Crucible Steel interview by Danny Chaudoin

Crucible Steel is a one man underground metal project located in central Kentucky that started out in 2016. Jonathan Nesbitt II is the man behind this old school style Death metal project and has two albums released on Apollyon records and is soon to release his third. Here Jonathan gives a bit of insight into his music world.

DANNY  First I want to thank you for taking your time to do this interview, can you tell us about some of the background and some history about Crucible Steel? Is there meaning behind the name Crucible Steel?

JONATHAN  Thank you for the opportunity! I founded Crucible Steel in January of 2016. It has remained a one man band. I play all instruments and vocals. I currently have two albums out and a third coming soon. Crucible Steel is a type of steel that was used in medieval times by many cultures.

DANNY  How about some of the bands or some of the musicians that influenced you, the ones that inspired you to play the guitar and do you play other instruments as well?

JONATHAN   I have a lot of inspirations. As far as band's, I would say Black Sabbath, Amon Amarth, and Obituary are among the most influential. There are so many great players. Tony Iommi is my biggest guitar influence. He wrote the book for metal. I play other instruments as well. Bass, drums, and vocals.

DANNY  How long have you been writing and playing music and are there other music styles that you play besides death metal?

JONATHAN  I got my first guitar when I was five and a few years later I got a Gibson SG copy. I didn't start to learn how to play until I was 13. I joined my first band at 13 and have been playing ever since. I don't limit myself when it comes to playing. You have to know the fundamentals of rock music before you start playing death metal. The blues is a big part of that foundation. It's important to be able to play the classics before jumping into metal.

DANNY  You were recently signed to a label. Can you tell us about the label and how things are going now having label support?

JONATHAN   I have been signed to Apollyon Entertainment since the summer of 2016. I have a great relationship with that label. The label support has been fantastic. They have worked hard pushing my music and getting it out there so people can have the chance to hear it. They have put Crucible Steel on the map and would have been impossible without their support.

DANNY  Are you still operating Crucible Steel as a one man band or are there other members now? If no, is there the possibility of any other members in the future?

JONATHAN Yes, Crucible Steel is a one man band. If I have live shows lined up in the future then I will recruit some players. But for now I will remain the only member.

DANNY  Now onto a bit about your albums, Crucible Steel and Forge the blade both released in 2017, and your third release Dead within, there is a lot of old school sound and atmosphere in your music. Can you tell us a bit about those albums and are you using newer methods of recording, such as digital, or are you recording some of it the old fashioned way?

JONATHAN  The first Crucible Steel release came out August 2016. It has ten tracks. Mostly death metal but a few tracks are a death/black metal mix. The second album, Forge the Blade came out fall of 2017. It was another album with ten tracks. This one is a mix of Death and Thrash metal. The third album will be released this year. It's a ten track album called Dead Within. There’s Death metal along with Thrash metal influences mixed with hard rock influences.
I've only recorded analog for Crucible Steel. I've went that route to have a different sound then the rest of the modern metal band's. I've always tried to be original and my recording process is definitely unique.

DANNY  I like to throw in at least a question or two of gear talk. Do you have a favorite guitar, piece of gear, or anything special you use to get your Crucible Steel sound? Without giving away any detailed trade secrets of course.

JONATHAN   My Jackson Dinky is my favorite guitar. It plays amazing. And my vintage Peavey amps are responsible for the Crucible Steel sound.

DANNY  Are you working on any new Crucible steel projects or doing any other projects as well?

JONATHAN   I have recorded a few tracks for an upcoming Crucible Steel release. For now my main focus is getting the third album, Dead Within out. I haven't worked on any other projects but I'm always open to.

DANNY  Will the next Crucible Steel album follow the same death metal path as its predecessors or will you maybe experiment with a bit of a different musical direction next time?

JONATHAN   Each Crucible Steel release has been different. I've incorporated a lot of different elements into the songs. From death, thrash and black metal to hard rock and blues. The new album Dead Within will have a few new surprises. I have expanded even more within Crucible Steel. I try not to have any limitations.

DANNY  One final question, where can metal fans and those who may be interested in Crucible Steel find your albums and maybe some information about you?

JONATHAN   You can purchase Crucible Steel music at theapollyongroup.bandcamp.com. You can also find my releases on Amazon, spotify, iTunes, Pandora and iheart. I can also be found on Encyclopaedia Metallum. Just search Crucible Steel.

REVERNATION  https://www.reverbnation.com/jonathannesbittii
FACEBOOK  https://www.facebook.com/cruciblesteel/
YOU TUBE   https://www.youtube.com/user/jnesbittmusic