NEWS
Katie Kruel is back!
Due to the ongoing Long Covid of our vocalist we needed to adapt the band set up and reduce it to a duo, so we’re not back full force yet. Nevertheless we are very excited about this new material which is enough for an actual album. Two composition are released now as a single, the album follows later this year!
Read some personal notes and get more back ground info about Katie Kruel’s Crow Sessions in Nathalie’s post here. Listen via Spotify (or Bandcamp below)!
In the intimacy of a living room, the vocalist and guitarist of Katie Kruel embark on a musical journey, echoing the enigmatic poems of Ted Hughes’ Crow*. The haunting melodies reflect a nearly four-year battle with Long Covid, keeping the vocalist confined to the shadows of her home.
Ironically, hypersensitive to sounds beyond her own creation, she can’t listen to this music herself. The melodies, born from a mix of pain and resilience, remain unheard by her, adding complexity to the intimate dialogue.
These sessions are recorded in the same living room—capturing vulnerability and strength in each note; A profound connection between the mythical tales of Crow and the very real struggles of enduring severe Long Covid.
*’Crow, From the Life and Songs of the Crow’ by Ted Hughes (1970,1972)!
We contributed a song to this charity compilation of more than 133 international bands and counting. It is initiated by Ukrainian Path of Doom Radio. The money goes directly to humanitarian aid, so buy here
The single ‘Lover’ is released on a compilation album by the notorious international platform Doomed & Stoned!
On YouTube: a special psychedelic live version of Cannibal Planet! (Original below)
Nominated best track at the Rotterdam Music Award. #RdamMusicAwards19
ABOUT
“Katie Kruel combines all the grimy, heavy and intense, in short everything good, of several awesome styles, including post and stoner metal, making the end result sound thoroughly doomy.(…) This music does a great job in shaking up the mind and soul to leave the listener feeling blissfully awakened at the end of the ride. This is a band that I am proud to say is from The Netherlands!“ (Bart Meijer, Lords of Metal Ezine)
“…Music that stalks you like an efficient predator in the night and then suddenly jumps on and won’t let go. It is exciting, compelling, grim and simply overwhelming. (…) goose bumps, beauty, filthiness, hardness, anger and love form one powerful fist, which at times taps softly and impatiently on the table, but often provides an inimitable, effective uppercut. What a magisterial album!“
(Jan Willem Broek, Subjectivisten.nl)
“…already one of the most exceptional and passionate albums of 2019. Both musically and lyrically, the album stands out in idiosyncrasy and depth (and the depths can sometimes be extremely dark) (Rob Veltman, Popunie.nl)
…purifying damnation and misery that flushes away sorrows, sins and shortages every time your listen to it. It should be prescribed by doctors.” (Philip van der Linden, Rock portaal.nl)
“The rough production of Katie Kruel’s new album The Rise and Fall or Cannibal Planet may take some getting used to, but listen to the emotional ‘Still’ and you realise why it contributes to that grim, tragic, yet stunning atmosphere.” (Merijn Siben, Never Mind the Hype)
“Delightful! This quartet shakes your heart and soul!” (Nel Mertens, Luminous Dash)
“…Rotterdam’s genre-shattering quartet Katie Kruel with ruthless, doomy and sludgy sounds (…) sounds awesome (…) brilliant stuff…” (DJ Aiir Geezer, AiiRadio, New York)
KATIE KRUEL LIVE!
“Katie Kruel rumbles with thundering bass and hard guitar riffs right through the ACU, while Houtermans chases and casts the darkness (…) if she screams, kneeling, distress coming from the deepest pains of the soul, while the band escalates in icy riffs, it is really very good.” (Darthfaber review)
“This wild quartet performs rituals on stage in traditions of Black Sabbath and Melvins: ruthless guitar riffs and a slow and heavy pounding rhythm section. Front woman Nathalie is the high priestess who looks unapproachable and in control at one moment, and then goes down growling in the musical escalations that she invokes in her band and vice versa…’ (Mark Ritsema, Route du Nord Festival)
“The music rages across the stage like a whirlwind and leaves the visitor in despair: what happened here? In short, it is not a band you quickly forget and certainly not a band for the delicate souls among us, but a great act for people who like to lose themselves in hypnotic rock of the loud kind.“ (Tom van de Vat, Popunie)
NEXT
All gigs cancelled until further notice, because our vocalist needs to recover from Long Covid. If you are interested in booking us when we are available again or interviewing us, please leave a message here and we will contact you.
If I was where I would be, then I’d be where I am not. Here I am where I must be, go where I would, I can not… (Katie Cruel, traditional)
© Header by Katie Kruel and Ed Romijn. Please do not use without permission!
