A Dead Poem Interview

Many of the labels of our times, or independent labels are in search of bands that are to their liking as a first point, and then that these bands have a notable detail within this whole world saturated with new releases, that being the point of Personal Records, because it is always investigating and looking for new bands that can call the attention of new metalheads, then within this concept the Brazilians of A Dead Poem appear in the arena with their first album "Abstract Existence".  

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a A Dead Poem  

Metallerium: Welcome to Metallerium Webzine and thank you for your time. How are you doing?  

A Dead Poem  

Marlon: I'm doing well, getting back to my normal routine and recovering from an accident I had five months ago, where I had two surgeries, one on my neck and another on my shoulder.  

Metallerium: Why did you choose the name A Dead Poem? Is it inspired by Rotting Christ?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: When I read that title on the Rotting Christ album and what it represented musically, I was impressed. I thought it was an excellent name for a Doom, Gothic, or anything like that band. In 2023, when I created the project, A Dead Poem was the first name I researched to see if there was any band with the same name. I was surprised to learn that no one had used it, so I didn't think twice about taking the title.  

Metallerium: Can you share a bit about the band’s history? How did you two come together, and when did you start working on your debut album?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: Having a band was a childhood dream, but due to life circumstances, it wasn't until 2023, twenty years later, that I was able to really dedicate myself to it. I wrote some riffs, arrangements, had some lyrics to record two songs and nothing else. I needed someone to record the vocals and that's when I met Carlos, who is not only a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, but also an excellent producer. After presenting the idea of ​​what could become A Dead Poem, he not only agreed to record the vocals but embraced the project with all the evil forces in existence. We gathered materials and ideas that resulted in our debut EP "Absence of Life" and its successor, our debut album "Abstract Existence".  

Metallerium: How did you decide on the title Abstract Existence for your album?    

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: It was very spontaneous, most of the time Carlos and I write the lyrics together. He writes some verses and, when the idea doesn't flow as it should, he sends them to me so I can continue if I have something to add and vice versa. This dynamic works very well. Within the themes we address in our songs, he wrote the following verse: "Every man will suffer with the burden of doubt." Every man will question his abstract existence." When I read this excerpt, I immediately identified the title of the album and the song "Abstract Existence". I told him how much this title absorbed everything we were writing, and he agreed.  

Metallerium: What inspired the cover art, and how was it chosen?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: We had the album title set, which made choosing the cover easier. We wanted something really abstract, direct and impactful. A fallen, half-open, decaying hand holding an old, broken rosary in the middle of a small frozen stream reveals the message behind the album title in a dark and philosophical way.  

Carlos: Complementing Marlon's words, this hand holding this religious "totem" can also be interpreted as "what any and all types of religious puritanism can cause to human beings. We are not atheists, each of us has an approach and vision of the world that is not always, but most of the time, similar. With this, we approach deeper spiritual themes. A bit of anti-religiousness without sounding "satanic" like most extreme bands as a whole, and sometimes the emptiness and depression that, if we stop to think about it, is one of the greatest causes of human misfortune.   Combine all these elements and boom, existence becomes abstract.  

Metallerium: Your sound is strongly reminiscent of 90s Katatonia. Would you agree with this assessment, or have you ever been compared to a band that surprised you or maybe is not part of your influences?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: Yes, Katatonia is a big influence and we wanted to recapture the sound of your first two albums. In the reviews written by various magazines around the world, they always compare us to some bands we don't even know, so we end up listening to them to see if there really is any connection. Sometimes we are positively surprised, other times negatively hahaha.  

Carlos: Some reviews point to a strong reference to Opeth. I personally love this band, but I wasn't inspired by our sound at all. I find it quite curious how many people can see some similarity. I take it as a compliment, because as I said, I'm a big fan.  

Metallerium: How has the reception to Abstract Existence been so far, and are you satisfied with the final result?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: Abstract Existence has exceeded our expectations in every aspect. It has received many positive reviews from all corners of the world. In Denmark, Abstract Existence was voted the second best international release by Heavy Metal DK magazine, ranking between Necrophobic in third place and Tribulation in first place, which was surprising to us. In addition to the warm reception from fans and friends who were orphaned by this sound.  

Carlos: As an addition, in some reviews Abstract Existence was ranked first as the best new release in Latin America. So yes, we are very pleased with that. Considering its release at the end of 2024, I have high expectations for this year.  

