KrashKarma

In our “Hero of the Week” section, we are not highlighting just one person… but a duo that has turned reinvention and defiance into a way of life.

KRASHKARMA, the Los Angeles–based metal duo formed by Ralf Dietel and Niki Skistimas, blends rock, punk, and electronic elements into their own explosive style: Krash Metal. Their music sounds bigger than any duo should — thanks to their DIY creativity, unmatched stage intensity, and the legendary hybrid instrument “Mrs. Frankenstein, ” capable of delivering both guitar and bass frequencies at once.

Touring worldwide and breaking every expectation of what two people can do on stage, KRASHKARMA continues to grow their global fanbase with raw power, bold experimentation, and unforgettable live performances.

Ralf, you created a unique instrument — a guitar with a bass pickup, called “Mrs. Frankenstein.” What inspired this project, and how has it changed your perception of music and stage sound?

Mrs. Frankenstein was born out of necessity. Our bass player injured his back right before a tour, and cancelling wasn’t an option — the show had to go on. So I started experimenting to find a way to cover both bass and guitar parts live. I wired different pickups together, messed around with string gauges, and ended up creating this hybrid instrument that could handle both frequencies.

That accident ended up changing everything. Suddenly we didn’t just sound like two people filling space — we became this self-contained, full-power machine on stage. It pushed me to rethink arrangements, tone, and how low-end and melody interact. Mrs. Frankenstein became more than a fix; she turned into a symbol of our band’s attitude — no excuses, just find a way and make it work.

Niki, you started on bass, then moved to drums and vocals. How has this journey influenced your musical style and approach to songwriting?

I played bass for a very short time in another band, but I quickly gravitated toward drums — that’s where I felt the energy and heartbeat of the music. Once KRASHKARMA became a duo, singing came out of necessity. We had to utilize every skill we had to fill the sonic space and make it sound huge with just the two of us.

That challenge completely changed how I approach songwriting. Drumming and singing at the same time forces you to think differently — you can’t just follow the beat, you are the beat and the emotion. Every song has to work live with only two people driving it, so everything we write is built on energy, balance, and connection. It’s raw, intense, and honest — exactly how we like it.

In one interview, you mentioned searching for the “right people” to collaborate with. What qualities do you value most in musical and business partners, and what does “the right person” mean to you?

In the music business, you have to be careful not to get exploited. There are a lot of people who want to take a cut without really contributing. For us, the right people are the ones who bring something real to the table — ideas, energy, skills — and who earn their share through action, not promises.

We’ve built KRASHKARMA by doing almost everything ourselves, from recording to booking to designing merch, so we know the value of hard work. When someone comes in, it has to elevate what we’re already doing. It’s about mutual respect and trust — if everyone gives 100%, everyone wins.

Your performances are often described as “American metal” in Europe and “European metal” in the US. How do you perceive these differences, and how do they influence your music and stage presence?

Some people in Europe call us “American metal, ” and in the U.S. we’re “European metal.” I think that says everything about where KRASHKARMA sits musically. We naturally combine the precision and melody that people associate with European metal with the raw power and energy of the American scene.

For us, it’s not about fitting into one category — it’s about blending both worlds into something unique. Touring internationally really shaped that sound. You see how different crowds react: European audiences love dynamics and atmosphere, while U.S. audiences want intensity and connection. We bring both — that’s what makes our live shows so explosive.

It also keeps us on our toes. We never want to play it safe or predictable. Being “too American” for Europe and “too European” for America means we’re exactly where we want to be — in our own lane.

Both of you are actively involved in recording and producing. How do you balance creative expression with the technical aspects of recording to maintain the uniqueness of your sound?

Being fully involved in recording and producing is a huge part of what defines our sound. We start every song from emotion and energy — that’s the foundation — and then use the technical side to amplify it, not tame it.

Ralf handles all the mixing and mastering himself, which keeps everything consistent and true to our vision. It gives us total creative control and lets us experiment freely until the sound feels alive. Niki’s vocals and drums bring the raw power and emotion, and together we shape every detail until it hits that perfect balance between chaos and clarity.

That hands-on approach is what keeps KRASHKARMA’s sound unique — it’s 100% us from the first note to the final master.

Your music blends rock, metal, punk, and electronic elements. How do you define your genre, and do you aim to create a completely new musical style?

We call it Krash Metal — our own blend of everything we love about heavy music. It’s got the attitude of punk, the energy of hardcore, and the technicality of metal. That combination pretty much defines who we are and how we sound.

We never sat down and decided to create a new genre — it just evolved naturally from our chemistry as a duo. When you strip everything down to two people, you can’t hide behind anything. Every note, every scream, every hit has to count. That raw honesty shaped what became Krash Metal.

You mentioned that your duo developed naturally rather than being a planned step. How does this format affect your dynamics and interaction on stage?

Becoming a duo wasn’t a planned decision — it just evolved naturally. Once it was just the two of us, something clicked. There’s no safety net, no one to hide behind — every move, every sound has to matter. That pressure creates this intense connection between us on stage.

We’ve developed a kind of unspoken communication — almost telepathic at this point. We know exactly where the other person is going before it happens. It’s like a constant exchange of energy that keeps the show alive and unpredictable.

The duo format also forces us to be creative with our sound and performance. Ralf’s Mrs. Frankenstein fills both guitar and bass space, and I’m singing while drumming — so it’s a full sensory experience. It feels like a storm we’re both controlling together.

Your song “Falling to Pieces” reflects a certain stage of your musical career. What emotions and ideas did you want to convey through this track, and how does it relate to your album as a whole?

Falling to Pieces is the title track and the emotional core of the album. It’s about a relationship ending — that feeling when everything collapses around you — but we wanted to express it on a cosmic scale, like space folding in on itself and the inevitable implosion of the universe.

The song mirrors that destruction and rebirth both musically and emotionally. It’s heavy and melodic, chaotic yet beautiful. Niki delivered one of her strongest vocal performances, channeling all that tension and gravity into pure emotion.

In the end, Falling to Pieces is about transformation — turning collapse into creation, pain into power. That’s what KRASHKARMA is all about.

How do you see the future of KrashKarma? What ambitions and goals are you setting for yourselves in the coming years?

The future of KRASHKARMA is all about growth — creatively, globally, and personally. We’ve built this band completely independently, and now we’re focused on taking it to the next level: bigger tours, bigger productions, and connecting with even more fans around the world.

Our goal has always been to keep pushing boundaries — musically, visually, and as performers. We want to keep evolving our sound, release more music that hits hard but still has depth, and continue building a worldwide community around what we do.

At the same time, we never want to lose the DIY spirit that got us here. Every step we take has to stay true to who we are — real, intense, and unstoppable.

What impressions did you have from working with FOTKAI? What did you particularly enjoy, and why? Or is there anything you think could be improved?

We really appreciated FOTKAI’s energy and creative direction. Even in a short session before the show, he created an atmosphere that felt spontaneous and alive. His approach — encouraging movement, attitude, and a bit of chaos — captured the essence of KRASHKARMA perfectly and resulted in images that feel raw and full of energy. His enthusiasm made the whole shoot feel effortless and inspiring.