Their upcoming Spiritual Cancer EP will be released on cassette via Suicide Bong Tapes on October 26. This five-song ripper lunges straight for the throat like a broken beer bottle in a back alley brawl. It's fast, no filler, no acoustic interludes, and definitely no clean singing. I felt a strong resemblance to Nuclear Assault's style of cross-over thrash, driven by a dirty, distorted low end, along with Mötörhead's undeniable influence of rolling double bass drums and punk D-beats.
So what fuels these Cretins? I spoke with their guitarist and vocalist A.J. Defeo to find out.
How do you describe Atomic Cretins in your own words?
If you listen to our music, lyrically it’s all anti-government with a touch of horror and the supernatural. I guess to sum it up, anti-government occultist.
How did Atomic Cretins come to be?
Me and Hit (guitarist) have been jamming together for the last six or seven years, and it’s been a long and hectic ride. From the first EP, all the way up to this new EP, we worked really hard to figure out where we wanted to be musically. In the beginning (about four years ago) we had more of a hardcore punk, rock n roll sound, but we realized we were playing what a lot of people wanted to hear and still kind of developing our sound. You can hear the progression from each EP. We’re so proud of this new sound and I think it’s safe to say it’s our own.
You have a new tape on the horizon. How did the creative process go for this new endeavor?
The process was simple. Play heavier, louder, faster, utilize killer riffage and play whatever we want to play. Me and Hit are constantly writing riffs while Jay (bass) and Keith (drums) produce crushing rhythm.
What influence does being born and raised in South Philly have on your songwriting?
I pride myself on being from South Philly, and being one of the few people in the scene who plays in a local band that isn’t from outta town. No disrespect to any y’all transplants. It gives me confidence in my writing skills, knowing I’m not like most other people hopping from place to place, band to band and scene to scene. I feel like Cretins got a good thing going on, so I’m glad I never left the motherland. I mean it when I say Philly is my home.
Did you have any experiences with the South Philly Punk scene back in the day?
I was never apart of the punk scene in my teen years. If you were a kid from Philly, it didn’t matter what you were into. We all hung out together whether you were goth, punk, skater, raver, emo kid, metal head, hip hop kid. I listened to all of it because of hanging with a diverse crowd of local Philly kids. Thus developing guitar skills. But I remember being about 14 or 15 years old when I went to the Halfway House (a notorious DIY spot) with some friends for the first time, and that’s when I was introduced to the Dead Milkmen.
Who are your musical heroes?
The whole band collectively has a wide range but to name a few:
Steve Harris - Iron Maiden
Dave Lombardo - Slayer
Marty Friedman - Megadeath
What would you have engraved on your tombstone? “ETERNAL REST IN TIME”
Thank you for going on one with the GRIM1. Anything you'd like to say in closing? Come check out the Suicide Bong Tape release show at Century on October 26, with heavy hitters Zorn, Disjawn and Capitalist.
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