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Cryptic Divination
2 Playsin 14 hours
Influenced by bands like Opeth and Cynic, Cryptic Divination is a unique "second generation" of sounds from '90s death metal to '70s prog rock. Utilizing heavy riffs, clean sections and screams, they embody a new wave of pacific-northwest progressive death metal.
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Transcript
Introduction to Cryptic Divination
00:00:02
Speaker
You are listening to Something Rather Than Nothing. Creator and host, Ken Valente. Editor and producer, Peter Bauer.
00:00:17
Speaker
Everybody, everybody, I am pleased to introduce Cryptic Divination to the Something Rather Than Nothing podcast.
00:00:30
Speaker
recording myself here in albany oregon reaching out to cryptic divination who i saw down in eugene and has a eugene uh basis cryptic divination just a general hello and welcome on to the podcast hey how's it going thanks for having us yeah um i was mentioning before we started recording on just for listeners like I'm ah blessed with opportunities like see art and see music and I listen a lot of styles of music. One of my favorite live music is metal and ran into Cryptic Divination, you know, months ago. and So just I'm really pleased to have you on the show. But um I love that. I loved your sound.
Release of New EP: Significance and Dreams
00:01:17
Speaker
um I love the vocals, ah the intensity in music and just bringing things to like a head right now, like as this shows out
00:01:28
Speaker
You have an EP put together and i don't want to talk too much about other things, but talk about like music, like up front. So asking you as as a group, as a band, put in it what's this mean to you to kind of pull it together on an EP, which ah which folks can get and we'll be talking about?
00:01:52
Speaker
sp talk about that It feels really good to have like a compilation that I think can show like a greater depth than a single can necessarily portray. It's also really nice just to have physical media. like It's kind of fun. We just got the CDs and I have a CD I recorded with Naoki 13 years ago. and It's really cool to just physically be able to see that progression and to be able to give that to people who who want physical media. you know I'm very content streaming, but I also really like ownership. So it's just, to me, cool that somebody can have it, do whatever they want with it.
00:02:36
Speaker
Yeah, that's awesome. Freaking putting out the first album, it's like childhood dreams, you know? Like, I i haven't put anything out. But no, this is very exciting and it's everything I could ever hope for and really dream for. I think it's just cool to have this compilation of an example of where we are Music.We as a group in this moment, you know? Something we can look at as we grow and expand as a group.
00:03:01
Speaker
And for me, I think it's it's ah a long time coming for us as a group. we've you know Some of these songs are as old as a couple of years now, and it's interesting that we've written almost as much new material beyond what we're going to release on the EP. and So um'm I'm really excited to catalog what we've done in the past and you know now move forward and embrace what we're going in the future.
Accessing the EP: Streaming and Physical Media
00:03:29
Speaker
Heck. um No, it's exciting. What what form, like what form ah talking specifically, like getting your hands, getting available, like talking about the the album itself.
00:03:42
Speaker
ah Let's talk specifically about going too too too far away from it. like How do people listen to it? How did they get their hands on it? like Just fundamentally. So I think every streaming platform, it will be available. Every major streaming platform, as in Apple News 6, on youtube i mean we want our music to be accessible to anyone who wants to listen to it so there's to be any cost barrier and yeah there's also on all of our live shows on our youtube too yeah we got a lot of live shows shows out there too also what was important to us is is that on the cd at like our shows but if you go to our website we include downloads of wave files so and you don't need to sign up for any email anything like that and that gives you access to being able to listen to them at a high quality and be able to you know put them on your ipod whatever yeah
00:04:45
Speaker
i I loved it. And we're going to talk a bit more about ah the album and in particular track a Prison of Belief. um I've listened to it, um really enjoy it, ah really enjoy the different ah intensity of it. And for me, the styles of metal that I feel and um and and I'll talk about that. Before going too much longer, i was wondering if each one of you could introduce yourselves.
Meet the Band Members
00:05:12
Speaker
Tell what you do in the band so people can connect a little bit more with your voice and your role in cryptic divination.
00:05:23
Speaker
Yeah, sure. Absolutely. So my name is Naoki Sato. I play guitar. and i dance so's what i do on stage Hell yeah.
00:05:37
Speaker
I'm Sebastian. I play the guitar and I sing. I'm the silly one. I'm Jesse and I slap on the bass. Alright.
