ORIGIN Drummer JOHN LONGSTRETH Joins Forces With KROKMITËN For Theta Album

Montréal-based experimental Death Metal studio-project Krokmitën is partnering up with drummer John Longstreth for its fifth upcoming album, Theta. Replacing Guyot, who played on Krokmitën’s third and fourth album, Longstreth is the man behind the kit for legendary brutal death metal band Origin. His groundbreaking style has completely transformed the landscape of metal drumming, playing a pivotal role in popularizing techniques like the gravity blast among avid speed enthusiasts. Additionally, he spearheaded the development of the "heel-toe" method for double stroke kick drums, propelling metal drumming to unprecedented warp speeds.

Simlev, the architect behind Krokmitën, shared his insight on the drummer change. "It's bittersweet news. I hoped to collaborate with Guyot for this album, but conflicting schedules made it impossible. Guyot's involvement in three bands and his role as director of Montreal's largest music store added to the challenge. We’re still good friends and it's important to note that each Krokmitën project stands independently so there's a chance he may return in the future if the stars align.”

Continuing, Simlev elaborated on the situation. “Guyot is undeniably a highly skilled drummer. So, where do I go from here? How about getting one of extreme drumming pioneers, John Longstreth? This opportunity fell into place coincidentally, and things happened swiftly. His style of play seamlessly aligns with the vision I had for Theta. John's dedication to his craft is truly inspiring. He has recorded half of Theta already, but had to pause for a tour with Origin. Recording will resume upon his return. He has poured his heart and soul into Theta and the result speaks for itself. His precision and intensity is elevating the Krokmitën sound to new heights and I can't wait for the fans to experience it.”

Last week, Simlev revealed the new album artwork for Theta and suggested an early summer 2024 release date. “I’ve been working really hard lately on Krokmitën’s fifth album Theta. While fourth album Tau was the most experimental, slow, cinematic, and doomy Krokmitën release yet, Theta is the complete opposite, brutal, and straight to the point. There’s not much experimentation happening on this one, it’s simply a 34-minute slab of non-stop bone-crushing death metal. With drums nearing completion and mixing will soon follow, I’m aiming for an early summer 2024 release date. Let’s see how it goes.”

Theta is being created and engineered at the Krokmitën Studio on the island of Montreal, Canada.