Interview with J.P. KROM
Interview with J.P. KROM
● What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
A: How I came to music was maybe in the environment that I was raised, with a lot of classic rock and alternative music, while the other families were listening to popular music. This different music was been injected into the depths of my mind. Also, art in general was very appreciated because my father was an artist and my mother loved art in general. Making art was something very important in my family, not just a hobby. I think in my youth I was shocked by rock stars and after that, the metal, and its divergent thinking. Music was always my company and drug, a world that I could travel anytime: to different places and through time.
I really like creating. Creating is like being an antenna. All of the ideas are there, as are all of the thoughts we have as humanity. An artist takes that signal and transforms it in relation to what the artist is. The artist is a filter, and each melody is taken to a different style, depending on the person and its influences. I like being on this antenna and traveling to other places/times.
I would be doing any “Pisces” thing I guess, if I wouldn’t be doing music: another kind of art, a mystic person, all of these things that have in common this archetype.
● What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
A: I see life through symbolisms, I see patterns in life. It is interesting for me to see all of it through this filter, mainly astrology. Sometimes we think science is the opposite of religion, but science is just another kind of religion, with its own dogmas.
So what I do is analyze and interpret human behavior through this filter, it is funny and interesting for me. This thing is what influences my creativity. I love to be with my son and family as well.
● How long has your band been around?
A: Since 2016. I started the band after recording “The Inner Gods” when the album wasn’t released, but the first single was on YT with its lyric video. It was “Omnipotent Egotist”, the song dedicated to Leo (the lion on astrology), based on the myth of Ra god.
I needed a band to promote the songs of this new album that was finally officially released in 2017. No actual member was in that moment. Braulio was in there, but just helping with synths, not being part of the band.
The band was formed to play the songs. Nowadays we work together to have more instances to grow with music, even this it’s still a soloist project.
● Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
A: I’m from Santiago, Chile. The last or first country in the world. Even though we are not a metalhead country, we have a metal scene strong here I guess, but we support more international bands than Chilean bands. But what we don’t really have here is a gothic metal scene with male singers, as the music I do (I think my music is closer to that than other styles).
I think the only influence that I have from Chile is in my 2021 EP, “YOD”. I have on it an instrumental song called “Rondó Allá Torre”, it has Latin American percussions and has an acoustic guitar playing in “cueca” style. That is a typical folkloric style from Chile and from a part of Argentina, our neighboring country, after the big mountains called “Cordillera de Los Andes”.
● How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
A: Crom is the god of “Conan the Barbarian”, the main character of the movie. I randomly decided the name, without taking it too seriously. At that time most of the musicians didn’t their real names and I did that because, my parents gave me the same name as my father, so that was very confusing when people looked for me on the web. I only changed the “c” for “k” and I added the initials of my name to make the difference with other persons using the name Krom. Years later I learned a book called “Krom” and it was the name of a solar god. Maybe the real influence came from that and I didn’t know. I believe there are a lot of ideas that we share in our “collective unconscious”. Maybe for me, it’s a kind of god of war, as Ares/Mars. What I need all of the days for this daily battle we all have in a war called life.
● Tell me about your most memorable shows.
A: I think the best one was when we played for the opening act to Moonspell this year. The way we sounded and the way the public answered was great. I thank Moonspell for choosing my music. They are great people and great musicians as well.
● What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
1. It is very interesting what gothics do, very creative in what you see in their performances and the way they look. And those festivals are in Europe generally. And of course any famous festival from Germany or the Netherlands. I think my music fits well in those countries.
● If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
A: Type O Negative (if Peter were alive, but anyway they could do the same thing as Alice in Chains), The 69 Eyes, Theater of Tragedy (with Liv Kristine), Lacrimas Profundere, and others.
● What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
1. Good things won’t happen because you’re good. Good things are going to happen because you do something more than making good songs and having a great band. We are in the jungle, and beasts eat to weaker.
● If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
A: Know the industry, and learn from what the others did to be successful.
● Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
A: Nowadays is one that I composed for my son, that is going to be part of Astrometal. You’re going to know it soon!
● Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
A: Omnipotent Egotist It’s a difficult one, but I like it to play, and is the song that people prefer more from “The Inner Gods”. And from YOD it is “Poison Girl”. A song with passion, dedicated to “love and death”.
● What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
A: I am the composer of this soloist project and I see life through symbolisms, I see patterns in life. It is interesting for me to see all of it through this filter, mainly astrology. My header bands are Slayer, Dream Theater, and Guns N’ Roses, but what I do it’s not similar to that. But if you listen very carefully, you will find those influences. I really love Bloody Kisses and October Rust from Type O Negative, but they are not my favorite band (maybe if they just released those two albums). I love that style and I found it in other bands as well with songs that sound like that, but that the band doesn’t cultivate it. At the same, I love songs from bands that are gothic, but I don’t like most of the songs of the bands.
I really like creating. Creating is like being an antenna. All of the ideas are there, as are all of the thoughts we have as humanity. An artist takes that signal and transforms it in relation to what the artist is. The artist is a filter, and each melody is taken to a different style, depending on the person and its influences. I like being on this antenna and traveling to other places/times.
With each melody or riff comes an idea or a color. With each image or lyrics comes a melody or a riff. The process can be started in both ways when I create.
I think for all of us the deepest emotions are our main influences. We all share the same emotions mainly.
● What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
A: I work as a teacher, that is what gives me money to live. And teaching is something that I need in life. I guess I want to the listener learn all of the things I’ve learned in life through the lyrics and through the filter of astrology and esoterism, which is greater than what I say, and useful for all situations in life.
My lyrics are messages with messages inside of them.
● Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?
A: Yes, sure we all have them in all of the situations we could have in life. I don’t know if we got passed them all. But the ones we did, it was just talking and knowing that we always have to give in to something through each agreement.
● What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
A: I’m promoting this new single in different countries and seeing how it works and preparing for the release of the new EP called “Astrometal”, which Luna Plutón is part of. At the same time, we are preparing the release for next year I guess of a live EP, with video and audio. This live EP is the opening act we had for Moonspell this year in April.
I would like to play in festivals with the band. It is very interesting what gothics do, very creative in what you see in their performances and the way they look. And those festivals are in Europe generally. And of course any famous festival from Germany or the Netherlands. I think my music fits well in those countries.
I would like to make sync deals as well with my music.
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