PLAYLIST: Cruce Signatus' Most Influential Albums

Curated and Written by: David Frazer of Cruce Signatus

In an attempt to give some cool bands a platform to talk about cool music, we're trying something new here at Ye Olde Sleeping Village. Each Wednesday henceforth, a band will be taking over the blog to share a curated playlist, along with some words about each song and why they picked it. First up is Cruce Signatus, a new project from Milwaukee based multi-instrumentalist David Frazer, who you might previously know from (the excellent!) Pillaging Villagers. Blending heavy metal, cinematic compositions, and synthwave, the self-titled Cruce Signatus debut was released on June 7th, and can be found here! 

Without further ado, I'll let David take over. Enjoy!

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In this list below, I tried to choose songs from albums that were highly influential on my creative process for Cruce Signatus, listed in descending order of influence. There were many albums that were influential for me, but these represent the top 10.
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Howard Shore - Khazad-dûm

Those who know me well will not be surprised to see that the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, composed by Howard Shore, is the most influential piece of music on Cruce Signatus. Cruce Signatus is, first and foremost, a soundtrack. Every moment of the entire feature length composition is precisely tailored to enhance the visual experience. In his masterful composition, Shore uses strong 'keynote' melodies to pull the listener into the story, give emphasis to specific themes or lend emotional depth to the visual aspect. Think of the epic 'Uruk-hai' theme, with its pounding drums evocative of a horde on the march. Think of the peaceful 'Shire' theme, which is often played over emotive moments for our heroes to remind the viewer of what they are fighting for. Think of the 'White Hand' theme, which plays anytime the scheming Saruman or his armies are in focus. Think of the brassy 'Fellowship' theme, which plays in heroic moments like in 'Khazad-dûm' as our heroes fly across the bridge under fire. These 'keynote' melodies are so strong that one can merely whistle or hum them, and anyone in earshot with knowledge of the films will probably be able to finish the tune. Without the music, Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy would not be as powerful.

It was this orientation that I sought to bring to Cruce Signatus – my goal was to create a feature length animated anthology which was based on the soundtrack, as opposed the soundtrack being a complimentary piece. This goal was really based in my ambition to explore more 'long form' composition, in contrast to the infectious immediacy of my previous project, Pillaging Villagers. This 'long form' approach relies on the same 'keynote melody' technique – continually referencing theme tunes to lend emotive force to the story. I started with strong melodies, like the dark 'Gehenna' theme, which recurs twice in 'Gehenna et Tartareum' and then again at the very end of the album, or the sinister 'Pierre's theme' which recurs twice in 'Lus Gladii' and then again in 'Bellum Dei,' or the mournful 'Count's theme' which recurs twice in 'Vexillum Crucis' and then again in 'Bellum Dei.'  These melodies not only are featured in the first album, which releases June 7, but throughout the rest of the fully written but yet-to-be-released anthology. It was the concept of continually re-visiting and modulating strong melodies that inspired the Cruce Signatus concept – I wanted to give listeners the same feeling I get when I listen to Howard Shore's masterpiece. Further, I wanted to create something totally unique – a soundtrack that stands fully on its own but which is also tied inextricably to its complimentary visual experience.  

Gost – Behemoth

This album by the great Gost was by far the most influential electronic album on Cruce Signatus for three reasons. First, the strange, metal-influenced synths ('Master,' 'Reign in Hell') and gritty basses that rattle the speakers ('Tongue,' 'Bathory Bitch') really influenced me to try to create unique sounds. This took the form of really amping up the distortion on many of the synths, even adding a distortion pedal to many of them to bring some analog crunchiness. Second, Gost has always been much more aggressive than other synth-oriented artists. Tracks like 'Behemoth,' with its OSDM-inspired breakdown, really push the limits of how 'metal' synth-driven music could be and inspired me to try to push that limit even further. Finally, Gost's composition style, so prominent in electronic music, of stacking layers of melody and rhythm had a big impact on me. Gost usually builds around 3-4 layers, but I tried to go even further, often stacking 5-6 or even more layers for dense polyphonic climaxes.

