1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
T: Hello! That´s a lot what happened, as the recording started a long time ago. Actually, we kept on writing songs and recording stuff for ever and we took a lot of work into mixing "NACHT". We played a handful of shows and a tiny little tour in the close east of Europe , which seemed like a miracle doing this during a worldwide pandemic situation.
2.You have a new album coming out this year, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
T: We used a bit less guitars, a bit more electronic sounds and we mixed the vocals louder. The songs are a bit shorter.
M: FEUER, the previous Album, NACHT, released this year and TOD, still to be be finished, were recorded in a more than proper studio for the first time, so it gave us a lot of opportunities to vary with every instrument and soundscape on the recordings.
3.Your earlier material showed some black metal influences while the newer music sees you moving away from that influence, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical change?
T: I am not sure if we ever had a big black metal influence. Maybe even more influenced by music and tunes that have been an impact on what became then black metal? The 80ies? Early EBM and Doom music? We never had one specific sound. (Dolch) is like a chameleon of sound, depending on what story we want to tell. However. The guitar sound now is different, we also grew up with so much different music we would be lying to ourselves of denying other influences, like 90ies alternative and rock music, such as trip hop or anything experimental. Do you remember, back in the days even the word "Pop" was not a "no go" or something bad, when it was good quality?
M: NACHT might differ when you listen to superficially. But it‘s just us. We are all influenced by such a broad variety of different genres in music and art, so it just has to come down to what fits best to the topic or songs.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?
T: The "Nacht" album is one trip through the night, we talk about euphoria & depression, lust for life but also the fear of it. We were hanging out in California during these recording sessions, it was beautiful but also cold and ugly at the same time. The night can make you become a stupid modern vampire, looking for attraction, but also leaves you spitted out ugly in the morning, lost and broken.
I think we learned to become more precise songwriters, more specific on the story. We are maybe not the best songwriters, but hopefully good storytellers. (Dolch) is not meant to be entertaining only, we always wanted to say something, to communicate with the listener.
5.You have also covered some occult topics on some of your releases, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
M: I am sorry. If you read it in an occult way, can you tell me more about it? It is your own decision on how to read the lyrics, I am definitely not the one to argue about it. But we never had that topic in mind.
T: There is no such topic in our songs, there never was. Sorry. But it is ok if you feel so.
6.I know that the bands name means 'dagger' in German, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
T: Actually, the band never really had a name but the symbol, the triangle and the dagger inside. It used to be a military sign, we turned it and de-militarized it. Somehow, the logo feels like a shield of protection for us, same as writing, recording and playing this music might protect us from becoming crazy.
M: T is right. But maybe it is little stitch to our hearts for every song.
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
T: I remember the tour kick off in Berlin last October was one hell of energy between the audience and us, that felt great! We had some great shows on the older tours, I remember Paris and London being fun, same as Roadburn, Norway, House Of The Holy, Hell Over Hammaburg and our first ever show on Acherontic Arts Festival of course!
Our performance is quite an “anti -performance” ,I would say. We are there, but we are not important as individuals. The music must speak, we try to create a special energy and sometimes we are able to transport this to the audience, they give it back to us and we have a wonderful night.
M: But we evolved in our stage to audience communication. Still the songs we play is more important than our stage performance but the connection to the audience, weather they enjoy it or not, is also a big impact.
8.You have also been a part of splits with 'King Dude' and 'The Ruins Of Beverast', what are your thoughts on the other bands that had participated on the recording?
We did a split with King Dude, yes, and there is the tour tape that also includes The Ruins Of Beverast. Both absolutely great artists and friends to us. They are family. T.J from King Dude has a performance on one track on "Nacht", he does a perfect job with his dark voice. Other bands are not included on that album. We have some guests, like a german theatre actress speaking a poem etc.
9.On a worldwide level how have your fans reacted to your newer material?
T: We can´t say yet, the album "Nacht" is just about to be released. I guess a lot of old school metal dudes will hate it and there will be folks listen to it secretly as it is too genre-ignoring.
The last LP "Feuer" was beloved as far as I remember. "Nacht" will be a love or total hate thing.
M: On a worldwide level, I would like to learn more about reactions about every release. But with NACHT, yes. Love or Hate.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
T: More wide, less boundaries, more unexpected tunes on the other hand, but some traditional stuff on the other. We are working on finalizing "Tod", which will be the third part of FEUER, NACHT und TOD. Expect some ambient but orchestral sound, at least a bit. Then we already work on what follows after. It will be full of Soul I hope…
M: For every song we seek the appropriate measures.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
T: Ok, like mentioned before, a lot of styles and bands, too much to count. Stuff from the 80ies and 90ies when Pop music was still good, a lot of alternative and independent music, punk, metal (yeah of course the darkness and hopelessness of black metal), but also classical tunes from past to modern. We also get our influences from theatre plays, art, good books and philosophy. There is some rare good new tunes coming out here and then nowadays, but 90% of all stuff is just an repetition of hypes and such which really can be a bore...it is always good when you have a good tunes and melody and something to say with your own sound and in your own way.
12.before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
T: Everything occult is gone!
M: Thank you and be safe!
https://youtu.be/E44MYlkzk9M
https://youtu.be/cz14y5ddCsg
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
