| Band: | Our Loss Is Total |
| Release: | I |
| Genre: | Black Metal |
| Country: | Germany |
| Release Date: | 16th of December, 2022 |
| Released via | End of Orbit Records |
| Cover Artwork | End of Orbit Records |
At the end of last year Our Loss Is Total unleashed a behemoth onto us with their debut record I. We had the chance to ask Tobias Buck and Stefan Keller (guitarist in Our Loss Is Total and Neaera) some questions about the creation and the circumstances around I.
Interview with Our Loss Is Total
Listening to the bands your members are primarily associated with in the first place (HSB, Neaera), it is possible to notice a slight difference to this project. How did this idea come up to dive deeper into other spheres of Metal?
Tobias: During the pandemic, respectively the lockdown, the idea came up to try something new musically. So I wrote the first demos together with Tristan, which become the groundwork we have been working on. We didn’t have any time-schedule or anything. It was just fun to work on those songs and to see how they developed. We took it step by step.
What pulled you towards Black Metal in comparison to Metalcore, which has been your “genre-home” so far?
Stefan: Mood and atmosphere! Those were the main points which pulled us towards this genre. Black Metal offers the possibility to create a very unique atmosphere. I think a lot of musicians, who compose apart from the classic Black Metal genre, are attracted by that. With Neaera we have always implemented our love for Black Metal, never as consequent as with Our Loss Is Total, though. Writing this album has been an exciting journey.
The idea for Our Loss Is Total goes back to 2020. Since then, 2 years have passed. What was the eventual impulse to release in 2022?
Tobias: There was a lot to coordinate. From the first song ideas to finished songs, the recording process, mixing and mastering and finally the vinyl pressing. We just took our time because there was no pressure from anyone and the world was going through a pandemic, which made a lot of things more difficult. When we got everything together we set the release date ourselves. It was all a natural process. Everything was done DIY and marked a new experience.
Where was the cover artwork taken? Is this the supposed state of the earth after this full-length finishes?
Tobias: The picture was taken by Benajmin Donath. Since he is active in the visual business, he often travels the world. I asked him for pictures and then we devided to take this one. It fits the mood perfectly that we tried to reach on our debut.
Due to your experience as musicians, there probably already are certain routines regarding the recording process. Were those adapted for this album or did you try to find an entirely new approach?
Tobias: The lockdown certainly complicated everything. The string instruments were recorded at Tristan’s place. For the drums we went to Matze Lohmöller and the vocals were recorded at Alexander Dietz’s. I worked with all of those people multiple times before, which made it possible to operate without stress. The approach was to sound slightly rawer and concentrate on atmosphere a little more.
TRVE STAYS TRVE! Never play live! Just joking – are there any plans to bring Our Loss Is Total on tour?
At the moment there are no plans. But never say never. Who knows what will happen in the future...
The rise and fall of mankind as concept. Greek and Roman motives can be found on I. Could you tell us a bit about the creation of the lyrics and the overarching concept?
Stefan: Generally speaking it is, as so often, about the human being as the devil. We wanted to cover a large context for the album, though, so we started with the offspring of life, at which point man indirectly announces itself as future danger for all life. Its evolution and spreading brings along progress as well as destruction. In the end, man fails to turn the corner in spite of the warning signs. The aforementioned gods you mentioned also lost their hope and are on their knees. Mankind fulfilled their fate of destructing itself and everything else.
How did the release on End Of Orbit Records come together? Why did you choose them?
Tobias: I founded End Of Orbit Records together with my friend Tom Huschka for the release. Our goal was to release this album completely by ourselves, which also explains the long peroid of time between recording and release.
Leave a Reply