Interview with Norbert Krüler “We are all no angels”.
Shamall traces the ecological inconsistencies of our actions.
By Walter Sehrer

Norbert Krüler, aka Shamall, had gathered enough anger in addition to creative abundance to present a new double CD concept album to mankind. On “Schizophrenia” he deals with all kinds of self-tormenting thoughts: “The whole album is about this socio-political, but also everyday schizophrenia. Actually, we all know exactly what should be done, but then we are masters in looking away and not taking action. Just take plastic waste as an example of environmental pollution. Where do all the yellow plastic bags come from? Or people who regret that our generation has failed in this task, but then they go and book a cruise. All these incredible contradictions. None of us are angels. Yet so much could already be done on a small basis. That’s why the title song says: “I’m walking down the street. I know what’s wrong, but I don’t do anything. I don’t even turn around.”

The lack of self-restraint and carelessness in our own actions are diametrically opposed to the realization that we ourselves are the cause of global warming and the loss of species: “The turbo-destruction of the earth can’t go on like this, but our politicians are too weak-hearted. Greta considers Shamall to be an “important leading figure and a really honest skin,” but says not everyone who joined her on demos like “Friday for Future” is aware of the need to cut back on consumption.

Musically, Shamall has also put in a lot of effort on “Schizophrenia”. This time he sings higher than usual. Is the high lament tone suitably to the topic selected or only by coincidence? “No, I’ve always considered my singing to be in need of some improvement, and now I’ve taken a pleasure in the key of F, which was a new challenge for me.” So much so that later, when it reminded him too much of a “lecture” himself, he again incorporated a whole series of instrumental tracks to balance it all out.

And what else is he proud of besides the more intense vocals? “On the classical elements, but also on the heavier guitars in some parts. Not so much Pink Floyd as usual in that respect. My own favorite track is “The Inconvenient Truth P. II,” there’s a heavy eight-minute guitar solo on it. But I also gave more love to the drums this time. I made the breaks less synthetic, more individual rhythmic and more natural than before. You have to be honest with yourself. The worst thing you can do is being boring. In fact, for me, it’s my best work now.” 

Dark, bombastic, Floydy and spacey is how Shamall’s sound could be described overall. He himself prefers to describe his style as “cinematic rock” because his music is always precisely conceived like a movie. That’s where the “old DJ” in him comes through, he says. However, he won’t perform his music live under any circumstances in a “completely oversaturated market,” otherwise this effort would rob him of any motivation for future records.

c/o Walter Sehrer, 2020