Rock band SHARKEOLOGIST whom have only been active for the past 2 years! But have since released a handful of releases, have taken the time to jump in and swim about, with discussing their time together, the most recent EP release and the plans ahead! Check it out in the video below!
Aggressivecore act THROUGH PHOENIX FIRES have a few tracks out and about, with new music underway as well. No plans for shows just yet, as the band is still coming together as a whole, with else set on just releasing music, videos, and building upon it all.... The band chats it up below!
1. Please tell us about the history of the band and its members.
Through Phoenix Fires was founded by me, Werner Gross in 2021. Before that, I was mainly involved in different bands and projects, so in many ways this started as an outlet for my own ideas and creativity. What began as a project featuring various guest musicians (including Kevin Paradis from Aborted/Benighted), has become my main band. At the moment, the only other permanent band member is guitarist and producer Romy Osterlehner, who joined TPF in 2024. Since then, we’ve written and released two singles together. For our latest release "Suffer “, we also worked with Rob Flores, a singer and songwriter from Texas.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
Our band name was created to honor people who find themselves in their darkest moments yet still refuse to give up on their ideals and dreams. It symbolizes an act of liberation and defiance to encourage those suffering to make necessary changes in life.
3. Where is the band based – and what is your music scene like there. Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We’re based in Southern Germany, near Munich. The scene here is quite active, and there are some great festivals like the Summerbreeze Open Air. Local bands we’d recommend are Degenernation from Nuremberg and Nacht from Leipheim, as well as bigger acts like Heaven Shall Burn or Obscura.
4. How would you describe your style?
Our style is heavily influenced by Hardcore and Metalcore. The sound is characterized by aggressive down-tuned riffs and breakdowns, melodic hooks, alternative influences, and harsh vocals. Nevertheless, we avoid forcing our music into one particular category as we always try to stay open creatively.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
We’ve released five songs so far. Each one has its own sound, but you can always recognize the elements defining us. From heavy breakdowns to rap parts and emotionally charged, metaphorical lyrics, we try to take listeners on a journey through different emotional states and experiences.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Absolutely. We’re currently recording and working on our next single. The goal is to constantly evolve and continue pushing ourselves creatively with every release.
7. As far as shows and touring, what is on the agenda?
Unfortunately, we’re still searching for band members to complete Through Phoenix Fires. As soon as we’re able to rehearse regularly, we’ll start planning our first live shows. The goal is to play live as often as possible and hopefully go on tour in the future as well.
8. What else do you have planned for the rest of this year?
Our main goal is to write and get out some new music. There’s also a music video planned. Besides that, we’re focused on building a solid live lineup.
9. Where can we find you online, listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can find our music on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, etc. You can also connect with us on Instagram - either on Werner’s page @nukeyzen, or on Romy’s page @_damage.inc. Our YouTube channel is called PhoenixHomebase.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
We’re always happy when listeners remember certain riffs, lyrics or melodies. It also means a lot to us when the emotions and atmosphere we try to create truly connect with people. If our music can serve as an outlet for negative emotions and leave someone feeling better afterward, then we’ve achieved our goal.
Up and coming band KILL STRINGS have been actively creating as well as playing for some time now. Having released an assortment of material, with further plans to release much more, and see where it goes from here on out!
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, did you plan it or did it come out just like that?
The name was a spontaneous idea. We needed a band name for a contest and had to decide quickly. Since we played with so much intensity that our guitar strings often ripped, “Kill Strings” suddenly made sense — it sounded right and it matched the way we played.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
We never really chose the genre as a business decision. It was more the sound that felt honest to us: loud guitars, pressure, melody, raw emotion and songs that can still work live. People have described us as alternative rock, post-grunge and even “Hamburg’s Foo Fighters,” but for us it has always been about combining energy with emotion rather than fitting into one exact label. Our sound matches the genres and bands we like to listen to the most: alternative rock, post-grunge, scratchy guitars, big melodies and like Nothing But Thieves, Foals, Royal Blood, Tigercub and Muse.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
Yes. We have known each other since school and had already been through different band constellations before Kill Strings became the two-piece it is now. The band originally existed as a four-piece.
4. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We are based in Hamburg, Germany. It is a city with a strong live music culture, lots of smaller venues and a scene where you can start out locally and still aim beyond the city pretty quickly. Early on, we played places and contests like Knust, Hard Rock Rising and other Hamburg show, and later moved into bigger support slots and festivals. Most local bands that we have played with have disbanded since, so we don't have any current recommendations unfortunately.
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
Most of the inspiration comes from personal pressure, inner conflict, change and the need to turn something difficult into something that has energy. A lot of our songs live between vulnerability and force: trying to make sense of fear, identity, loss, anger, hope and the feeling of wanting to move forward even when things are heavy. Musically, we are inspired by bands that sound big and emotional without losing their edge.
6. What are your songs about? What specific themes do they cover?
Our songs are usually about internal battles: fear, doubt, self-reflection, change, relationships, pressure and the need to break out of old versions of yourself. On Limbo, that feeling is already in the title: being stuck between places, between emotions, between who you were and who you might become. The new single “Goodbye” continues that idea more directly: saying goodbye to an old self and trying to find a new one.
7. Do you write your own songs? Discuss the songwriting process in detail.
Yes, we write our own songs. The process has changed a lot over time because Kill Strings became smaller as a band. Since we became a two-piece, communication and songwriting have become more direct. We usually start from a riff, a rhythm, a vocal idea or an emotional core, then strip it down until it feels like us. For the new chapter, the setup is even more reduced: guitar and bass at the same time, even in recording, with one take and one track. That makes the process more raw, more honest and closer to what the two of us actually sound like in a room.
