Darkness – Interview
Country: Germany
Genre: Thrash Metal
Interview with: Darkness
Interviewer: Speedskullcrusher
Hello and welcome to Acier Doux. For those morons who don’t know Darkness yet, can you summarize your history as a band until “Blood on Canvas”?
Gladly! Lacky founded Darkness in 1984! Some demos were recorded and once he had his line-up complete, a record deal was signed, and Death Squad was recorded! A great success to date. After 2 more discs it became restless, and the band didn’t know whether they wanted to continue Darkness in the same form! The original singer Olli died, and a reunion seemed uninteresting! So, Arnd and Lacky experimented with German lyrics under the name “Eure Erben”! In 2013 a new line-up was slowly found and Darkness became active again! With “The Gasoline Solution” came the real reunion record and since then the band has been more active than ever! More releases were released, and the band played live all over the world! and here we are now!!!
Now your sixth album “Blood on Canvas” is just released on Massacre Records-. I find this one really different from “Death Squad”: Darkness evolved a lot in the composition point of view. Your Thrash-metal sounds really more complex and fluid than ever before. What did you want to reach or achieve this time?
At the time of ” Death Squad ”, the boys were 18, 19 or maybe 20 years old! It would be strange if we hadn’t evolved! You automatically develop musically and compositionally! But the anger is still the same! We never compose with a specific goal in mind! We write songs that we like and feel and if the fans still like it, that of course makes us happy! This is how darkness work.
Darkness stopped Thrashing in 1989 and came back with ” The Gasoline Solution ” , ‘ First Class Violence ”. What happened to the band at that time?
Disorientation and experiments. Every young musician tries to discover the musical world. you want to know where you belong! And sometimes you go back to the beginning and realize that this is exactly what you always needed!
What were the reasons for forming Darkness ? Was it only to have fun and play good music, or was there also a goal to express your vision of life? Did you always use committed lyrics or did you start to use some later?
Tom of Sodom always says so well…everyone who listens to metal has thought about starting a band! With Darkness it was a concert in 1984 where Lacky and Uwe decided “let’s start a band”! Then you realize relatively quickly, if you’re talented enough, that a band can be an incredible form of expression! Lyrics have always been incredibly important for Darkness! It was never planned but Darkness always had punk lyrics! Not Satan or whatever! So, the founding of the band was a butterfly effect that brought people together who think and feel the same!
Who is the main music writer in the band?
Arnd sometimes Lee & Lacky but main definitely Arnd.
What are your influences? How do you compose your music?
Influences are movies, books and daily news! We are classic! We are writing the songs together in our Rehearsal Room!
Why do you play Thrash Metal ? What does Thrash Metal mean for you ? Are you the same individual in « everyday life » and in the band?
I in particular don’t know any music! My first record was Dark Angel We have arrived! I started straight away with extreme metal! I’m not one of those musicians who plays thrash on stage and then listens to Ed Sheeran at home! How often have I heard from successful metal musicians that they no longer listen to metal in private! All members of our band are metal fans and consumers with heart and soul! To answer your question, we love this music, and we are who we are. in the band and outside!
What are your 5 fave Metal CDs of 2004 until now?
Thats hard! 1985-2005 is more easy!
Kreator Enemy of God
Suicide Silence The Cleansing
Violator Scenarios of Brutality
Possessed Revelation to Oblivion
Sodom Genesis XIX
What are your future plans? Future touring projects, next releases etc… This comes to an end. Something to add to conclude this interview?
Next year is 40 years of Darkness!!!! First Demo was released 1985! , We will release a “Best of” Album with underrated songs and will play a lot of special shows worldwide!! Will be great, we can´t wait! We love that people like us and remember us worldwide! Thanks for your support und maybe we will see u in August in the US in front of the stage!
