When Belfast duo Chalk sat down to begin work on their debut album – the viscerally intense, electronic-industrial-rock amalgam ‘Crystalpunk’ – they wrote a manifesto for how they wanted to proceed. At the top of the list was a rule to create by: ‘This is the only Chalk album that will ever exist.’⁣ ⁣ “It was to make sure that we were being bold, taking risks and challenging ourselves, so that we would always look back and know that everything we wanted to say was there,” explains vocalist Ross Cullen, video calling in from their hometown the day after their gleaming NME Cover shoot. “You could really feel that energy in the room,” nods multi-instrumentalist Benedict Goddard. “There were times when we’d feel quite vulnerable, but having that manifesto pushed us to make those decisions. If this is the only thing we’re gonna do, we might as well completely go for it.”⁣ ⁣ chalkband are on The Cover. Read the full story at NME.com/the-cover or at the link in bio⁣ ⁣ #Chalk #NMETheCover ⁣ ⁣ ...