While Crossbone Skully may be a new band to some, they are definitely not a fresh band when it comes to pedigree. Frontman Tommy Henriksen is an integral part of both Alice Cooper's band and the Hollywood Vampires, earning his stripes multiple times over through countless tours and live performances.
But with Crossbone Skully the landscape has shifted considerably. This is Henriksen's own band. His creation. His baby.
And today the world gets to share in his vision when Crossbone Skully unleash their debut album Evil World Machine on the world.
A vicious, snarling slab of rock music brilliance, Evil World Machine is an emphatic statement of intent, executive produced by the legendary Mutt Lange with just enough finesse to draw comparisons with some of the bigger artists in his resume.
HEAVY had the pleasure of catching up with Tommy and guitarist Anna Cara to talk more about the album and the rise and rise of Crossbone Skully.
"It's been a long time coming," Tommy smiled when asked about the album. "It's been quite a while since it's been finished, and to me, it feels like a bunch of excitement and relief. Finally, people can hear this."
In the full interview, Tommy and Anna expressed excitement and relief at finally releasing their album, which they had been working on for a long time. They acknowledged the frustration of waiting for the right moment to release it, but believed it was the universe's timing. The group discussed the diverse musical influences in their album, including AC/DC, the Sex Pistols, and The Who. They also mentioned the various singles released from the album, and hinted at some powerful tracks that hadn't been released as singles yet.
Both discussed their desire to create music that transcends genres, rather than being pigeonholed into a specific sound. They mentioned their inspiration from various artists such as The Who, Queen, David Bowie, and Motley Crue and also talked about their approach to featuring guest artists on their songs, with Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue and Phil Collen from Def Leppard being mentioned as examples.
Tommy spoke about the thought process behind the album's opening track, which was inspired by David Bowie and Motley Crue plus the involvement of legendary producer Mutt Lange, who was executive producer on the album. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with Alice Cooper's band and emphasized the importance of conveying a message of survival and doing the right thing in their music. The band also discussed their upcoming live shows, with a tour kicking off in Hollywood, and expressed interest in touring in Australia plus more.