Octohawk dive deeper into raw heaviness and existential weight with Make It on the Crust, exploring chaos, fragility, and emotion through crushing sludge riffs, progressive tension, and deeply personal visuals.
1. Make
It on the Crust” feels like your heaviest statement so far. What pushed you
toward this level of brutality, both musically and emotionally, compared to
Animist and Determinist?
I think
Make It on the Crust just came out heavier because we were more focused on
letting the riff and feeling lead the way. On Animist and Determinist we were
still finding the Octohawk identity — blending sludge, prog and
atmosphere. With this one, it felt more natural to just push the heaviness and
not hold back emotionally. We wanted it to sound raw and real, not calculated
or polished too much.
2. The
lyrics reflect on humanity’s insignificance, walking on a thin crust above
chaos. Was this concept sparked by a specific moment, thought, or real‑world
anxiety?
Yeah, it’s
more a collection of thoughts than one specific moment. We’ve all been thinking
a lot about how fragile everything feels — from big existential stuff down to
everyday life. That idea of us walking around like everything is solid, while
under the surface there’s chaos, that just stuck with us. In the big cosmic
picture, humans are really quite insignificant — small, temporary beings
holding on to structure and meaning in a universe much bigger and more chaotic
than us. It’s both personal and kinda universal, you know?
3. Musically,
the track shifts between crushing sludge riffs and complex rhythmic movements.
How do you approach balancing raw weight with progressive structure in your
songwriting?
We don’t
plan it too much in a “this is heavy, this is prog” kind of way. Usually
someone brings a riff or groove and we just go with whatever feels right. If
something heavy wants to stretch out, we let it. If something needs a twist or
weird time signature, we explore that. It’s more about feel than formulas.
4. The
music video adds an unexpected emotional layer by featuring your children. What
made you decide to bring something so personal into such a dark, cosmic
narrative?
We wanted
contrast. The song itself is big and existential, but life isn’t just dark
stuff — there’s love and family and all that too. Putting the kids in there
made it feel grounded, human, and honestly just really real. Plus, it was wild
to see them stay engaged during a long shoot — they turned out to be the real
heroes of the day.
5. Since
the video was fully DIY, what were the biggest creative or technical challenges
you faced while producing it yourselves?
Everything
was DIY, so juggling roles was nuts — one minute you’re directing, next you’re
in front of the camera, and then trying to wrangle kids! We had to keep it
simple but still interesting visually. The biggest challenge was just doing all
the roles with no crew and making it feel cohesive. It taught us a ton about
trusting the vision and having fun while doing it.
6. Octohawk is
made up of members from bands like Mammüth, Ninth Circle, Cassidy, and Dead
Sheriff. How do your different musical backgrounds collide or complement each
other in this?
We’ve grown
up together musically, going through countless phases — experimenting,
evolving, discovering new sounds. Along the way, we’ve absorbed different
influences — sludge, prog, stoner, thrash, hardcore, punk, rock — and
each of us brings something unique to the table. Some bring crushing riffs,
some strange textures and rhythms, some an atmosphere that fills the space.
When it all comes together, it becomes this unpredictable yet cohesive thing.
That’s the part we love the most.
7. Signing
with The Norwegian Sound marks a new chapter for the band. How has this
partnership influenced your mindset or ambitions going into this new release
cycle?
It feels
really good to be working with The Norwegian Sound. They get what we’re doing
and let us be ourselves creatively. It’s made us more focused and confident
going into this release cycle. We’re thinking a bit bigger, but still staying
true to what Octohawk is about.
8. Your
sound often gets compared to bands like The Ocean, Mastodon, Cult of Luna, and
Meshuggah. Which artists—metal or non-metal—have most influenced “Make It on
the Crust”?
We
understand those comparisons and they’re definitely bands we respect. But this
song was more about feel than specific influences. Heavy bands, of course, but
also ambient music, soundtracks, and stuff that builds tension and atmosphere.
We’re more focused on creating a mood than sounding like anyone in particular.
9. Your
music often feels both existential and physical, hitting the listener in the
gut while provoking deeper reflection. How important is it for you that
listeners engage with the themes, not just the heaviness?
The heaviness is important — it should hit you first. But if people take the time to listen to the lyrics and themes, that means a lot to us. We like that the music can work on different levels, depending on how deep the listener wants to go.
10. With
this single kicking off a new era for Octohawk, what can fans expect
next—more releases, a larger concept, or a new direction in sound and visuals?
There’s
more coming. This single is just the start. Fans can expect more music in the
same direction — heavy, raw, and honest. We’re also thinking more about visuals
and how everything connects, so it feels like part of a bigger whole. Follow
us for exciting news ahead!
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