Drawing inspiration from the melancholic atmospheres of Katatonia, Paradise Lost, and Rotting Christ, A Dead Poem is carving a unique path in the metal scene by blending black, doom, and gothic influences. In this interview, Marlon and Carlos delve into the band's origins, their debut releases, and their vision of reviving the soundscapes of '90s metal with a fresh and introspective twist.
Serial Metalbums: Can you introduce A Dead Poem to our readers? Tell us about the origins of the band, its musical style and what motivated you to create a project that mixes influences from black, doom and gothic.
Marlon: Having a band was a childhood dream that was shelved for twenty years. Only now have I been able to truly dedicate myself to it and make it happen. Choosing this sound for the band was something that was already pre-defined. I wanted to rescue the sound, the essence and the atmosphere created and abandoned in the first albums of Katatonia, Paradise Lost, October Tide and also, to go against everything that was successful in Brazil… I didn't want to follow in the footsteps of Sepultura, Krisiun, Angra etc…
Carlos: I come from the DSBM (Depressive Suicidal Black Metal) school. As a teenager I used to dress like Marilyn Manson hahaha. So Black, Doom Metal and the Gothic Subculture in general have always been part of my life. Having a band that combines the best of both worlds, I think it was really just a matter of time.
Serial Metalbums: Why did you choose the name A Dead Poem? The name is a tribute to Rotting Christ’s album of the same name. What is your connection to this album and how does it reflect your artistic vision?
Marlon: Rotting Christ, as well as the bands Samael and Dimmu Borgir, were responsible for taking black metal to another level. My reaction when I heard “Triarchy Of The Lost Lovers” and “A Dead Poem” for the first time was surreal, to the point where I found most Norwegian bands “childish and naive”. At that moment, the title “A Dead Poem” together with its dark and melancholic atmosphere and what it represented, immediately fascinated me. In 2023, when I created the band, it was the first name I researched to see if there was any band in possession rsrsrs... it was perfect for the proposal and I was surprised that no band was interested, I wasted no time and named the band. Somehow, even if indirectly, it is still a tribute to this classic.
Serial Metalbums: Who are the members of A Dead Poem? Could you share a little about each of you - your roles in the band, your musical backgrounds and what brought you together to form this project?
Marlon: I was the one who lit the flames, I had some lyrics and arrangements to compose just two songs, that was my initial goal and nothing more. When looking for someone to record and take on the vocals, I met Carlos, and when I invited him to record the vocals, I ended up finding a great musician and producer. Our musical influences are very similar and, when I presented the musical proposal to him, he didn't think twice, he embraced the project with all the evil forces that exist. We create and compose together, there is no battle of egos, we do and use what will be best for the band and that's it! Today, Carlos is the soul of A Dead Poem and it wouldn't be what it is without him.
Carlos: I think this question complements the previous one. It was really just a matter of time until we bumped into each other and started sharing ideas. It was a process that really happened at the right time, the famous “whatever will be, will be”. I come from a neighboring state, Rio de Janeiro, I’ve been here for about 4 years, and I only met Marlon after 3 years here. What really brought us together musically was our similar musical taste and our short, medium and long-term goals and visions for the future as a band.
Our roles are essential. We do everything together, from the simplest base to the most complex solo. Dead Poem is a mix of personal relationships and a lot of respect, equality and commitment.
Serial Metalbums: What are your main musical and artistic influences? Your music combines elements of black metal, doom and gothic styles. How do you incorporate these influences into your compositions?
Marlon: Our school, at first, are the albums “Dance of December Souls” and “Brave Murder Day” by Katatonia, October Tide “Rain Without End”, Paradise Lost, some elements of “Ghotic”, “Draconiam Times”, “Icon” and Rotting Christ “Thriarchy of The Lost Lovers”, and “A Dead Poem”. We always revisit these albums when we are going to compose something new, they are our guide to work with.
Carlos: Personally, besides the influences mentioned above, I would like to mention some other essential references for my composition. Amesoeurs, an old post-black metal band by Neige (Alcest), Bethlehem and Ulver.
Serial Metalbums: Let's talk about your first EP, Absence of Life: What was the process of composing this EP like? What themes or ideas did you try to convey through this release?
Marlon: As I said before, I had material for two songs, actually scribbles, which later, together with Carlos, became “Until The Seventh Day” and “Spherical Tomb”. The result of these two songs led us to create “Without Anesthesia”, “Suffocated” and to finish the EP, with a tribute version of “A Dead Poem” by Rotting Christ. In these tracks, we tried to address themes such as; Death, Mourning, Introspection, emotional experiences that every individual goes through throughout their miserable existence.
