🤘🔥 MASSIVE THANK YOU – CHARNEL CROWN 🔥🤘
A proper massive shoutout to the absolute legends in Charnel Crown for taking the time to sit down with us here at The Riff Report 🤝🔥
These lads are grafting hard, flying the flag for no-nonsense, working-class metal, and still making time to chat riffs, life, and everything in between — that’s what the scene is all about, mun ❤️
From Dublin’s underground to the speakers of anyone who loves their music heavy, honest, and full of bite… Charnel Crown are the real deal 😤🎸
We seriously appreciate them giving us a slice of their time — especially with everything they’ve got going on right now with new music dropping and momentum building FAST ⚡
🎤 GO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE
If you haven’t already, get yourselves over to their socials, crank the volume, and support a band that’s doing it for the right reasons 🤘
Because at the end of the day…
this scene lives and breathes through bands like this.
Much love from The Riff Report 🖤🔥
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Zero Apologies. 🤘
1. December 2025 — Charnel Crown comes to life. What sparked it, and how did the four of you come together?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
I posted a status on “Join A Band Ireland” looking for any bands who needed a bass player. Stitch(Steve) reached out to me and told me what style he was into and showed some riffs he had written. He was already best friends with our drummer (Adam) before the band came into full effect.
I liked the riffs Steven showed me and we immediately organised a jam session for that weekend. Dean reached out to me shortly after saying he was looking to get something going as well (myself and Dean knew each other briefly from back in the day) and then Charnel was born. All it took was 1 hour together and we knew “This is it”
2. You describe yourselves as working-class musicians making music for working-class fans — how important is that identity to everything you do?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
It’s everything to us. It’s not an image or a tagline — it’s how we were raised. We all come from working-class areas, and those environments shape your mindset early on. There’s a certain toughness to it, but also a feeling that you’re not always encouraged to push beyond what’s expected of you.
For me personally, that creates a bit of a chip on the shoulder — in a good way. It gives you something to prove. Where we’re from, if you try to stand out or do something different, you can get pulled back into line. Charnel Crown is our way of pushing against that — of standing up and saying, “we’re not staying in that box.”
That’s exactly what we mean in the chorus of “People Like You” — “Won’t let this life make a victim of me.” That line sums up our mentality.
At the same time, we’re proud of where we come from. We love our country, we’re proud to be Irish, and everything we do carries that attitude — that bit of fight in you. We just want to tell our story honestly, and hopefully it resonates with people who come from the same place.
3. Was there a moment early on where you thought, “Yeah… this hits different”?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
We all chime in when it comes to writing songs and getting structures in place,and that in itself is a really big thing for us as a band. After we wrote our first song “In For Penny” we knew there and then that we crafted something special.
⚙️ RIFFS, GROOVE & NO-NONSENSE METAL
4. Your sound is all about groove, aggression, and honesty — what’s the secret to writing riffs that actually stick?
Stitch (guitarist) Answer:
It’s groove and aggression, proper stank face stuff. When I go home & write I want it to make me feel something first then I know it will sound good to the rest of the band. Something you can feel without words. It’s like being pissed really – you feel like you can headbang for hours & have a good time doing it.
5. You’re not trying to reinvent the wheel — was that a conscious decision from day one?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
We never had the mindset of “Being the next Pantera” with inspiring an entire genre of music, we just write what we think sounds good to us and putting it out there for people to listen to. At the end of the day, we are four guys who love writing music.
6. What makes groove metal hit harder than other styles for you?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
Groove metal hits harder for us because it’s all about feel. It’s not just aggression for the sake of it — it’s controlled, it’s deliberate, and it locks in. When a groove lands properly, it doesn’t just sound heavy, you feel it in your chest.
A lot of heavier styles go full speed or full chaos, which we love too, but groove gives you space. It breathes. That space makes the riffs hit harder, the vocals cut deeper, and the message comes through clearer.
🎶 SOUND, INFLUENCES & METAL DNA
7. What bands shaped your sound — the ones that made you pick up instruments in the first place?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
We all have different musical backgrounds, Steve is a big Black Sabbath and Pantera fan and uses those influences in his guitar playing and adds that groove element to the songs.
Dean takes inspiration from Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God and Phil Anselmo from Pantera, but also some rap influence as well,like Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D.
I’m influenced by Justin Chancellor of Tool and Rex Brown of Pantera, with elements of the metalcore scene, such as All That Remains and Bullet For My Valentine.
