Interview: Abstract Void
Photo by Abstract Void
The first time I heard Depeche Mode’s Violator (1990) album, I was absolutely hooked on the concept of synthwave (aka – synth pop, new wave, and 5 million other variations). My love for Depeche Mode extended to other acts like New Order, as well as modern synthwave acts like Gunship. As someone who also loves atmospheric black metal, imagine my pleasant surprise when I stumbled upon Abstract Void – an artist who combines both genres to make a rare combination absolutely magical.
Abstract Void’s 2021 album Wishdream was absolutely riveting the first time I heard it. As genres and subgenres evolve over time, you never know what new concepts will come around. Blackwave is the offspring of two genres you never thought would collide, yet here we are. And trust me, I’m so glad blackwave is an actual thing, despite my disbelief that it could ever exist. Some things are worth hearing to believe.
Blacforje had the pleasure to connect with the creator of Abstract Void to discuss their upcoming album, their musical genius, and what drives them as an artist.
Thanks for joining Blacforje for an interview to talk about Abstract Void! To get things started, where are you from, and where are you based now?
Hello! I’m currently based in Russia and always lived here all my life.
I absolutely love your work on the Wishdream album! That was a fantastic release in 2021. You are the epitome of what I would consider “blackwave” – a merging of black metal and synthwave. Your sound is undeniably distinct, as there aren’t many people out there willing to take on such a daunting challenge of blending these two genres. Do you think the concept of blackwave is the next evolution in the black metal underground?
Thank you for the kind words about the album. As for “next evolution”, I think it can be one of the branches, yes, as black metal has evolved into many different things already. There was only one band on my memory called Triste L’Hiver who did black metal and synthwave, but unfortunately, he is not active anymore. Then there’s Mesarthim, who goes in similar direction, but they go more into trance, I think. Blackgaze (a mix of black metal and shoegaze) is the most prominent branch in my opinion, which Abstract Void is also a part of.
Most of your faithful fans will know by now that you have new music coming soon. Is there a release date set yet? Can you tell us the name of the album?
The release date is July 30th, and the name of the album is Forever.
How would you describe this album both sonically and thematically?
To put is simply, the new album is mostly nostalgia-themed - about long-passed good moments of life. As for the sound, I tried to make a balance between Wishdream and earlier albums. In Wishdream I added a distinct metalcore vibe, and in the new album Forever I decided to rather focus on more blackgaze side of things like I did before. The reception of the first two songs released was very good, so I think I did the step in the right direction.
What inspired you to blend two drastically different styles of music (black metal and synthwave)?
Well, it’s a good story. I was already somewhat well-known in black metal scene (Skyforest, A Light in the Dark among many other projects I created). At one point I created a metalcore project called Traceline where I mixed, well, metalcore with some electronic music. I barely knew anything about electronic music, as I don’t listen to it. I listen to metal 90% of the time. But a friend of mine who is really into it and makes electronic music himself often told me that my metal music with electronics has 80s synthwave vibes. I decided to put a focus on that and create Abstract Void just for fun. The idea was to make blackgaze music, because I already have a lot of experience in this field, and then put the 80s melodies on top of it, which from the words of my friend, I can create well. So, I created the first album Into the Blue. It was short and one of the songs “Police Cruiser” was a re-recorded song from Traceline project. I legitimately thought that it’s too cheesy and silly and nobody would listen to this, so I just released it on Bandcamp and called it a day. I was very surprised the next few days seeing a few labels knocking at my door proposing the physical releases. And to note, I didn’t share my name or location with the project, so it was completely anonymous. The reception really ignited a spark in me, and I decided to focus on the project more seriously. So, Back to Reality was born.
When it specifically comes to synthwave, darkwave, and all other “waves”, what artists have inspired you the most?
Maybe I could mention only one artist from synthwave, which would be Miami Nights 1984. Might be a surprise, but like I mentioned earlier, I don’t listen much to electronic music. As for inspiration from other bands that I could mention: Woods of Desolation – Torn Beyond Reason album, which literally changed my views on music and what I want from it, and early Germ (Wish album and Loss EP in particular) for mixing blackgaze and electronics very well – check them out.
Who are you outside of your music? I know a lot of artists in the black metal world like to maintain anonymity, so if that’s you, we can totally skip this question. But I often find it fascinating to learn about the person behind the music when the opportunity is given.
I work in my town in the university archives. It’s a stressless job but very dusty, which I like. It makes me go out. Otherwise, I would be sitting at home 24/7, as I don’t have much other reasons to go out really, except riding my bicycle in the Summer. I earn some money in other ways too by running an online studio, Nekkomix, where I mix and master music for other bands in the scene. I worked with Sadness, Unreqvited, Lumnos among many others.
Do you consider yourself a spiritual or philosophical person? If so, how does that factor into who you are as an artist?
I think rather philosophical. In my music I like to dream occasionally about something “spiritual” or “magical” (see: Skyforest), but I’m aware that it’s just helping to get through days. Usually, I’m more into realistic side of things, and usually by the end of the song/album it gets back into that track.
Last question: If you had to choose between one of the following two craft sodas, would you go with root beer or cream soda? And why?
Cream soda, definitely. I’m a big fan of carbonated drinks, especially those without sugar are my favorite. Cola Zero and Pepsi Light are on my top list (yes, I like both).
