Mind:Field is the brainchild of a Berlin-based musician who turned adversity into opportunity. Born from the dissolution of previous bands, the solo project embraces a rich fusion of grunge, 70s prog, groove metal, deathcore, and jazz, creating a sound that is both diverse and cohesive. Featured on our new Progotronics 49 compilation, Mind:Field delivers introspective and thought-provoking music that explores themes such as addiction, peer pressure, and the human condition.
In this interview, we delve into the project’s origins, creative process, and the challenges of being a solo artist in a genre that thrives on collaboration. We also discuss the inspiration behind recent singles like “Every Breath a Thorn” and the upcoming 2025 full-length album, as well as the influence of Berlin’s vibrant music scene.
Mind:Field was born out of the collapse of previous bands. What motivated you to go solo, and how has that decision shaped your creative process?
When I started writing music, it was the mid 2000’s, and finding musicians for other stuff than Metalcore and Nu Metal was almost impossible. So I wrote my own stuff with basically no intend of ever performing it with people. I was used to working alone. When I joined my first real band, I found it hard to work together, constantly changing existing songs and pushing the others to the standards that I set for myself. Looking back, that was a big reason why that band collapsed. I’m very proud of the music we did, tho. The songs on my debut EP all started out as songs for this band , but before the others could work on these songs, we disbanded. So I took my ideas and continued doing it on my own, but this time with both the ability and the technology to do it myself. And while I like the creative process with others, working alone is totally fine as well since I did that from the beginning.
Your lyrics often explore the dangers of being human, touching on topics like addiction, peer pressure, and war. How do you approach writing about such heavy themes?
Those topics always interested me for some reason. I grew up with Science Fiction like Star Trek, that always used alien races etc as a metaphor for problems humans have. So I guess that shaped me. I always felt the need to write about stuff that I consider to be important, to leave a message for the listener if he wants to listen. My favorite artists in terms of lyrics ( Black Sabbath, Nirvana and the whole Grunge scene, Metallica and other Thrash Metal, Tool etc etc) all do that, too. I never really connected with love songs and so on.
The fusion of genres in your music is impressive, blending elements of grunge, 70s prog, groove metal, deathcore, and jazz. How do you balance these diverse influences to create a cohesive sound?
I have always been sorrounded by different types of music, thanks to my parents. From Led Zeppelin to Portishead. I very rarely mix those styles on purpose, it comes natural to me. I usually write a guitar part reminiscent of one genre, but, for example, the drums are influenced by another genre.This happens without me thinking about it. But the hard part is connecting those sections to form a coherent song. For connecting them, I focus on the stuff that the genres I try to combine have in common, or I use the same melody, but played in a different style. This is what takes the longest time in my writing process. I always like discovering and understanding new styles.
What can you tell us about your recent single “Every Breath a Thorn” and its place on the upcoming full-length album?
It’s the first of several singles prior to my first album. Another single called ” Architect Of Ruin” has since been released as well. “Every Breath A Thorn” represents the more groovy, djenty aspects of the album and it’s the seventh song on the album.
The song itself began with me experimenting with those Jazz-chords of the intro, and wanting to combine them with the types of Metal I liked most during that time: Djent and Post Black Metal.
“Architect Of Ruin”, on the other hand, is heavily inspired by my roots in Thrash Metal, but very modernized.
How does the songwriting process differ for you when crafting standalone singles versus working on a complete album?
There is very little difference. I always write, always have some riffs and ideas laying around. When I have a bunch of songs almost done, I try to make them fit with each other and record them. On this album, there was an eleventh song written, but to me, it didn’t fit the mood of the other songs, so I decided to leave it out.
Berlin is known for its rich and diverse music scene. How has living there influenced your music and creative perspective?
Well, there are many great bands here, and many many concerts. So of course, seeing other bands live is inspiring. Also, you form connections with other artists and learn from each other. Be it recording, marketing etc, there is always something to learn from another band. Plus, since this is a big city, there are lots of great big bands to see live here as well. In the same year, I saw Tool and Depeche Mode for example. Impossible to not be inspired when seeing their shows.
As someone who believes in not limiting musical influences, are there any surprising artists or genres that have recently inspired you?
Currently, I’m really into the Smashing Pumpkins, Morbid Angel, and Electric Light Orchestra. I guess, the latter is the most suprising unless you know that they actually started out as a Progressive Rock band before being Pop.
When it comes to current artists, I loved the latest album by Chat Pile last year, also Ken Mode,Geordie Greep, Black Midi. Also my friends in Haven released an album called “Causes” which I like a lot.
In general, I think the most “suprising” Genre I listen to is Trip Hop.
The Mind:Field debut EP was released in 2021. Looking back, how do you feel your sound and artistic vision have evolved since then?
The biggest difference is that this EP was written as if it was a band. Meaning, a usual band setup of vocalist, drummer, bass and two guitars could perform it. The new songs however, are more free. There are sometimes additional instruments like Piano, Keyboards and strings, or the song would require like 4 guitar players for a harmony. The instrumental song would even require two bass players. So I fully embraced the ” I never gonna perform these songs anyway, let’s go crazy with it!” -mindset.
Since the EP, i think, I evolved a lot as a singer. I still have lots to learn there, but I feel like I made lots of progress.
The songs definitely got more complex since the EP, too. I feel like much of the EP was rooted in 90`s Groove Metal, while those new songs have a way stronger 70`s Prog influence. Also,I explored new genres since then.
Can you share any insights into the upcoming 2025 album? Are there particular themes or sounds you’re excited for listeners to hear?
It will be ten songs, and many of the songs revolve around how humans interact with technology, their environment and each other. A contrast between nature and technology is there throughout. For example, somber parts feature acoustic guitars and more tribal drumming, contrasted with very industrial, staccato heavy guitars. This is also reflected in the artwork. Basically it’s about humanitie’s dependance on technology, culminating in a two-part title track.
Honestly, I’m excited for you to hear all of it!
What challenges have you faced as a solo artist in the progressive metal space, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge is that I can’t play gigs to find an audience. I have to rely on social media and word of mouth. I’m still learning all that social media stuff, and there are times when this stresses me out too much as I don’t use these apps a lot in my private life. Doing eveyrthing on your own is exhausting, because you can’t rely on others, but also very rewarding once it works. I overcome this by learning how to advertise myself, reaching out to people that might be interested in this kind of music. For example, I learned how to edit videos for that. Aso, my girlfriend helps me with taking pictures and how to use those apps properly.
How do you hope listeners connect with your music, especially given the introspective and reflective themes you explore?
I hope that they feel something while listening. To me, that’s the whole point of music. Not everyone will read the lyrics or even care about them, which is fine. But as long as the tone of the music, combined with a song title and the artwork, create an emotional response and maybe get you to think about stuff, I’m very happy.
Of course, reading the lyrics and maybe thinking about what you just read would be ideal.
