De Arma introduce darkwave elements into their ever-expanding sonic palette while retaining many of the characteristics which earned their previous effort critical acclaim: the outpouring of raw emotion through sweeping dreamscapes, gripping choruses, and the mesmerizing interplay between vocalists Andreas Pettersson and Maria Oja.
De Arma was founded in 2009 by guitarist, vocalist, and bass player Andreas Pettersson. After enlisting
drummer Johan Marklund, the duo recorded three tracks for “Towards the Shores of the End” (Nordvis), a
2011 split with British band Fen. In the very earliest incarnation of De Arma, the founder’s black metal roots
shine through quite a bit. But there were also plenty of musical elements present which remain a fixture in
the band’s sound today.
Nightcall EP was out on May 6, I had the pleasure to chat with Andreas on the new release, check out the below Interview.
Nightcall EP is to be out on May 6, Can you tell me about the songwriting and production behind it?
Compared to what we’ve done in the past, it is perhaps a bit experimental. The songs on the last album are quite old, so it’s good to present something fresh and more in line with what we’re about today. Even though the EP is very synth-driven, I’d still say we are more of a rock band. However, I am fascinated with the 80s synth sound, and now we finally got a chance to delve into it.
Was there any particular Concept that was put behind the album?
The lyrics are very personal in the sense that they are based on my own experiences. I wanted to connect them with a certain futuristic feeling I often had in the late 80s or 90s. At the time, I was living in a city and felt kind of misplaced in the urban surroundings. Besides the music, I also wanted to try to incorporate that feeling in De Arma’s visual aspect and the general mood conveyed by our lyrics.
3 amazing songs with a blend of Metal & Synth brings back memories of Childhood days, Thank you for the amazing music and how do you feel about the outcome of this?
We recorded and mixed the EP ourselves; it was then mastered by a friend of mine. I don’t have an expensive pro-studio, so we make the best out of whatever equipment we have at hand. Overall, I’m happy with the production. You’re never really 100% satisfied, so one tries one’s best and then works with that.
De Arma was formed back in 2009, how has the road been so far?
When this project was started, we didn’t have anything like a career or similar in mind. In the past, there wasn’t all that much happening. After the first album, we didn’t do anything for a long time. Not for lack of motivation, but other stuff kept getting in the way. De Arma was inactive for almost eight years, but the time has now come to make this project our main focus.
Any plans to bring more members into the band?
No, I don’t think so. We feel that De Arma works well as a duo and will probably keep it this way. We might need a line-up if we end up performing live, but not for writing and recording.
Do you have plans to go on a tour or live performance to support the EP?
No, not right now. Especially since the pandemic is still ongoing. The notion of playing live is always on my mind, but there are a lot of obstacles to overcome to make it reality.
For example, we live in the far north of Sweden, with vast distances to everything. It could certainly be an idea for the future, but not at the present moment.
What would be some of the upcoming plans for De Arma?
Well, our main focus right now is working on the next album. We have quite a lot of material – the songs are almost ready. We hope to finalize them in the coming months, with the intention of releasing the album next year. Obviously, this requires a lot of time and focus. Simultaneously, we are also trying to promote the new EP.
How would the musical focus be on the upcoming releases?
I’d say that the album will likely have less synths and more old-school gothic rock. More rock, more acoustic drums, and more of a The Cure and Depeche Mode-kinda touch to it. That’s just a premature guess though – the new sound is still in its most base form.
Any Great moments that you want to share?
Ah, there haven’t really been all that many. De Arma is just a small and relatively unknown band. Nonetheless, releasing the new single was a great moment. Holding a physical copy of your work in your hands is always a special occasion.
How has the reach been in Sweden and around the World?
I actually don’t know. We don’t have a huge following and, as I mentioned earlier, we live quite remotely. Obviously, we’ve gotten some comments from close friends, but I have no idea if people in Sweden like our music. We hope to get more feedback once the EP has been out for a while. Regardless, it doesn’t really matter what people think because we make this music for ourselves. But of course, it’s great if people can find some enjoyment or even comfort in our work.
Finally any message for the fans and people who are?
If you enjoy our music, feel free to share it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Tracklist:
1. Shame Drifter
2. After Dark, You’re There
3. Sunset Dreams
