Melbourne stenchcore luminaries Cimiterium are headed to Nambour for the Bad Habit Birthday weekend, fresh off their tour of Europe alongside Katorga. We caught up with vocalist Myles about keeping the crusty dream alive in the modern world…

BAD HABIT: Hello Myles, how are you? How was the European tour from a few months back? What were the highlights and lowlights? 18 shows is a big tour tbh, was it a struggle to cope with the pressure or are you guys seasoned road dogs who can take it all in your stride?

MYLES: Borg! Good man, living it up in the usual existential dread... Tour was fucking great, we’d been intending to go to Europe for a couple years, but certain events got in the way...

Highlights would have to be sharing the stage with Hiatus, Disease, Repulsione, Life Dissapointment, Decadencia, Cancer Spreading, Feed the Tumor, Bestial Vomit, Terminal Filth, Cryptic Echoes, Opioid Crisis, Raw Power and of course Katorga. Having the privilege to play Schrottbar in Switzerland, Villa Occupata and La Scintilla squats in Italy, Vrankrijk squat in the Netherlands, Sto, Gange-Viertel and Kopi in Germany, Okretnica in Serbia, AKI squat in Greece and Gromka in Slovenia, which are all such iconic squat venues not to mention Cross Club in Czech Republic and The Pits, Belgium, which are the kind of venues I wish Melbourne had more of. These squats and venues were personal favourites, hanging out and shooting the shit with all the bands, organisers and squatters made the tour so sick and inviting, they all really rolled out the red carpet treatment, feeding and putting us up.

Before we even set off, Albeiro (bass – Cimiterium/Katorga) and I arrived first and got a pick up from the airport in Skopje from Spaghi (bass – Disease), who was to drive us the whole tour. We grabbed beers and met Alex (vox/guitar – Disease), who along with their drummer Marko are such a killer crew! I am so lucky and grateful to chill and get to know these guys. We got two shows in with Disease: Skopje, Macedonia and Kopi Squat in Berlin, wish there had been more, but that’s for next time. Hopefully they make their way down under!

Lowlights would have to be the traffic jam getting to the show in Thessaloniki, Greece: two hours getting less than a Km in them shits. Having to pay off Czech Republic cops 20 euro for getting pulled over with fake weed (there were more than six of them so I guess that's more of a lowlight for the pigs). And (for everyone else) my fucked up snoring... resulting in the self-imposed banishment to the van to crash.

Wish tour had been longer, no pressure at all, but certainly a smell you could taste...

BH: This is sort of a goofball question. idk. Crust punk as a lifestyle is really characterised by living in squats, alcoholism, dirty clothes and a real outside of society general feel. However we are all becoming older and having families and careers and becoming members of "Society". And there's much more space for people to do this in the world. But has "Crust" lost some of its potency, so to speak? Is it even possible to live that sort of life? Speaking of which, what's everyone do to get by? Is it hard to schedule practices between everyone's commitments? How does punk even happen anymore?

M: That is several questions, none of which are goofball... I’ll start with a quote: “A lot of showers for a stenchcore band!” – Spaghi.

If your identity is based on pissed jeans and nothing else, I feel like you might be missing out on a lot, but that doesn't make those layers of grease and mould any less of a necessity, as much as having a job is a requisite to be able to wing your way to Europe to tour. I turned 39 on tour and despite only taking the opportunity to shower three times over as many weeks, I’m a firm believer in: filthy uniform, clean asshole. I have no career; I work in a factory. I have no children; I'm sterile. Alcohol is a constant companion.

Crust will only lose potency if you curtail your vision, outlook and creativity to the standards of fitting into an accepted societal framework, for the satisfaction of the crowd, even if it’s your crowd. Wearing the same feculent get up... In the immortal words: “Think for yourself” – (RIP) Willie: Hiatus. Everyone’s working; gotta grind to have the space to create, record and live indoors, then take it on the road...

