Interview: A LIFE DIVIDED: “Valve, Therapy, Drive …”

20 years ago, A Life Divided was founded. While the album predecessor “Echoes” (2020) focuses more on synth sounds, the formation returns to furious metal with “Down the Spiral of a Soul” (release date 07 July 2023). We talk to mastermind Jürgen Plangger about the new album, kindergarten friends and the depths of the soul.

Orkus: “Down the Spiral of a Soul” is usher in rock hard with “Last Man Standing”. To what extent have you perhaps seen “rocks” just in the last few years that could not withstand the surf after all? How are you doing with it?
Jürgen Plangger: In fact, a few rocks have fallen over in my personal environment that I would not have thought. Strong people whose supposed invulnerability I had always taken for granted. Much of the album deals with mental health and depression. I think a lot of people have had to go through dark valleys in recent years and can understand that.

O: One piece that is particularly memorable is “Thanks for Nothing.” Is there a specific story about this?
JP: The song is about letting go. From a person who is not good for you, from a bad habit, the job that makes you unhappy. We sometimes hold on unnecessarily long to things that do us no good and poison us. “Thanks for Nothing” describes the liberating feeling that comes when you free yourself from these negative things.

O: How does the thoughtful ending track “Down the Spiral of a Soul” fit perfectly as a title and how did the song come about?
JP: We have made it a tradition to let the last song on our album be a little bit out of the ordinary. This time we have a somber, lost, epic song to end on. It’s about being trapped in the darkest and loneliest place of your soul, and the power to find your way back. The title of the song “Down the Spiral of a Soul” sums up very well the basic mood, feeling and themes of the record.

O: The album cover was made by Erik. How did the idea come about?
JP: The soul is reflected in the eyes. You can read all the emotions from them. Joy, sadness, fear etc. This fits very well with the album title. The eyes as the gateway to the soul.

O: How did the cover version “Send Me an Angel” come about? – And in what way do we need them especially NOW?
JP: The original is by the band Real Life and was a hit in the eighties. We love synthpop from those years. When the song came out I was six years old, as was my kindergarten buddy Erik, our current keyboardist and producer. 40 years later we are still friends and make music together. The difficulty with covering is to do justice to the original but at the same time to put your own musical stamp on it. This is often not so easy, but in this case it worked out great!

O: On a completely different note, when did you realize that this year would be your 20th anniversary? Does it even feel that long?
JP: You’re right, we’re going to be 20 years old … unbelievably, that’s almost half my life … And it still gives me as much as it did in the early days. For me, music is an outlet, therapy, drive and fulfills me every day anew!

O: If we take the opportunity to look back a little: What do you remember from 20 years of A Life Divided?
JP: The most significant for me are always the memories that you can’t just buy. Our arena shows with Unheilig, for example, or the European tour with Apocalyptica were certainly highlights. But actually, I prefer to look ahead. I will only look back when we stop. And hopefully we are still a long way from that.

So we too prefer to look to the future with the tour dates:
09.09.2023 Munich, Backstage Werk
14.09.2023 Stuttgart, ClubCANN
15.09.2023 Memmingen, Kaminwerk
09/16/2023 Cham, LA.
21.09.2023 Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal
22.09.2023 Oberhausen, Kulttempel
23.09.2023 Hanover, Subkultur
02.10.2023 Leipzig, Moritzbastei
03.10.2023 Hamburg, MarX (Markthalle)

Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg

Line-up:
Jürgen Plangger – vocals
Tobi Egger – Bass
Tony Berger – guitar
Erik Damköhler – keyboard, guitar
Manuel Di Camillo – drums