Exclusive Interview: Tracing SYNICAL's Journey - Bridging Musical Eras and Confronting History in 'This Will All Happen Again'

Formed in the late 1980s by Brian Haught, SYNICAL has become a noteworthy presence in the music scene, undergoing numerous transformations and hosting an array of talented musicians throughout its history. The band’s evolution is marked by its dynamic lineup changes, incorporating members from esteemed groups such as White Zombie, Combichrist, Dope, and Collective Soul, among others. Today, SYNICAL‘s ensemble includes artists renowned for their work with bands like Murderdolls and Genitorturers, showcasing a robust roster capable of delivering complex musical arrangements live. This blend of varied musical backgrounds and experiences contributes to the band’s unique sound, highlighting a journey of continuous growth and musical exploration.

SYNICAL‘s latest album, ‘This Will All Happen Agai n,’ emerges as a profound commentary on the cyclical nature of human history and the potential for repetition of its darkest chapters. Inspired by Brian Haught’s encounter with a WWII death camp, the album delves into the themes of human inhumanity and the importance of remembrance to prevent history from repeating itself. This thematic exploration is set against a backdrop of technical challenges and creative evolution, with the album taking eight years to complete due to logistical hurdles and the pandemic. Yet, SYNICAL has remained committed to an organic creation process, emphasizing live collaboration over digital assembly. Their journey through legal battles, international releases, and technological shifts in music production reflects a dedication to artistic integrity and evolution.

INFRARED MAG: Could you begin by giving the readers not as familiar with the music a little bit of a background on your work?

SYNICAL: Hello and thank you. Synical is a band that formed in 1989 by Brian Haught and has had an evolution through the years with many members. Synical’s past members include Ivan DePrume ( White Zombie), Brent Ashley (Combichrist), Racci Shay Hart (Dope, Wed 13), and Cheney Brannon (Collective Soul) to name a few. The current line-up features guitarist Eric Griffin (Murderdolls/Genitorturers), bassist/songwriter David Black, guitarist Noel Page, drummer Jonathan Pace, and guitarist J1M1 Echo. The large group ensures the band can perform all the musical passages onstage.

INFRARED MAG: The latest album is ‘This Will All Happen Again’. Does it revolve around a central theme or do the songs represent stories in and of themselves?

SYNICAL: Great question. When Brian was on tour in Germany in 2013, he saw a death camp from WW2. It sparked a reaction that humans could be so inhuman towards others and that if future generations forget about it, history has proven that this will all happen again. So much of the songwriting expanded on that original horror and manifested into this new album. By sheer coincidence, it seems ripped right from the current world news. Maybe that’s a good sign.

INFRARED MAG: What’s the biggest technical challenge that you’ve had to overcome? That could be anything from a computer crash, “learning curve” or anything like that. How did you overcome it?

SYNICAL: The album took 8 years to complete, and the two biggest challenges were one – waiting for band members to be off tour and in the same city and two – the pandemic. This album was actually written with most of the band in the same room at the same time. There were not a lot of Frankenstein cut and paste operations for this release. It has an old school touch in that respect.

INFRARED MAG: According to Discogs, you’ve got three full-length albums. To what do you attribute the long periods of time in between them? What did you do during that time?

SYNICAL: Some albums were hung up in legal/management issues and never released properly while another was only released in France. So here is an update – Synical’s albums are “Wages of Syn” was 1991, “Killjoy” EP 1993, “Explosive Generation” 1997, ‘Synical Forever” 2003, “Quit While You’re Behind” 2012, and the current release “This Will All Happen Again” 2023. Plans are in the works to reissue the other albums internationally. Synical has never rushed anything out because true inspiration is impossible to do on command. An artistic work of any sort needs time to shape, expand, and craft until it’s ready. We are glad to spend the time that it took to make these albums and we hope everyone will find something special for themselves in our catalog of songs.

INFRARED MAG: How do you feel that your approach has changed over the years in regard to songwriting and also your studio setup?

SYNICAL: Another great question! In the beginning, Synical used hardware sequencers, samplers, tape machines, and synthesizers. But from 1990 on, Synical converted to computers for songwriting and arrangements – starting with the Atari 1040ST and a little known software called Creator/Notator. The world now knows this on the Mac as Logic Pro X. Over time, more playing of live instruments in the studio prevailed. One great aspect of Synical is that almost every song uses real live drums. On the latest album, the band used trumpet played by James Hall (Mary My Hope), the Moog Theremin, and even harmonica to further push the musical elements forward. The Synical technical gear still uses many hardware synths like the Model Cobalt 8, Nord Lead, Access Virus, Emulator 4, Novation Supernova, both analog and digital, software plugins like Arturia, Cherry Audio, and Omnisphere as well as both Mac and Pc computers to create that deep sonic character the band has always strived for. “This Will All Happen Again” was mixed in Los Angeles by the legendary John Fryer (NIN. Depeche Mode, Love &Rockets).

INFRARED MAG: Do you think that you will continue on your release pattern of doing more Eps/LPs or maybe switch to more singles/remixes?

SYNICAL: Synical has done many remixes for projects on our wonderful label Cleopatra Records. Remixes include Todd Rungren, Faster Pussycat, The Newlydeads, JOJ, and tribute compilations. Synical plans to release another EP in 2025 called “Special When Lit” Stay tuned!

INFRARED MAG: You have a unique fusion of sounds. How have your artistic influences contributed to this over the years? Different artists, styles of music?

SYNICAL: Brian listened early on to Kraftwerk, Bauhaus, Joy Division/New Order, Gary Numan, Cabaret Voltaire, Ministry, Depeche Mode, the Cure, Skinny Puppy, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and the Sisters of Mercy. Many of those elements and influences can be heard at times. But while Synical reveries the past, the focus is the future. By having our heroes like Groove Mann from TTK sing on a track, Kevin and David J from Bauhaus play on the album, and John Fryer mixing, we have that sound of the classic past but with all new modern music styling. It’s of the best of both worlds and we hope you all agree.

INFRARED MAG: Let’s say many years from now in the future, someone finds one of your albums and something to play it on in an old, locked box. What do you want them to understand about your message or your legacy just by listening to your music?

SYNICAL: 99% of most popular music is celebrating life, about having good times, big spending, talking about love and happiness. Synical represents the rest of the world that feels despair, feels out of place and time, where things don’t always work out and the ending is not always good. Gothic, industrial and darkwave music has a unique perspective on this and in that world, it’s ok to dance away life’s struggle but not to ignore or pretend it’s not out there close by. We feel this is a timeless tragic human condition that will happen again and hopefully future generations know that they are not alone in feeling this way.

INFRARED MAG: What do you hope to accomplish by the end of 2024?

SYNICAL: Synical is taking its show on the road and gearing up for a US/Canada run in the summer/fall of 2024. We hope to see everyone out there real soon in a town near you!

In conclusion, SYNICAL‘s narrative is one of resilience, evolution, and introspection. Through their music, they not only pay homage to a wide array of musical influences but also engage deeply with significant historical and emotional themes. As they look toward the future with plans for tours and new releases, SYNICAL stands as a testament to the enduring power of music to reflect, critique, and inspire across generations. Their story is a compelling reminder of the role artists play in capturing the zeitgeist of their times and projecting it into the future, inviting listeners to explore the depths of human experience and the possibilities for transformation.