Interviews: Future Palace

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Post-Hardcore band Future Palace from Germany. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1."RESURGENCE" is centered on isolation, inner conflict, and rebuilding yourself. What personal experiences or observations inspired the emotional core of this album?

Maria: These past years of being a musician and just a human in general. Touring and being in a band can be very exhausting, mentally and physically, and sometimes it’s hard to see progress, and you can lose yourself in a rather negative and exhausted mindset: What is all of this for? Is it even worth it? Will I ever reach more with this than what it is now? And much more. I had some conflicts with myself, even so far, that I asked myself if I even wanted to continue music or what my life would have been like if I had chosen a different path, since this was my dream since I was about 11 and never questioned it.

I also lost hope in myself a lot of times as a singer and songwriter. I felt burned out, uninspired, and my voice often got really tired on tour. I decided to take more breaks for my mental health and get vocal coaching and read more books about songwriting and creativity to give myself new energy, impulses, and most importantly, hope that I can get better.

2. The ocean imagery surrounding "RESURGE" and the album announcement is striking. What does the ocean symbolize for Future Palace, and how does that symbolism connect to the record's themes?

Maria: The focus of the album is the overall nature, but also rebirth. There are many moments of rebirth or hope in nature, just like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, shedding skin, a rainbow after a heavy storm, or, for me, a shell. It somehow symbolizes something similar, leaving an old version of yourself behind, just like those hermit crabs that change their houses, but also the imagery of a pearl inside that you kind of protect and know exists. I just liked those images, and the ocean is a very close thing to us human beings; it represents life a lot to me.

3. Future Palace has become known for blending heavy breakdowns with cinematic electronic elements. How did you push that sound further on "RESURGENCE" compared to your previous albums?

Manuel: “On Resurgence, one goal was to create music that blends what I think fits us best, yet also striving to try out new things and venture on. With our former album, it felt like a constant search for cohesion and extremes at once, many songs and singles, but not a cohesive album like Resurgence. In my opinion, we now took our art to a new level by pushing our boundaries without letting go of the experiences that brought us here.”

4. Mental health has been a recurring theme in your music. What conversations do you hope songs like "RESURGE," "Deep Blue," and "Cyclone" spark among listeners?

Maria: I don’t really know at the end of the day, and I feel like something like that can’t be planned. I just want to be authentic and make people feel seen and not feel ashamed of feeling dark thoughts or also self-doubt, speaking out about things that feel uncomfortable, just like wondering if every decision you’ve made in your life was wrong, or what life would have been like another way. If you are the reason for the bad things in your life, but also processing trauma and showing that the process of healing is not exponential growth, but more ups and downs, that could make you wonder if you’re even getting better.

5. As a woman-fronted band in the modern metal scene, have you seen positive changes in opportunities and support for women in music and touring over the past few years?

Maria: I have seen a few more women on stages, I would say, but also I have only been doing this since 2020. Musicians like Amira Elfeky, Poppy, the new singer of Linkin Park, Vana, Showing Teeth, or Violent Vira would be pretty good examples for this, I think. It feels a bit more diverse than what I saw when I was a teenager. Also, some Festivals have awareness teams, which I think is really good and important for general safety.

6. The band's visual identity is always distinctive. How do art, illustration, fashion, or stage clothing influence the way you present each album era?

Maria: Everything I see influences me, and I want people to be drawn into another world. I love it when that happens to me when I watch other musicians or artists. I really enjoyed the fashion shows of Iris Van Herpen and Robert Wun as visual inspiration.

7. Many fans know you're passionate about sustainability and conscious living. How do values like thrifting, veganism, or environmental awareness fit into your life on and off the road?

Johannes: “It starts with having people in the crew who share the same values. Most of our crew members also live vegetarian or vegan lifestyles. We don’t judge anyone who doesn’t, but especially for headline shows in Europe, we, for example, don’t have meat at the catering. We also kindly ask promoters to use regional products and reusable tableware only. We are aware that touring itself isn’t good for the environment because of the travel involved for both the band and production, as well as the fans, and we try to minimize our impact.”

8. Nature and conservation are topics that matter to you. Do those interests ever find their way into your songwriting, visuals, or broader creative outlook?

Maria: Yes, they are, that’s why I have been vegan for over 8 years, and also try my best to purchase things really consciously. Songs like “A World in Tears” are completely about climate change, also Supernova partly has that topic involved such as Amethyst (which is a song about anxiety, but also speaks about climate change) and “They Take What They Want”.

9. Gaming has become a huge source of inspiration and escapism for many artists. Are there any games that influenced your creativity while writing or recording "RESURGENCE"?

Manuel: “I mostly enjoy games that tell a story and evoke different emotions. Death Stranding has been a huge influence, in general storytelling from Japan in manga with surreal and dystopian worlds were part of my journey when writing the new record.”

Maria: In general, it will always be Zelda for me. The “Zora” worlds in many different games of Zelda inspired me a lot for many visuals. Also musically.

10. With a busy 2026 ahead, including festival appearances and a return to the U.S., what are you most excited for fans to experience when they hear these new songs live?

Manuel: Resurgence has a distinct energy, something we have not produced yet. Something we have not brought to a live show yet as well. So I am immensely curious how people will react. Can’t wait, actually.

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