Adam is a big fan of Chris Adler from Lamb Of God and David Silveria of Korn and takes the funk and groovy style of drumming and adds his own flair to it too.
8. Is there a modern edge you’re bringing in, or is it all about keeping that raw, classic energy alive?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
There’s definitely a modern edge, but it comes naturally from who we are rather than something we’re forcing. Between us, our influences span decades — from Black Sabbath to Pantera, through to Trivium, Tool, and Lamb of God — and that’s before you even get into the different genres, we all listen to outside of metal.
So, it’s not about choosing between modern or classic — it’s all in there. The raw energy, the groove, the atmosphere, the technical side — it all blends into whatever comes out when we write together.
We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel or chase trends. At the end of the day, we just want to play music we genuinely love. If it’s honest and it hits hard, that’s enough for us — and I think people can tell when it’s real.
9. What’s a riff or song you’ve written that still makes you grin like idiots when you play it?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
Definitely the section of the solo in “People Like You” we feel that part would get anyone moshing in an instant.
🎤 LIVE SHOWS, ENERGY & CROWD CONNECTION
10. Groove metal lives and dies by the crowd — what do you want people to feel when they see Charnel Crown live?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
We want people to feel it more than anything. Not just hear it — feel it in their chest, in the floor, in the way the whole room moves together.
A Charnel Crown show should feel like release. Whatever you’ve been carrying — stress, anger, frustration — you leave it out there. For that half hour or whatever it is, nothing else matters except the energy in the room.
Groove metal lives off that connection, and we feed off the crowd just as much as they feed off us. If the front row is moving, it spreads. If one person lets go, ten more follow. That’s when it turns into something bigger than just a band playing songs.
We don’t want people standing there nodding along — we want movement, chaos, sweat. We want people walking out feeling lighter, like they got something out of their system.
And for us on stage, if we see that happening, we know we’ve done our job.
11. What’s been your most chaotic or memorable gig moment so far?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
We have yet to make some memorable gig memories, but my most memorable moment would be when my last band “Saint Slaughter” supported Xentrix during their tour in Ireland. I got the chance to play at some of Ireland’s best venues, such as Dolans in Limerick, Limelight in Belfast and Whelans in Dublin back in 2024.
Dean’s most memorable moment would have been in his last band “Call To Arms” when they supported Avatar in the Voodoo Lounge back in 2014, only six months prior to Avatar supporting Avenged Sevenfold in the 3 Arena in Dublin.
12. At what point in a set do you know you’ve got the crowd locked in?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
Honestly, we’ll earn that moment — we haven’t played our debut yet, so we’re going in with the mindset that no one owes us anything. At the start, no one really gives a shit — and that’s fine. It’s our job to make them care.
You don’t wait for a crowd to come to you; you go out and take it. The second you see people start reacting — heads moving, bodies shifting, even just that change in attention — that’s when you know you’re starting to lock them in.
People gravitate toward intent. If you’re up there like you mean it, like this matters, they feel that. At the end of the day, people want to be entertained — they want something real.
We never want to be the band someone walks away from saying, “yeah, they were alright.” That’s the worst outcome. We’d rather people love it or hate it — at least then it meant something, and they’ll remember us.
🧠 THE GRAFT & REAL LIFE
13. Being a band isn’t just stage lights — it’s work. How do you balance music with everyday life?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
We try to balance normal work life with band life the best we can, we always aim to get a jam session in on the weekend,since that’s when we’re available. But even when we aren’t rehearsing, we are always coming up with material during our own free time.
14. What’s been the toughest part of getting this band off the ground so far?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
It’s always money and reach — simple as that. You’re funding your own passion, trying to present it at the highest level you can, and that all comes out of your own pocket.
The other side of it is belief. There are not always enough people around you are doing the same thing, and that can get in your head. You start doubting yourself — I know I did for years, and I lost time because of that. Now it’s about making up for it and not looking back.
And then there’s the grind. Reach doesn’t just happen — you have to go out and build it yourself. That means being organised and constantly putting the work in contacting radio stations, review sites, promoters, playlist curators — all of it.
It’s not glamorous, but
15. Has there been a moment where things nearly didn’t happen — and what kept you going?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
Plenty of times for me personally, but I kept pushing and pushing until I found something, music is my life, and the same for the other lads as well.
🤘 DUBLIN SCENE & METAL COMMUNITY
16. What’s the Dublin metal scene like right now — and where do you fit into it?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
It’s always money and reach — simple as that. You’re funding your own passion, trying to present it at the highest level you can, and that all comes out of your own pocket.
