DANIEL BECKMAN - AGES

#interview

DANIEL BECKMAN - AGES

💿 Hi, it's a pleasure for us to have on Hardrockheavymetal, Daniel Beckman of AGES..Welcome !!

Thank you, the pleasure is mine!

💿 On Aug 21st, will be out your new full-length entitled UNCROWN, positive received on our pages Can you tell us somethin'about its composition process and style?

We are excited to finally unleash our new chapter after five long years! UNCROWN was created over a long period of time.

We started writing new material pretty much as soon as our first album THE MALEFIC MIASMA was

released.

It is mostly a continuation of our previous works, and a natural progression towards a more refined soundscape. We still have the same musical ambitions and preferences, so listeners will definitely recognize UNCROWN as our natural next step.

The songs were written by me and Andreas on and off over the years.

Sometimes we worked and wrote together, sometimes separately, but we have always shared a common goal and vision.

It was all recorded and mixed in our own studio, which was invaluable in order for us to be able to spend the

large amount of time needed to get the sound we were looking for.

💿 In your early times as musician which artists or bands influenced you the most?

I have listened to a plethora of different types of music growing up, but when it comes to black metal specifically, some of the music that still resonates with me are some of the albums from the mid to late 90's Storm of the Light's Bane by Dissection and Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) by Dawn to name two. And I'm sure that albums like that have somewhat shaped what kind of black metal I appreciate and write myself, even to this day.

💿 How is difficult promote a new work after the lockdown drama? Do you believe can you return soon on stage?

Well, since Ages is (so far) a studio band only, the lockdown does not really affect us.

At least streaming services and physical media is still a thing, and people are hopefully starving for new music in times of quarantine.

But our thoughts go out to all other artists and bands heavily affected by this crisis, and we hope that the live scene, festivals, and everyone affected will recover sooner rather than later.

💿 Here at HARDROCKHEAVYMETAL we are strong defender of classic format..love for vintage or isn't there a future outside digital?

We also appreciate the physical format, especially vinyl. It makes the experience of listening to an album more tangible, and it is more rewarding to sit down and focus solely on the music at hand.

Jumping in between songs on a streaming platform, listening haphazardly to random things, is generally a sub-par way to enjoy music.

Listening to physical media naturally also puts more pressure on an album to be interesting from start to finish.

Songs with less effort and less intriguing writingwill more likely be skipped and forgotten in the digital domain, but on physical, the listener has to sit through a whole album, and there is little room or tolerance

for inferior music.

I believe an album as a whole should be seen and created as an auditory journey, that calls for an active and present listening throughout.

Digital is of course here to stay, and it is a fantastic way to spread new music quickly, and to become available to more people in a fairly easy manner.

But I really hope that physical media will still be around and flourish for decades to come.

💿 Can you tell us somethin about the great cover of new album?

We searched for quite some time to find an artist that could visually represent our music the way we envisioned.

When we stumbled upon the artwork of Chris Cold, we were immediately floored.

His stunning art style was just what we had beenlooking for.

His works contained just enough gritty gloom, dark solemnity and veiled symbolism.

So we contacted him and provided our concept ideas and lyrical content for Uncrown.

After a few rough sketches we settled for the final concept.

We were looking for a foreboding sense of desolation, defeat and ruin. Hence, Chris Cold's scowling crowned figure, solitarily beholding a landscape of burning and ruined cathedrals, perfectly encapsulates both the title song and the album as a whole.

💿 The new album will be out on BLACK LODGE..Can you tell us somethin about relationships with them?

We have worked with Black Lodge for quite a few years now, and it is always a pleasure to deal with them. Communication is uncomplicated and straightforward, and we feel that they are always engaged, committed, and come up with good ideas.

So we are only looking forward to continuing our work with them.

💿 Thank you so much for your time! See you soon on Hardrockheavymetal,

hoping to see you also on the stage as soon as possible.

Thank you so much!

https://www.facebook.com/palmerturneroverdrive/

https://www.facebook.com/Ages.Sweden/