Interview with CROTALINE
!!!METAL MANIACS FROM THE USA!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about CROTALINE (Members, Starting Year etc).
Crotaline at its core is a duo of Cerastes and Astharoth. The project was birthed in 2021 in the sleepy hollow of Oxford, Ohio. We have gone through many live iterations of the group and our current lineup consists of Cerastes on Drums, Astharoth on guitars, and Desecrator from Unholy Altar filling in on vocals. We started the project out of our shared love for those creatures that crawl and slither beneath the muck.
You are going to release your live cassette ''Live in Brooklyn ''. Tell us a few things about this project.
We were super excited to play a show with our brethren in Blasted Heath from Indianapolis and it was with great pleasure that we were able to glean a live recording from that show in June. Given that Crotaline revels in a live environment, we felt releasing the performance would demonstrate the strongest aspects of our sound: the commitment to raw brutish worship of snakes and satan.
Label or DIY and why?
Our partnership extends beyond the band into a label of our own making. Liminal Dread Productions began in 2022 and Crotaline released our demo through it in October of 2023. We enjoy the freedom that owning and operating our own label provides. We get the benefit of DIY with the added benefit of fostering a community within extreme metal.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Perhaps our most vivid show memory was during a house show in the serpent’s birthplace of Oxford, Ohio. The house was quite old and for some reason they decided to put the band’s in the attic. The collective weight of everybody and the equipment caused the whole upper floor to sag with every beat and by the end of the set I was convinced the whole building was going to collapse. Though that would undoubtedly be an exceptionally metal way to expire it stands as a prominent memory for both of us instead.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Cerastes is partial to tape and that is the format our two releases thus far. Astharoth like many an old- school man prefers vinyl but also enjoys the analog warmth of tape and the ease of distribution that accompanies digital releases. Ultimately we support whatever means by which one can embrace the serpent’s tongue.
Your music style is Black/Speed Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Early on we definitely embraced speed more but as we move forward working on our first LP we like to describe ourselves with a moniker once given to us by Chevy from Skullovich who donned us the “Black Metal Black Sabbath”. Both of us are partial to slower mid-paced first wave black metal like Celtic Frost, Samael, and Mortuary Drape. Another key influence is Darkthrone with a special appreciation for modern efforts. We cover “Alp Man” on the live album.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
Any band will end up having to sacrifice time and comfort to be successful. Both of us moved out of our hometowns to Philadelphia in order to be together in an active scene and we’ve both spent many a sleepless night (Shout out King Diamond) on the road. You have to make music a big part of your life or it never will be.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
I think both of us dream of being on stage at a festival or touring with larger bands. We love the passion and drive in the underground but there’s a magic to large gatherings that can’t be replicated in a dive bar.
What attributes do you think that a new Black Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
I think both of us believe strongly in drawing on influences from outside of black metal. Whether that’s an adjacent metal genre like doom or even beyond that in terms of punk or shoegaze it’s helpful to offer something novel through the fusion of existing sounds. Too many bands are concerned with how they’re perceived and whether or not they’re kvlt enough. Make the music you want and be proud of it.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Black Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
In general we see it as a positive. The barrier for entry for music-making is so much lower than it used to be and it’s lead to so many unique and underappreciated bands coming to the forefront. That being said the internet does sometimes dilute the scene with a lot of copycat acts doing similar things. It can be easy to be lost in the slew of new black metal projects. That’s why it’s still very important to make connections with your local scene and have an identity outside the internet.
Do you see any differences between the US Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
There’s more of a regional identity to genres in Europe. Different countries are more closely to specific sounds. Because the US is so big it tends to be more disparate in the distribution of certain sounds and genres.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Well obviously Decibel is Philly based so they have a big influence on the culture here. There 20th anniversary fest was awesome with Autopsy and Immolation playing. The underground is strong and lively with many bands interested in old-school sounds similar to our own predilections. Bands like Skullovich, Grozov, Spiter, and Unholy Altar are really bringing the grimy and raucous sounds of the 80s and 90s back while keeping it fresh. Some great venues to catch local shows at are PhilaMoca, Foto Club, and Kung Fu Necktie.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
The Hellenic black metal scene has some true legends. Rotting Christ tours the US regularly and are always a blast. Spectral Lore and Astarte are both exceptional contributions as well. It’s a scene that gets overlooked but has a very unique set of characteristics that differentiate it from some of their EU peers.
In the last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange, and new situations in our everyday lives (covid, lockdown, etc.). Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
Like most people the past few years have come with a host of trials and tribulations. No one has escaped it unscathed but in many ways the stress and uncertainty of that time fueled us to form and develop Crotaline and we are grateful for the path that difficulty set us on.
What are your future plans?
We are currently interpreting the serpent’s will into the earthly form of our first LP. We expect to birth such horrors early 2025.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you for taking an interest in our efforts. We hope to see some of your readers on the other side of the stage some day!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
Photo credits: @elizabeth_dambrosio
CROTALINE CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/crotaline
https://www.instagram.com/_crotaline_/
https://crotaline.bandcamp.com/music