One band, one recording as an EP and a five orthodox maniacs from Spain. The speech is about a fairly new KROSSFYRE band worshiping old traditions, directness, savagery, hardness and natural wilderness of Metal. Exactly like this, the Metal of 80's and the early 90's should have been, nails, leather, studs, patches, cartridge belts. Once the Metal was about this and now it gets more civilian elements. Just KROSSFYRE is a band trying to keep the black flame and the original spirit not only in this direction but also in music. Whoever would expect something modern or progressive he will certainly be disappointed. The new "Burning Torches" offers a return to past, frenzied guitar solos, crushing riffs and dark-beating drums accompanied by a maniacal vocal. It is unlikely to be surprising that members of this group are guys from other bands like Sheidim, Suspiral, Graveyard, Apologethia, Morbid Flesh and others. Put the CD in the player, open the beer and turn the volume madly high, KROSSFYRE is coming! The questions were answered by C. (guit).
How did you get the KROSSFYRE name? I have to admit that name sounds impressive, like a true Metal name. Does this name have any special, deeper meaning to you? Also the logo is completely classic...
It is taken from the Katharsis song Kross Fyre, from the VVorldVVithoutEnd album. We had some ideas, but this one ended up fitting the concept we have for the band. I think the band’s name must show what the music is about, and I can’t imagine a better name for us. The logo is based mainly on classic 80s Heavy Metal bands, and it was drawn by our friend Norax Martínez. Check out his works!
Could you write a story about KROSSFYRE? All of you play in various more than interesting bands from Suspiral, Sheidim, Graveyard to Morbid Flesh, Lux Divina, Apologoethia. But in KROSSFYRE you play old "iron", classic Metal. How did you all get together and what kind of idea did you go to fight with?
Some of us talked for some time about forming a Heavy Metal band, but some reasons, mainly the lack of a good singer, made it impossible. I end up jamming with J.G. during some sessions fueled with wine, beer and everything else we could drink and we realized we had some cool riffs that didn’t fit in any of our other bands, so we talked with the rest of the guys and started to take it seriously. The idea is pretty obvious if you listen to the music: raw and fast riffs in the vein of Bathory, Motörhead, Venom, Vulcano,… mixed with classic Heavy Metal vibe and melodies. It is not meant to be just some kind of tribute, just play something we think it is interesting and powerful.
You have released first recording of "Burning Torches" in the form of EP. Is this exactly the kind of Metal you want to play and the path you want to walk? How would you define your music?
Yes it is. I think the recording end up being even better than we expected and really close to what we had in mind. It was recorded and mixed in less than 3 days at Moontower Studios with the guitarist J.F., and almost everything recorded in 1 take. Since we all have recorded and played in many other projects we thought it was a waste of time to record just a cheap demo, so we thought a professional EP was the best first step.
Could you write something more about KROSSFYRE philosophy? Many bands play music (Metal) simply for fun and they do not even know why they actually play. They mostly answer because they enjoy it. Is there anything more in your playing than just entertainment and the desire to make something other than your other musical activities?
One thing goes hand in hand with the other. I mean, you have to enjoy it, or it is stupidly masochist. Having a band means time, money, squeeze your brains, dealing with 90% of non-musical stupid things and a lot of crap that breaks your balls. It needs to mean something deeper or it is not worth it at all. If I just wanted to play for fun I would just jam covers with friends and drink beers.
According to some indices, some fans compare you to the Swedish Nifelheim legend. In my opinion you play a similar Metal style, but your harmony, whether in riffs or guitar solos, seems clearer to me, possibly more influenced by classic Heavy Metal. How do you see it from your point of view?
It is obvious that Nifelheim, Necrophobic, Watain and other bands that mix rude, raw riffs with melody are a huge influence to us. I don’t agree with you since I think Nifelheim have a huge Heavy Metal influence; that’s what make them unique. I can’t understand people that call themselves Metal fans and don’t listen to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Deep Purple or Black Sabbat, it is nonsense. We don’t want to be a copycat tribute band, but some of the strongest influences are there.
According to the photos you look more like a middle-aged guys, so no greenhorns. How did you get to Metal Music in general and which bands had so much influence on you that you started listening to this music intensely and massively? Do you think the time you started to listen to this music, the scene was different opposite today?
I’m the youngest guy in the band, but we all have been into bands and shit before. When I started to listen to Metal I was a kid and my favorite bands were Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deep Purple, Saxon,… Then I discovered Kreator, Celtic Frost, Death, Mayhem, Darkthrone and so on. It hasn’t changed much since then. I can’t tell you how the ‘scene’ was since I had no idea such a thing existed, I discovered it during my teenager days. It makes no sense to me to listen to Master’s Hammer before Motörhead, or say your favorite band is Beherit.
