New Interview with Schwarztour: All About The New Album Marionette

Just had a recent interview with Schwarztour go live about the making of the new album, Marionette!

Huge shout out to Schwarztour for the great questions and great conversation.

Check it out in both English and German on Schwarztour’s site, and see below for the English version.

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Jenni

Hey Clint! Thanks for taking the time for me! The new album “Marionette” is scheduled for release on 05 May. What were you thinking with this name and what message does it contain?

Clint

Hi Jennifer! Marionette as a title came to me nearly immediately after finishing the last album, and it occurred to me at the time how many silent forces control people, our time, and our focus. It made me think that maybe there was an album’s worth of material in that idea alone. Our addictions, our fixations, our medications, our jobs, are all like little strings attached to a puppet controlling our lives.

Jenni

A very important topic, in my opinion. I always say to this: You exist / live, but do you also feel alive? How much is that reflected in the songs on the upcoming album? Does it go more in the direction of: “Wake up “or do you confront it?

Clint

Exactly. Existing isn’t enough, or it shouldn’t be. That distinction has become very blurred for people. It’s reflected quite a bit, in some songs it’s more of an example of what I’ve experienced in my life and how I’ve confronted it, and in some songs, it’s almost a call to wake up and confront the mirror and see the listener’s strings. To know they may have a choice to cut those strings, or at least to know they aren’t alone.

Jenni

It’s definitely not an easy road. Unfortunately, I know from my own experience how difficult this path can be. And often, unfortunately, you are very much alone. All the more beautiful when music gives you the feeling that somehow you are not. For me, a very big comfort is music. I associate a lot with it and always find it great to find stories in it. To find oneself in it. What do you feel as an artist when people draw something from your music? Draw strength from it? Recognize themselves there, or just also think: I could never have expressed it better?

For me, music is like a ship that welcomes me joyfully. It takes me on board with all the luggage and invites me to a journey that you experience together.

Together we pass any waters, no matter how rough, and we reach any port.

Clint

When I first discovered this genre, it was bands like Leæther Strip, Haujobb, Suicide Commando, and :wumpscut: that really made me somehow belong. I grew up in a small town and I was of course the “strange” one. My friends all listened to metal or something similar and discovering these new sounds and new methods of communicating emotions really played a huge part in whom I became as an adult. It made me feel somehow less isolated. I became an avid listener of all of those bands and still am today, and have had the honor to meet many of them – something I never would have dreamed possible as a teenager. So we feel similarly about it, and I truly feel if people are able to draw from my music in some way the same way I did from others as I grew up, I feel humbled and honored by that.

Jenni

Please don’t stop there! Even though I haven’t had the chance to meet you in person yet, it’s incredible for me to write with you and exchange ideas. A little dream that you fulfill me. I’ve been listening to your music for a long time, and I love the piano tones in your pieces. Is there something with piano again on the new album? I find the combination of the hardness and the piano almost fascinating. It triggers something indescribable in me. You had me right with that. it was extraordinary and expressive!

Clint

I very much appreciate that! You’ll find some light use of piano in the new album, in particular a sampled destroyed piano in the title track that took quite a while to get just right. I’ve always tried to experiment with contrasts in my music, harpsichords, dulcimer, and softer bells all layered to try to create a sense of atmosphere and hopefully emotion. That very much continues in the new album. In that sense, I think you are hearing my love of emotive movie soundtracks. Although I very much enjoy the harshness of aggrotech, I think it’s nice to have a beautiful contrast instead of just constantly harsh.

Jenni

I definitely love it! And I think some other listeners will with me! How do you feel when the album is finished? And how excited are you once you know when it will be released?

Clint

Honestly, I am one of those people who never feels quite finished. It’s satisfying for sure, but I always feel I could do more. I’ve had to take those feelings and carry them into ideas for future work, or else I just keep reworking the material. It’s always very exciting though, every album release feels like it did the first time, and hearing from people who are listening is one of my favorite things.

Jenni

I know that with the “never be completely finished” very well, I am also already quite excited. It’s really very funny and fascinating that you completely fever with. So I’m quite excited what you have conjured up for us! Anything else you want to get rid of?

Clint

Oh, nothing solid for now. I have a few ideas that started to take hold while I was finishing Marionette. I took a short break from writing but it draws me back in. So I can tell you there will definitely be more.

I’m also going to be working on remixes for fellow COP Records artist G.W. Childs IV and the fantastic band Nuda from Seattle here very soon. Excited for both of those, both are super talented and friendly people.

Jenni

That’s always good to hear. We want more!! It’s definitely worth following and listening to Nolongerhuman. To not miss anything, best sign up for the newsletter:
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Clint, it was a pleasure! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the interview and the exciting insights.

Thank you, Jenni!