The other side of it is belief. There are not always enough people around you are doing the same thing, and that can get in your head. You start doubting yourself — I know I did for years, and I lost time because of that. Now it’s about making up for it and not looking back.
And then there’s the grind. Reach doesn’t just happen — you have to go out and build it yourself. That means being organised and constantly putting the work in contacting radio stations, review sites, promoters, playlist curators — all of it.
It’s not glamorous, but if you’re serious about it, you embrace that side of it just as much as the music.
17. Are there local bands people should be keeping an eye on?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
Plenty of times for me personally, but I kept pushing and pushing until I found something, music is my life, and the same for the other lads as well.
18. How important is community when you’re coming up in a scene like this?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
Definitely, the Irish metal scene is really niche,and supporting local bands is the best thing we can do. Pain In Vain are a fantastic band who have been around for over 10 years, I urge anyone to check them out if you haven’t already. Same goes for the local band Uragh, who played Wacken in 2024.
18. How important is community when you’re coming up in a scene like this?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
It’s massive. Especially in a scene like this, community is what keeps everything alive. Without it — the bands, the promoters, the photographers, the people showing up — none of it really works.
When you’re coming up, you’re all kind of building it together. You’re sharing stages, supporting each other’s releases, pushing the same scene forward. That matters.
At the same time, you still have to stand on your own two feet. No one’s going to carry you — you’ve got to put the work in and earn your place.
But having that sense of community around you — people who actually care about the music and want to see it grow — it gives everything more meaning. It stops it feeling like you’re just shouting into the void.
🔮 WHAT’S NEXT FOR CHARNEL CROWN?
19. You’ve got your debut single People Like You landing — what can fans expect?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
Fans can expect fast and heavy hitting riffs, but also resonate with what the song is about. This song hits home for us personally and we can’t wait for people to hear it. Fans can expect much more from us very shortly.
20. And the debut EP Such Is Life — what’s the story behind it?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
Such Is Life comes from a very typical Irish mindset — it’s something you hear all the time growing up. It’s what people say when things go wrong, when life hits you a bit — you just shrug it off with “ah, such is life.”
But for us, there’s a bit of tension in that. Because sometimes that phrase can feel like acceptance… and sometimes it feels like people settling for less than they deserve.
That’s where the EP lives.
The songs are rooted in social commentary. “People Like You” is a good example — it’s about the working man and woman being pushed to the edge and deciding they’re not going to be victims anymore. That mindset runs through the whole record.
At the same time, a lot of it is personal too. These aren’t just observations — they’re things we’ve lived or seen firsthand.
We wanted to come out strong and make a statement with this release, and “People Like You” was the first shot. The EP builds on that — it’s honest, it’s grounded, and it’s us figuring things out in real time.
Hopefully, people connect with it — because at the end of the day, it’s coming from a very real place.
21. What’s the plan for the rest of 2026 — gigs, releases, taking over the world?
Spencer(Bassist) Answer
Our plan is to gig as much as possible to make a name for ourselves in the local scene, and then branch out to outer county gigs. We aim to have our upcoming E.P “Such Is Life” out over the next few
⚡ FINAL RIFF REPORT QUESTION
22. If someone sees Charnel Crown for the first time… what do you want them to walk away saying?
Dean (Vocalist) Answer:
We want them to walk away saying, “I didn’t expect that… but I felt it.”
Whether they loved it or hated it, we just don’t want to be forgettable. If people are still talking about us after — that’s the goal.
Ideally though, we want them to feel like they experienced something real. Not just a band playing songs, but energy, attitude, something that actually connected. Something that made them move, think, or just let go for a bit.
If someone leaves saying, “those lads meant every second of that,” then we’ve done our job.
🔥 CHARNEL CROWN – OFFICIAL SOCIALS 🔥
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charnelcrown
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charnelcrown
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charnelcrown
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charnelcrown
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/charnelcrown
🎸 WHY YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THEM (LIKE, RIGHT NOW)
These lads aren’t messing about, mun. Pure groove, zero gimmicks, and riffs that hit like a steel chair in a sweaty basement pit 😤🔥
With “People Like You” dropping and their debut EP Such Is Life incoming, this is exactly the kind of band The Riff Report was built to shout about.
🤘 RIFF REPORT VERDICT
If you like your metal:
- Heavy as sin
- Honest as hell
- Built for working-class pits and cheap pints 🍺
…then get on this NOW before you’re pretending you “knew them early” later on 😏
