Doom band from Galicia, Spain
The Origin & Identity:
How did you all come together as a band, and when did it feel real?
-Cruzeiro started with bassist Raposa and guitarist Gon B aiming to start a stoner doom project back in 2017. But there wasnât until late 2019 Cruzeiro get a real state when entered singer Onyx and drummer Rust into the true Cruzeiro’s line up.
Where did your band name come from, and why does it feel like you?
-The Cruzeiro is a stone statue of the christian cross usually placed in the crossroads in our homeland, Galicia. They have the background of being the monoliths which protects the travelers from the evil influences. Such a background with so many obscure stories and superstitious beliefs around this item, was the true essence of what we want to show with our music.
Did you have a clear vision for your sound from the start, or did it develop naturally?
-It’s a 50%-50% question. We are clear about how we should sound, but, during the writing process, it is mandatory to be open minded and look always for the twist which makes all the songs interesting and above the usual average and standard stoner doom. To repeat what Electric Wizard did, better play them along than waste your time!
What should listeners know about your newest album?
-This is a mature and more Cruzeiro’ish album. We started back them with the self-titled as a trial of seeing if the proposal of Cruzeiro it’s worth it or not. Now we are ahead an album that truly sounds and have the true essence of Cruzeiro. We feel that we don’t forget something, and everything is being told during this LP.
Influences & Creative Process:
Who or what has shaped your sound in ways people might not expect?
-In many ways, we are a band with members which have huge different backgrounds. So, this naturally leads to a very different points of view around the same ideas. At the end, in this album you might feel that each song has a unique vibe. Because of that, you can see the Eyehategod vibe within La Quinta del Sordo, or the YOB vibe in Galaxies Waltz, or the Reverend Bizarre influence in different moments in the album, like the final riff of Ankh.
When creating a song, do you follow a routine or mix it up each time?
-The process of every song is unique and has his own story, so far, I can say is that everything starts from a riff or basic idea. But the developing which ends in a full song isnât the same: every time we see different “problems” that the initial ideas have, and the “solutions” to these problems comes in new parts of the songs. So, each idea marks the way that song is going to have.
Are there moods, riffs, or ideas you find yourself returning to?
-Yeah, the main feeling we always have in a song is joy. The joy of have a unique piece of music, crafted with passion and dedication, with as we can feel, will last listening and they donât become a random song made only to fulfill the usual 40 minutes long LP full with forgettable songs.
How do you make writing decisions â together or does someone usually lead?
-The natural process described above make us, bass or guitar, to lead in the beginning and jamming around with the drums to find a good basis. But in the end, when we have this proto-song, with many repetitions and extralong parts, is the lyrics and vocals who decide mostly when is time to go to another riff or key.
Musical Technique / Composition:
When layering sounds, do you focus more on tone or on mood?
-In the mood above the tone, of course. We are very picky about the moods the song transmits to us each second. So, what we are looking for is not to lose attention during the song and maintain freshness every time. The tone in the end is to serve the overall mood the song gives to you.
Do you use alternate tunings, odd meters, or unusual chords to shape your sound?
-We haven’t done so many changes of tuning, just a semitone lower between the first LP and H.S.D. We canât make many changes of tuning as we are a Spanish underground band, and logistics don’t allow us to carry more than one guitar and bass.
But for the odd meters and chords, yeah, sure thing. We love odd metering in the riffs, as the whole second part of Galaxies Waltz is on a gorgeous 9 by 8. We will surely develop this side more in the future.
About the unusual chords, it became a rule within our harmonies to always use the shape of B9 when playing that chord, just like a Hendrix chord. Or use diminished chords in their natural position. Also, we play with the chord progressions, where, for example, Velvet Heart is written like the usual 12 bar blues but condensed everything within 8 bars only.
How much of your arrangements come from improvisation versus planning?
-It depends on the idea, but everything had his time of jamming around that idea and their dose of planning, especially when the lyrics come in. The arrangements, as we see it, are usually the way we upgrade a little bit more the songs, adding textures or layers we feel it is missing.
Stories & Experiences:
Whatâs one moment that truly captures what this band is about?
-Every concert made far from our homes, with more than 10 hours driving back.
Does playing live bring out a different side of your music?
-Absolutely, as we never play exactly the same our songs, we are not a technical metal band where you get the same identical performance every time. Each concert is unique and with their proper whole performance.
Whatâs the quirkiest experiment youâve done in the studio?
-Letâs say the drone that closes our Sybil of the Rhine, we don’t know how it was recorded, neither did the recording studio! It’s a drone that, somehow during the recording days, appeared at the end of Sybil of the Rhine and we decided to let that right there!
Has a fan ever done or said something that made you see your music differently?
-We get comments like that every time we play, and with the craziest outcomes you can imagine! The craziest I can remember is that we should sound more like the Beatles, we should listen to them more if we didnât, as a random Russian woman said to us.
Current Inspirations & Recommendations:
Any up-and-coming musicians you think deserve more attention?
-We are now freaking out with our colleagues Santo Rostro; we have been playing with them this year and we love their blend of doom infused bluesmen trio!
Vision & Reflection:
Where do you see your sound heading next? Any experiments youâre itching to try?
-We surely are going to improve our bass and guitar sound to a huger wall of sound, any kind of distortion or fuzz that makes your neurons meltdown like lava to the pot of doom essences.
Which track do you feel captures your band best, and whatâs the story behind it?
-I would say that any song you pick would represent Cruzeiro as it best. But if an alien landed on earth and you have to explain him about us, surely the 5 firsts seconds of La Quinta del Sordo will make him know about.
The story behind this song is the eerie background of the house were Goya, the Spanish painter, lived and drove him into his madness that makes him cut his ears to stop hearing the voices of that house. So that is what Cruzeiro is about, huge riffs and obscure stories.
What do you hope people feel when they sink into your music?
-We hope they feel the same thing we felt when we started to fall in love about our usual stoner doom records everyone mention.
Turbo Regime:
Fuzz or distortion?
-Fuzz on bass, tube distortion on guitar.
Analog or digital effects?
-Analog effects always!
Sabbath or Zeppelin?
-Ozzy 4ever in our hearts!
Heavy riff or mind-bending solo?
-Mind bending solo which ends in the heaviest riff of all.
Vintage gear or modern kit?
-Good vintage and portable kits!
https://cruzeiro.bandcamp.com/
https://linktr.ee/cruzeirodoom
https://www.facebook.com/Cruzeiro.Doom/
https://www.instagram.com/cruzeiro.doom.band/
