INTERVIEW: Jesse Brint – Gross Misconduct

Hailing from the spiritual home of all metal with technical or progressive leanings, Canada’s GROSS MISCONDUCT are gearing up for the release of their long-awaited third offering; Equinox. The progressive death metal outfit are stalwarts of the underground/unsigned scene, having peddled their brand of mind-bending ferocity in the vein of DEATH and GOJIRA for nearly 20 years. Equinox follows the quartet’s 2011 sophomore offering The Disconnect, and has the chops to be GROSS MISCONDUCT‘s breakout album, should the stars align (read our review here). We caught up with guitarist Jesse Brint to discuss the new record, Equinox‘s place in the band’s discography, and the history of GROSS MISCONDUCT.

How do you feel Equinox shapes up in comparison to your previous releases?

Jesse: Anyone familiar with our previous two albums will see some of those same traits present throughout Equinox. That said, we are far better songwriters and players at this stage in our lives. At times in the past, we would present an idea once in a song and move on to several others. Some of those ideas lacked cohesion or staying power. In other instances we would belabour the point and perhaps repeat ourselves too much. Equinox is simultaneously leaner where it needs to be, and beefier where it needs to be. The production is very organic and true to our sound – the vocals aren’t overbearing, and the bass drum sound isn’t overly clicky or towering above everything else in the mix. What you hear on the album is a very accurate representation of our sound in the rehearsal room or on stage.

Have you had a positive response from the tracks released thus far?

Jesse: Phenomenal, particularly given we are an independent band. We don’t have the financial backing of a label to repeatedly shove our message down people’s throats, nor do we have anyone working on our behalf to help spread the word. We’ve had feedback from all across North American and pockets of Europe. That’s happened all because of our effort and our music. It feels organic in that people are checking us out based on our hard work alone. 

GROSS MISCONDUCT have had quite significant gaps between releases. Do you feel this benefits you?

Jesse: It’s neither a hindrance, nor a benefit. It’s simply a product of the way our lives have unfolded and the events that have taken place as we’ve gotten older. If the albums could’ve been done sooner, they would have been. But that’s not how life goes sometimes. We could look back and lament that fact, but looking back leaves with you with a sore neck and not much else. If we’re going to have sore necks at this point in our lives, it’s going to be because of headbanging – not wondering “What if?”  With that said, I’m abundantly certain there will never be another seven-year gap between albums and we are already planning for an EP at some point in 2019. 

GROSS MISCONDUCT have been a band for 20 years how do you feel you have developed from your inception to the band you have become today?

Jesse: With experience comes a certain level of comfort and ease. We do not sweat small details anymore. Back 10-15 years ago, we were dead set on getting signed to a big label, touring the world and making a living solely off playing music. While there’s the off chance that could still conceivably happen, if it doesn’t, it’s not a big deal. That level of hindsight carries over to all aspects of the band. We don’t really get fazed playing in front of large audiences, we know what to expect in a studio setting and we understand the level of commitment needed to play the songs we want to play.

Canada has been known for its abundance of technical proficiency over the years such as CRYPTOPSY, MARTYR, GORGUTS and most recently BEYOND CREATION. Did this inspire GROSS MISCONDUCT to take this creative path?

Jesse: We worship all of those bands listed and admire the hell out of them. We were lucky enough to tour with MARTYR in 2007 and watching musicianship on that level was both humbling and exciting. CRYPTOPSY came through our hometown of Nanaimo on the … And Then You’ll Beg tour back in 2000/2001 and it was the first time any of us saw musicianship on that level in a live setting. That was a huge turning point for us.  

What do GROSS MISCONDUCT have planned once Equinox has been released?

Jesse: We have a number of shows coming up around western Canada that will carry us into 2019. So, the next few months will consist of playing as many shows as we can in order to get the new tunes in front of as many people as we can. After that, we intend to write, record and release an EP. We’ve never played outside of Canada, so getting to Europe or the U.S. is definitely something we are also looking to do in 2019. 

Over your twenty years as a band GROSS MISCONDUCT have shared the stage with bands such as AT THE GATES, NAPALM DEATH and AMON AMARTH. Have these experiences helped you elevate your live performances?

Jesse: Absolutely. In order to hang with the best, you have to be at your best. We take our live shows very seriously in terms of the prep work required. It’s extremely gratifying that so many promoters have turned to us over the years and put us on stage with some of our favourite and most influential bands. 

What are your main goals/aspirations for the future of GROSS MISCONDUCT?

Jesse: To continue having fun making the music we love and elevate our vision to a point where we are able to perform anywhere and everywhere in the world. We have all known each other our entire adult lives, so the band chemistry is not an issue, nor is the commitment or our collective path moving forward. Having support from a label or booking agents would be an amazingly helpful perk, but if that doesn’t materialise, we will continue moving forward as we have for two decades. 

Is there anything you would like to say to the readers of Distorted Sound?

Jesse: Thank you for checking us out, and supporting underground metal. Go to shows, have shit tons of fun and leave nothing on the table. A time will soon come when those choices will be made for you whether you like it or not. Don’t wait, have fun and experience everything you can while you still can.

Equinox is out now via self-release.

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