January 2020

SOULSPLITTER give the German prog a freshness kick

31. January 2020

The musicians from Mannheim, Leipzig, Hamburg and Berlin got to know each other during their studies at the Mannheim Pop Academy. "Soul splinters were our bachelor's project at the time," says drummer and main composer Fenix Gayed. "But we soon realised that we would like to continue with the band after graduation," adds guitarist Simon Kramer in the joint interview. "We all come from different musical backgrounds, and with the founding of the project there was a fusion of these influences.

Around DAVE SCHMIDTs Sulatron label there is a lot to celebrate

31. January 2020

Dave Schmidt Sulatron Sula Bassana Electric Moon

When he's right, he's right. "By 2020, however, that will be 16 or 11 years," remarks Dave Schmidt - that's right, this article appears a few days too late. In 2004 Schmidt, one of the most dazzling figures of the local space psychedelic scene, founded Sulatron Records and in 2009 the band Electric Moon. How did the label come about in the first place? Schmidt freely admits: "What else should such a music fanatic do, if he doesn't have a job and is somehow not able to have a normal job? After all, label boss is also a job.

SHAMALL traces the ecological inconsistencies of our actions

31. January 2020

Shamall

Norbert Krüler alias Shamall had accumulated enough trouble besides creative abundance to present mankind with a new double CD concept album. On "Schizophrenia" he deals with all kinds of self-torture: "The whole album is about this socio-political, but also everyday schizophrenia. Actually, we all know exactly what one should do, but then we are masters in looking away and not doing it. When it comes to environmental protection, just take plastic waste as an example. Where did all those yellow bags come from?

TRAIL OF DEAD return in old strength

31. January 2020

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

It's been six years since the last album of the Texas band And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead was released, which is basically just a duo. On "IX", frontman Conrad Keely and his drumming counterpart Jason Reece took it a bit easier on the album, after the previous albums had partly paid homage to the noise phase of the early work: "I actually think in trilogies", Keely explains, "and this current trilogy started with 'IX' and now continues with 'X', and the next album I might even call 'XI', haha.

Constant change makes AVATARIUM's creative fire blaze

31. January 2020

Avatarium

A little bit the development of Avatarium reminds of growing up: In the beginning, doom icon Leif Edling had full creative control over the project, but in recent years he has been withdrawing more and more - like a father slowly releasing his children into independence. For "The Fire I Long For", the fourth album, he wrote only three of the total nine tracks. The new creative centre is formed by guitarist Marcus Jidell, who also collaborates with Edling on Candlemass and The Doomsday Kingdom, and singer Jennie-Ann Smith. In a natural way, something new is constantly emerging.

THE SHAKING SENSATIONS - Without music you can't go

27. January 2020

The Shaking Sensations XXL-Interview

They were burnt out, empty, aimless. After the second album "Start Stop Worrying" (2013) the motivation to continue making music had reached zero. The Shaking Sensations had fallen into an existential crisis. But now the quintet from Copenhagen presents a new, famous post rock album with "How Are We To Fight The Blight? Full of New Artrock, which is completely dedicated to the instrumental Walls Of Sound and combines opposites like quiet and loud, fast and slow or friendly and dark. Guitarist Jeppe Nygaard Christensen explains eclipsed the background.