German dark metal powerhouse Lacrimas Profundere are set to drop How To Shroud Yourself With Night, out August 26 via Steamhammer and SPV. Those familiar with the band, as well as new listeners, should steel themselves for some of the darkest goth offerings of the decade.
“Our lyrics have always been dark, but maybe even more so on this album,” admits Olivar Nikolas Schmid, guitarist and keyboardist. “The pandemic kind of stopped our lives from one day to the next, and that helped to fall into a melancholic mood even more. The inspiration was to compose an album for every single mood. If you are sad, it will comfort you; if you are stressed, it will relax you; if you feel alone, it is your companion, and if you are happy, it really pulls you down.”
For the writing and recording of this record, the bandmates were all in different companies, but when it came to the music they wanted to make, they were very much on the same page. Saving energy and locking into the vibe by avoiding a studio situation, they were able to work independently to come up with something powerful.
“I think the way we’re doing it now, we’re at a stage in our careers and our lives where we’re just really open to other viewpoints,” says Schmid. “We’ve been working with Julian (Larre) as our singer for the last album, and almost four years later, we know each other a whole lot better. We know what works for him, and we also know what works for us. He brought in the modern metal touch to the ‘80s goth rock, and it feels like we took three different genres and slammed them all together: pure dark metal combined with his metalcore and modern metal influence, paired with a piece of goth and post rock, is what created this amalgamation of songs.
“We wanted to create an album that surprises people, not necessarily meeting certain expectations. We wanted the complete kind of an opposite to what people know from us. It should surprise; it should disturb; it should shock! Because it’s art, and art is bold! We just let ourselves drift, and I can proudly say that we didn’t do things because they were easy—but because they were difficult. This time we were all pulling on the same strings and the result is something like the dark brother of our last album, Bleeding The Stars.
Schmid also admits that some of the darkness the band have embraced over the years continues to inform their sound.
“When the darkness surrounds you for a longer period of time, it becomes almost like a trait of you,” he says. “It is no longer the unknown, but part of who you are. In the same way, the fear disappears. The night and every single state on this album make it possible to disappear. Generally speaking, the lyrics deal with shadows, darkness and mystical objects that combine the unique power of ‘nothingness.’”
Lacrimas Profundere plan to keep supporting the record with touring this summer and fall, and into the next year, as well as potentially releasing some leftovers from the How To Shroud Yourself With Night recording sessions in the form of a special EP that will celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary.
“We’re always trying to bring our dark metal into the future,” Schmid concludes. “We’re always trying to be ahead of the game and be inventive. Sometimes we hit the nail on the head, and sometimes we miss it. This time, I think we nailed it, so give us a chance and check it out! I know it’s been a crazy two years with the pandemic but we worked hard for this record, so be sure to give it a spin!”
Watch the video for “The Curtain of White Silence” here:
For more from Lacrimas Profundere, find them on Facebook, Instagram, and their official website.
Photo courtesy of Ntoy Photography
