SOURCE – Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being is the debut album for the group. How do you feel the songwriting and recording sessions went for this set of material – were there any specific challenges, obstacles, or surprises that came up during the process?
Lina R. (Vocals) – All of the above, actually. I think I transformed a lot as a person and managed to learn to trust the guys in so many aspects and just crave control way less that I’d normally do, which is very tough for me. I’m glad that Tim (our bass player, who recorded and produced the record) pushed me in my songwriting and singing. It really created many new flavors in the mix.
Lennart Bossu (Guitar) – For me the way everything went so fast and spontaneous was a bit surprising. Writing and recording the songs went super smooth. Only for the vocals we took some more time, to experiment a bit more until we found the direction that felt best to us.
SOURCE – Were *(struggling..) and Grovel obvious choices to showcase as videos from the record? And how do you feel about the process and promotional value of making videos these days in the social media platform landscape?
Lina R. (Vocals) – We discussed everything quite thoroughly and I believe these songs, alongside Endless Return to the Kingdom of Sleep are singles that represent the record well, giving a glimpse of different sides and influences on the album. As visuals, I feel like they’re supposed to tell a bit more about the band, build up the lore around it, if you will, create a certain atmosphere, but also from different points of view. Regarding social media, it’s a bit double. Because, yeah, on the one hand, we have to kind of obey the algorithms a bit, create ‘moving’ content that ‘entertains’ and keeps followers on our page. But it’s always been common practice to accompany singles with videos, so nothing wrong with that at all!
SOURCE – Streaming services like Spotify and Apple music do offer a small amount of royalty to the artist. While that can never be a major issue for established artistes (who earn well through live gigs), what is the alternative for independent artistes who are just starting off?
Lennart Bossu (Guitar) – Bandcamp can generate some more income for certain artists than the platforms you mentioned. Other than that the only thing I can think off is selling merch and if necessary press your own records to generate some income for your projects.
SOURCE – Coming out of the global pandemic, what is your sense of how the metal industry will develop out of this prolonged absence from shows/tours/festivals? How do you see humanity as well coming out of this unprecedented time in our history?
Lina R. (Vocals) – I feel that competition is extremely hard now. A million bands are putting out albums and have started touring again, so selling tickets seems a harder than before the pandemic. Add to that the rising costs of everything, like the price of gas, making merch, renting a van… + the fact that more and more venues have started to take a cut from the merch. To me it doesn’t really seem as if we’re headed in a promising direction. I definitely think it would be smarter to not start a band, but we just have this artistic necessity…
As for humanity, I don’t really feel like I’m the right person to make predictions, but it definitely does seem like most of us are worse off than before the pandemic.
SOURCE – How would you describe the working relationships within the band – is it a challenge to get five members to consistently agree on the goals, visions, and what you want to achieve over time?
Lina R. (Vocals) – Since we all have previous experiences in other bands, it’s easier to find common ground. And we’re not teenagers anymore, we can communicate effectively, respectively, avoid temper tantrums and give adequate critique to each other if necessary. There will always be aspects that differ, vision wise, but so far we’ve managed to sail smoothly.
Lennart Bossu (Guitar) – I try to look at the slight frictions that can be there when it comes to making artistic choices as a form of quality control that enhances the end result.
SOURCE – How do you balance band activities with day jobs, careers, and personal relationships/family obligations? Do you think it’s possible to be able to make a living from the music endeavors alone for Predatory Void?
Lina R. (Vocals) – It’s manageable for me as I’ve always either had bands or did some other activities on the side outside of my job (like studying, theater…) so I don’t struggle as frequently, but if I do I know I can delegate tasks to other members. Playing live shows is a bit challenging at the moment, different schedules… But we’re slowly finding a pace, it’s just the beginning.
Lennart Bossu (Guitar) – It’s not a goal to make a living from Predatory Void. We just want a uncompromising vessel for our creative expression.
SOURCE – What do you consider some of the biggest challenges this early on in the career of Predatory Void to establish yourselves and hopefully make a wider footprint in the global metal landscape?
Lina R. (Vocals) – I notice it’s hard for people to place us within a certain chapter of the metal genre. To those people I’d like to say, I see you, I understand you, but guys, just enjoy it if it’s your thing, no strings attached! It’s not a library, let’s just vibe.
SOURCE – What is on the agenda for Predatory Void over the next twelve months to support the new record?
Lina R. (Vocals) – We’re gonna try to play as many shows as possible. The first one will be 20th of April in Tilburg, presenting our debut album at Roadburn Festival. After that we already have several local and international shows scheduled. And we’re really excited about those!
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