00:05:52
Speaker
I'm Chris and I play the drums. Excellent. I'm the caveman of the group. excellent everybody has their Everybody has their role. So, um
00:06:05
Speaker
Before I get out, let's still talk about the music and talk about performance. we're we're We're recording, we get the you get the album out, and we're talking about now, we're late spring, 2026.
00:06:19
Speaker
ah twenty twenty six I know you've just seen with some of the bands you've been lined up with um some great combination, you've been around some talent. On the live bit coming up like through the summer, in particular, where we stand, um ah tell us specifically about some of the places you'll be playing and maybe be playing with.
Upcoming Shows and Collaborations
00:06:45
Speaker
Yeah, so for our EP release, we have a great run of shows with a band we were blessed to play with up in Seattle, and they're called Gathering.
00:06:56
Speaker
They're from Bend, and then we're also playing Redizivas.
00:07:05
Speaker
one of those shows we're going to be playing with Foster, they're from Corvallis and they're also, I really dig them but then, so those shows are going to be from Eugene to Corvallis to Portland and then later this summer in July I'm really excited about playing with Gravelich, they're also from Bend. Yep.
00:07:25
Speaker
yeah And that'll be really cool. I think that's at Silverman. And it'll be really cool. We haven't been on that side of the Cascades before. But mostly bands that we've played with, but definitely some of our like favorites, which feels really good to have built those bonds and like those connections.
00:07:41
Speaker
And by the way, if anyone's interested, crypticdivination.com, we try to keep our shows up to date on there with everyone who's playing, where it's going to be. So you can check that out anytime.
00:07:53
Speaker
You've been capture been able to capture some of the live energy then on your YouTube. I think you had mentioned that, right? Yeah. yeah we definite like I would like to have a better catalog, but there's actually a local guy who's channel is called for metal i think he's mostly on instagram and tiktok maybe but he goes to like every local show and he uploads great clips so it's funny for me to say like honestly our instagram or his instagram is a really great like chronology of our performances that have been captured absolutely
00:08:32
Speaker
um So, ah ah and for folks, I've seen Crypto Divination live, as I mentioned. um Really excellent show. A lot of high energy. Like, I felt, like, really good after that. ah Really good after that show. And definitely looking forward to see you and you live. um I wanted to keep it with the music. we'll We'll chat about a couple other things. But, like, in moving...
00:08:59
Speaker
Specifically on to music and attract prison of belief. um I was wondering if any of you or any of you all want to talk about this particular track um that listeners were going to cut
Significance of 'Prison of Belief' Track
00:09:15
Speaker
to. um ah But any words before we enter this track? ah This track specifically, Prison of Belief, means a lot to me as the newest member of the band.
00:09:25
Speaker
um When I first joined the band, Naoki had sent me a couple tracks, one being our single Catechosis, which you can listen to anywhere, and then the other one being Prison of Belief.
00:09:36
Speaker
These were the first two tracks that they'd sent me. As I was joining the band, they wanted me to learn them, get them ready for... our first rehearsal together so specifically like for the conception of our current lineup, this track is very special to me.
00:09:53
Speaker
Yeah, it was like the first one we all kind of put chips in the in the songwriting pool per se and got it all got worked out. It sounded pretty good. Yeah, like a pencil mike I think with the open that, like Chris mentioned, Delirium, which I feel like is really a b a b c a b kind of format that prison of movie I feel like it's one of the cool things that showcased a different composition style, but then also has a lot of representation from, like Jesse was saying, just different members putting
00:10:28
Speaker
putting their own genes into the pond. Absolutely. I also think it's one of the songs that is really representative of the kind of music that we continue to write and continue to evolve upon. So I think if you like Prison of Belief, you're going to like the new stuff we've got as well.
00:10:48
Speaker
I like that. yeah It was a nice introduction to the more progressive element to our music. Yeah. ah Really helpful. like Thanks for digging in on that and like talking about that in particular. and as the ah So everybody, ah prison Prison of Belief by Cryptic Divination.
00:16:17
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:16:25
Speaker
same you going is this a you mentioned this a lead into some like sound or newer stuff you've been writing is that so and if so you want to talk about that yeah definitely i think that you know the song ah as far as the sound of the the riffs goes and the this some structural aspects and just really the fact that that was the first song that we all kind of four put together as the four of us.