Basil Poledouris – The Riddle of Steel/Riders of Doom

Another of my favorite soundtracks, Poledouris' incredible creation for the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian had a big influence on me creatively in three ways. First of all, the melodies have an 'epic' quality that I really tried to emulate. For example, the melodies are really brass-heavy (especially in 'Riders of Doom'), which led to my using the synth in some of the same ways as orchestras use brass. In addition, Poledouris uses heavy, pounding drums (as in 'Anvil of Crom') to add to the 'epic' scope, which I incorporated into many sections (such as in 'Vexillum Crucis'). Second, as with Cruce Signatus, the film chronicles a hero's (or anti-hero's) quest, which brings the story to a wide range of environments and settings. The music, therefore, is as diverse as the stages of the quest, with melodies evocative of desert landscapes, Atlantean tombs, cultic temples, fighting pits and more. I took on this challenge with Cruce Signatus in my attempt to craft melodies that captured the wide range of settings, from Gothic cathedrals to the plains of central Europe, to the splendor of medieval Constantinople, to the majestic Taurus Mountains and beyond. Finally, the keynote melodies are just superb. I really strove to create memorable, moving melodies like those featured in 'Theology/Civilization,' 'Wifeing,' 'The Orgy' and 'Funeral Pyre' to help capture the listener's attention and make the listening experience stand on its own, as is the case for Poledouris' criminally underappreciated Conan soundtrack.

Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor – Allegro molto

Cruce Signatus takes a lot of influence from symphonic music such as use of dynamics, utilizing varied synths as distinct orchestral voices and, especially, the use of interweaving 'keynote' melodies that recur and are modulated throughout a composition. Dvořák's masterpiece is a great example of this aspect and has been one of my favorite symphonies for a long time. In each movement, Dvořák uses two or three strong melodies that he continuously alternates between, stacking melodies on top of them and building them up to grandiose climaxes. In addition, he references these "keynote" melodies across movements. For example, in the first movement, 'Allegro molto,' we first hear the symphony's main theme - at 1:32 in the Wiener Philharmoniker recording from 1985 - first as a French horn solo, then transitioning to oboe, before recurring in full bombastic glory at 5:56 and again at 8:53. This melody intersects and interweaves with another melody (first heard at 4:23 of movement 1), with at least one of these two melodies recurring in all the other movements (8:37 in movement 2, 7:35 in movement 3, 3:53 in movement 4, etc.). I took the same approach with Cruce Signatus. Look for these 'keynote' melodies when you listen, hopefully it enhances the experience.

Dance with the Dead – Wyrm of Doom

Though this album is only a couple of years old, it came out right in the middle of my composition journey for Cruce Signatus and had a big impact on me creatively. I have been listening to synthwave and related genres for a while, but I had never heard a band incorporate metal elements the way Dance with the Dead does on this album. They really fulfill what a lot of artists had been striving for - the metal elements feel like they were always supposed to fit with this style. I started out looking to write an almost entirely synthwave album with Cruce Signatus, but this album inspired me to aim higher. The powerful live-sounding snare on tracks like 'Wyrm of Doom,' the realistic guitar sound, especially palm muting, on tracks like 'Sledge' and even guitar-like synths such as those on 'Hex' are all metal elements from this album that I tried to incorporate into Cruce Signatus. Elements like synth-driven arpeggios over metal riffs ('A New Fear') and the use of strong melodies ('I'm Your Passenger') are also elements that are key to my compositional framework on Cruce Signatus. Dance with the Dead continue to make some of the best synthwave/darkwave out there - I'm glad this album came along when it did to give me the confidence that my heavier music ideas could work with synth-driven, instrumental music.

Amon Amarth – Down the Slopes of Death

Not many will see a lot of parallels between this classic of melodic death metal and my synthwave musings, but the seeds of inspiration are undeniable. First, Amon Amarth has always brought the violence and brutality of the Medieval Age to its often imitated never duplicated variety of metal - both Cruce Signatus and my previous project Pillaging Villagers both draw inspiration from this tradition. This not only relates to the theming and subject matter, but to the burly, war-infused riffing. Amon Amarth always excels in making melody seem heavy with bruising riffs like those on 'Down the Slopes of Death' and 'Across the Rainbow Bridge.' I tried to infuse my riffs and melodies with the same spirit. Second, Amon Amarth does melody in a unique way, and it's evident all across Versus The World. They're known for writing a strong melody that is layered over 6/8 or rapid 4/4 sixteenth note tremolo picking, with double kick in unison. This is prominent on the title track, 'Where Silent Gods Stand Guard' and, especially, after the epic climax of 'Thousand Years of Oppression.' I find this to be one of the most effective formulas in metal and I use it to signal the high point of many songs across Cruce Signatus' epic multi-album journey, when the main melody returns after multiple layers of buildup, including at the end of 'Vexillum Crucis' and throughout 'Bellum Dei.' Finally, Amon Amarth uses lead guitar to layer arpeggios on top of heavy riffs and pummeling tremolos. This is no more evident than in 'Death in Fire' (1:51). I do the same thing, but I use synths as the lead instrument, especially in 'Lus Gladii' and during the breakdown section in 'Vexillum Crucis.' I find this to be another effective Amon Amarth institution and symbolizes my attempts to use the 'best' of metal conventions to elevate the synthwave structure without relying on metal throughout the compositions or going to the well too often.

