Dark, ominous, yet not completely hopeless, Downfall of Gaia's music is as uplifting as it is overwhelming. The aural peaks and valleys fill the often lengthy tracks with a rewarding listening experience.
The quartet was founded in the middle of 2008 and, after a few member changes, ended up with the following lineup: Dominik Gonçalves dos Reis, Peter Wolff, Anton Lisovoj, and Johannes Stoltenburg. The members of Downfall of Gaia reside in various cities throughout Germany. Their practice space, however, isn't in one of the common German fashion cities like Berlin or Hamburg, but in Hannover, a city many people connect to the Scorpions. Not to a sound that is reminiscent of an avalanche of black earth, boulders, and mud.
Downfall of Gaia have developed their current sound over the course of several years. In their early days of existence, they could easily have been described as a crust band. During this "crustier" period, they released a split in 2008 with French band Kazan. A year later, they released a tour EP, and in 2010 Downfall of Gaia finally released their debut album "Epos" with the help of a few DIY-labels.
Downfall of Gaia's DIY attitude led to their next release in 2011: a split-LP with Sweden's In the Hearts of Emperors on the Alerta Antifascista label. The album was also released by Moment of Collapse and Shove Records. The release displayed a massive step forward, both musically and lyrically.
Though their origin was very crust-infused, the band has taken a much different approach to more recent material. Fast d-beat influenced songs have given way to longer, slower tunes. Recent material can be described as enormous creations that encroach upon the listener like a towering monolith. Their new sound draws elements from doom, black metal, downtempo, sludge, and dark hardcore. The end result is an aesthetic not lacking in majesty or depth.
Downfall of Gaia has finished recording their newest collection of songs. The concept album, Suffocating in the Swarm of Cranes, was released in the second half of 2012. Their continued growth has raised the bar and expectations are very high for what is sure to be a massive, encumbering album for fans of all things progressive and heavy.
When Downfall of Gaia are not rehearsing or recording, they welcome life on the road and love to go on tour wherever, which is something they've done since their humble beginnings: often and anywhere. They have not only performed on countless stages in the German speaking countries, but also have travelled through almost every European country (most notably Italy, France, the UK and the Netherlands) and they have even made a trip across the Atlantic to the United States for a small, but intense tour; playing in most US states in 2011, as well as in 2013. In 2012, they even went to Russia, enthusing fans in Moscow and also in several cities in various countries in Eastern Europe. In 2013 alone, the group performed more than 100 concerts. In 2014, they gigged with Toxic Holocaust, Black Tusk and Neurosis and appeared at cult open air Hellfest in France. Downfall of Gaia's live intensity is unwavering, whether they are performing to ten guests in a club or in front of thousands of people at a festival.
Now in the same year, their excessive touring came to a halt to make time for their second release via Metal Blade. The band entered '79 Sound Studio in Cologne and started working on new material. The results were mixed at renowned Atomic Garden Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area and mastered in Portland, Oregon, at notorious Audiosiege Studio. Finally, the new masterpiece was completed and is ready to ravage eager listeners. Once again, the band has developed a concept. The album addresses mankind's most powerful enemy: time, which passes without mercy. Downfall of Gaia refrain from any calm moments, let alone pauses, and go full throttle immediately on Aeon Unveils the Thrones of Decay which was released on November 7th/10th, 2014 in Europe and November 11th, 2014 in North America.
The 2016 record, simply entitled "Atrophy", was Marco's debut as a guitarist and co-vocalist after longtime member Peter Wolff's departure in early 2016 to focus on personal life and other projects. It was their most succinct and shorter record since the 'Epos' days. The 2019 follow up to it was entitled Ethic of Radical Finitude, also being a short record barely above the 40 minutes mark.
Gaia's vocals approach consists of dual male harsh vocals, in the form of both crust gutturals and black metal shrieks; however, their latest record "Ethic of Radical Finitude" introduced clean vocals and spoken word. Unlike most other neocrust bands, Gaia entirely forwent d-beat use and instead rely on blast beat galloping to carry the songs. Their songwriting is very punctuated by complex song structures, which give way to very intense hardcore and highly metallic passages contrasted by poignant post-rock moments and downtempo/quieter sections. Their riffing style is based around building up towards grandiose crust leads that are combined with tremolo picking and often dissonant passages; their extensive use of guitar feedback should also be noted. They have gained recognition as one of the most notorious neocrust bands to infuse their hardcore rooted sound with the qualities of black metal and as one of the most influential blackened crust musical groups with prominent post-influences in recent times.
Current line-up:
Dominik Gonçalves dos Reis - vocals, guitar
Marco Mazzola - vocals, guitar
Anton Lisovoj - vocals, bass
Michael Kadnar - drums
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