Emerging from the underground metal scene in Trier, Germany, Coldspine has been carving their path in the Doom/Sludge Metal genre since their formation in 2020. Rooted in the heavy, introspective atmospheres of Doom, the band’s evolution—from their debut EP Desolation to their first full-length album Nullpunkt—reflects their relentless pursuit of a sound that is both crushing and deeply atmospheric. In this interview, the band dives into their creative process, the challenges of navigating the underground metal scene, and their plans for the future, including the exciting launch of their very own festival, SONIC EXCESS FEST.
Serial Metalbums: To begin, could you introduce the band to our readers? Tell us about how the project started, how the members came together, and what drives you as a group. How would you describe your musical style, and what draws you to create in the Doom, Death, and Sludge Metal genres?
Coldspine: First of all, thank you for the invitation to the interview! A few words about us: COLDSPINE is a four piece Doom/ Sludge Band from Trier (Germany) that was founded in 2020. Three of us played together in the Sludge Band EARTHGRAVE before we started COLDSPINE. What makes it easy to work together is that we are close friends and have a really good personal connection to each other. About our musical style: Our roots have always been in the Doom/ Sludge genre. If you dive deeper into this subgenre in general, you'll discover a lot of variations and creativity from all the different bands. Doom/ Sludge Metal is a subgenre we all enjoy individually, but not exclusively. Our style also developed over the years with many other influences from different styles like Death Metal, Hardcore or other genres. All this leads to the manifestation of our individual style in our new Album 'Nullpunkt'.
Serial Metalbums: When you formed the band, what were your main musical aspirations? Were there specific artists or albums that influenced you early on? Have personal events or life experiences also shaped your sound or lyrics in any way?
Coldspine: When we started COLDSPINE in 2020, we needed some time to develop our own style. One band that influenced us a lot during the first years was XIBALBA and their earlier albums. They play a unique combination of Hardcore, Sludge and Death Metal. If you listen to our first EP 'Desolation', you'll maybe hear their influence in the songs. Over the years, we dived deeper into more extreme Doom/ Sludge territory and adapted more influences from bands like Conan, Thou or Primitive Man. About the atmosphere and lyrics of our music: Most of our songs have a dark vibe and the lyrics also match this. For all of us, there is a certain fascination for bleak atmosphere in music and a slow, heavy style gives us the perfect starting point to capture this kind of vibe.
Serial Metalbums: Your debut EP, Desolation, released in 2021, seems to have set the foundation for your sound. Can you tell us more about this project: what were your ambitions when creating it, and how well did it reflect your musical intentions at the time? Looking back now, do you see Desolation as a key stepping stone toward your first full-length album?
Coldspine: In the beginning of our band history we thought an EP format would be a good start to present our band to the public. As described above, we still had to find our own individual style at this point but had a solid vision how the record should sound. Now, almost 4 years after the songwriting process for 'Desolation', we would handle song structures maybe a bit differently compared to 2020 and also our style has shifted in a certain direction. But after all, we are still really happy with 'Desolation': The EP has some really kickass riffs and interesting uptempo passages. Maybe some people still prefer 'Desolation' over our new album 'Nullpunkt', because the songs are shorter and have some mosh parts. And we still love the production! So all in all, 'Desolation' was a really good starting point.
Serial Metalbums: There is a three-year gap between your EP Desolation and your first full-length album Nullpunkt. How would you describe your evolution as musicians and songwriters during this time? Did your vision or approach to creating music change significantly, or did new influences shape the direction of the band?
Coldspine: For us, 'Nullpunkt' feels like the perfect evolution from 'Desolation'. The new album captures more atmosphere and heaviness as well as a significant development of our sound. The reason for this are new influences but also a better, common understanding how COLDSPINE should sound.
As a result, 'Nullpunkt' is exactly how we wanted it to be - also because our studio (EAR WE GO Studio in Belgium - Cheers to Francois!) did an outstanding job. The full length was three years in the making, which is quite a long time. But as a band who still creates their songs in the rehearsal room, the covid restrictions have been a problem for the creative process. But we managed that well and were still pretty productive during that time.
Serial Metalbums: Nullpunkt marks an important milestone for the band. Can you take us through the creative process for this album? Where and how was it recorded, and how long did it take? Were there any specific challenges—technical, personal, or artistic—that you faced during the making of this record?
