Interviews About Albums: Horror Dance Squad - All I See Is Black (2024)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Estonian Metacore band Horror Dance Squad to ask questions about their album, "All I See Is Black".

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

All I See Is Black, released on 17 May, is our fourth album and the best Horror Dance Squad yet!

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

While it is true that we are living in the most prosperous era in the history of humanity, the evidence is clear that we are headed toward disaster if we continue to ignore the warning signs so evident in the changing climate and public discourse. The consistent denial from those in power that something needs to be done is infuriating and worrisome, especially for those of us who would like to see the world remain safe and livable for future generations. Although we want to be positive and hopeful, right now, all we see is black.

3. Who are the composers of the CD/EP?

Our overall writing process is very collaborative—each of us plays an integral role in writing our songs. But going into this album we also knew that we wanted to work with a producer on selecting and finalizing the tracks for the album and we were extremely excited when Federico Ascari agreed to work with us on the project. While the writing process remained the same, we approached one thing a bit differently: Instead of working each idea into a final product, we started by writing around 30 demos before limiting the selection to 15 which we then sent to Federico. With his input, we chose the final 8 that make up the album you hear today, and he worked intimately with us to achieve what we had envisioned from the start.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

Extremely tough question—we wanted to make sure that every song on this album was a banger. However, Taste The Doom is the one we chose to release as our first single to tease the album. Inspired by artists like Ghostmane, this song has a darker industrial-metal vibe than we are traditionally known for. We wanted the album announcement to come with a bang, and this song definitely does the trick.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is what is it?

Yes—that we need to get our shit together and make sure that we don’t ruin the opportunity to continue having a beautiful planet to live on in the future.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

Plenty! Our lyrics are a very important part of our story and the songs we put out. Our singers would be happy to sit and talk for hours about the lyrics, but perhaps the chorus of Poisoning The Well sums up the album the best:

The kids ain’t gonna grow up

Never gonna grow up

We just keep on poisoning the well as it dries up

If we keep on living the way we do

There'll be nothing for the kids to grow up to

Believe in

Much of the album’s message is centered around the concern that our own children might not get to enjoy the same beautiful plant in their adult lives as we are now, and this song sums it up pretty well. We recommend reading all the lyrics while you listen to the songs—we've got a lot to say!

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

We certainly want to thank our family, friends, and fans for the love and support we receive from them each day. Our families have certainly been a huge part of this process and we cannot thank them enough for giving us the opportunity to create what we think is our best album ever. Musically, we simply wanted to make the most badass songs we could—songs we couldn’t wait to perform live. We took inspiration from quite a few genres including metalcore, nu metal, industrial metal, trap, J-pop, and punk. But at the core, it’s 100% Horror Dance Squad.

8. Something to add?

We love to hear from you! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about the band or want to let us know where we should come play!