Technical death metal legends Origin have been melting minds for over two decades, and we recently had the chance to sit down with vocalist Jason Keyser during their latest tour. From reminiscing about the gritty days of upstate New York’s underground scene to sharing his thoughts on the evolution of death metal and streaming services, Jason gave us a raw, unfiltered look into his world.
Jason:
We just started a conversation about—you know, who knows who—and somebody from, you know, way back, years and years ago from upstate New York, where I’m from, chimed in and said, “What’s up?” Yeah, the Albany area doesn’t really get as much recognition as it deserves.
Back in the late ’90s and early 2000s, it was all about bands like Devoid of Faith, Monster X, and all that. That was a little before my time, but right after that, bands like Stigmata got really big. Section 8 was a hardcore band from upstate that was just monstrous. They did a reunion show a couple of years ago, and people flew in from Japan, Europe—just for a local upstate New York gig. And of course, Skinless came from there.
It was awesome because it was so close to the city, but still accessible. All the hardcore influence from NYC mixed with the death metal that was blowing up in upstate NY. For a couple years, everything was huge. A lot of great bands came from there.
But in the last 5–10 years, it’s been rough. Half our venues burned down. There’s barely anything left. But a couple of tried-and-true soldiers are still booking shows. Black N’ Blue and the hardcore band Brick By Brick—they’re still doing really well, touring a lot.
Just reminiscing, man—those were the golden days. Some of the craziest shows I’ve ever seen in my life happened up there. I don’t know if it was just because I was young and impressionable, but there used to be a venue called QE2 in Albany. Tiny as hell, but legendary. Acid Bath played there. Marilyn Manson played there before they were big.
I saw someone get killed in that venue. First time I ever saw someone actually get hammered—with a real hammer—in the pit. Just swinging it around with total disregard for human safety. But that’s what it was—wild. Everyone was a part of it. Good times.
Albany wasn’t sprawling like NYC. You saw the same people at every show. There was this bar, Hudson Duster, in Troy, NY—basically a biker bar, owned by friends. Badass dudes. You’d sit at the bar and if someone walked in who wasn’t a regular, you’d think, “Yeah, that guy’s getting beat up tonight.” And you’d usually be right—99 times out of 10. In a fun way. Until someone actually died there. Then they had to shut it down.
Golden years, man. Everybody thinks their scene was the best. I’m 36 now. So, late ’90s/mid-’90s—that was the perfect era for me.
Aldo Guzman:
Alright man, really excited about this tour. It’s actually my first time seeing you guys live, but I’ve been a longtime fan. Thing is, I listened to you guys for years without knowing it. Someone made me a mix CD, and I was like, “Who the hell is this band?” A few months later, they finally told me it was you.
Jason:
[Laughs] Yeah, those mix CDs are gonna be as archaic as mixtapes now. I don’t even remember the last time I burned a CD. Sad, wistful memories—going to the drugstore to buy a 10-pack just to burn some tunes.
Aldo Guzman:
So first question—how have you seen technical death metal evolve since Origin started? Has equipment or the internet changed things?
Jason:
Definitely. The internet is the big one. These days, you can find incredible musicians online who just learn everything from YouTube. They don’t have to struggle and figure it out like we did. It’s good and bad. On one hand, you get amazing talent. But on the other, there’s less sweat and blood. You can just start a band overnight using software and tutorials.
There’s a fine line. Like, there’s a difference between using tools to improve and relying on things like Guitar Pro to just construct a song. There’s no serendipity in that. No happy accidents.
Still, some people push boundaries and stay creative, and that’s awesome. But yeah, 20 years ago when Paul started Origin, his obsession with shredding was all that kept him going. No online shortcuts.
Old man talk, I know—but it’s not better or worse. Just different.
Aldo Guzman:
What about your hometown crowds? Are they crazier than anywhere else?
Jason:
I mean, it’s tough—we have a bunch of hometowns now. Paul lives in San Francisco, so he’s got fans there. The band started in Topeka, Kansas, so Kansas City and Lawrence always show up. Those people have been with us from the beginning.
But crowds aren’t necessarily better or worse depending on location. Every show can be wild in its own way.
Aldo Guzman:
How about Europe? What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen at a European show?
Jason:
Oh man—Obscene Extreme in the Czech Republic. That’s the most insane, dedicated crowd you’ll ever meet. The second you get out of the van, you’re greeted by twelve naked, drunk Czech dudes rolling around in the mud.
We played there in 2007 and 2012. Those were the two drunkest days of my life. And I drink. In 2007, I had to rescue my bass player from drowning in like an inch of mud. He was that hammered.
Giant Slovak dudes literally bear-hug you, carry you to the bar, and start pouring Becherovka down your throat. It’s beautiful. Like Beerfest, only more intense.
Aldo Guzman:
From Unparalleled Universe, I really dug that Brujeria cover. Why that song, why that band?
Jason:
Kind of a stupid story, honestly. We’ve done a cover on our last few records, and it’s become a tradition. But we always argue about which song. John and I want to do something unexpected—not brutal—and make it brutal. Paul and Mike want to cover classic death metal stuff.
Brujeria was the compromise. We did it in Spanish, which none of us really speak, but I’ve loved them forever, so I had no problem. That album was one of my favorites growing up. Jessica Pimentel from Alekhine’s Gun—she’s an actress now, too—did backup vocals and a spoken-word part. She was perfect for it.
Aldo:
How’d you guys meet Jessica?
Jason:
She’s from NYC, I’m from upstate. Her band used to come up and play, and we just stayed in touch over the years. Watching her rise has been super rad. She was the only person I thought of for that song.
Aldo:
What’s the hardest part about recording a tech death album?
Jason:
It depends on who you’re working with. We’ve got some absolute pros—John, Paul, Mike—they’re masters. So, it’s not that hard. We actually finished the last album ahead of schedule.
But the studio’s still the worst part. We’re a live band. We feed off crowd energy. In the studio, everything is magnified—your flaws, your insecurities. No crowd, no adrenaline. Just you, the mic, and the pressure.
I’ve done seven albums across four bands, and I still hate the process. But it has to be done.
Aldo:
What bands influenced your sound, especially thematically—like the space themes?
Jason:
That’s mostly Paul. He writes the core of the music. Of course we all have our influences, but we never set out to sound like anyone. That’s a luxury, honestly. We’re not locked into a formula like some bands. On the last album, we wrote our slowest song ever—“Invariance Under Transformation”—and people dug it.
We can experiment, and people are open to it. That’s a blessing.
Aldo:
Last question—what do you think about streaming services? Helping or hurting?
Jason:
Depends on the level. If you’re a band expected to sell 100,000 records and your label gave you a fat advance, yeah, streaming kills you. But for us, we’ve never made significant income from album sales.
Metal fans are super loyal, though. They’ll bootleg your album, then come to the show and buy it from you. That keeps it alive.
We survive from touring. Streaming doesn’t help us much financially, but it does with exposure. Every tour we hear people say, “How have I never heard of you? You’ve been around 20 years!” The internet doesn’t always surface the right bands, but at least it lets people discover us eventually.
Aldo:
Awesome man, thank you so much for your time. Super stoked to see you play tonight.
Jason:
Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
From the basement bars of Albany to the festival stages of Europe, Jason Keyser and Origin continue to push the boundaries of technical death metal—with grit, precision, and a DIY ethos that hasn’t changed since day one.Catch them live, and if you bootleg the album, just be sure to buy a shirt at the merch table.
Watch the full video interview below
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