00:16:54
Speaker
I think that what we've been doing more recently just kind of naturally sounds a lot more like that. Yeah, I mean, I feel like there's new stuff that is, like, I would say ah further elaboration or kind of going deeper into those kinds of themes. But I also sort of feel like, likewise, breaking a lot into a lot of other territories. Like, to me, that's kind of like a...
00:17:21
Speaker
maximalist song like it's got a lot going on a lot of parts and i think that that's there's a lot of really cool inner plays but also composing stuff that I feel like is engineered in a different way that I think is i would say you know dissimilar in terms of maybe like all of the riffs and all of the notes but like also again more more meandering and more like maybe I would say experimenting with like some bigger payoffs kind of thing
00:17:57
Speaker
Yeah, epic epic gateway song, though. It's definitely, yeah, like it's got all the the cryptic elements in it so it's it's kind of what we're we've been doing. It's cool being the conception song, basically, of of this current lineup is it kind of set in stone the the style of of songwriting we do i think it's a great showcase of each different element and you know where we kind of sit in the ah creation of this this this this this type of music can
00:18:29
Speaker
I love the way you describe it. And sometimes it's tough to talk about music. And for me, I like I'm around lot of gifted musicians and I can talk music, but um I really appreciate it. Like the way you kind of,
00:18:43
Speaker
describe and like I love the combination elements because like that's what I was hearing and sometimes hearing the words helps like me put like you know see it and hear it ah at the same time but ah again I'd pick that track amongst a bunch of great tracks on there and um yeah just um ah just Just really love that one. All right. was supposed to be like, here's the legit, like completely legit part of the show, like the conceptual, like the philosopher type of show. I like, I mean, you're in a Eugene, Oregon, a University of Oregon, you know, ah and but I love to ask artists this, and I'm asking you, you know, as a group, but like individually,
00:19:30
Speaker
um What is art?
Defining Art: Personal Expressions
00:19:34
Speaker
I mean, what do you think art is? me personally, ah art is any medium that the human person uses to express themselves, be it music, be it painting, be it filmmaking, be it poetry, spoken word type things, anything that one can use ah as a human person to express themselves.
00:19:55
Speaker
That's pretty good. That's pretty good. I'd say for me would It was. Yeah, right? don't know. I was just giving props. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Art for me would be like a snapshot in time of where you're at, what you're feeling.
00:20:11
Speaker
If you're working through some stuff and you need to like get it out in whatever way you need to get it out, be that like yeah whatever medium. um But the biggest thing is it's like a snapshot of... like the state of your your human being kind of.
00:20:27
Speaker
and um Yeah, I think i think that that sums it up for me. I mean, i I definitely agree with both of those things. like it's It's a moment of time, but also a chemistry between that gets Like, I would say none of us could individually put what we put together, and you know, by ourselves.
00:20:50
Speaker
And like Chris was saying, like, to me, art is expressive. And, like, gave very it it's to, like, convey emotion and mindset. And, like, it's, like, I respect crafts a lot and people who are really amazing musicians. And sometimes, you know, you can have your own internal struggles with like oh I want to make this thing that's impressive and like show you you know all of my skills and abilities but like art is more bit stripped down it was you know it can be really ornamental but it's more just honest like it's not like you you didn't make it so I you know I didn't write it to try to write like a good song I wrote it to like
00:21:36
Speaker
express yourself You know, art to me, it's so subjective that when I think about the things that I consider art, I was originally going to say that it's whatever you know i enjoy, but it can also be things you don't enjoy.
00:21:53
Speaker
and i think it's really just the something that makes you feel. you know it can take the form of the music that you play or the things that you see or even just hanging out with your friends.
00:22:04
Speaker
I think that art's really what we're here to do. it's it's feel express ourselves human it's fun without the f yeah yeah I'd also like to add, yeah art is also important in bringing people together, especially in a time where everyone's so divided. It's really important to embrace art as it comes, as this honest thing that when you put everybody in a room to enjoy this this piece of art all all of our external problems kind of fade away where we're all one unit one being and we're enjoying the same thing you know like a community yes exactly then that's like to me like the best part about playing extreme metalddle is like
00:22:50
Speaker
people aren't usually that because it's like oh i want to make money or i want to, you know, people that think I'm cool. Like, everybody's there to, like, oh, no, we just, we love we all love this thing. And you do get to see, you know, people from various backgrounds and, you know, motivations. And, like, it's really cool to have that, you know, just unifying thing that, yeah, you just, like, can share information.