Carlos: Here again, we have the term “whatever has to be, will be”. Suffocated came out very spontaneously, since it is a variation of the main riff of Spherical Tomb.
Without Anesthesia I can't say the same haha. It took a lot of work to compose it. Many difficulties and complications, delays, etc. The final version would be something quite different. The melody that made it onto the album, I would say, was the second option and thank goodness for that. The lyrics match every passage of each song. The material as a whole is an Ode to what we call existential crisis, but in an intellectual way, it makes you think.
Serial Metalbums: Your debut album, Abstract Existence, represents an important milestone for the band: How did the process of writing and recording the album differ from that of your first EP? What lessons have you learned since the early days, and how did they influence the sound or artistic direction of the album?
Marlon: The EP Absence of Life unearthed a sound forgotten by the doom/black bands of the 90s. With that, it received a very positive reception from the public, crossed borders and paved the way for us to go further. We took advantage of all this energy and focused on producing its successor “Abstract Existence” even in a short period of time. The EP was released in November 2023 and the first single from Abstract Existence, “Dressed in Black”, was released in April 2024.
Carlos: For this new material, in addition to having sharpened our choices, we “had” a little more time and calm to compose. The lesson I learned in particular is that you need to take it slow sometimes. I know we have goals, deadlines, anxiety, desire and everything else, but you need to know when to stop and wait. This material was no different from the first in terms of recording and production. Many things on Abstract Existence are only there because of this calm mentioned. Knowing how to wait, listening more calmly. Not everything that sounds good at the moment will sound good together. It’s always good to listen to everything you’ve already done and try to fit your new ideas to see if they really harmonize. It’s not just about composing good ideas, it’s about composing ideas that harmonize. Our biggest concern was not to sound the same or better than Abssence Of Life, but today I feel satisfied and unconcerned about that.
Serial Metalbums: Did the reception of your debut album meet your expectations? How did the media, fans and social networks respond to its release? Was there anything that surprised you, either positively or constructively?
Marlon: It met and exceeded in every aspect! We are a band with only one year of career, our two releases are linked to two major labels, the EP by Cold Art Industry Records (Brazil) and now our first album by Personal Records (Mexico) which has helped us achieve even better results.
The reaction and positive feedback from fans and friends is the main reason why A Dead Poem is expanding its sound in this way. We were recently surprised by the news in the digital magazine Heavy Metal DK (Denmark), where editor Frederik Bock-Madsen elected “Abstract Existence” as the second best international album released in 2024, ahead of Necrophobia, which came in third place, and behind Tribulation, which came in first place.
Serial Metalbums: What does the future hold for A Dead Poem? Are you already working on new material or collaborations? Do you have plans for live performances or tours to promote Abstract Existence? Do you want to explore other strategic areas or musical themes in the future?
Marlon: You guessed our next steps, lol. Yes, we are planning to do shows and tours until the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026, but it will depend on some crucial factors for this to happen. Finding musicians and balancing our work are some of them. Regarding new material, I can say firsthand that we have a single in the works, we are still working on it and there is no set date for its release, mainly because Abstract Existence was just released and there is a lot to be extracted from this work.
Carlos: Returning to the stage today is a life goal for me. 2024 was a year of many ups and downs, but it yielded great results. 2025 is here and I believe we will be able to execute these plans.
Serial Metalbums: Finally, in your opinion, what were the best metal releases of this year? Which works or artists stood out for you and why? Is there any album or band that you would recommend to readers?
Marlon: Honestly, nowadays I try to listen to and discover “new” bands, because the “classics” don’t surprise me anymore. Here are some things that I’ve been listening to a lot. As a revelation: Cemitery Skyline “Gothic Nordic” and A Void Named Life “Ephemeral”. Best of the year: Unto Others “Nerver, Neverland” The Spirit “Songs Against Humanity” Groza “Nadir” A Void Named Life “Ephemeral”. Recommendation: Blackbraid – Discography, A Void Named Life – “Ephemeral” Death Doom Metal project, created by Carlos, in which he participates, with strong influences from Hypocrisy, October Tide, Katatonia and Edge of Sanity
Carlos: Personally, I haven’t been listening to much new stuff. The albums that I recommend are “Mourning...Ressurect” by Dusk and “The Dying Truth” by Cianide.