Coldspine: We finished the songwriting for 'Nullpunkt' in the end of 2023. Before that, we have spend a lot of time figuring out our album structure. You know, creating an interesting single song in the Doom/ Sludge Metal genre is one thing - but a whole album with the length of over 45 minutes? That's a different challenge. A full length in this genre needs an interesting structure and dynamic to not bore listeners. That is why 'Nullpunkt' also consists of faster songs, tracks with more groove and a noise interlude. Surely that was a challenging process, but we took our time for the songwriting sessions without pressure. Part of that process is also that some song ideas got rejected by ourselves again after some time.
Serial Metalbums: Doom and Sludge Metal are often associated with heavy, introspective atmospheres. What are the main themes explored in Nullpunkt? Does the album’s title hold a particular meaning or significance for you? Is there a narrative or conceptual thread running through the songs?
Coldspine: The title 'Nullpunkt' (a german term) for itself has two different meanings: On the one hand, the literal translation means "point zero" - a geographical term for the lowest reference point. On the other hand (on a metaphorical level) the album title refers to the lowest point in a persons life. These two different layers allow a) some interesting lyrical topics and b) also the opportunity for visualization, which you can see on the artwork: Lisa Schroeder did an amazing job capturing the vibe of our album with her handpainted artwork! Back to the main topics in our lyrics: 'Nullpunkt' is not a concept album, but explores a clear line of lyrical topics: The songs are about death, despair, loss, misery and negativity.
Serial Metalbums: The release of a debut album is always a significant moment for a band. How has Nullpunkt been received by your fans and the specialized press? Were there any reactions or feedback that particularly surprised or moved you?
Coldspine: All in all we are really happy with the general reactions to our first full length. There have been some really overwhelming reviews. Of course that makes us extremely happy and proud as a band. There were also some critical points here and there, but nearly all feedback contains more positive aspects. Also, we know that "misery drenched Doom/ Sludge" (how our singer called our style lately) is not exactly the music to dance or party to. You have to be in the right mood and also be open minded for the kind of atmosphere our music transports. In the end, everything is a matter of taste. In our opinion, the most important thing is to keep moving along our individual path. As we are not restricted by any contract or big label deal, we can release the music exactly how we want it to be. What we also want to point out: It's not easy for an underground band like us to get a feedback from the well known print and online magazins due to the insane amount of new music coming out every day. We are not paying any promotion agency and we don't have a major label that does the promotion for us - everything is DIY and managed by ourself, of course with the support of our 4 co-labels Violence in the Veins, 7Degrees records, Fucking Kill Records and Santa Diabla.
Serial Metalbums: As a rising band, what is your perspective on the current Doom, Death, and Sludge Metal scene in Germany and Europe? Do you feel that the scene is evolving or staying true to its roots? Are there any bands or artists in the genre you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Coldspine: In general, it feels like there is an oversupply of concerts and festivals since COVID. That brings many opportunities for rising bands but is also a threat for the underground scene. There are more and more concerts happening in venues with capacities with more than 500 people fitting in. But a negative trend is, that underground venues are dying everywhere and the DIY scenes are suffering under these circumstances. That might be a bigger problem for niche genres like Sludge, extreme Doom Metal or Grindcore that have and will always be part of the underground scene - other than for Death or Black Metal. As a positive aspect we can point out is the amount of awesome underground bands that are releasing awesome, professionally produced music these days. So yes, we think the scene is evolving but is also restricted by a decrease of potential venues to play.
Serial Metalbums: Following the release of Nullpunkt, what are your ambitions for the coming years? Are you already working on new material, or do you have plans to explore new musical directions? Can we expect tours, collaborations, or perhaps a broader artistic vision, such as music videos or visual projects, tied to your music?
Coldspine: Right now we are already working on new material. We'll take our time for the songwriting and we'll see in which direction the new songs will go but we will stay true to our roots in the Doom/ Sludge genre. For future albums we'll see about other stuff like videos or visualizers. We are also planning further live shows for 2025 and are going to announce the first concerts soon. We also hope to make new connections with other bands or promoters from cities around Europe. In 2025 we will also launch our own festival called SONIC EXCESS FEST. First edition will take place in our hometown Trier on the 14th of march with 5 bands playing.