With each decade comes its own corresponding music genres. Some genres fade with the passage of time, but it’s often that certain sounds persevere, mostly because of artists that keep them alive. Thanks to Crysis, old school metal is burning bright in their home city of Columbus, Ohio, and the brightest flames can be found within younger generations of metalheads.
Photo credit: Tylor Dooley
Having released their debut EP, Metal Possession, in 2023, Crysis is a thrash metal group. They don’t bring too much of a modern twist into their hard-hitting old school sound, and Metal Possession sounds like a dug up demo from an underground 1980s thrash group. With members ranging from 16 to 21 years old, Crysis proves that authentic heavy metal still lives on, and it thrives with young audiences.
Composed of Ave (guitar/vocals), Aiden (bass) and Izzy Setser (drums), Crysis is a thrash metal sibling trio. Joking that the band was formed when one member walked across the hall into the other sibling’s bedroom, Crysis began in 2021 with Ave, 21, and Aiden, 18, when they would play songs together. They were soon joined by Izzy, 16, the youngest sibling who relentlessly learned the drums and practiced until her older siblings let her join.
The siblings also have their own Metallica cover-band, Fuel. Heavily inspired by Metallica as well as other iconic thrash groups like Slayer and Sepultura, Crysis admits that their music taste actually tends to expand beyond the metal genre. If you venture into their Spotify playlists, for instance, you’ll see that Aiden loves groups like Blondie and The Police.
“I’ve always had an eclectic music taste,” Aiden says. “[I’m] huge into those old school CBGB bands, classical jazz, all that kind of stuff. I like to bring inspiration from everywhere, kind of breathing in and exhaling it into anything I’m doing artistically. I think it’s good to do that, because you’re not just sticking to one thing and your brain could just fold with a bunch of crazy ideas from lots of different music.”
With any alternative music genre comes a distinctive personality, look and sound. For the Setser siblings, they’re drawn to thrash metal because of the community that it provides.
“Even though we have mainstream bands like Metallica, [thrash] always has felt like this underground bond between people,” Aiden says. “And of course it’s just awesome to experience this niche, hard hitting, scary kind of genre.”
“I feel like a lot of the time metal genres have way deeper meanings in their songs than a lot of mainstream pop music,” Ave says. “Because the lyrics actually mean something most of the time. There are some exceptions, but it’s all a more meaningful thing. Music wise, there’s just a lot more time put into it. A lot of it’s feel too. You can let a lot of anger out when you’re playing it.”
Crysis credits their parents for the path they’ve taken musically. Their parents’ love of classic rock and support for their musical pursuits has definitely played a role with the band – even if they were initially shocked by the intensity of the thrash genre.
“They’ve definitely been shocked by the speed of the music and of course, when you’re in the same house all of the time hearing us practice and stuff, you don’t think much of it,” Ave says. “But since they come to all of our shows, they see it and it’s completely different…I think they were also shocked by the mosh pits and all that.”
Despite having few bands, Columbus does have a significant underground metal scene. And even though they’re young and being in a band can be quite the task, Crysis says they’ve managed to make a name for themselves within the scene.
“I think we’re kind of building a scene around the band,” Aiden says.
“[The scene is] kind of starting over again,” Ave says. “It’s like when Metallica was first starting. It’s kind of gone back to that, because there’s really not that many metal bands that we know of around here…but there is a pretty lively scene for it if you can find it.”
Crysis released their debut EP Metal Possession in July of last year. Featuring four tracks that are a beautiful and brutal ode to vintage metal, the EP even includes a cover of UFO’s “Doctor Doctor”. While this isn’t a thrash tune, many devoted metalheads will recognize the significance of this track, which serves as the opening song to Iron Maiden’s live shows.
Regarding their debut release, Crysis says their commitment to the retro metal sound is what makes them stand apart from other bands. And while they’re faithful to an old school style, they also aren’t afraid to experiment like they do on their upcoming album set to come out later this year.
“We’ve recognized that we could play fast, but we’re not afraid to slow it down,” Aiden says. “The wide range of influences and imagery too is a big thing for us.”
“We’ve tried to create this environment along with our band, with the way that the band is presented and the imagery of the band in general,” Ave says.
The band says they’ve even grown a devoted fan base who will regularly show up dressed in camouflage pants just like members Crysis wear on stage (and just like those pictures of James Hetfield skateboarding from all those years ago). Due to their passionate fans, Crysis isn’t afraid to take the hits as a thrash band that chooses to slow down – something many renowned thrash bands have been slammed for.
“The right people will find you for the good reasons,” Ave says. “Your good qualities will stand out, because if you just keep doing the same thing and your songs sound regurgitated from the same song over and over, they lose interest really fast and we just try to keep it interesting.”
As a new band, Crysis has already experienced success in addition to their debut EP. Aiden and Ave are partnered with Thimble Wasp Effects, a guitar pedal company out of Ohio, and Izzy is endorsed by Saluda Cymbals and Xcel Drumsticks.
“I’m really particular about my drum sound – typical drummer,” Izzy says. “So I’m just really happy to be with them because they make amazing symbols. I think they just sound really good.”
“I think that was really awesome that we got partnered with these brands so early,” Ave says. “That’s a huge head start and very rare. That doesn’t happen.”
Crysis doesn’t plan on getting comfortable any time soon, as they have a few big shows this spring. They recently opened up for for Go Ahead And Die at Skully’s Music Diner, and on April 19 they are opening for Ripped to Shreds and Nucleus at Ace of Cups. The band says these shows are so significant because they will be playing with all metal lineups for the first time.
“It’s a good environment for us finally, because we’re with people that all appreciate the same thing,” Ave says.
With these big shows coming up, Crysis still has significant goals as a band – the biggest being to tour the United States. However, they still want to take things slow and not burn themselves out. Above all, through their music Crysis hopes to introduce younger audiences to the bands that inspired them.
“For younger people that are interested in our music, it introduced them to a whole new world,” Ave says, “because they can find the bands that we like that we found through other bands. And it just kind of keeps the whole thing going. Which I think is cool.”
Listen to Metal Possession, the debut EP from Crysis,
Follow Crysis:
https://www.instagram.com/crysisthrash
https://linktr.ee/crysisband
https://www.crysisthrash.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@crysisthrash