Magic Sword – Sword of Truth

I'm not quite sure why synthwave appeals to so many metalheads like myself. Maybe it's the connection to John Carpenter's films, which are often associated with metal fandom. Maybe it's the thematic elements, which often range from the aforementioned horror genre to magical/sword-swinging themes similar to power metal. Whatever it is, this album was one of my first exposures to the still burgeoning genre back in 2015, and it's always stuck with me. There are many reasons why this album has been influential for me amidst a sea of seemingly similar artists. First, Magic Sword has always taken an 'epic' approach, featuring elements such as tracks that run together ('The Way Home' through 'The Face of Evil'), trumpetous leads ('Discover') and pounding, tom-driven sections ('Infinite') while most synthwave relies on simple drum and bass for percussion. The opening track is an excellent example of the grandiosity on display here. Second, the music itself is less 'dance-oriented' than some of its peers, focusing more on more traditional metal/rock elements ('Sword of Truth' and 'The Way Home'). Third, Magic Sword utilizes a multi-album storytelling approach and mythological core that anchors their compositions in an overarching concept - I always find it easier to connect with albums that are about something, especially in instrumental music genres. Finally, the album utilizes a lot of dynamics, from driving sections to more subdued, drum-free sections ('Memories in Shadow' and 'Journeys End') - I feel this diversity helps the more aggressive sections stand out more. All these elements were incorporated into Cruce Signatus.

Hällas – Stygian Depths

I first heard Hällas back in 2022 right after releasing Pillaging Villagers debut album and it pointed me in the direction of the kind of music I wanted to do next, before Cruce Signatus was even a fully fleshed-out concept. While the eventual sound on display in Cruce Signatus is very different from Hällas, this album got me experimenting with synthesizers and inspired me to listen to more 70's music, which opened up my eyes to the ways in which artists like Boston, ABBA, Styx and Genesis utilized the synth in unique ways. Not only that, but Hällas' epic, medieval-tinted concept albums about a space-faring knight and multi-album storytelling approach were directly influential on Cruce Signatus. Further, Hällas sounds like nothing else out there, which helped motivate me to strive for a one of a kind sound, albeit one based on foundations laid by both past and contemporary artists. Finally, the passion that Hällas have for their craft and their commitment to artistry shines through not only on the record, but in the live setting. I got the chance to see Hällas in Texas in 2023 and everyone in the venue, band included, was emotionally moved by the performance. It's that type of passion that I brought to every moment in Cruce Signatus' four album journey.

Rammstein – Engel

No band has used the synthesizer better in heavy music than the great Rammstein. Not only is synth integrated throughout Sehnsucht as well as all other Rammstein albums, but keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz uses such unique sounds that they stand out immediately as distinctively Rammstein despite their diversity. From the 'whistle' sound that kicks off 'Engel' to the iconic intro to 'Du Hast' and beyond, these synth sounds define each track as much as any other element - as evinced by the crowd reaction when these sections hit live. It was this orientation that I sought to bring to Cruce Signatus - I wanted to create a unique sonic 'personality' driven by distinctive synth sounds that were cohesive despite their diversity. Rammstein, and this album in particular, were influential in many other ways as well. For example, the band has always emphasized simplicity in its composition, trusting the strength of the riffs and memorability of the melodies to connect with the listener. In an age in which musicians, especially in heavy music, seem to be going for a 'maximalist' approach, I wanted to go the opposite direction. For Cruce Signatus, even the guitar is only present to emphasize key sections. As a result, its impact is enhanced - riffs stand out more and boost the strength of melodies following lengthy buildups. Also like Rammstein, I kept the drums simple but emphasized syncopation and synchronization with palm muted guitar and heavy bass, aiming for the same type of almost 'trance inducing' heaviness that the German greats strive for live

Van Halen – ​Jump /  Europe – The Final Countdown / Journey – Separate Ways / Rush – Tom Sawyer

While the synthesizer seems to have fallen out of favor as a lead instrument in heavy music, many albums from the 80's demonstrate that it can be a powerful voice that brings dynamism and diversity to a tired sound. Just listen to the iconic synth leads in 'Tom Sawyer,' 'Separate Ways,' 'Jump' or 'The Final Countdown' and you can see the 'epic' quality of the synth - it is this quality that I sought to emphasize for Cruce Signatus. In addition, these albums were meant to be played on the loudest stage possible - when I composed the music for Cruce Signatus, I imagined it being performed in massive arenas, the otherworldly quality of the synths transporting the audience across space and time. I simply couldn't choose a single album to capture the inspiration I took from this distinct moment in music history – hopefully these four tracks do the era justice.

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Thanks to David for curating this playlist and providing commentary! Tune in next week for another playlist.