Cyrus Kriticos is a character from the 1960 horror flick “13 Ghosts,” and the namesake of Edmonton’s female fronted death/thrash metal band, Kriticos. Cyrus Kriticos was a ghost hunter that hunted ghosts specifically from the black zodiac to complete a machine called the “Ocularis Infernum” (Eye of Hell) that was designed by the devil and powered by the dead.

“Just as Cyrus Kriticos fueled the machine with spirits of the dead, we fuel our fans with the spirit of our music,” vocalist Cyn Mecredi explains.

Bassist Rick White takes the significance of the name a bit further, adding, “Kriticos signifies a new era in metal music and a driving force to be reckoned with. I think it also signifies how bands should be with their fans on a more personal level. I believe a band should be totally grateful to their fans…Pantera did it the right way.”

The band came together in January 2009. They played their first live show, a benefit show for the Edmonton Food Bank, at the Avenue Theater four months later. And in just one year, the band has come a long way. A solid and growing fan base keeps the band playing often in Edmonton, and they have recently started to venture out of province. They recorded their three-song EP, Nightmares Anthem and are already working on getting out a full-length album that they are hoping will be released in the summer of 2010. This album will be self-recorded like the EP.

“Building the album goes hand-in-hand with writing our material. As the songs are written, the pre-production for the songs is started. Tracks will be engineered at BloodThickerMusic and we are still in discussions about the mastering process and have a few producers in mind,” says drummer Jon Kurtz.

The four-piece didn’t just luck out with their quick rise in the metal scene. Every band member has some past experience to bring to the table. White has been playing bass since 1988, and his experiences in bands have taken him across the country, such as his last band Incidium from Newfoundland. Kurtz and his guitarist brother Guy have played together before in the late 1990s, with a band called A.O.S. The Kurtz brothers also have a lot of experience recording. Guy spent some time at the Grind Recording Studio learning various recording styles. Mecredi has been working her way into the music scene for a while now.

“I have been working at a local venue in Edmonton for the past two years, booking shows and working the door. Although Kriticos is my first actual band, I have built up experience jamming and auditioning with other bands along the way,” says Mecredi.

The band’s one year anniversary is January 2010. What are some of your long terms plans for the New Year?

Cyn Mecredi: Finishing the album and working getting our music out to as many people as possible, by means of the internet and touring as much as we can with bigger named bands. Also, to get the attention of record labels that have access to media, whether it be magazines, webzines and distribution of music and merchandise. Although the ultimate goal would be to sign with a label who offers tour support as we are a band that loves playing live.

The band has come a long way in just a year; what keeps you motivated?

Rick White: What keeps me motivated, personally, is my band mates, and the drive they put forth on a daily basis. This drive is what I have been seeking for a long time, and it shows through the music that we write, and through the uniqueness of our style, and desire to challenge ourselves incessantly. A big factor in motivation is the crowd reaction, and interaction, because we’ve gotten to know a lot of the fans over the past few months, and we get some very positive feedback, so we like to let them know that it truly means a lot to us.

Cyn: That feeling that you get after a show when you’ve played a kick ass set!

What did you learn from playing your first live show?

Guy: Well first off, any more than 48 beers and 60 oz. of Jack Daniels could be a problem. Fortunately for us it was a kick ass, kick to the throat good time. Playing shows it what we’re meant to do.

The band plays shows fairly often; what is the reasoning behind playing so much?

Rick: We play so much because we’re a live band, and that’s why I believe we were put on this earth…also, because we believe in the music we write and if it gains more fans every time we’re up there, then it’s worth it. And to hear the response still gives me chills. I also believe that word of mouth is such a powerful tool for promoting the band, so if someone really likes us, or hates us, they’re still going to talk about us.

How often do you play out of town?

Guy: Not enough. We would like to have a booking agency/label involved for their expertise in touring. If we had a Winnebago with a DD, it would be really kick ass.

You were just in Saskatchewan; what was that experience like?

Rick: It wasn’t a very good experience for us, because it was poorly promoted as well as we were put on the bill with all non-metal bands. The bands we played with were good at what they did, but it wasn’t really something that we would normally do. We still had a good time, and I’m glad we did it. It was a long drive and it was friggin cold as f**k, but I don’t regret it for a second.

Who are some of the biggest influences for the band?

Cyn: Watching my friends’ bands for the past five years, witnessing their experiences and achievements and wanting that experience for myself. Also, all the people that I met through my life that have influenced my taste in music such as my friend Matthew Poelzer, lead vocalist and lead guitarist for Beyond Addiction. Who, over the past couple of years, introduced me to the music I love today.

Jon Kurtz: I caught some footage of Pantera’s “Monster’s of Moscow.” Watching Phil Anselmo introduce “Primal Concrete Sledge” with all those people gave me shivers. That’s when I knew I had to play.

Does the band get a lot of skepticism from first time listeners due to having a female vocalist?

Guy: If there is skepticism, there is none after the show!