Do you believe the image and overall aura around the Metal band plays a more important role than the ordinary civilian outlook? What does leather, metal, nails, bullets, chains, blood, skulls, heavy boots and so on mean to you? Are you supporter of these old properties?
It sounds like it is some kind of military crap! But I think I understand you. We like it raw, straight and Metal. We are not the fucking Liberace, with candles and cloaks everywhere. If you focus more in the non-musical stuff than the actual songs something is wrong, isn’t it? That’s a refuge for the mediocre. Saying that, it makes no sense to play metal and be a metalhead if you dress like a fucking hipster, or if you just have a costume to show on gigs. Fuck them all!!
Maybe you agree that when you was younger, you lived a more wild life, maybe you had withstand more alcohol, took part in some fights and so on. Do you feel your priorities are changing by age, or you are still the same savage and nothing has changed in these times?
I just can talk for myself, but I think the older I am, the more retarded, knucklehead and lazy I become.
You come from Spain, a country with strong Metal feel, with traditions and even though there is no big Metal legend like Slayer or Bathory, your underground scene has been strong since the 80's. Which bands from your country would you highlight as the most interesting and the best ones and when do you think your scene was the strongest?
I don’t really think we have a strong underground scene at all. If you talk about extreme sounds now is better than ever, with bands like Teitanblood, Balmog, Ered, Körgull the Exterminator, Andhord,… that sound professional, but I don’t think it exists a scene itself, whatever that means. There is not a “Spanish sound” so to say, but even on the mainstream metal exists any Spanish band known everywhere. Portugal has Moonspell, and they had some kind of Black Metal scene back in the days. Same, and better, with Yugoslavia or Czech Republic, and they were way more fucked up than Spain. This is the country of “we will do it manana”, full of plaintive assholes that say if they were Swedish they would be famous. We had a few cool Heavy Metal bands in the 80s like Barón Rojo, Obús, Ángeles del Infierno, Leno or Banzai. Also other bands like Aggressor, Obscure, Necrophiliac or Feretrum made great early Death Metal works.
Part of your members comes from Catalonia, from part of Spain that wants its autonomy and independence. How do you perceive it personally but also the other guys in the band who come from there? Spanish history is quite complicated from this point of view, but also interesting ...
We have different points of view, but since Krossfyre is not a political band it doesn’t matter. Actually it doesn’t change any of our present and future plans. Fuck all kind of politics in music.
What can we expect from KROSSFYRE this year? Do you focus on new material? How much is the band a priority for you as you play in many other bands? Have you ever played some live gigs?
We want to play live, but unfortunately our bass player recently left the band, and it is hard as fuck to find somebody that fits 100% with us. Krossfyre it is not just a side studio project, but we all play in different bands that are active so it is hard to make our schedules fit sometimes. Right now we are working hard on new songs for our first LP that is going to blow your head if you liked Burning Torches!!
https://krossfyre.bandcamp.com/
C. 27. 3. 2018 Mortuary
How did you get the KROSSFYRE name? I have to admit that name sounds impressive, like a true Metal name. Does this name have any special, deeper meaning to you? Also the logo is completely classic...
It is taken from the Katharsis song Kross Fyre, from the VVorldVVithoutEnd album. We had some ideas, but this one ended up fitting the concept we have for the band. I think the band’s name must show what the music is about, and I can’t imagine a better name for us. The logo is based mainly on classic 80s Heavy Metal bands, and it was drawn by our friend Norax Martínez. Check out his works!
Could you write a story about KROSSFYRE? All of you play in various more than interesting bands from Suspiral, Sheidim, Graveyard to Morbid Flesh, Lux Divina, Apologoethia. But in KROSSFYRE you play old "iron", classic Metal. How did you all get together and what kind of idea did you go to fight with?
Some of us talked for some time about forming a Heavy Metal band, but some reasons, mainly the lack of a good singer, made it impossible. I end up jamming with J.G. during some sessions fueled with wine, beer and everything else we could drink and we realized we had some cool riffs that didn’t fit in any of our other bands, so we talked with the rest of the guys and started to take it seriously. The idea is pretty obvious if you listen to the music: raw and fast riffs in the vein of Bathory, Motörhead, Venom, Vulcano,… mixed with classic Heavy Metal vibe and melodies. It is not meant to be just some kind of tribute, just play something we think it is interesting and powerful.
You have released first recording of "Burning Torches" in the form of EP. Is this exactly the kind of Metal you want to play and the path you want to walk? How would you define your music?
Yes it is. I think the recording end up being even better than we expected and really close to what we had in mind. It was recorded and mixed in less than 3 days at Moontower Studios with the guitarist J.F., and almost everything recorded in 1 take. Since we all have recorded and played in many other projects we thought it was a waste of time to record just a cheap demo, so we thought a professional EP was the best first step.
