Interview with irish doom death metal band - THE CRAWLING.
Answered Andy Clarke (guitars, vocals), thank you!
Recenze/review - THE CRAWLING - Live in Belfast MMXXIV (2026):
Hail THE CRAWLING! I’ve just returned from the forest. It’s freezing here and a lot of snow has fallen. I was wandering along forest paths, but in my thoughts I was at your concert in Belfast. I have to pay you a compliment – the new album, the live recording, is truly excellent. Why did you record it at this particular place? And how did the idea to record this performance actually come about?
Thank you for the kind words. We’re genuinely stoked with how the live album turned out. We’d never done anything like this before, so we were curious ourselves how it would sound.
We recorded it in The Limelight because it’s essentially our hometown venue. We’ve played there countless times, the sound is always good, and the crowd is consistently strong. It just made sense.
The idea to record it came a bit out of nowhere. I grew up loving live albums and always dreamed of doing one, but I wasn’t sure if it was even possible or if anyone would care. We actually recorded a live show a year earlier, but for various reasons it didn’t work out and was shelved. After a lineup change, we talked about trying again, and a hometown show felt like the obvious choice.
We’re friendly with the venue’s engineer, and thankfully he offered to record the entire show. Adrien (bass) is heavily into video, so he set up multiple cameras, which looked incredible. That’s why we also ended up with the full live video -it’s on our YouTube channel now.
And so I don’t forget… I’ve been listening to you since 2017, when your recording Anatomy of Loss literally bewitched me. I became your fan and I like to return to your music. Every time I need to stop, slow down, and organise my thoughts, you are among my frequent choices. But that’s me – many of our readers don’t know you. Could you please introduce the band? When and how did the idea to play doom death metal actually come about? Please take us through the history of THE CRAWLING.
That’s amazing to hear, and we’re honoured you’ve stuck with us since Anatomy of Loss.
The Crawling started in late 2015. An old mate I hadn’t seen in years rang me up and suggested jamming some death metal just for fun. We met up and played some Entombed and Bolt Thrower. After that jam, I felt there was something there, so we brought in other musicians and started properly.
The move into doom death happened naturally. I’m a huge fan of the genre -My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Anathema, Novembre, Decomposed -the list goes on. That influence is so deeply embedded in how I write that there was really no alternative. It had to be doom death.
From there, I just kept writing and seeing where the journey went. That led to singles, EPs, albums, videos, and hundreds of shows across multiple countries. It’s been unreal.
Let’s move on to the new album Live in Belfast MMXXIV. Do you know what I really like about it? The sound! Very often with live recordings I have a problem that everything is overly cleaned up, and in some cases I’ve even encountered added applause, etc. I don’t like writing about such albums, but with you I’m very satisfied. The sound is very authentic, raw, and cold. How did you record it and who is credited as the sound engineer?
I’m really glad the sound stood out to you. We wanted it to feel live -not polished to death. The approach was simple: use the venue microphones and take the feed directly from the desk. What you hear is what happened on the night. Nothing added. Nothing removed.
The show was recorded by Brian Collins, and I handled the mixing and mastering. I kept it minimal: basic EQ, light compression, and mastering. No overdubs. No fixes.
There was temptation to clean things up, but I decided against it. You can clearly hear my guitar drop out for two bars during Sparrow because of a technical issue -but that’s real. That’s heavy metal. Raw and unfiltered. It also haunts me … lol
How did you put together the setlist for the concert? Did you play only proven songs that you know “work,” or did you prepare something more special as well?
For the setlist, we focused on our strongest material, with a heavy lean toward the latest album All of This for Nothing. There are songs people expect -The Right to Crawl, Wolves and the Hideous White -so they were never getting cut.
We also included Another Vulture, which took a lot of rehearsal because it’s tricky with all the changes, especially while handling vocals. You can hear me struggle a bit -but again, that’s honest.
Why Belfast specifically? Does that mean it’s your home scene? Do you have the most fans there? In which club was the recording actually made? By the way, can you recommend places in Belfast to go for good music? For beer (and girls 😊)? Where do metalheads hang out?
Yes, Belfast is our home. That’s where the band grew and where we built our foundations with the people who supported us early on. The recording took place in The Limelight 2, a well-known Belfast venue that hosts a lot of touring metal bands.
As for the scene -honestly, a lot of music clubs have disappeared over the years, and I’m also old and completely out of touch now! That said, Voodoo is probably the best place in Belfast for live music and a few beers. If you ever make it over, it’s worth a visit.
I don’t know how you personally have it set up, but I’m an old metal fan who listens to music mainly with his heart. A band has to literally sink its claws into me, get into my head. I have to enjoy it as a whole – how it plays, but also how it comes across as people. Lyrics matter a lot too. Where do you draw inspiration for them? Books, films, life?
