After 1985’s one-two punch of Corrosion of Conformity’s Animosity and D.R.I.’s Dealing With It, I was fully on board with Metal Blade’s offshoot label, Death Records. Pretty much whatever was put out on that label, I’d buy. So when Cryptic Slaughter’s debut, Convicted, dropped in 1986, I grabbed it. Though the band didn’t ultimately have the longevity of C.O.C. or D.R.I., they were nonetheless hugely influential in the burgeoning crossover scene (as evidenced by Decibel enshrining 1987’s Money Talks in our Hall of Fame).
Speak Your Peace in 1990 was the band’s last full-length and, though there have been reunions/reformations over the years, there hasn’t been new music. However, guitarist Les Evans has returned to the thrash/crossover fray with a new Seattle-based band, Subversion Trigger, that features former Accüsed vocalist Brad Mowen, bassist Zu Leika, drummer Dave Abramson and lead guitarist Dave Webb. They’ve recently recorded a five-song demo (streaming below), so we connected with Evans via email to fill us in on the details of his new outfit.
Everyone knows you from Cryptic Slaughter, going way back to the ’80s, so why start a completely new band?
Original Cryptic Slaughter drummer Scott Peterson and I reunited back in 2018, initially under the name Lowlife. We had actually been trying to get Cryptic back together since 2014, with the original lineup intact, but that didn’t pan out for a number of reasons beyond our control.
Our intent was always to release new music, but we also played several great gigs as Lowlife, which originally included Matt Olivo of Repulsion. In fact, Matt kind of spear-headed the reunion, because Scott and I had basically given up by that point. Playing the old songs again was a lot of fun, but I never wanted to be part of a nostalgia act. My primary goal was always to release a new record.
We changed the band name from Lowlife to Cryptic Slaughter in 2021, which led to legal action in 2023 preventing us from using the band name I created in 1984 for the band I founded in 1984. And that’s all I can legally say about that.
We tried to keep it together with a new name, but the long-distance thing with half of us in Seattle and the rest in Los Angeles just left us too disconnected. A band has to be able to play together consistently for it to work, in my opinion.
My inspiration for Subversion Trigger was to bring back the sense excitement I first felt back in 1983, when thrash was brand new, and there were no rules. Every new demo, rehearsal tape, or album I got in those days was like shooting adrenaline directly into my veins, and I couldn’t get enough! That’s the feeling I’m really trying to replicate now with this music. I’ve always felt that thrash should be as fun to listen to as it is to play. And if it doesn’t get your blood pumping, then what’s the point?
You’re living in Seattle these days. How long have you been there and how did you end up there?
After the original Cryptic lineup broke up in 1988, I moved to Portland in 1989 to reform the band. I had made so many great friends there, and I knew I could put together a new lineup quickly. In fact, I moved there in May, ’89, and we released Speak Your Peace on Metal Blade in 1990. It was a blast! Cryptic version 2.0 played several gigs with D.R.I. And we toured Europe for a month.
Love was my silly motivation to move to Seattle in 1998, however, and it all worked out for the best.
How did you connect with the other musicians in Subversion Trigger?
Three members of Subversion Trigger were also part of the most recent incarnation of Cryptic Slaughter: vocalist Brad Mowen, lead guitarist Dave Webb and me. I was incredibly stoked that Brad and Dave were down to forge ahead with this new band. These guys are as good at playing/writing music as anyone I’ve ever seen or heard, so I feel very lucky in that respect. I decided the remainder of the lineup had to be local musicians, for practical reasons, and I also wanted to make sure everyone knew each other and got along well, personally. The importance of shared history can’t be overstated.
Dave Abramson is probably the best drummer in Seattle, and he’s played in bands with Brad going back 20-plus years. Amazingly, he’s never played drums in a thrash band, so we decided that had to change!
Our bassist Zu Leika has played in a number of terrific thrash/metal bands in Seattle in the past, although first and foremost she’s a guitarist. She agreed to play bass in Subversion Trigger simply because she loves metal, and she loves the music I write. Not only is she very talented and versatile, I’ve also been in love with her for over seven years, so that helps, too. [Laughs]
But everyone in this band is just as fun to hang out with as they are to play music with, so it’s a pretty sweet deal.
Have you played any live dates, or do you have any planned for the future?
As yet, we’re still in the process of booking our first gigs! Anyone interested in helping us out to that end should get in touch via Bandcamp or IG! We’ll travel!
What are some comparisons between what you’re doing in ST and what you did in Cryptic Slaughter?
I think it’s pretty clear that I’m not trying to reproduce Cryptic’s sound. However, the truth is I only know how to write music that hits you right between the eyes, and the material I’ve written for Subversion Trigger is no different. Speed, aggression, and energy are the key elements of our sound. Thrash has always been an attitude, and those same elements have always been part of it. The only thing that’s changed for me, musically, between 1986 and today, is that I think I’m a better songwriter now.
But this is about more than just me. I lay the foundations for the majority of Subversion Trigger’s songs, but my bandmates’ contributions elevate those compositions into something so much more than I ever envision. That collaboration really transforms our music into something more than the sum of its parts.
We also stick to what is essential. No pretense, no six-minute intros or interludes, and no unnecessary bullshit. Our songs are lean and mean, but they’re also very catchy, which is something I always strived for with Cryptic as well. I want to write hooks that will stick in your head. Thrash hits!
What’s the origin of the name?
I made it up! But here’s what it means: An action, incident, or movement that instigates a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine power and authority in an established system or political institution. Sound like the beginning of a revolution? Like something that really needs to happen?
Any plans for future recordings?
Absolutely! We already have enough material to record a full-length album, and we’re in talks with record labels now to find the best fit for us. I haven’t released an album since 1990, so you might want to call the Guinness Book of World Records. I may hold the record for most time between records!
