Breaking down genre boundaries and casting aside traditional song structures, Cruce Signatus’ unique blend of synthwave and heavy metal emphasizes repeated build-ups, stacking melodies and rhythms into polyphonic climaxes. A single instrumental track spread across four epic concept albums, Cruce Signatus forms the musical soundscape for a feature-length animated anthology series.
Title of latest release:
Cruce Signatus
Link to your music:
https://crucesignatus.bandcamp.com/album/cruce-signatus
Where are you based?
Milwaukee, WI
What inspired you to create music?
Music is an outlet for me. It enables me to explore my creative urges and delve therapuetically into my psyche. With music, I get to journey to realms that I create in my own mind – I love to sit back and listen to my creations and visualize the world in which they are conceived as the sound washes over me.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
For this album, I was influenced by a range of artists, from symphonic/cinematic composers like Howard Shore, Basil Poledouris and Hans Zimmer, to electronic/synthwave artists like Gost, Dance with the Dead and Magic Sword. More generally, one of my biggest influences musically is Devin Townsend – I love his self-indulgent approach to composition, constantly exploring new genres and sounds with little regard for mass appeal. I greatly respect Devin’s approach and his output, even if it’s not always my cup of tea, is always interesting. In a world where most artists try to emulate the sounds of others, I have instead tried to forge new paths with my music.
Are you signed to a label or are you independent?
Independent.
What have been the biggest challenges in your career?
I think the biggest challenge has just been being heard. There are so many artists releasing music each week that it can be tough to stand out, especially without label support. Even as a listener, I find it hard to keep up with all the new releases. That’s why I am really grateful for publications like this one – I greatly appreciate your support of underground music.
How many songs or albums have you released to date?
For Cruce Signatus, I just released the debut album, which includes four tracks across 32 minutes. I have also previously released albums under other band names with entirely different sounds, most recently Pillaging Villagers back in 2022.
Can you tell us a few things about your latest release?
The debut album is merely the first of four planned releases under the Cruce Signatus moniker which together form the soundtrack for an animated anthology series based on a screenplay I have written. Each track will have its own accompanying video, the first of which can be found on my YouTube channel (see LinkTree link above). This video was developed in partnership with illustrator Vincent Kings (Heavy Metal Magazine, Batman: The Telltale Series). Through this first example, you can see how precisely the music was written to accompany and emphasize the visual experience. The forthcoming albums will be released on a yearly basis over the next three years, with additional editions of the anthology to be released periodically.
Any plans for new music or upcoming projects we should know about?
No plans for touring at this point, but I would like to once again say thanks for your support. Publications like this one are crucial in the survival of independent music – keep up the great work!
Follow Cruce Signatus on: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Patreon
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