Doomed Confessionary: Fabian (Epic Down)

Epic Down is a duo from Leipzig, Germany dedicated to the sluggish grooves and lumbering riffs of sludge & doom. Founded in the pandemic turmoil of the year 2021, by Mitzschi (guitar, bass) and Fabian (drums, vocals) to musically express the deeply felt horror about the excesses of the established abysses of a consumerist civilization with pronounced destructive traits and a reality marked by war, disease and destruction, and to preserve it as a defining sound of this so-called turn of the times.

Influenced by primal doom, drone and stoner legends like Sleep, Earth, Melvins and Spirit Caravan, the sound of Epic Down is mainly characterized by solid downtempo grooves and rolling walls of guitars, complemented by slightly melancholic vocals.

Epic Down recently signed with Argonauta Records to release their full-length debut album, »Days Of Oblivion«, which will see the light on September 27th, 2024.

Can you say a few words about your band?
We are a duo from Leipzig (Germany) with a pronounced passion for heavy, melodic riffs, paired with beats in a rather leisurely gait, consisting of Mitzschi (guitar & bass walls) and Fabian (drums & vocals) and have joined forces in 2021 for this musical journey. Since then, we have put a lot of energy into our musical creations, spent a lot of time in the studio and released our first own works as a digital EP with »Equinox Pt. 1 & 2« (2023). 2023 then presented the chance to release an album on CD together with Argonauta Records and our next milestone was set. With the upcoming release of »Days Of Oblivion«, our journey continues and we hope to be able to announce a few first concert dates next year at the latest. It also remains exciting musically, as we practically always have something in the pipeline.

What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Since we are still at the beginning with our musical work, compared to others, the great challenges will probably come. Nowadays, as a small act, building a solid base of listeners is sometimes challenging. We were lucky enough to have a few truly admirably committed supporters at our side from the beginning, most of whom we have not met in person to this day. Of course, we would like to build on this and hope for a growing audience.

What can you be most proud of so far?
As a band, we are of course somehow a little proud of what we have achieved so far. Our debut album »Days Of Oblivion«, which will be released on 27.09.2024, is definitely a milestone. To have Argonauta Records at the side as a partner, which is a quite popular label in the genre, rounds off the thing well.”

What was your biggest regret last year?
That’s not a simple question, because a few really crude things happened in 2023. The whole story about the abuse of power in the music industry, for example, already had a sour aftertaste. What happened on the Wacken Open Air, but also to some smaller festivals caused by weather events was really regrettable. But something like that happens and as long as no one is seriously harmed, it’s manageable. Also the decision of some large streaming services that small and rather little-known artists and bands below a certain threshold of streams will foreseeably receive less to no shares in distributions for playback of their content, was and is still regrettable. But there are certainly other things that I can’t think of right now, but that’s why they were no less relevant.

What was the best concert so far and why?
This is a bit hard to answer since there were just too many good concerts over the years. The first visit to a SunnO))) live show really impressed me. The walk into the fog-filled venue and the blatant volume of the sound wall of booming guitars create a rather unique atmosphere. Such an experience already burns in and literally calls for repetition.

What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
So brand new would definitely be the Réunion of Oasis to mention. Even though I never owned a record of the band or even attended a concert, I would not have thought that the brothers would once again stand on a stage and hold a performance without the permanent presence of openly fought frictions. More surprising was probably the only observation that even in 2024 cassettes will still be released or again, which of course conjures a smile on our face as friends of analog sound technology.

What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
So currently I can name Scorched Oak, Slomosa, Old Horn Tooth, Domherre, Djefvul, Acid Magus and Delving. I came to the latter project through an article in the German radio, which proves that there is really something new to discover everywhere.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Who likes advice, not infrequently they come unsolicited and are not very helpful at the moment of the action. But to stay on topic, “staying sober helps” and “listen to the technician if he knows what he’s talking about” are probably among the top 5. At least when you talk about the rather useful ones…

What are your guilty pleasures?
We like to play loudly, especially on Sundays. Mitzschi’s fable for stompboxes and effect gear is probably only surpassed by my passion for vintage microphones and when it comes to the habitual joy of herbs, we are probably guilty in the sense of the accusation.

Can you say something more about the current music scene in Leipzig?
In Leipzig there is a really lively and diverse music scene with an incredible number of talented artists and bands in a variety of styles. In addition, there is a relatively solid stock of locations and venues for concerts and things like that. There are dedicated people who run independent labels and also publish local music. In summary, you could call it a small Schlaraffenland, or an island, because in the wider surrounding area it is then also much thinner with the possibilities for artists.

Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
For this year, at least to this day, we have no concert dates in the pipeline, which is probably mainly due to our own prioritization of live shows. Our focus so far was more on songwriting and recording, to get more music ready. Doing this you realize, the next ideas have already accumulated and the urge to make new songs does not seem to flatten out even after years. However, we have now reached the point of being able to offer concerts with a solid set and above all the corresponding setup and will also set up and expand this accordingly in the course of the album release and of course gladly accept inquiries!

What are your plans for the future as a band?
We doom on until the world ends or one of us both blesses the temporal… No, seriously, we will continue on our way together, there will definitely be more new music from us to hear next year and if everything goes well we will also get to present ourselves to people live and demonstrate what kind of thunderstorm 2 guy’s with guitar and drums can cause…

How can people best support your band?
The best support is to listen to and help to spread our music on whatever platform and of course, when the time comes, the purchase of our CD, if you are still in possession of a suitable player. If you visit us at Bandcamp, you also have the opportunity to buy our music. We don’t have any merch yet, but there is something in preparation for the near future. And of course the album will definitely be available there. If you follow us there, you will be informed about any news for sure!

Do you have any message for your listeners?
First of all, we can express our sincere thanks to all listeners. Huge shout out to the guys in Texas and Australia, you’re awesome. Without them, the thing would not be what it is today. Listen to our debut album and let us know what you think about it. And for those who like to immerse themselves deeply in the music, it is worth the reach for your favorite headphones when listening through. Enjoy!

Links:
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Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well