songs didn’t qualify for a new album. At the time it happened it was a hard thing to accept, but now I totally understand. It was weird and probably too experimental, but, of course, some elements will revive and be recycled for the next album. You have to pass thru weird paths and places on the way to the next album. I don’t want to repeat myself as a songwriter, but I don’t want to release whatever comes out if it’s rubbish. It’s better to keep your eyes on the road and deliver a more thoroughly worked out piece in the end. Everybody was really excited with the release of Machine. I remember talking with Jorge Larreina about it and he was really enthusiastic. But then, Covid appeared. Do you think that the album should have been waymore successful without the pandemic? Well, it’s hard to tell. With hindsight it was a good timing to release it in the beginning of the lockdown.We got the time to focus on social media, but that was also the only platform that worked well for us and probably everyone else. Our labels gave us the opportunity to make more videos to keep it going. An album spreads and sells better with touring and festival shows. Both physically and digitally. Machine will always be the album without the tour. Stefan Glaumann has done the mixing of the album, how was working with him? Also, you have been producing most of your own work. Would you be interested in working with a producer in the future? Working with Mr.Glaumann was a great experience.He did a wonderful job mixing the album. I produced Machine as well as the early records, but who knows about the next album? We’ll see. It’s good to invite others to the playground. In the song “Ritual” you collaborated with Karolina Engdahl fromTRUE MOON. How did you meet her? Then Comes Silence have been fans of TRUE MOON for some time.Karolina’s got that voice I can listen to over and over again. When we recorded the song, we didn’t know each other yet.We met up for the first time in Hamburg in 2019 when we played two shows in a weekend together.. ”W.O.O.O.U.”is the name of one of the songs of the album, but also the initials of your Facebook fans/followers page. Do you think that keeping in touch with your fans have been important during these strange times? The band seems to be very active in social media. Yes, it’s been an essential lifeline.No doubt. It feels like we have come a bit closer tomany of our followers/fans.We’ve grown together. In thick and thin. - 21 - Last year you also had your first tour in the States. How was it? It became a memory for life. Taking the step and making the decision to go to the US to play and promote the music of Then Comes Silence will prove crucial for the future. It’s an investment that definitely keeps you awake at night. Nothing is for free in America, but if things go well it can be quite fruitful and worthwhile. We’ll see what happens. We’re going back in March for the second round. The American crowd is wonderful. Last year we supported The Bellwether Syndicate on their tour from coast to coast. This time we have been invited to open for Vision Video who has become quite popular in the younger dark scene community. In 2022, the band released a new album. How have the pandemic influenced Hunger? I realized when we did an interview for an American radio station not so long ago, that when they asked me to explain a little more, song by song what it was about, it struckme it’s prettymuch about how it played tricks on our minds and how to carry on now when it’s almost over. I thought I was over with it, but apparently, I haven’t dropped it yet really. that was the lyrical part.The music is more energetic and positive though. How do you see the evolution of the band until this last album? It’s constantly going a little bit better every year, but still hard to make a living of it.We recently discovered we’ve hit more than 65.000 monthly listeners on Spotify. That’s quite good for the post punk scene. Hopefully a good sign and not just a coincidence. How was collaborating with Goth legendary singer William Faith in the new album? We got to know each other a bit by the end of 2021. He then invited Then Comes Silence to come and play in America. It was a natural thing to do, asking him to sing some parts on the new album. We’ve always admired his work, so we got excited to have him on the album. He is a professional. I love working with professionals. In the box set of the album, there are two Spanish versions of the songs. Can you please tell us more about this as we did not have the chance to listen to them? They are versions in Spanish of “Days And Years” and “Worm” from the new album.“Days And Years” is verymuch influenced by Paralisis Permanente. I have always wanted to try writing in Spanish. The label was quite resolute the Bonus Box would only be available as a physical release and never hit the digital platforms. So, the only legal way to get to hear the versions is buying the box. www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
22 Publizr Home