Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with the Dark Absence, one of the element of the German metal landscape. Formed in 2022, this trio recently made waves with the release of their debut album, aptly titled “Dark Absence”. As they embark on their musical journey, Dark Absence is already showcasing a blend of melodic death metal and metalcore influences.
It is clear that Dark Absence is not shying away from experimentation. Their ability to weave together aggressive sections with melodic interludes demonstrates their potential to capture a wide range of emotions. Today, we’ll dive deeper into their creative process, the challenges they face, and the vision they have for their music as they continue to evolve.
Your band debuted in 2022 and recently released your first album. What were the biggest challenges you faced during this process?
The biggest challenge during the album production was finding enough time. We wrote, recorded and mixed this album ourselves. All three of us work full-time day jobs and coordinating everything is not always easy.
You blend various styles like melodic death metal, metalcore, and post-hardcore. Which bands or musicians have had a significant influence on your style and sound?
Our biggest influence comes from bands like Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. But bands like In Mourning, Katatonia and Opeth have also influenced our style. The metalcore influences certainly come from As I Lay Dying, who we personally also like very much.
What’s the songwriting process like in Dark Absence? Who in the band mainly takes charge of composing the music and lyrics? How does collaboration work among the members? Are there any specific rules or dynamics that help you in your creative work?
Fernando our singer (and guitarist) writes almost all of our songs. He is simply a very creative mind and sometimes sends us song ideas at 2 o’clock in the morning. Sometimes they are already finished songs, where only small things are changed and our drummer Torben adds his individual drum style. Sometimes it’s rough song ideas that we then work on together. There are no limits to our creativity. That’s why the album can’t be categorised 100% into one genre. We understand that not everyone likes that. But we make music from our hearts and pursue ideas that we ourselves like and enjoy.
I feel the album’s sound is somewhat uneven. What are your thoughts on that opinion, and do you have any reservations in this regard? How did you record your material? Did you seek any outside help, or did you handle it more independently, which seems pretty popular these days?
As already mentioned, the album is an in-house production. We have experience in recording and mixing, but of course we are not professionals. We know that we could have got more out of it in a professional studio. But that’s simply a question of budget for small bands. We had the master done externally to get the best possible result in the end. Of course we’re trying to develop further, but for a small band that does everything itself, the album still doesn’t sound that bad. Ultimately, it’s also a matter of taste and where you set the bar.
You opted for a rather conservative tempo in your tracks. What motivated you to take this approach, and do you plan to explore faster, more aggressive sounds in the future?
As mentioned before in the songwriting process, we don’t set ourselves creative limits and if a tempo feels right, we don’t change it just to conform to genre ‘guidelines’.
We are currently working on new material. I can tell you so far that there will also be faster and more aggressive songs.
How do you see the evolution of your sound in the coming years? Are there any new territories you’d like to explore?
I think that we will continue to develop over the next few years, but without changing our roots and basic attitudes to creativity.
What does the raven symbol on the cover of “Dark Absence” represent, and what was the overall concept behind it?
We liked the raven on the cover because it fits in well and creates a dark atmosphere. The cover is supposed to symbolise Dark Absence and, in our opinion, we succeeded well.
What were the initial reactions from fans and critics to your debut album? Can you feel the newfound popularity in your concerts?
We have received very good feedback from fans so far. Tomorrow (07.12.24) we’re playing our album release show in Würzburg. That will show how well the songs are received live. But we are confident that it will be a success!
How do you assess the current state of the German metal scene? Which bands do you consider the most promising? And what’s the local scene like in your hometown?
The German metal scene is still a big force. There are an incredible number of (big) metal festivals in Germany. In addition, Heavysaurus (originally from Finland, but there’s a German version that’s making big waves) is getting the next generation in the right direction. One of my favourites is Heaven Shall Burn, who have represented the German metal scene brilliantly for many years and put on a great show.
The local scene in Würzburg had a hard time for a while, but thanks to the “Metal Initiative Würzburg” there’s a large regular clientele at concerts again, especially in the black metal area. That’s cool. We are grateful for such organisations, which keep the scene alive, especially on a voluntary basis.
What are your future plans regarding new releases or touring? Are you already working on new material?
We are already working on new material. A couple of shows are also being planned. We are positive about the future and are looking forward to it. Stay tuned!
