Interview Darkmaterial

DarkMaterial, an alternative rock band known for their haunting and innovative sound, shares insights into their music, influences, and the emotional depth of their lyrics in this exclusive interview.

1. Can you tell us about the origins of DarkMaterial and how the band came together?
The band was formed after Shortwave disbanded. Ian and Oscar were both previous members of that band. They were joined by new members Joe and Sam in the new base location of Reading.

2. Your music is described as a fusion of alternative rock, melodic heavy metal, and post-rock. How did you arrive at this unique blend of genres, and what influences have shaped your sound?
A big philosophy of the band is that songs should be written with a meaning and that music should be made for the fun and enjoyment of our fans. We also wanted to explore some of the darker side of everyday life and feel like there are too many heroes again in music and not enough villains. We often write from the angle of the villain and using heavier, moodier styles helps support this.
This fusion of styles really allows for this wide range of goals to be hit while still sounding good. It allows for our music to be familiar enough to the listener to make them feel like they can belong and engage whilst being unique and interesting at the same time.
Big influences for us as a band are: Iron maiden, the Dio years of Black Sabbath, Muse, BMTH. The heavy metal and alt rock influence is obvious. There more subtle influences are the powerful lyrics of the Arctic Monkeys or Simon and Garfunkel and the powerful riffs of The Kinks.

3. "The Rock Charts" praised your ability to effortlessly blend heavy metal with atmospheric post-rock. Can you share some insights into your creative process when crafting your songs?
We write the best songs we can. We want them to be interesting, gripping, and unique both lyrically and musically. Stories change in flow and dynamic as they are told and so too does the music we are trying to create. We structure our songs in parts and focus on transitions and breakdowns to really be able to mix the power of heavy metal and the subtlety and imagery of post rock together.

4. Your vocals are often highlighted as powerful and captivating. What inspires the lyrical themes and vocal delivery in your music?
When I am writing lyrics, I am looking to turn to 11 something from everyday life around me. Good stories, powerful emotions, or gripes of life are all good topics to explore. The vocal delivery is really shaped from a theatrical rock side. Big inspiration is from Bruce Dickinson, Dio, and Ghost. My interest in performing vocals came from hearing what Dio could do with the delivery of male vocals and he is the biggest influence to me in terms of delivery and technical capability.


5. Could you tell us about your latest EP and the concept behind it? What can listeners expect from this release?
The EP is called ‘The Price of Love’ and explores the emotions that Ian felt dealing with dementia in a family member. It is dark and powerful musically and lyrically but is also very hopeful all the way through. As a band we have really captured the feeling of grief in the title track. The other concepts are greed, being lost, and being swept away in the tide of what is popular. If songs about the powerful emotions of the everyday are something that you are interested in, you should check it out.
open.spotify.com...Y3pBlA

6. "DarkMaterial" is an intriguing name for a band. Is there a story or meaning behind the name, and how does it reflect your music?
We needed a new name for the band that was unique on streaming services. Of the choices we shortlisted this was the winning one. The music is dark and atmospheric, the subject matter is dark and so it was very fitting. Also, inspired by Ian’s favourite book trilogy.

7. Fans of Helloween and Megadeth are said to be drawn to your music. What other artists or bands have had a significant impact on your musical journey?
Sabbath, Dio, Iron Maiden, Muse, and BMTH are the bands we say have had the biggest impact on us musically. There are many others though and lyrically inspiration comes from artists like Arctic Monkeys and Simon and Garfunkel.

8. Your music is described as haunting and mesmerizing. How do you create an immersive experience for your listeners during your live performances?
Our performances have a theatrical element. Ian embodies the evil characters of the songs and acts as a conduit to help for ours fans immerse themselves in the experience.

9. What challenges have you faced as independent artists in the music industry, and how have you overcome them?
We could respond to this question with a full essay. Everything is a challenge from logistics of practice, recording, funding, and promotion of material. We employ a variety of project management techniques to resolve logistical and managerial issues and have now established a social media manager to assist with promotion.
One unexpected challenge we have faced is personal injury in the band. We had to delay recording of the ‘Price of Love’ because the drummer at the time badly cut his hand and couldn’t play for a couple of months across the original recording period. It built resilience in the band to be able to overcome the frustration of having to delay our plans so that he could recover.

10. Your sound is often praised for pushing the boundaries of the alternative rock genre. How important is innovation and experimentation in your creative process?
They are key. With all our music we are looking to create something new and innovative. We try to do this without abandoning the basics of songwriting so that there is a solid foundation to build on, but we are always looking to include something different in our songs. Sometimes it can be a very subtle play with timings other times it can be obvious by adding contrasting sections into pieces.

11. Can you share any memorable moments or experiences from your journey as a band so far?
The Price of Love EP is the first time the band members have recorded track by track in a studio. We loved the experience of being able to layer guitars tracks and multi-track vocals. These elements come through particularly well in ‘Fall into the Fire’.

12. In your opinion, what sets DarkMaterial apart from other bands in the alternative rock scene?
The quality of the song lyrics and the subject matters that we discuss is the most stand out part of our songs against other bands. We are also blending ideas from a number of different genres together that make for very unique songs that still feel coherent together. It is very fun, it is very dark, and you’ll never know what is coming next.

13. Your lyrics are noted as thought-provoking. What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your songs?
We are trying to entertain and make the audience think at the same time. Every song is unique and has a different topic. We’re aiming to bring to life everyday emotions and problems in a way that is engaging, fun, and has that dark twist to it.
Some of the topics we’ve covered so far are grief, greed, and ambition. Grief being the central theme of our Eps title track ‘The Price of Love’.

14. How do you see the future of DarkMaterial evolving in terms of your music and your career as musicians?
darkmaterial is a freshly launched independent band and currently has no industry support or backing. Our aims are to grow our audience and keep releasing fantastic music for our fans. In the meantime, we want to develop our awareness within the industry so that we can secure that industry support for the future.

15. Could you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans can look forward to?
We are working on 4 new singles currently to be released across 2024. Fans should have new music to look forward to across the whole of 2024.

16. Lastly, for those who are just discovering DarkMaterial, what message would you like to send to your new listeners, and where can they find your music and stay updated on your latest developments?
Thank you very much for listening. It means a lot to us. We write, record, and perform this music so that other people can enjoy it, have a good time, and know they are not alone feeling the emotions that life throws at us, be that the good or the bad.
You can check out our songs on spotify:
open.spotify.com...mqVl4w
open.spotify.com...Cs4vYw
and you can follow us on facebook or instagram:
www.facebook.com...lmusic
www.instagram.co...rial1/