Always on the prowl for new artists at this site that explore our favorite genres, A Dark Reborn is melodic death metal band from Spain that also inject a mix of modern, pop, and alternative influences in their style. The latest album Last Echo carries a lot of angst / aggression as it does beautiful grooves and hooks – swirling about in this volcanic eruptive state yet never forsaking those melodic/pop moments on the vocal or musical front to captivate. We reached out to vocalist Lur to get her earliest memories in music, thoughts behind the new album, the importance of videos and visuals in general to garner interest in the group, favorite live concerts for the band, six albums with impact on her outlook to the genre, her concerns with gun use and how children are the major victims of what takes place in modern society, plus what the future holds for the group.
Dead Rhetoric: What can you tell us about your earliest memories in childhood when it comes to music? At what point did you discover heavier forms of music, and eventually want to pick up an instrument to perform in your own bands?
Lur: In my case, I seemed to have an interest in music since I was very young, according to what my parents told me. My aunt played the piano and I was always very curious about it. So, when I was six years old my parents signed me up for music and piano lessons. Then playing an instrument has always accompanied me until now, from which can help me to compose our own songs. A well as singing I always liked it since I can remember.
And when I was about 14-15 years old, I discovered the world of metal and it left me speechless, so much that since then I wanted to have a metal band.
Dead Rhetoric: Last Echo is the second and latest album from A Dark Reborn – consisting of songs from your last two EP’s The Flight and Ritual along with three new songs. How would you assess this set of material in terms of songwriting and style compared to your 2022 The Light debut album? Where do you see the greatest differences or areas of growth?
Lur: I think the biggest difference with our first work is that in this case the album has a complete sense from the beginning to the end. Being a concept album, when composing it we tried to make sure that each song has a musical logic that accompanies the story we wanted to tell. On the first album the songs had nothing to do with each other and we didn’t have to try to make it flow like that.
So, on Last Echo the set of songs, from the first to the last, make sense to each other. This has forced us to give a twist to the way of composing and has given us personal challenges that have helped us to grow and take a step further in our songwriting.
Dead Rhetoric: Where do you want to come across with the lyrical content for the band? What topics or influences fuel your words – is it a combination of real-life experiences plus drawing from social/political concerns?
Lur: Well, as you said, it is a mix of personal and social experiences, although we have explained it in a metaphorical or even ‘movie-like’ way, creating the story of a journey of the last humans on earth in search of a better world, who go through good and bad moments during their journey and that does not end in the best way. I do not want to make too much of a spoiler in case someone has not heard (the album) yet.
But certainly, each theme is centered on a feeling, experience, things close to you that surely many (people) can identify with.
Dead Rhetoric: The band has a diverse approach when it comes to melodic death metal – what qualities or characteristics do you believe are most important to consider when making the final grade for A Dark Reborn? Are there certain compositions that have come together much quicker than others?
Lur: We always say that our foundations are in melodic death metal, but we also like to go out of our comfort zone. We all listen to many different styles of metal, and non-metal as well. Which makes the influences in our songs more noticeable. I think that’s what you can find in A Dark Reborn song, coming from a very melodic death part to a pop chorus, or from a breakdown to a drum and bass rhythm. We like to not close ourselves off to experiment with the music and that makes us create our own melodic death metal (sound).
And all the songs have had their process of maturation and composition more or less equally, if there is a chorus that came to us very clear, or a verse, but all were cooked more of less at the same pace.
Dead Rhetoric: You’ve released a series of videos over the past year to push the promotion of this album – what are your thoughts on the visual medium to get across the brand of the band, and what have been some of the highlights as far as the video shoots?
Lur: The truth is that nowadays a lot of importance is given to the visual part for bands. It’s not just about the music anymore. But this is also due to the change in technologies, social networks, that have made the way in which (music) is consumed, it is no longer just music, it’s very different, and it is clear that the image is taken into account. So, we tried to reflect the story we wanted to tell through the four video clips, trying to create an image according to the concept and the truth is that we are very happy with the results, as they have a sense seen from the first to the last.
A good memory and one of the most fun things was in the shooting of “Ritual”, as we were able to record in a replica of the Nostromo ship of Alien, and it was wonderful to really feel like being in space.
Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe A Dark Reborn when it comes to the band’s live performances? What have been some of the most memorable shows/festivals you’ve played to date?
