An Interview with FREAKANGEL
The Estonian industrial metal band Freakangel is back with a deeply personal EP. They talk to us about the story behind “Control EP” and what makes the WGT so special.
Let go of the reins?
“The story behind ‘Control EP’ is so deeply personal because it came about at a time when I was questioning a lot of things I had previously accepted as truth,” says the band’s frontman, Dmitry Darling. He goes on to explain the background: “It’s not about a specific event. It’s about a cycle that many people probably go through, but rarely talk about openly—the need to control. The fear of losing control, and ultimately the realization that some things have to die so that we can move forward.” He explains that the individual stories deal with manipulation—by others as well as by oneself—but also with change and breaking free from patterns that harm oneself. “I think society encourages people far too much to cling to everything: relationships, identities, beliefs—even when these things have clearly passed their expiration date. I found the opposite idea interesting: that growth sometimes requires a funeral.” And funerals are often very dark affairs; the frontman, with his sword tattoo, has a comparison for that, too: “People often think that darkness in music is always just about despair, but for me it’s always been about honesty. The darkest moments in our lives are often the ones that most reveal who we really are.”
Finally, normal people
The upcoming release also brought the Estonians to the legendary Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig. When asked what makes the WGT so special every year, Darling answers: “The WGT is one of those rare places where people stop pretending to be normal. For a few days, the outsiders become the majority, and the rest of the world seems strange. We’ve played at many festivals, but the WGT has an atmosphere all its own. It feels less like an event and more like a temporary city, built around a shared obsession with music, art, and beautiful darkness. We had a fantastic time and got exactly what every band wants—a genuine connection, rather than passive consumption.”
Michael Schille
Lineup:
Dmitry Darling – vocals, keyboards
Art – guitar
Tanel Könd – bass
Stanislav Lint – drums
Watch the video for “Death Bloom”:
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