Interviews: Cronos Compulsion

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Death Metal band Cronos Compulsion from the USA. Check out the interview and follow this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it or come out just like that?

Addison: The name comes from an archaeological term for hacking up dead bodies. Historians aren't sure if this was done out of practicality, cannibalism, an early funeral practice, or all of the above.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Addison: I've been listening to metal and punk since middle school and got into death metal in high school, and my dad taught me to play guitar at a young age, so I've been playing heavy music for decades. Wil and I have been playing metal together since the early 2000s. I love all kinds of metal and music, but this is just how this project came out.

Wil: Death metal just sat right with me the first time I heard it. The groove, technicality, and heaviness have always hooked me.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Addison: Wil and I have been friends and dating since high school, and we're married and live together. Zach, who joined the band in 2024, was already our friend before joining. We knew him because we played in Astral Tomb, with whom we toured. Raye joined the band in 2024 as well. He was also already our friend because the scene is small, and he plays with me in Among the Bodies, which is his band.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Raye: The Acacia Strain

Addison: Pig Destroyer

Wil: Defeated Sanity and Carcass

Zach: Meshuggah

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Raye: Castles

Addison: With Cronos, I'm inspired to make a statement about current events through a historical lens.

Wil: I like writing lyrics that are brutal and gruesome, but are rooted in reality. All of our songs are about humanity's history with violence and how it looks in the modern world.

6. Where was your last gig?

Addison: Seventh Circle Music Collective, a DIY spot here in Denver

7. Where would you like to act?

Addison: We've toured the West Coast a few times, and we're touring the Midwest next week! We'd love to tour the East Coast and eventually tour outside the U.S.

Wil: Definitely east coast and eventually get overseas!

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Addison: Any cool local Denver players or national death metal bands—We're not picky, we love collaboration!

Wil: There's some really cool, underrated death metal here in Denver like Discordant Meditation, Triiune, or Vexing. There's a ton of folks we'd like to do splits or tour with, too many to name!

9. Who not?

Addison: We wouldn't want to work with anyone racist, homophobic, transphobic, or in any way prejudiced. Other than that, we love working with as many folks as possible.

Wil: We're a more straightforward death metal band, but we love playing with hardcore and punk bands. We like to get outside of metal when we can. Obviously we don't fuck with any bigots as Addie already said.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Raye: Keep playing shows. The best things in life happen when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Addison: I had horrible stage fright at first, and I still don't feel super confident talking on the mic or having some big stage presence. I'd say take a lot of gigs at first so you get used to playing live, even if some are smaller. And I can't overstate the importance of practicing! That helped me feel so much more confident.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Addison: Too many to name, but I especially look around at local bands like Vermin Womb, Primitive Man, In the Company of Serpents, who have "made it" a bit more in the world of metal but still try to give smaller bands like us a platform. Ethan from Vermin Womb, Primitive Man, and Heavy Talent booking inspires me because he's not a wealthy white dude, but he's still making it in Denver metal, and he has great ethos and is super supportive of other bands and artists.

Wil: Sepultura, Cannibal Corpse, and Jimi Hendrix.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Addison: Sometimes folks are a little creepy because I'm a woman and ask for hugs. I understand some people are just huggers and want to hug the whole band, but some people are creeps. The best dad joke we've ever gotten was when someone's dad asked us if our name means that we're always on time.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Addison: Anyone who is a fan of our band in any capacity is amazing—We have folks who enjoy our music across the U.S. and even globally, which always blows my mind. I've met a lot of our fans who are queer, women, or people of color, which is also amazing to see. I hope they feel accepted when they listen to our music and come to our shows; that's the type of vibe we're trying to have.

Wil: I'm just happy to play music for anyone who enjoys it. The stuff we play isn't exactly accessible, so anyone who is feeling the stuff I'm writing is alright

14. What do you think of our site?

Addison: I'm just now getting familiar with it, but since I also work in music journalism with Decibel and New Noise, I have a ton of admiration for anyone running DIY music blogs or covering heavy music. It's a hard and thankless job! 

15. Something to add?

Addison: Thanks so much for giving us the chance to answer these! Stay tuned for our debut full-length, Lawgiver, late summer or early fall!