Cranial Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Cranial was founded in 2014 by Michael (guitar) after Omega Massif broke up. He started to write with Cornelius (drums) and then reached out to me (Bastian, guitar, vocals). I brought Julian to one of our first practises (bass, vocals, drones) and the lineup was complete.


2.So far you have released an ep and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

It’s hard to describe your own music. But i think what we do is something in the scope of heavy, noisey and atmospheric sludge.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The lyrics touch mostly dark personal themes but i think that one can find something that’s relevant and maybe also political patterns. The lyrics are not that cryptic so it’s up to you.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cranial'?
There is no special inspiration behind the name. Neither there is a deeper meaning. For us the name is a cool sounding handy idea and fits with the music since we try to deliver a lot of heavy noise directed to everybody's heads and meant to shatter your ears and brains.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

The Droneburg- and Droneberg-Festival in Hamburg and Berlin was really great. Nice venues, well organized and attended and the lineup was sick: Buried at sea and Switchblade played among others. Since everyone in the band is really dedicated and delivers intensely we enjoyed nearly every show we played so far.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
We played some shows recently to promote our new album in Germany. We will continue to do so for the rest of the year. Maybe we can play a few shows outside of Germany in the near future. We recognize that some interest is there but we have family’s and work full time. So we have to see what it’s possible.

7.The new album was released on 'Moment Of Collapse Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
MOC contacted us after we recorded our EP and since then we are really happy to work with them. Their support, trust, the opportunities they provide us with and what they do for us is immense.
C: I have to confess, that before they contacted us, I was not conscious of the label itself. Unfortunately! Because they work with some really good bands I now enjoy a lot.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of sludge, doom and post metal?
Shortly after the release of our EP, the awareness within grew on a moderate level. Now since our first full length is officially released, the feedback has been great so far. People from everywhere reach out to us and a lot of really nice and lauding reviews came in.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

There is no plan or concept. What’s really great about this band is that everyone of the four of us can bring ideas and nothing is determined. We play riffs and construct sounds we like to hear, so we will see what feels cool to us.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
There is a lot. Too much to list. For me it’s Hc/Punk, Sludge, Crust, Grind, Indie and also some Pop.
C: I was socialized more in a metal background (the big four and Maiden, that sort of stuff). Once being hooked, the influences broadened. Now I’m listening mostly to “heavy music” but I also sometimes enjoy hiphop, different singer-songwriters and so on.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?
For me it’s common stuff, to boring to tell here.



12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you for this interview!