Interview: Getting to Know Karnage Through Crossing (Written)

Hailing form Calgary, Alberta, Karnage Through Crossing (KTX) are a gritty, melodic crossover metal band who recently released their-brand new single, ‘The Underground’. In this interview, we get to know them a little better.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Karnage Through Crossing formed out of the development of a failed band from 2018-2021 called Nova 1 Featuring ex members of Grunge bands, metalcore bands, founded by Rhyse Tremel and his partner, a lead guitarist who use to play during the first lineup of a now touring speed metal band from Calgary. Strained tensions from unsuccessful recruiting and member dropouts during Covid lead to the disintegration of the band in 2022, where Ashton Lal was training to become the next Drummer. With Rhyse and Ashton remaining in the band, Rhyse took his songs from Nova 1, recruited and trained a couple bass guitarists, and started recording with Ashton.

2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

Our music is a gritty and empowering, melodic crossover, of old school heavy metal, thrash, and Death.

3. What’s currently keeping you busy? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?

We are writing our second album and training a new member to start gigging again this fall / winter.

4. What is about this current period that is particularly exciting for you?

On September 5th we released our highly anticipated new single, The Underground, fairing elements of Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, and Death Metal, with an impressive higher grade of production and a heavier approach, this song is one for the ages.

5. Tell me about the work that has gone into making it a reality and what it means to you.

There has been so many obstacles and changes with this band it’s hard to sum it all up. We started as a 4 piece, went through a lot of lineup changes through Covid into the 2020’s, released our debuts on a very limited budget and production experience, then thundered back with a heavily elevated live performance and new singles. This music we make is our way of showing the scene the hidden strength and perseverance we all have even in the toughest of times, it’s what keeps us going and what inspired our first fans to become a community.

6. Making music and being creative can be a very positive experience and can be very good for the mind. In what way has making music had a positive impact on your mental health?

Kept us sane in the quiet times and sober in the dark times. Gave us purpose and strengthened our confidence in who we are as individuals, reaffirming we don’t need the approval of the false to rise.

7. It can also be incredibly challenging, more so in the modern times. What have been some challenging aspects of making music and how have you overcome them?

Finding people willing to commit and be ambitious has been a challenge. Not as many people want to play in a serious band and play heavy metal as back in the day. It takes numerous tryouts and auditions to find people who have the discipline to put on the effort required for success.

8. How do you handle the online aspects of being in a band? Having to put out content constantly, promoting across several different social media platforms, and having your success measured in likes and follows?

We take it seriously and put on an effort to market ourselves but we don’t let it consume us. Music is the focus and it always has to be the priority.

9. How do you make this part of things enjoyable, and fulfilling, for yourself?

As musicians and songwriters we are Naturally creative. Our creativity is unique to us and what brings us joy. Finding ways to market ourselves and create content in a fun authentic way breeds more fulfillment then treating it like a core or necessary evil.

10. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support you?

Our fellow rockers and headbangers!! If you like the new singles we released and what we’re doing, the best ways you can help us one day reach your cities is by sharing our music with your friends, on your feeds, and in your stories. Message us to get a catalog of the badass and diverse merchandise, until we get our online store running, we promise you we respond to all our fans and appreciate every effort!

11. Outside of music, what do you like to do to relax?

Living in Canada our hobbies change with the seasons. During the summer we are at the outdoor festivals, bush parties, and downtown bar strips, while in the winter we’re training, gaming, making music, working out, and occasionally snowboarding on the mountains.

12. Where can people find you?

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon Music