Lur: Pure energy and feeling. If there’s one thing we do, it’s to go all our in our live shows. We love what we do and on stage we are happy. We have fun, we jump, we headbang… but most of all we feel it, and we like to see people receive what we are trying to transmit.
Our concerts have from dark and rough moments to moments of light and madness. We have very good memories of our time in Portugal at the Female Fronted Fest, as it was the first time we left the country, and we were very well received. And above all the concert at the end of the tour of our first album, which we did at home, in Girona. It was the first time we played at home and the reception was spectacular.
Dead Rhetoric: How do you feel being a part of Art Gates Records? Where do you see the major differences in the modern industry with being a part of a record label versus what the band could do on its own?
Lur: We are happy to be able to work with Art Gates in order to have a greater visibility inside and outside our country, since in Spain there are not many record labels that bet with their bands outside our ‘borders’, so being part of it helps us to give a push to the band.
Actually, there are many bands that go ahead without record label support, and it also works for them. Even so, we know that sometimes it’s hard to find opportunities even if you have a record label, so without that backing, it’s even more complicated. In our case we wanted to try Art Gates because we thought it would bring us a good approach of the band outside and inside our country.
Dead Rhetoric: What are your thoughts on the metal scene in your part of Spain? Are there specific styles that seem to be more appreciated than others – and is there a strong movement locally to support smaller/local bands versus the appeal of national/international acts that come through?
Lur: As I said before it is difficult for bands from our country to make this leap as there is a lack of support, both from the media, promoters, and even the public. There is really a lot of talent here and it’s a shame that it’s not valued as it should be. There is still a close-minded public that believes that only bands from abroad are on a high level, and they only go to see international bands, or even the local bands themselves don’t support each other. So, I always ask myself, if we don’t support each other, how are we going to keep the scene alive?
Although there is an attempt of some festivals to support the national scene, I think there is still a long way to go.
Dead Rhetoric: How does the band balance out the duties of being in a band with careers, families, relationships, etc.? Are you hopeful to make a living off of music, or do you believe it’s harder than ever to achieve that goal and are content to pursue things in a timely manner?
Lur: The truth is that it is not easy to combine non-musical work with musical work, having time to be with the family, rehearsing, having some free time. It is clear that as a band we do not set limits, and we would all love to be able to make a full living from it. It is not an easy path, but if we do not risk and fight it will surely not come. Nothing comes for free, and you have to work to reach your goals.
Dead Rhetoric: What are three albums that made a major impact on your views of heavy metal – and what’s the most memorable concert you attended purely as a fan in the audience, plus what made that show so special to you?
Lur: Wow! That’s very complicated. The truth is that with three I fall short, since many more have left their mark on me. But I’m going to say three with male and three with female singers.
Hybrid Theory – Linkin Park
Liberation = Termination – Mors Principium Est
Sacrament – Lamb of God
Comalies – Lacuna Coil
Fallen – Evanescence
King of Everything – Jinjer
And the concert that perhaps marked me the most was the first time I saw Lacuna Coil live when I was 16 years old. Cristina Scabbia has always been my greatest reference since I was little and it was a dream come true, since I was also able to talk to her and the rest of the band. Imagine, that teenage Lur seeing her idol for the first time.
Dead Rhetoric: What worries or concerns do you have about the world that we live in currently? If you had unlimited time, resources, finances, and energy, what are one or two key areas that you think need to be addressed to make the world a better place?
Lur: Unfortunately, I think too many things should change. I strongly hate guns, and if there was any way I could take them all down I really would do it. They only bring pain and death, and they end up being what destroys us. What I take worst about this society is that the biggest victims of all this, wars, hunger, abandonment, abuse, are the children. Every child deserves to grow up in a happy and dignified environment. If it were in my hands to change it, this is how it would be.
Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon for shows, promotion, tours, etc. over the next twelve months for A Dark Reborn? Are there other side projects or band(s) from the musicians that we need to know more about?
Lur: Well now that we have launched our second album on the market, now it’s time to present it live. The band’s near future is a tour that began earlier this November and will end (for this moment) this coming May 2024. Although there are still some more things to confirm. We’ve going to be sharing videos of the tour, playthroughs, a short documentary… so there’s more A Dark Reborn for a while. You can follow us on all social networks and digital platforms if you want to follow the band.
Regarding other musical projects, there are some collaborations with other bands and our drummer Sali is also active with his thrash/death band Metalfetamina.