written by Marko Jakob | 23.01.2022 |
Pix666: Hello Kristof. Thank you for your time for this interview. Are you healthy and are you well? How are the other guys of Dawn of Ashes?
Kristof: We are all doing well, just being proactive as possible.
Pix666: Kristof, when exactly did you realise that you wanted to become a musician – how did it all start, who or what inspired you?
Kristof: One memory that I can remember is purchasing White Zombies album ‘Astro-Creep 2000’ and listening while imagining myself on stage. I did this with a few bands like Fear Factory, Ministry, Nine inch Nails, Sepultura, Pantera and many others. My drive to become a professional musician kept becoming more meaningful throughout my youth and it was obvious that this was and still is my calling.
Pix666: You’ve been on the road with Dawn of Ashes for more than twenty years now. What have been the most memorable moments with the band so far?
Kristof: It has been a long road and we have had such amazing opportunities. I feel being able to travel to other counties is definitely a great opportunity while performing to a crowd that has such a different attitude than people in the United States. I definitely really appreciate all the great memories of being tour, especially in other countries. Going on tour with Dimmu Borgir was a huge highlight in our career and it was such an amazing learning experience. Overall, being a band for over 20 years and having such a dedicated fan base that we can share every moment with creates the greatest memories.
Pix666: A few days ago your new single ‘EMDR’ was released and in March your new album will follow. What can fans expect on ‘Scars Of The Broken’ and what differences does the new album contain musically compared to previous albums?
Kristof: This particular album took me about 2 years to write. Not only was the writing of the album extremely complex but the emotional energy that was driving into this album from a dark and depressing place was extremely hard to deal with. I had so many emotional breakdowns while listening and writing this album that it was apparent that I need a break from writing for this band.
This album emotionally depleted me. Every song is a real situation that I have been through or something that I did to others. I dumped every deep emotion into writing this album so I feel that this particular album captivates a place that I don’t like going to. You can feel it in the music. It’s painful and you can hear the suffering throughout listening to the album.
Pix666: Is it already possible to pre-order ‘Scars Of The Broken’ and in which variations and versions will your new album be available for purchase?
Kristof: ‚Scars Of The Broken‘ is available for preorder worldwide. You can preorder on all digital platforms. Physical copies are available at Artoffact Records or on our Bandcamp store.
Pix666: What topics do you sing about in your songs and how do they come about?
Kristof: If you are referring to specifically ’Scars Of The Broken’. The lyrical content in the album has to do with mental health issues and real life struggles with mental disorders while dealing with emotional hardship. This was an album that I had to write. Not an album that I just randomly started writing and came up with the content on the go. This was something I had to do.
Pix666: Was there a possibility for you to tour with the album ‘The Antinomian’ in 2020 or did Covid destroy all plans?
Kristof: Covid definitely ruined our tour plans at that time but we will be playing that material on future tours.
Pix666: You are planning a record release party in March. Are there already further plans for a complete tour in 2022?
Kristof: Yes, we are set to play WGT in Germany. A tour in North America and possibly Europe.
Pix666: Now a question about the visual side of your band. How important are your outfits and make-up for you in connection with the music as a total concept?
Kristof: The imagery is as important as the music. I like to create the art of DOA to be both musically and aesthetically pleasing. Everything that goes into what we do has some sort of aesthetic that matches the content of the music.
Pix666: Would you rather have been a musician in the ’80s and ’90s, or do you feel right at home in this millennium with social media and all that stuff?
Kristof: I am a fan of both eras but the 90s definitely has a huge place in my heart. A lot of the best bands and artists came from that era. I think there are benefits from this era but I’m definitely bitter being part of this generation. Social media has its benefits, but is also extremely toxic.
Pix666: As a musician, you certainly spend most of your time creating music – but what else do you do in your free time when you want to get your mind off things – are there any interesting hobbies that you pursue?
Kristof: I’m a introvert and not very social. I am a hardcore gamer. I like reading. I do martial arts. I watch a lot of Horror and SciFi movies.
Pix666: Do you have any other news that you would like to share with the fans?
Kristof: We have a lot of exciting endeavors coming out this year for DOA. We will be shooting a music video in March before the release of the new album and we will be announcing tour dates. I’m sure there will be more but I can’t think of anything else at the moment. Fans can also look out for the debut album from my new Dark Ambient project Void Stasis.
Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting answers – good luck with the new album and stay healthy!!!
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