Punk, or rather our version of it, happens when it’s important. We're not all in the same place, so when shows are booked, we have to assemble! We jam regularly enough but especially when we have upcoming sets. Hoping to get together to record as well in the next few months, as we have a chunk of new tracks.

BH: What's the story for Cimiterium? How did you all meet? I understand nearly everyone is from overseas. How did you all end up together in Victoria? Melbourne is a bit of a hotspot for great underground music. Was that a factor in people moving there?

M: I've known Gabs (guitar) the longest, we used to be in a grind band (Empty Gesture) a few years ago now. Cimiterium formed in 2018. Originally I played bass but took over on vocals when our first singer left in 2019, which is when we met Albeiro and he joined on bass. In the year preceding our Europe tour in late 2022, Himanshu (guitar) joined, making us a five piece, which has brought us to the current sound. This line-up and sound is how I’ve always wanted Cimiterium to be.

Melbourne has a great underground music scene, a sick variety of Punk, D-Beat, Crust, Grind and Death Metal acts. Sadly, some of the great DIY venues and bars that host the shows have closed since I moved to Australia 12 years ago but there’s still a lot of momentum in the underground music scene. I personally would like to see more mixed bill shows happening, but there's plenty going on despite the receding existence of venues.

BH: Cheers for answering the questions. Can't wait to see you up here! What's in the future for Cimiterium?

M: Cheers for the interview and support! We just played down here in Melbourne for the Contaminated album launch at the Gasso with Writhing, Carcinoid and Hematemesis, which was a killer show! We’re all looking forward to the show and trip to Nambour. Excited to be seeing Exit Ploom and Cerebral Erosion who Cimiterium has had the pleasure of playing with before, not to mention Skirmisher! It's such a stacked weekend!

For 2024 we’re hoping to get some more shows going, as well as recording tracks for our next release.

Catch Cimiterium on Saturday 20 April at Record Store Day at Bad Habit Records & Collectables, 80 Howard Street, Nambour. Doors open at 7am with tons of new stock out on the shelves and live DJs in the shop from 7.30am. Bands kick off at midday in the ramp space, with live sets from Fat Dog and the Tits (SC), Exit Ploom (Bris), Gudgeon (SC), Schkeuditzer Kreuz (Syd), Moth Trap (SC), Flogg (SC) and Double Sided Nail (SC). Free entry, all ages.

Order Cimiterium's self-titled EP from Bad Habit here. Listen and support on Bandcamp here.

Be sure to get along to all the shenanigans at Bad Habit Records and Collectables’ big Birthday Weekend over four huge days in Nambour. The details for your diary are:

Thursday 18 April
Wifecult, Glen, Extrafoxx, WORK?
Bad Habit/ Old Ambo
Doors 6pm – Tickets

Friday 19 April
Katorga (Melb), The Meat (Bris), Skirmisher (Bris), One More Billy (SC)
Bad Habit/ Old Ambo
Doors 6.30pm – Tickets

Saturday 20 April
Record Store Day at Bad Habit
Tons of new records out, Bad Habit RSD exclusives, Dedlee DJing in the shop
Doors open 7am – Free entry

Saturday 20 April
Cimiterium (Melb), Fat Dog and the Tits (SC), Exit Ploom (Bris), Gudgeon (SC), Schkeuditzer Kreuz (Syd), Moth Trap (SC), Flogg (SC), Double Sided Nail (SC)
Bad Habit/ Old Ambo
Starts 12pm midday – Tickets

Saturday 20 April
Carcinoid (Melb), Malignant Aura (Melb), Cerebral Erosion (Bris) and Slowcut (Bris)
The Presynct, 15 Ann St, Nambour
Doors 8pm – Tickets

Sunday 21 April
Record Fair and Vintage Market at Bad Habit/Old Ambo
Doors 7am – Free entry.

Sunday 21 April
Block Party at Quota Park
Jalang (Melb), Sick People (Bris), Pussy Jane (SC). Skate jam, street art, community.
From 2pm – Free entry, donations to travelling bands welcomed.