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Psychostick

Presented by 12th and Porter at 12th and Porter

January 15, 2012

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When you play in a band that’s dubbed itself “humorcore,” and have made fans across the nation simultaneously mosh and laugh to songs about serious topics like beer and sandwiches, finding new ways to perpetually be funny, and shred at the same time, can be a daunting task, like climbing the comedy-metal version of Mount Everest. That said, Psychostick have made that trek, reached a new zenith, and returned alive, without having to eat any of their personnel.

The Phoenix, AZ-based quartet came back from their latest creative voyage armed with Space Vampires Vs. Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D, their new full-length record, and promise to deliver everything Psychostick fans have come to love about the band, and then some. The album is bursting with even more laughs per beat than previous efforts, and contains the most precisely crafted songs the group has composed to date.

Psychostick—which includes Kersey, guitarist Josh Key, drummer Alex Dontre and new bassist Matt Rzemyk—formed in Phoenix in 2000, and released their first album, We Couldn’t Think Of A Title, in 2003, which was re-released nationally by Rock Ridge Music in 2006. The band’s life as a national touring act began that same year, which was kicked into overdrive in 2007 when the song “Beer!” became a cult hit, grabbing a coveted spot as the No. 1 single on XM Radio's Liquid Metal show for seven weeks. Psychostick then took that momentum into the studio for their second full-length, 2009’s Sandwich, before embarking on another two years of touring behind the release. Over the years the band has shared stages with Green Jelly, Nashville Pussy, Three Days Grace, Hell Yeah, Nonpoint, Buckcherry, Five Finger Death Punch, Hatebreed, Chimaira, Machine Head, Shadows Fall, Pennywise, and many, many more.

After touring tirelessly in support of Sandwich, the band returned home ready to create again, resulting in Space Vampires. But since their last album was a collection of songs written over a six-year span, this time around the effort was considerably different. Space Vampires was written on a clean slate, so there’s little filler; the album showcases Psychostick as a lean, mean comedic machine, giving the record an intensity that never wanes, from the first track through the last.

Spending most of their time writing and recording in Kansas City, MO, the band started work on Space Vampires from scratch, mostly tracking straight into Key’s laptop. It was a new process for the band, who decided to start with lyrics and topics first, followed by music suited to the overall themes of the songs. The end result was smarter song-craft, and musical moments that enhance the hilarity happening within the words.


Psychostick plan on shooting multiple videos for the tracks on Space Vampires, since visual representations of their special brand of musical comedy are a no-brainer, followed by massive touring in support of the new album. Although it’s not always easy for a band as unique as Psychostick to find a bill they fit onto, once they’re on stage the group are truly in their element. As crushing recent performances in front of large crowds a la the Mayhem Festival prove, Psychostick have evolved into a live force to be reckoned with.