CRANIAL - Where Sludge Meets Sonic Chaos. ... (Germany - Sludge/Post-Metal - Interview with Julian & Bastian).

Hello ! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you - your encounter with this musical universe, what appealed to you, what fascinated you and what made you want to get into music?
Julian: Hey, I’m Julian. I play bass, do vocals, and take care of samples and noise. My connection to loud music started early, when i began listening to records from someone close to me. What really got me was that it gave me a way to express things i couldn’t put into words before. At the same time and later, I always had friends to make this kind of music together. That’s mostly what kept me going and sticking with it.
Bastian: My name is Bastian, i play guitar and handle most of the logistic stuff, booking, social media and so on. I got into music when i was a young teenager – for me it was a tool to express myself and it helped me, to question the things around me. D.I.Y.- culture showed me that everbody can make noise - just do it if you want to. There are no barriers when you want to express yourself through sound.

Tell me about the band... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band?
Julian: At the very beginning of the band, i already knew our guitarist Basti. He introduced me to Michael and Cornelius. After just a few rehearsals, we could tell we shared a similar taste in music. From one practice to the next, we kept pushing our ideas, and everyone brought in what we were into. We just had a good time with what we were doing and how we were doing it. The current lineup is Michael, Basti, Felix, and me.This band exists for the reasons i mentioned before, and also because we’ve always seen ourselves as four friends who just love making loud music.
Bastian: After the end of Omega Massif Michael reached out to me. He had already started riffing with Cornelius on drums. I brought Julian to our first session and that was the beginning - more than 10 years ago.

Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
Julian: I think we sit somewhere between Sludge and Post-Metal. Heavy, crushing stuff that builds tension slowly. It moves between atmospheric passages and massive outbursts. That’s Cranial. You should check us out if you’re into deep, crushing of guitars, driven bass and drums, as well as raw, almost primal vocals that hit you hard but still make you feel understood.

Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ?
Julian: I’ve always written the lyrics in a way that reflects what was on my mind at the time. Kind of like capturing a picture of how things felt in that moment. Most of it comes from personal experiences with other people and what I was learning about myself.

About the band's discography... Imagine someone who doesn't know your band at all and wants to get interested in.. Which release would you
recommend to start with, and why?
Julian: I’d recommend our latest release. Simply because it’s the one, i’m most excited about right now. I get to play these songs live now, and I really connect with what’s going on on that record. Lyrically and musically. That’s a pretty good reason, i think, to pass it on just like that.

About your latest release ?
Julian: We recorded at the end of March 2025 with Jens at RAMA Studio in Mannheim. All of us were equally involved in shaping the content of the album. The artwork was done by our longtime partner and friend Oliver - from Hummelgrafik. The album was released through Moment of Collapse Records, who’ve been putting out all of our records and supporting us for a long time. It’s available on vinyl, CD and digital.

Future plans ?
Julian: Playing live and meeting great people at shows.
Bastian: Playing live, meeting people and recording more music.

Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
Julian: I already think it’s pretty wild to realize that our music actually moves people. That it sparks something in them, hearing it live at shows. For me, that feels really connecting and makes the music come alive.
Bastian: Writing music for a play or a movie, playing a show on an old boat (open sea) or making noise in order to drown out Nazi-Protestors.

Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?
Julian: For me, every show matters and is good, even the „bad” ones. Because that’s when I learn how to do things better and get a sense of what I can improve. So I can feel good about what I’m doing. A real highlight for me was getting to play bigs festivals abroad (Dunk Fest, Soulcrusher).
Bastian: We played a show in Chemnitz a couple of years ago, where i realized within a song that i forget my ebow-effect in the backstage and i needed it for the next part in the song. I had to leave the stage and run to get the ebow - while the rest of the band went on with the song. I am not sure if that was the worst concert but i remember that as stressful altough it was kinda funny. Best show for me does not mean a big stage and a packed room with hundreds of people - yelling to your music. For me a good show happens when the energy in the room and on stage feels right - no matter how many people are watching or if i or the other guys in the band fuck up. For me taking everything not too serious helps to get a good time on stage and maybe a good show at the end of the day. Nothing and nobody has to be 100 % perfect - at least for me.

Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ?
Love and respect to our friends in Blacksmoker, Malm and Zerre.

Next live-appearance(s) ?
02.05. BREMEN – SCHLACHTHOF // HELLSEATIC FESTIVAL
13.06. STRAßBURG – MOLODI // ITAWAK FESTIVAL
07.11. HALLE – HÜHNERMANHATTAN

Last word is yours..
Thanks a lot for the interview, and all the best to you.



Credits :
Band Pic by Sabine BUBALIK.
Live pics by Ben ZODIAZEPIN.