I relate strongly to what you said about listening with the heart. Music carries messages, stories, and lessons -especially in the styles I listen to most.
All of The Crawling’s music is inspired by people. I constantly observe human behaviour and interaction. I’m fascinated by love, death, loss, and how people cope with those things. I always write from experience -sometimes my own fears and thoughts, other times things I’ve seen others go through.
There are many jokes and stories about the Irish. Unfortunately, I’ve never been to your beautiful country. I’d love to visit – it’s one of my dreams. I follow not only your music scene, but also documentaries about nature and history. Do you think all of this somehow reflects in your music? That gloom, sadness, nostalgia, melancholy, stubbornness?
Music is always shaped by where you come from. Ireland can be grey, cold, harsh, and miserable - which actually helps. I mostly write at night, but our weather makes it easy to get into that mindset during the day too.
That said, Ireland can also be beautiful. I spend a lot of time on the coast, camping, being near the sea. I love it. That’s why we shot the Bound to the Negative video on a beach - it captures both the bleakness of the country and the feeling of the lyrics.
Personally, I started with metal sometime around 1987. I tried playing a few times myself, but I simply didn’t have enough discipline and probably not enough talent either. How did you start as musicians? When did you first pick up a guitar, microphone, drums? What was the first concert you attended? And the first one you played? Do you have any formal musical education?
I first got into metal around the same time you did -late ’80s - starting with Mötley Crüe, after growing up around rock bands like Status Quo, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Foyd that my dad listened to.
I remember being at a house party where a guy played Fade to Black on guitar. It sounded exactly like the cassette. That moment blew my mind. I asked him to show me how to play, begged my parents for a guitar, and that was it.
My first concert was Faith No More with Prong in 1990. Incredible show - Prong were supporting, and Faith No More were in their prime with Jim Martin still on guitar, just after The Real Thing came out. My first live performance was around 1994 in a small country bar near my parents’ house. We played death metal. It didn’t go well. The locals were definitely not ready for it.
I’ve never had formal music education or lessons. Just friends showing me bits. I’m not a disciplined guitarist - honestly, guitar bores me sometimes. I just want to write songs.
We’re mainly talking here about your new live album from Belfast, but how are things with concerts in general? Do you enjoy playing live? Here in the Czech Republic, doom death metal doesn’t really thrive – not many people attend, but maybe in the end that’s a good thing. At least only the truly devoted fans come. The real ones. How is it with you in Ireland? Do many people attend shows? Do they support bands?
I absolutely love playing live. It’s the best part of being in a band, especially this one. That connection in the room, when people really understand what you’re doing - it’s powerful.
Doom death isn’t popular, though, and crowds can be small. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn’t. But when you get 50–100 people in a room who get it and allow themselves to sink into the music, it’s incredible. That kind of intimacy is a privilege.
Ireland is generally supportive, especially the underground scene. We also have a small group of diehard fans who come to see us wherever we play -that still blows my mind. We’re very lucky.
What does music actually mean to you? Why doom and death metal? Is it relaxation, a hobby, or a lifestyle? For example, I’m someone who basically listens to something all the time. I’m that old madman with headphones on. I can’t imagine life without new albums and without concerts. How do you have it set up?
Music, for me, is emotion translated into sound. Doom death captures that perfectly. My emotional range tends to live somewhere between sadness, regret, and frustration -and this genre fits that space exactly.
Metal is a lifestyle for me. It dictates how I live, relaxes me, guides me, distracts me, and absorbs how I feel. I’d be lost without it. Even when I’m not playing live, I’m always writing. I have a huge amount of unreleased material.
I mostly listen on headphones -it’s the only way it feels immersive enough.
One classic but essential question. What are THE CRAWLING planning in the coming months? New songs? Are you writing? And if you have something on your heart that you’d like to say to fans, promoters, or labels – here is the space.
We’re currently writing new material and aiming to release something as soon as possible. We’re not sure yet whether it’ll be an album or an EP -I love albums, but we’ve talked about both options. There’s also a special acoustic track already recorded, and we’re still figuring out what to do with that.
Mostly, I just want to thank everyone who supports us - fans, promoters, venues, labels -everyone who comes to shows, buys merch, and truly understands the music. It means everything.
You probably know what I’m going to do now. I’m going outside. It’s beautifully freezing in the forest. Just outside the city we have an ancient forest cemetery. I’ll put on my headphones, play your new album, and dissolve into eternity. I’d like to thank you very much for the interview, for your music, and wish you as much inspiration as possible in the future, plenty of records sold, and sold-out concerts. All the best to you in your private lives as well!
Thank you for taking the time to support us, we really appreciate it. Most of all, I’m glad you found our music and you understand it. The Crawling are not for everyone, and it shouldn’t be.
about THE CRAWLING on DEADLY STORM ZINE:
Recenze/review - THE CRAWLING - Live in Belfast MMXXIV (2026):
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