Pacific Northwest Metal Culture
00:23:21
Speaker
yeah one Oh, man, i had a whole bunch of questions kicking around like somewhere in there, too. I'm going to pull them back in my head. Thanks. Thanks. No, thanks for kicking ah kicking the question around. ah One of the things I was thinking, um I was tapping into like kind of the feeling of a show. A recent episode I did was with April Fox in Portland, who does... deep, dark yoga, which is yeah yoga paired with ah doom, like a doom sound. And, you know, for me, having that conversations, there was a lot of like things in my brain that were melding, like, like my love in particular for doom metal and the sound and the feel of it.
00:24:11
Speaker
But also like I practice yoga, like in a very like, healthy way for myself and like feeling better afterwards. And I'm like, and then the community aspect of doing this together. And it's like, this is almost kind of like people like at just at a metal show, you're stretching and stuff. But I'm like, everything was just kind of like melding like that. And I think for me, the spirit that I like particularly,
00:24:36
Speaker
I'm from the East Coast originally, but one thing I adore, having lived out here for a while, is Pacific Northwest metal culture, which feels, like, very comfortable. It's not a perfect place, but, like, yeah particularly with doom metal, there's, like, um I like the vibe, I guess, is that's what I was saying. And so when you're talking about art and how it makes you feel, like,
00:24:59
Speaker
more of yeah like it like a part of it yeah yeah it attracts all the people you want to be attracted with you know it's like it you know obviously you like the same things and then the like-minded people come and you're like whoa you i thought nobody liked this you know and it just opens doors that aren't there before because because of this thing it's really cool yeah that's why i dig these conversations um ah Been, in oh man, it's been, it's been really, it's been really great to, to, to chat with you listeners, everybody, um ah cryptic divination and just to make sure like I have the space for it because like a lot of the art that I enjoy and like I said, I've enjoyed
00:25:42
Speaker
ah both your recording music and your live performance, just to make sure again, so people can like ah encounter the places you like them to encounter the band again, social media website, et cetera.
Staying Connected: Online Presence and Fan Engagement
00:25:57
Speaker
Sure. So we're available in most places that you like to listen to music if you're online and, you know, we're very active on Instagram. We like to have a good time. So come in the, you know, follow us and and see what we're all about you can check us some live clips or some sometimes when we like to have beers and eat food together.
00:26:19
Speaker
yeah And if you are looking to connect with one of our live performances, you can always check out our website. We keep an up-to-date list on all of our upcoming shows. It's also cool because you can see all of our past shows. So, yeah, ah we have, man, of how many shows in the next year? Let me check the website. That's TripDictivination.com. TripDictivination.com.
00:26:50
Speaker
let's see when was the first show february fourth twenty twenty five was kind ofgra and we saw all that on the led's say all down the wayside by amazing Absolutely, absolutely incredible to show how timely and how like this web website is at buzzing efficiency. thanks like i a match i only took you what 15 seconds it took no time like so many things happened in no amount of time uh great work it's great to connect with you um uh it's great to connect with you in in in in oregon it talks about on pacific northwest but everybody uh check out uh cryptic divination and i'll uh definitely uh senior uh out live and um thanks for your time.
Gratitude and Future Performances
00:27:36
Speaker
And, um, it, it, it, thanks for the music to, um, really dig in on it. And, you know, uh, uh, there's a lot to it. I'm, I'm trying to talk into the listeners, like there's a lot to it. Uh, and I'm not always good at like describing, but there's so many pieces about metal that I like to it. And when you're saying like the pro progressive, like components in where the sound's going, like,
00:28:04
Speaker
you're all like seriously talented in the pulling together at that point that's why i was intrigued by the the idea of like where it goes sonically so yeah um so really dig on that and um really hope to catch you really soon too oh yeah so we good to see you it was our pleasure and hopefully let's get us a show soon hell yeah hell yeah i'll be loud i'll be loud Thank you. I'll be the loud guy with the Celtics jersey, one of those guys. Sweet. I don't know what those guys are, but one of those guys. alright good We'll send you a Crypto Diversion shirt. so Hell yeah, I get to get that suit. I get to get that suit. Thanks so much. Thanks for the music.
00:28:43
Speaker
Thank you. Great time for having us. You're right.
00:28:53
Speaker
This is something rather than nothing.