(0) returns with their second album, KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS, delving into the balance between darkness and light. We discuss their evolving sound and raw emotional depth.
1. Your
second album, KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS, explores the balance between darkness and
light. Could you explain what this concept means to the band, and how it plays
out in the themes and sound of the album?
We explore
the daker sides of life, like depression, anger, and hate. But without light,
there’s no darkness, so we use the light to enhance the darkness. We usually
have tracks consisting of multiple parts, that sometimes oppose each other, and
the contrast between the parts, helps to make the parts stand out from, but
also complement each other.
2. The
new single 'Skyldnersol' deals with themes of guilt and accepting difficult
realities. What inspired this song, and how did the documentary about drug
addicts in Copenhagen influence the music video?
The video
is made from scenes from the documentary because, dealing with drug addiction
is a battle, that unfortunately far too often, is lost. We think it fits the
theme of the song, which is about abandoning what you’ve been fighting for,
ending up in a worse place, and accepting it.
3. Your
music blends black metal, post-metal, drone, and progressive elements. How do
you go about integrating these different genres into one cohesive sound?
It’s
important to us that everything we make, sound like (0). Whenever we create a part
for a track, it must have the (0) sound, regardless of the genre we are dealing
with. So, whether we use black metal, doom, or drone elements, it has to sound
like (0). When creating songs, we
usually spend a lot of time iterating the song again and again, until it feels
right. That sometimes means, skipping a track all together, and bringing it up
at a later time to iterate it once again. That happened to a track during the
recording of KNÆK. We tracked everything for the track, but it just didn’t feel
right, so we binned it.
There’s been some changes to the line-up, where both drummer and bassist has been replaced, and the current line-up has been playing together for about 4 years. It has definitely changed our sound and our way of playing, but most of all, we are better musicians than we were 4 years ago. We learned a lot from recording SkamHan, and we brought that experience along into this project. We spend more time working on the material, and we spend more time recording it.
5. With
songs that delve into themes like grief, depression, guilt, and anger, how
important is emotional depth to your songwriting, and how do you channel these
feelings into your performances?
Our songs
are all about emotions, so emotional depth is extremely important to us, and
most of our lyrics are based on personal experience. Expressing emotions, you
have experienced yourself, makes it more real and we think it shows, both in
our sound and in our live shows.
6. (0)
has often been noted for its impressive live performances, incorporating dark
atmospheres with powerful lighting and visuals. How do you approach the visual
elements of your shows, and how does this enhance the experience for the
audience?
We work
together with a visual artist, that mixes the visuals live to the music, so no
two concerts will ever be the same. Whenever it is possible (both logistically
and economically), we will bring the visuals to our live shows, as they aid to
immerse the audience in the music we are playing.
7.
KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS was recorded with producer Lasse Ballade, known for his work
with bands like Konvent and Solbrud. How did his influence shape the production
of the album, and what was it like working with him?
We’ve known
Lasse for years, as he usually acts as sound tech at our live shows. Working
with Lasse was a perfect match for us. He knows our sound, and he’s not afraid
to present us to new ideas (check out the Citar in ‘Det Sortner’ – that was
Lasses idea), but also not afraid to let us know if something doesn’t work.
He’s meticulous and patient, and those are good qualities to ahve when working
with us.
8. Your
lyrics are in Danish, which adds a unique layer to your music for international
audiences. What do you think the use of Danish language brings to the music,
and do you ever consider translating or explaining your lyrics for a broader
audience?
Writing in
Danish is important to us, as we find it easier to express the feeling and
emotions we want to express. It’s also easier for us to play with the language,
where writing in our native tongue.
We actually
had the lyrics for SkamHan translated, and we might do the some with the lyrics
for KNÆK.
9.
You've been part of several major festivals like Mystic Festival and Gefle
Metal Festival. How does performing at large festivals compare to more intimate
shows, and do you approach these performances differently?
First of
all, we absolutely love playing festivals, and hope to some day get to play
some of the big Danish festivals.
Festivals
can be a little stressing, as you have short changeovers and even shorter
soundchecks (if any). And bringing visual to a festival, can also be
problematic. But festival audiences are always so welcoming and curious.
Playing
smaller gigs tends to be more intense, and that affects the setlist. If we are
playing a small venue, we usually make a fast and raw set, leaving out some of
the longer and more introvert tracks. But it also depends on the length of the
set, because if you are only playing a 40 minute set, there’s not a lot of room
for many plus ten minutes tracks.
10. With
the album set for release in early 2025, what are your plans for promoting
KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS? Are there any upcoming tours or special releases that fans
should be excited about?
The album
is actually coming out November 8th this year, and until now we only
have one show in the calendar, and that’s a Christmas show on December 20th
in Copenhagen. But more shows are definitely in the pipeline, but unfortunately,
we don’t think it includes a show in Algeria this time around.
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