Hi there, first we would thank you for the interview and your interest in Across The Burning Sky. It is very likely that no one has heard from us, because ATBS just started in 2014. But we are no „newbies“. We have been in the business for around 20 years, being active in several bands and projects. Maybe you know some of them. Maybe not. We do not care about names, because it’s not about the people, it’s about our music. All what we do, and all we want to do, is play the music we love.
2. You have an album coming out in October, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
In just a few Words: Melodic Death Metal. These are the words that describe our album best. It is not our intention to invent new music. So there are no experiments. Just rocking - haha. We have recorded and produce the album by ourself, so the production is not on the „perfection“ level which one might expect from many current releases. Its a rough and intense production, without being overproduced, meets the rockin' charm of a live recording. Without claiming to be flawless, but always kicking asses! There is a huge amount of melodies present on the album, with a lot of feeling. Fast. Slow. Stirring. Poignant. We try to captured the feeling of the beginning of this genre in the Nineties, like the early tunes of Bands like Unanimated, At The Gates, Cardinal Sin and similar. It’s the music that accompanied us for half of our lifetime. Just as it is with our sound. We like music from a time in which not every album was produced equal sounding. in those days each band had its own special sound. That made it exciting to listen to different bands of the same genre. It made the band more tangible, had charm and it was much more to the music.
3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Because we are metalheads and our roots and preferences are in this genre, the topics in our lyrics are also. In addition to topics such as religion and mythology, there are also some personal themes on the album. They have their origin in our thoughts - and feelings. Love, hate, despair. It is lyrically at the end become a quite personal album. We have all written primarily for us. At the beginning it was not obvious that it finds its way to a release on a label one day.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Across The Burning Sky'?
„Across The Burning Sky“ describes the feeling that we associate with our music. „Sky“ as a symbol for expansion and freedom. „Fire“ as a symbol for intensity, roughness, wildness - a threatening force of nature. Just imagine the feeling of a burning sky - and you are right in the middle of it. Across the burning sky, as a master of the elements. that’s our music. intense, rough, unconquered, unruly but also majestic, extensive and free.
5. What part of Northern Europe is the band from?
We can, of course, the curiosity behind this question understand. But basically it does not matter. The music and the feelings behind them are not better or worse, whether you come from Scandinavia, Germany and the maybe the baltic countries. Perhaps only this: here does not seem all year sun - haha. We want not be judged by our origins. The only thing that matters is: Either you like our music, or you do not like. We hope that it like the people. But if not, it's how it is.
6. Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?
We have not yet played live shows as Across The Burning Sky. But it is also not an „strictly a studio project“, so never say never. Let us see first how the whole develops. The album release is the end of October. If we will get interesting offers, maybe we think about. If we got an interesting festival offer, we will think about it for sure. But we are old man haha, so at the moment we can not assume to play small gigs over and over again through the country for a crate of beer or something like this. Those times are left behind us. We have played tons of live shows in our past. Remember, as we start with writing these songs, we do this particularly for us. we had our 15 minutes of fame, we had a lot of fun. We did not originally seen the need to ever play live. But maybe that will change in the future :-)
7. The album is coming out on 'MDD Records' can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
about what? oh you mean these decrepit one…. haha - just kidding ^^ So seriously, MDD is a great label. They have great bands their sign and they have a good distribution network throughout Europe. It has existed for over 20 years, and we know it and some of his releases also since about the late nineties. Markus has always been quite active in the scene, far beyond the borders of Germany. It is still a small label, rooted in the Underground. But what he does, he does with passion. MDD tries to resist commercial pressures. Of course, here the expenses have to be covered at some point. From air and love today can no longer survive. But MDD tried to solve this in a very pleasant and almost familiar, friendly way. The label motto „others make business - we make rock’n’roll“ is to take almost verbatim. MDD makes you feel that it comes to music in the first place. For Across The Burning Sky MDD is probably the best label we could find. And we are very happy and proud to have received the offer to publish "The End Is Near" on MDD. MDD and Markus in particular, live for what they do. And that was us at any time more important than budget, money or anything else. As we started it was not even expected that "The End Is Near" will be released on a label. We wanted to make it just for us. Possibly with a release on Bandcamp, or maximum digital stores like Spotify and iTunes. And at this moment I hold also one of the first copies of the album in my hand. That would not have been possible without MDD.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic death metal?
At the moment there are not a lot of feedback yet, because release date is 28th of october and the promo for our album is just started. But the first reactions are very positive. Finally, I sit here and give this interview, which is probably a positive response :-)
However, we have published a long time ago some rough mix snippets to bandcamp, reverbnation and soundcloud, whereupon there was already a great feedback. We have been constant in the top 30 on reverbnation charts, some magazines have reported and our Facebook page has since a growing number of followers. Now we are naturally curious to see if the album can continue this trend. We hope that there are people who enjoy our music. And i’m sure that MDD hope, the one or the other a copy of "The End Is Near" buys :-)
9. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
If it be the case that we record and release another album in the future there will be no musical surprises. No experiments, no stylistic variations. Across The Burning Sky is,- and will be - Melodic Death Metal. We are too old and know too well what we do. There is no need to the music "develop" to something else . Of course, a possible second album will be "better" haha :-) With the knowledge that we have acquired during production process we would make also something better in retrospect. We have recorded a lot of albums as musicians in the past, but never made such a production itself. Perhaps a second album will be more brutal, maybe more atmospheric, maybe more filigree. But it will be definitely melodic death metal. Otherwise, it will not appear under the name „Across The Burning Sky“.
10. 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?
We grew up in the 80s. We have the first Death Metal wave experienced firsthand the early nineties. This time has shaped us and with certainty whether consciously or unconsciously, influenced musically. Whether old classics like Priest or Maiden, Thrash icons like Overkill, Exodus or Testament, or later, the first album of Dismember, Edge Of Sanity, At The Gates ... To be honest, these are the bands and albums that we still hear today. Sure, we know that we live in the year 2016, but a big part in us has remained well hang in the nineties. Of course, we personally also hear many modern albums, but to be honest, many sounds very interchangeable. Musically, however, we hear still everything possible from the metal genre. It does not matter to us whether it is Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal or Black Metal. For us and personally me, there are only good or bad music. And this is found in all (classic) styles of Metal. Only with quite fangled stuff we can not do much. Since we are already rather purists - haha. Admittedly from a purely technical point of view is this Djent and similar neo-modern stuff interesting. But it is not our cup of tea. For us, a feeling is worth more than technical skills. And in many newer styles within the Metals it seems only ludicrous technique to go speed or other abilities while feeling remains (in our opinion) be forgotten.
11. What are some of your non musical interests?
Music really takes a big part of our interests. Although the now sounds really cliché, but our non musical interests are mostly in art and literature. We like books, pictures and sometimes even movies. But the music dominates everything.
12. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks alot for this Interview and the support. Check out our album which will be released on 28th of october. It will be also available on several digital plattforms where you can hear it. If you like it, feel free buy a physical copy, to support our work and the work of our label.
Support the underground and finally:
KEEP THE FIRE BURNING!
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