Metallerium: In an era where thousands of albums are released every week, what drives you to have a band and create music?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: In this crazy and unfair market called Heavy Metal, what really keeps me active and persistent is the passion for art and nothing else.   Carlos: When you love what you do, you just do it. It's a bit simplistic to say it like that, but it's true. I've made so much music throughout my life, 90% of which has never been released and practically no one has heard it. But it's all for the fun of it. And in a way, that ends up making you evolve in your composition.   I have compositions here in every genre of metal and rock you can imagine. It's all really for the fun of it most of the time.  

Metallerium: Now that your debut album is out, what are your plans for the future?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: We never stop writing, we are always thinking and working on something new, but our next steps will be to try to bring A Dead Poem to the stage by the end of 2025 or early 2026.  

Metallerium: Around this time of the year, many outlets release their "best albums of 2024" lists. Besides recommending Abstract Existence, which albums would you recommend listening to from this year?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: I’m always looking to listen to “new” bands, lately I haven’t been really enjoying the classics. Here are some of the ones I can recommend:   A Void Named Life - Ephemeral (2024), Cemitery Skyline - Nordic Gothic (2024), Blazing Eternity - A Certain End Of... (2024), Deicide - Banished By Sin (2024) and Groza - Nadir (2024)  

Metallerium: Lately, it’s becoming more common to see influencers making videos about the “worst albums.” What are your thoughts on this type of content, considering taste in music is subjective?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: Nowadays, everyone wants to be seen in some way, and they’ve realized that spreading negative stuff attracts a lot of people. Whether it’s bad or good is a matter of taste, but there will always be people without their own opinions who end up giving these idiots an audience.  

Carlos: I think there will always be an audience for what you do. For example, I don't like Metal Core or Screamo, etc., etc. But man, you can't deny that most of these artists are good musicians. So that's it, if you don't like it, don't listen to it. I think music is not a competition. We are not in a race. I always say that human beings are very empty and volatile. Today you like something, in a year or two you might hate it. It's always like that!  

Metallerium: Artificial Intelligence is becoming an increasingly important tool in many fields. As a two-member band, what are your thoughts on AI in art and music? Would you consider using it in the future?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: We used AI to produce the cover of Abstract Existence. I'm a big fan of artists and painters, and I would love to see the art of these renowned guys on an A Dead Poem album, but the reality is that we are an independent band with limited financial resources, which makes it unfeasible to pay for their work. In this case, AI helped us a lot, delivering amazing art for free. In terms of music production, we have never used it and we don't know the outcome of it, but I think it wouldn't be cool and honest, because music is an organic way of expressing yourself and transferring that to a robot wouldn't make sense.  

Carlos: In addition, in terms of sound, I think there is no room for AI in our sound. I like this analog recording thing, the “Do It Yourself” thing. I think AI will not have the necessary sensitivity to replace this process and if it did, we wouldn’t even need to be here in a few years.  

Metallerium: As a band with deep ties to the doom metal of the 90s, how do you see the evolution of the genre today? Are there any current bands that inspire you?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: I think the style has never been as prominent as it is now. Several specialized labels have emerged investing heavily in the style and with that, many cool bands have emerged on the scene releasing incredible albums. Even though cool bands have emerged, I end up being influenced by the classics of the past, like Paradise Lost, which is and will always be a great school for me. I've also been listening to a lot of Post-Black Metal.  

Metallerium: Abstract Existence revisits a nostalgic era of music. Was this an intentional effort to capture that sound, or did it emerge naturally from your influences?  

A Dead Poem:   Marlon: That was intentional, we really wanted to pursue that sound that was abandoned in the early 90s and we intend to continue.  

Carlos: We are big listeners of this genre, so it was natural in terms of composition. Now, we could have opted for a more modern sound quality, so in this case it was intentional, as we opted for something more Old School. I remember mixing and mastering this material while listening to Katatonia's acclaimed Brave Murder Day.

Metallerium: For many fans, doom metal connects deeply with emotions. What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from your music?  

A Dead Poem:  

Marlon: We don't make music to make people cut or hang themselves. Our lyrical themes are connected to the deep emotions that every individual experiences throughout their existence. Inevitable emotions such as loss, mourning, introspection, existential questions, etc. This sounds like a wake-up call to people who are deluded by a false promise of a happy and prosperous life and that these emotions are part of their nature. Life is cruel and wild, with small fragments of happiness and nothing more.  

Metallerium: Thanks a lot for your time. Is there anything you want to say to your fans and Metallerium’s readers?  

A Dead Poem:   Marlon: I would like to thank the Metallerium team for the space provided and thank all our fans and friends for the strong support at the beginning of our career and let them know that this year we will have great surprises.