Psycroptic — Inside the Metal: Tasmania's Tech Death Juggernauts
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"It's the most readable death metal logo I've ever seen in my life…"
"WHOA!" — the only proper response to Psycroptic.
"This dude should be in every guitar magazine… this dude IS a walking guitar magazine!"
"Hail to The Haleys — strive to be like them."
"I almost feel overstimulated…"
About This Episode
If you're trying to understand the importance of Dave and Joe Haley — the brother duo at the heart of Psycroptic — just think of some of the other legendary "band of brothers" in the metal community who have elevated and transformed modern music as we know it: Alex & Eddie Van Halen. Vinnie & Darrell Abbott.
Formed in 1999 ("the year of the Matrix") and hailing from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, technical death metal juggernauts Psycroptic have swiftly evolved from the stereotypical "cookie monster" style of traditional death metal into an exponentially advanced, ultra-precise, tech death riff machine of such complex artistry and surgical precision that the only proper response when listening to them is to laugh out loud in amazement and exclaim "WHOA!" with utter disbelief, shock, and awe.
Big thanks to Norvyn for the listener request — and HAIL to our friends Down Under. This one's for you. Also: New Album Alert — Psycroptic released The Pulse of Annihilation on July 17, 2026. Go check it out at psycroptic.com. 🤘
The Pulse of Annihilation (2026)
Psycroptic's latest album — released July 17, 2026. The next chapter from Hobart's most technically gifted tech death juggernauts.
Buy on Amazon (paid link)The Haley Brothers: Joe Haley (guitar) and Dave Haley (drums) are the founding core of Psycroptic and the engine that drives everything. Joe Haley's guitar work is so advanced that Mr. Petrucci was offered a challenge. Dave Haley's drumming makes everything look like another day at the office. "I'll bet it's gonna be just like the Van Halen thing — the drummer should be on every drum magazine everywhere." HAIL to The Haleys.
The most complimentary voicemail ever received: It's in this episode. Hear it. Also: #MissouriMoose left another message. "It's gonna be a button, I know." And Plastic Jesus by Prong (Blossom & Decay – 2009) — "It's doomy… that sounds like open road… trees on the side of the road… Chrisssssss…" / "Let's save that for the actual episode."
The Albums — Inside the Metal
🎧 Tracks played: Carnival of Vulgarity · Psycroptipath
The debut. Cookie monster vocals in full effect — "No band starts out, rarely… rarely does a band start out of the gate and they have awesome production." The raw origins of one of the most technically gifted bands in death metal. "I think it's cool that they incorporated their name into a song title." Psycroptipath: is that Hulk Hogan? #cookiemonster
🎧 Tracks played: The Colour of Sleep · Psycrology
"You can't read their album titles without talking like that… I feel like I need a robe, and a staff, and a longer beard, and longer hair." The second album — still in the traditional death metal zone but with hints of where things were heading. "That's weird, because their later stuff doesn't sound like this… I wonder if we'll find the turning point." Spoiler: it's coming.
"So you're saying the 3rd album might be the turning point… or the TIPPING POINT…"
🎧 Tracks played: Alpha Breed · Merchants of Deceit
"This came out on #BlackSabbathDay — 36 years after the debut of Black Sabbath." New singer vs the first two albums. "How does he do that the entire show?" The coke lines are present. "Those riffs are sick." "I can hear elements of Death (the band) in there." "It may not be a breakdown but it's something different."
"Wait… say that again… what did you just say?" / "It was a matter of time…"
🎧 Tracks played: Ob(Servant) · Behind the Crooked Cross
"There's still hope…" / "Ohhh, this was released on my birthday…" / "It's in 4/4…" / "WHOA!" Their first album for Nuclear Blast. "Here's the different part — there's always a different part." Behind the Crooked Cross — see also: Slayer – South of Heaven – 1988. #TourEdition
"WHOA!"
🎧 Tracks played: Carriers of the Plague · The Throne of Kings
"That needs to be an episode — the best coke lines…" "Way better production — more modern like what we've heard recently." "That's the tipping point, right there." "This is the first one that doesn't sound like traditional death metal." Joe Haley: "This dude should be in every guitar magazine — this dude IS a walking guitar magazine!" "They definitely grew out of the whole cookie monster, traditional death metal…"
"I can't even wrap my brain around that, dude…"
🎧 Tracks played: Echoes to Come · Cold
"Notice that the logo is different." The eponymous album — "that's the fancy word for self-titled." The Haley brother combo confirmed on the lineup. "I just wanna get to wherever my dick is — do snakes have dicks? Do they have vags? How do they fuck?" #IDontKnow. Echoes to Come: "It's more thrashy… elements of black metal in there." "I don't know why that guy is not on every guitar magazine cover everywhere." Cold: "WHOA!" / "HFS! Not on an acoustic — are you shitting me!?" / "That's kinda groove." / "I wanna see it live — I wanna believe it by seeing it live." #guillotine — "You've gotta use your teeth."
"Mr. Petrucci… I offer a challenge, sir…"
🎧 Tracks played: We Were the Keepers · Beyond the Black
"New bass player — and HAIL to The Haleys." "Everything they do is badass!!!" "We just Rogan'd these guys…" "Look at the #cokelines…" "I like when we branch off and try new stuff — it's like having a steak at The Waffle House vs Longhorn vs Bones… stepping up the game." Psycroptic currently touring in Australia — "in fairness, Australia is the size of the United States." #outbackfest. All Aussie folks: let us know your thoughts on Psycroptic! Beyond the Black: "Definitely NOT a Metal Church cover." "That must be the guest vocalist." "I almost feel overstimulated…"
"That time I cupped — that was for you…"
🎧 Tracks played: Rend Asunder
"That may be the simplest riff they've played so far…" The most recent pre-2026 Psycroptic album — and even their "simple" riffs are jaw-dropping in context.
🎧 Tracks played: No Blade of Grass (drum playthrough video)
"He's making it look easy… another day at the office." Dave Haley's drum playthrough: "Is this an instrumental?" "A lot of times on playthroughs it'll be the song as it is…" "That was a learning experience… Oh My God, was that a humbling moment…" Go check out the new album at psycroptic.com.
"Hail to The Haleys — strive to be like them."
Episode Timestamps
- Band: Psycroptic — Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Formed: 1999 — "the year of the Matrix"
- The Haley Brothers: Joe Haley (guitar) & Dave Haley (drums) — the Van Halens of technical death metal
- Genre: Technical Death Metal
- Record label: Nuclear Blast (since Ob(Servant), 2008)
- Albums covered: 8 — Isle of Disenchantment through Divine Council, plus new album preview
- New album: The Pulse of Annihilation — released July 17, 2026
- The logo verdict: "The most readable death metal logo I've ever seen in my life."
- The tipping point album: The Inherited Repression (2012)
- Mr. Petrucci: Has been offered a challenge.
- The only proper response to Psycroptic: "WHOA!"
- Listener request credit: HAIL to Norvyn 🤘