything goes with the rest of this year. In the short term we will be playing shows non-stop!!!”
Behind Crimson Eyes will be touring throughout May in support of Canadian band Silverstein
May 14 - BOOMTOWN SHOWDOWN
TLC - VIC (All Ages)
May 21 - CCCOC – NSW (All Ages)
May 25 – The Rev – QLD
May 26 – Byron Bay Youth Centre – NSW (All Ages)
May 27 – The Annandale Hotel - NSW
May 28 – The Evelyn – VIC
May 28 – The Evelyn – VIC (Underage)
May 29 – Enigma Bar – SA (All Ages)
It seems Behind Crimson Eyes love nothing more than a good story. But whereas their debut EP Pavour Nocturnus dealt with the transformation into a terror of the night, Prologue, a double A side single, tells the musical story of the band. The two A-sides both show very different aspects of the band, and a noticeable progression from Pavour Nocturnus. 