Could you write something more about KROSSFYRE philosophy? Many bands play music (Metal) simply for fun and they do not even know why they actually play. They mostly answer because they enjoy it. Is there anything more in your playing than just entertainment and the desire to make something other than your other musical activities?
One thing goes hand in hand with the other. I mean, you have to enjoy it, or it is stupidly masochist. Having a band means time, money, squeeze your brains, dealing with 90% of non-musical stupid things and a lot of crap that breaks your balls. It needs to mean something deeper or it is not worth it at all. If I just wanted to play for fun I would just jam covers with friends and drink beers.
According to some indices, some fans compare you to the Swedish Nifelheim legend. In my opinion you play a similar Metal style, but your harmony, whether in riffs or guitar solos, seems clearer to me, possibly more influenced by classic Heavy Metal. How do you see it from your point of view?
It is obvious that Nifelheim, Necrophobic, Watain and other bands that mix rude, raw riffs with melody are a huge influence to us. I don’t agree with you since I think Nifelheim have a huge Heavy Metal influence; that’s what make them unique. I can’t understand people that call themselves Metal fans and don’t listen to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Deep Purple or Black Sabbat, it is nonsense. We don’t want to be a copycat tribute band, but some of the strongest influences are there.
According to the photos you look more like a middle-aged guys, so no greenhorns. How did you get to Metal Music in general and which bands had so much influence on you that you started listening to this music intensely and massively? Do you think the time you started to listen to this music, the scene was different opposite today?
I’m the youngest guy in the band, but we all have been into bands and shit before. When I started to listen to Metal I was a kid and my favorite bands were Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deep Purple, Saxon,… Then I discovered Kreator, Celtic Frost, Death, Mayhem, Darkthrone and so on. It hasn’t changed much since then. I can’t tell you how the ‘scene’ was since I had no idea such a thing existed, I discovered it during my teenager days. It makes no sense to me to listen to Master’s Hammer before Motörhead, or say your favorite band is Beherit.
Do you believe the image and overall aura around the Metal band plays a more important role than the ordinary civilian outlook? What does leather, metal, nails, bullets, chains, blood, skulls, heavy boots and so on mean to you? Are you supporter of these old properties?
It sounds like it is some kind of military crap! But I think I understand you. We like it raw, straight and Metal. We are not the fucking Liberace, with candles and cloaks everywhere. If you focus more in the non-musical stuff than the actual songs something is wrong, isn’t it? That’s a refuge for the mediocre. Saying that, it makes no sense to play metal and be a metalhead if you dress like a fucking hipster, or if you just have a costume to show on gigs. Fuck them all!!
Maybe you agree that when you was younger, you lived a more wild life, maybe you had withstand more alcohol, took part in some fights and so on. Do you feel your priorities are changing by age, or you are still the same savage and nothing has changed in these times?
I just can talk for myself, but I think the older I am, the more retarded, knucklehead and lazy I become.
You come from Spain, a country with strong Metal feel, with traditions and even though there is no big Metal legend like Slayer or Bathory, your underground scene has been strong since the 80's. Which bands from your country would you highlight as the most interesting and the best ones and when do you think your scene was the strongest?
I don’t really think we have a strong underground scene at all. If you talk about extreme sounds now is better than ever, with bands like Teitanblood, Balmog, Ered, Körgull the Exterminator, Andhord,… that sound professional, but I don’t think it exists a scene itself, whatever that means. There is not a “Spanish sound” so to say, but even on the mainstream metal exists any Spanish band known everywhere. Portugal has Moonspell, and they had some kind of Black Metal scene back in the days. Same, and better, with Yugoslavia or Czech Republic, and they were way more fucked up than Spain. This is the country of “we will do it manana”, full of plaintive assholes that say if they were Swedish they would be famous. We had a few cool Heavy Metal bands in the 80s like Barón Rojo, Obús, Ángeles del Infierno, Leno or Banzai. Also other bands like Aggressor, Obscure, Necrophiliac or Feretrum made great early Death Metal works.
Part of your members comes from Catalonia, from part of Spain that wants its autonomy and independence. How do you perceive it personally but also the other guys in the band who come from there? Spanish history is quite complicated from this point of view, but also interesting ...
We have different points of view, but since Krossfyre is not a political band it doesn’t matter. Actually it doesn’t change any of our present and future plans. Fuck all kind of politics in music.
What can we expect from KROSSFYRE this year? Do you focus on new material? How much is the band a priority for you as you play in many other bands? Have you ever played some live gigs?
We want to play live, but unfortunately our bass player recently left the band, and it is hard as fuck to find somebody that fits 100% with us. Krossfyre it is not just a side studio project, but we all play in different bands that are active so it is hard to make our schedules fit sometimes. Right now we are working hard on new songs for our first LP that is going to blow your head if you liked Burning Torches!!
https://krossfyre.bandcamp.com/
C. 27. 3. 2018 Mortuary
Black Jaws of Evil
interview