8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
So far, we have released the EPs Introspection and THINK / LOVE / REBEL, singles such as “Shining Star,” “Drag Me,” “Would You,” “Must Have Been Love,” “Let Me Dream,” “Navigation,” “Black Gold” and “Orange Lilies,” and our debut album Limbo, released in 2022. Someone listening to us can expect alternative rock with big melodies, raw guitars, emotional vocals and a sound that moves between heaviness and vulnerability.
9. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes. Our first new single in years is called “Goodbye” and is announced for May 29. It marks a new chapter for us after being quiet for a while, with a more stripped-down setup and a more direct sound.
10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
We have played a lot in the past, including support slots for bands like Cleopatrick, New Model Army, Deaf Havana, The Amazons and Mando Diao, as well as festivals such as Hurricane, The Great Escape, Open Flair, Oakfield and Reeperbahn Festival. We have some upcoming shows in the works, but nothing we are allowed to disclose yet. But we are very excited and eager to announce it!
11. What plans do you have for the rest of this year?
The main plan is to bring Kill Strings back properly: release “Goodbye,” reconnect with people after a long quiet phase, show the new two-piece setup and continue building the next chapter from there. In addition to that, there will be a few more tracks soon.
12. Where can we find you online, listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can find us as Kill Strings online, especially on Instagram at @killstrings, on our hub https://lnk.bio/killstrings, on every platform that has music and on Bandcamp. Our hub also links to our releases, tour dates and merch, including Limbo vinyl, CD and shirts. Thank you for having us!
Inspiring Japanese idol STEFFI talks of her time thus far as an idol, music releases, playing live, and all there is to do and know about being an "idol", find all she had to talk about below!
1. Where did you get the idea for your idol name Steffi, is it your everyday name or a stage name?
My full name is Stephanie, but when I joined SCK GIRLS I was worried it would be too long and hard to say in Japanese, so I decided to use Steffi. I use both in daily life these days. My current project name “Steff Airy” – the name I release on Spotify under – was inspired by various pop culture favorites like Legend of Zelda, Peter Pan, and Pokemon.
2. Why did you want to be and play live as an idol?
I’ve always loved musical theatre, but when I moved to Japan, the chances to perform were limited. Performing with SCK GIRLS was an opportunity to get back on stage and I ended up really falling in love with the idol world.
3. To those who are not familiar with idols, can you describe it for us?
Idols are performers most known for high energy acts that include singing, dancing, audience interaction, and elaborate costumes. They can be anything from cute to cool, or solo artists to large groups.
4. Where are you based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local acts or bands you could recommend?
I’m currently based out of Tokyo for my solo work and return monthly to Miyagi for group performances with SCK GIRLS. The Tokyo scene has so many idols performing and the fans have such wonderful energy. Miyagi holds its own with livehouses and idol events, but the opportunity to perform at local festivals and events that foster community is an absolute blessing. In Tokyo, I highly recommend Crazy Fantasy and Miniwacha.
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
Due to my musical theatre history, strong emotions inspire me to write music. It is said that a song happens in a show when the emotions a character is feeling are too big to only put into words and so they must be sung. That has always been how I have expressed myself. I write to deal with whatever I’m feeling. The base of a song will often come to me when I’m feeling sad or frustrated, then as I spend time with the lyrics, I work my way to a happy ending, something that can inspire people to keep fighting. It’s a really cathartic experience.
6. Do you write your own songs? What are your songs about?
I write the top line and lyrics of most of my songs, then send them to composers to arrange and add the instrumentals. My songs are often about overcoming a strong feeling and finding healing within the music. My goal is to write songs that give people the power to smile again.
7. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Over the course of my Steff Airy project, I have released 3 originals: “Sweet Dream Recipe,” “Focus,” and “My Lane,” as well as a few covers. (“Moonlight Densetsu,” “Dear Maria, Count Me In”). Additionally, I wrote a song for SCK GIRLS called “Merry-Go-Round” that has not been released online yet.
8. Besides your new song "My Lane", anymore newer music in the works?
I’m working on the online release of a collaboration song with another wonderful idol, Marmalade, called “Digital Bridge,” written by the fabulous producer another Shiro. I also have at least two new originals and three covers in the works. In addition, I’m planning to release Japanese versions of all my music.
9. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
At the moment I perform mainly solo in Tokyo with once-a-month trips to Miyagi to perform with SCK GIRLS. I would love to perform at a convention overseas, but no official plans to report just yet. My next big event is on July 8th, 2026, at the Ueno Waterside Music Hall!
10. Do you have a "call and response" at your live performances, if you do, what is it and can you discuss what exactly a "call and a response" is to those not in the know?
A “call and response” is a set phrase an idol will say that fans can react to with a set answer. It often happens when an idol introduces herself. At the moment mine is simple. In Japanese I say “I’m the idol here to heal your heart with the power of music. I’m Steffi! Please call me Steffi. Ready, go!” Then the fans reply by calling “Steffi!”
11. What plans do you have for this year that is 2026?
For now, I’m working hard on preparing for my performance on July 8th! It's my biggest solo stage yet so I want to give everyone a performance to remember. After that, I plan to release more originals and covers and look into performing at conventions overseas this year.
12. Where can we listen to your music, buy merch, and find you online?
I am active on most forms of social media @steffairy_flying. Music videos are available on YouTube and songs are available on Spotify, iTunes, and more. At the moment, my merch can only be purchased in person at live events, but my online store is in the works, so I hope you’ll stay tuned! In the meantime, many of my shows are streamed with a 2-week archive, so anyone who can’t make it in person can still support me that way.
