SOURCE – Total Nuclear Annihilation is not your first album, yet I still had difficulty finding more detailed information about the band and its promotional material. What strategies are you and Convulse Records currently implementing to promote this excellent album?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – We’re planning on hitting the road with this one quite a bit. We’ve got a Midwest run in April, and are currently booking around three other trips in different parts of the U.S. this year. Maybe even some international trips? We’re trying to play as much as our jobs will allow us.
SOURCE – The difference in musical quality between Total Nuclear Annihilation and the band’s previous releases appears quite significant. Could you tell us more about the production process behind this album?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – Our last album, “Years of Lead”, our first EP, “Collapse”, and our new album were all recorded and mixed by Andy Nelson over at Bricktop Studios in Chicago. We always track all instruments live, and then overdub vocals and noise elements. We prefer to do this because we really focus on being a live band first. This helps the urgency and intensity come through in our recordings. The only change between the three was that we had Arthur Rizk (Eternal Champion, War Hungry, Cold World) handle the mastering. He did an excellent job putting the final touches on Andy’s impeccable recording and mixing.
SOURCE – I was very impressed by the short videos shared online showing the band rehearsing, such as the brief clip of the song Total Nuclear Annihilation. Are you planning to release any promotional videos to further support the promotion of the album Total Nuclear Annihilation?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – I think you caught the reel of us recording that song live in the studio! We don’t really have a lot of intention with our online content. I think we mainly just use it as a vehicle to let people know about our live shows and to document the time we spend as a band.
SOURCE – I honestly believe Total Nuclear Annihilation is one of the best albums of 2026. It is brutal and exceptionally well recorded. Are you prepared for the level of recognition the album may achieve within the scene?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – Thank you, we really did our best on this one. Recognition or not, we all just wanted to make music that we could be really proud of. It’s cool that people seem to be really taking to the record, but I don’t think anyone writes hardcore hoping to be well-liked.
SOURCE – What expectations do you and the label have for the album Total Nuclear Annihilation?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – Honestly, I just hope that we can play a bunch of intense, high-energy shows, and maybe meet some cool, like-minded people along the way. We don’t really have any expectations per se; hopefully Adam over at Convulse doesn’t lose a ton of money betting on us.
SOURCE – I discovered the band through a suggested post on Instagram and found the music phenomenal. How are you using this online engagement to generate revenue and financially sustain the band?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – We’re mainly just using our platforms to document what we’re doing. It’s cool if other people come along for the ride, but it’s mainly just nice to have something to look back on when I’m old and have no more knees. We all have regular jobs and don’t really expect to make any serious money off the band. That freedom is nice. It lets us pretty much do whatever we want without having to worry about catering to anyone’s sensibilities other than our own.
SOURCE – At present, is being an American band a privilege or a limitation in terms of how you interact with the global metal scene?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – So, America is really big. We’re from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which isn’t exactly a huge hub for our kind of music. There have been some cool bands that came out of Milwaukee, but it’s nowhere near as prolific for hardcore as New York, L.A., or Boston.
Being in the upper Midwest provides a challenge inside the U.S., let alone the world. Bands from here don’t have the same eyes on them. The big network isn’t as established. Those same challenges come with connecting with people internationally, especially since our band is best experienced live. Hopefully we’ll be able to play outside of the U.S. soon.
SOURCE – Is there anything else you would like to add?
Hal Crossno (Vocals) – Be sure and check out our friends in Enervate and Home Invasion!
Thanks for this interview, I appreciate the interest that anyone takes in the stuff that we make.
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