MUMBAI: Finnish prog rock Darkness Is My Canvas is set to release its debut album “The End Of Times” in October 2024 on Rockshots Records. “Day Zero,” the latest single from the album, reveals a new side of the band. While it retains all the familiar elements of their previous tracks, the band has pushed their melodic creativity to the limit, resulting in the magical “Day Zero”. This song is the 7th chapter (and 7th track) of the album, portraying the moment when a path ends and a decision must be made to begin on a new one. “Day Zero” is about starting fresh, from ground zero.
“I wouldn’t call it a concept album because this universe has been around since our last EP. We’ve been telling stories from these same characters’ perspectives in previous releases,” says Pete Erkintalo, responsible for the story and lyrics of Darkness Is My Canvas. “I think ‘Day Zero’ is a beautiful and nuanced song, allowing listeners to feel it from their own perspectives,” Pete continues. The lyrics for the song had been in reserve for a while, part of a few other stories yet to be told.
The song’s structure, vocals, and melodies came together in one evening when guitarist Panu and singer Pete were tired of tweaking another song’s arrangements. “Sometimes these things come together so easily. One night we were just goofing around with guitars and vocal ideas on the studio couch, and it just clicked. A few hours later, we had a nearly finished song with arrangements, melodies, and vocals pretty much done. Sometimes Pete has too many vocal variations, but this time I just let him sing and enjoyed it from the control room, thinking, ‘Yes, that’s it,'” says Panu. “Of course, we made several versions in our signature style to find the right arrangement, and we kept tweaking balances, sounds, and the overall finish until the end.” The guitar melodies came right after the bass track using the “direct från hattan” method. Only the odd section in the middle of the song needed some more time. “I came up with a bass riff in a 15/16 time signature by accident, and we had no choice but to build a solo around it. We even tried a Simon Phillips-style drum solo with our drummer Juza (like the end of Steve Lukather’s ‘Party In Simon’s Pants’), but ended up with a guitar solo. I probably played like 50 versions while struggling with the time signature, but the final version came together effortlessly in one take. The audience has really enjoyed the song live, and it’s fun to play!”
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The song follows Darkness Is My Canvas’ signature style, featuring strong melodies, relatable stories, and excellent arrangements that resonate with listeners. Panu’s atmospheric guitar arrangements complement Pete’s powerful vocal performance, telling the story together. Two more versions of the song will be released: one featuring an up-and-coming indie artist and another as a shortened radio edit.
For those who appreciate bands like Muse, Ghost, and My Chemical Romance, prepare to rock out with Darkness Is My Canvas!
Track Listing:
1. Wash
2. Rejected
3. Bleed
4. Ink In The Water
5. The Maze
6. The End of Times
7. Day Zero
8. Subliminal
9. These Times
10. Skin & Bones
Darkness Is My Canvas is:
Pete – Lead Vocals
Panu – Guitars
Fellu – Bass
Guitar Juza – Drums
“Darkness Is My Canvas has a ton of catchy tracks on this, their debut album. White Noise is an excellent first offering and is the kind of record that makes you want more from them as soon as you can get it. I look forward to hearing more from this band in the future.” – Metal Zenith
“In terms of prog-oriented albums, ‘White Noise’ is often chunkier than the most melodic Opeth, but always more accessible than their black metal infused earlier outings. It’s got more of an interest in old fashioned rock than ninety percent of the riff heavy Dream Theater wannabes that have flooded the market over the years but occasionally is happy to share as much of a heavy edge, and from a metal viewpoint, the album’s weighty musical canvas reaches further than most.” – Real Gone Rocks.
