Interviews: SENNA

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Metalcore/Hard Rock/Progressive Post-Hardcore band SENNA from Germany. Check out the interview and this amazing band.

1. Danger To Love is described as an emotionally charged and deeply reflective record. What was the creative and emotional process behind crafting this album?

The process was very straightforward. We worked on it one song at a time without having any overarching themes in the beginning. We knew we wanted to make the songs more personal and meaningful than our previous material. Everyone in the band is a bit in their own head, so the record just naturally leaned into that introspective and emotional vibe.

2. How does Stranger To Love expand on the sound and themes of A Moment of Quiet?

The goal was to keep things sounding simple on the surface, but with some fun, intricate stuff happening underneath. We already tried to go in this direction in A Moment of Quiet, and it seemed to really resonate with people. We are trying to push this concept further with the record, but without it sounding gimmicky or inauthentic.

3. The album explores the subtleties of human connection and personal growth. Were there any personal experiences that heavily influenced the songwriting?

There’s definitely a lot of personal stuff woven into the songs, but it’s not like we went through any big, dramatic life changes. It’s more subtle, like during writing, someone might go, ‘Hey, I’ve felt that before. What if we said it like this?

4. The lyrics of “High Note” reflect on vulnerability and searching for refuge. Was there a particular moment or feeling that sparked its creation?

There’s something really powerful about how people come together during hard times. We wanted to capture that in a song. At the same time, it was important for us to be honest about the tough situations that led to those connections, without making it all sound too neat or hopeful. We like to think about these triumphant moments, where people overcome adversity, but most of the time, it’s just people doing what they can to keep going.

5. You also released a video for “Blackout.” Can you share the concept behind the visuals and how it ties into the album’s themes?

It is hard to talk about the video for Blackout in isolation, since it is part of a video series that we started all the way back with the video for Rosehip. The story is about the young criminal couple Sally and Fynn. Fynn presumably dies after a failed robbery, and the videos for the Stranger To Love singles all show Sally dealing with the loss of her love, her grief, and her failed attempts to come to terms with it. Blackout is all about her escape from reality, and we wanted the video to also reflect that visually. On the surface, everything looks nice and pretty. But underneath, you can see her falling apart.

6. Your music blends hard rock, metalcore, and progressive post-hardcore. How did you approach balancing aggression and melody on Stranger To Love?

The way we see it, we’re not really thinking about balancing aggression with melody right from the start. When we’re writing, we usually attach a feeling or a vibe to each section of the song. At some point, we have to decide whether to stick with that vibe or break away from it. That choice usually comes down to whether the song needs a twist, something to keep it from getting too predictable or losing momentum. That’s where we might bring in more aggression, not for the sake of being heavy, but as a way to add contrast and texture to the overall structure. The song Potential is a good example, where instead of going heavy, we went the other direction into some kind of synthwave-pop direction! It’s all about contrast.

7. SENNA has been recognized as an innovative force in modern metalcore. What elements do you think set you apart in today’s heavy music scene?

There are plenty of bands out there that are way more daring and creative than we are. But I’d like to think we’re smart about when to push boundaries and when to stick to the formula. We’re usually pretty tuned in to what’s going on in modern metalcore. We pay a lot of attention to what’s popular, why it works, and what elements of the music should probably not be messed with. At the same time, we look for the areas where there’s room to experiment and bring in fresh ideas. It might not sound as sexy as being some creative genius who doesn’t care what anyone else is doing, but I think that awareness is a big part of why our music feels innovative while still making sense and staying listenable.

8. Were there any unexpected influences—musical or otherwise—that shaped this album’s sound?

When writing this album, I was really into hard techno. A lot of people find this kind of music repetitive, and I can totally see why. It clicked for me when I realised that there are so many tiny moving parts, all interacting and interlacing, to a point where they lose meaning on their own. It’s much more about the overall sound and texture. I tried to incorporate this in many places, but without the usual 4-to-the-floor of techno, the connection is not really obvious at first.

9. You’ve toured with bands like The Devil Wears Prada, Ocean Grove, and Being As An Ocean. How have these experiences shaped you as a band?

Playing along with these great bands was an incredible experience for us. You can just tell, these bands have been performing for ages. It really showed that we have a long road ahead of us, because having a great record and being a great live band are two completely different things.

10. With over 2 million Spotify streams, you’re gaining a solid following. What has been the most rewarding moment of your journey so far?

Of course, we are very, very proud of our streaming numbers. It really warms my heart to know that people are actually listening to the music we write. At the same time, these are just numbers. The most rewarding moments for me are actually when we play live, there are real people coming to our show, they wear a Senna Shirt to show their support. They tell us to keep going, they’re seeing our potential and believe in us. This feels so much more real and rewarding than any number you could show me on a phone.

11. What can fans expect from your live shows in support of Stranger To Love?

We have worked very hard to bring the record to the live stage, and it was not an easy task, considering all the things that are going on in our songs. It definitely is a different experience than listening to the record, and I think the fans will enjoy that aspect of it. We have been very meticulous with every little detail that is different in the live show, so that we bring the most enjoyable experience to our fans. The feedback so far has been incredible, so it seems all our effort has paid off!

12. With this being your debut album, what are your hopes and expectations for its release?

I try to keep my expectations low; we are still such a young band. Of course, I hope people enjoy our record and understand the creative vision behind it. There is still so much room for us to grow, so I try not to think too much about how our record is doing and focus on improving our songwriting, improving our live shows, and also improving on a personal level.

13. If you could tour with any band—past or present—who would it be and why?

Bring Me The Horizon. Maybe this is a boring answer, but I feel like we could learn a lot from them. They’ve taken a lot of heat for the direction they went into. But they stuck with it and ended up reshaping the entire genre in the process. They’re a big inspiration for me for that reason specifically.

14. What’s next for SENNA after Stranger To Love drops?

We are playing a bunch of festivals and a tour later this year. This will be the first time we can really showcase the album and play a lot of the songs live as well. Of course, we are also already working on new material, but the focus will be on hitting the road as much as possible!