Doomed Confessionary: Joanna Stebel (Starless Void)
Photo credits: Klaudia Piątek-Olszewska // Foto Piątek
Starless Void is a four-piece death/doom metal band from Katowice, Poland. Formed in early 2022, the band’s lineup remains unchanged from the very beginning.
Starless Void consists of Tomasz Jedziniak (Abnormal Sickness, Slaves Of Evil, Hasselhoff Messerschmitt) on vocals, Bartłomiej Czech (ex-Sandbreaker) on guitar, Joanna Stebel (ex-Moulded Flesh, ex-Digitus Medius) on bass and backing vocals, and Andrzej Bykowski (Brain Surgery, ex-Vanity Fair) on drums.
In August 2024, a rehearsal recording was released containing five songs, four of which were included on the studio EP. Starless Void’s self-titled debut EP dropped on November 29th, 2024 via GOP Records.
Can you say a few words about your band?
Starless Void came to life in early 2022, a crazy time when the world was still heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bartłomiej, our guitar player, was looking for people to start a band with. I knew him from the doom metal band Sandbreaker, and he seemed to be a really nice guy, so I decided to jump in the boat. At that time, I didn’t play in any band after we suspended the activity of Moulded Flesh. The happier I was to be back in the game! Simultaneously, Bartłomiej contacted Tomasz, the vocalist of Abnormal Sickness, Slaves Of Evil, and Hasselhoff Messerschmitt. We decided to meet and discuss our ideas, which was followed by the first rehearsal. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any drummer and the first few meetings were held without one. Luckily, Tomasz came up with the idea of inviting Andrzej from Brain Surgery and Vanity Fair to the band, and the outcome was just great. It was exactly the kind of drummer we were looking for. The four of us felt a great connection and we started creating our music. It’s been like this ever since!
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Apart from the standard issues faced by people in their thirties and forties, such as being in a constant hurry and back pain, I guess it was my illness. I joined the band already knowing that I was facing a really fucked up surgery which might have saved my life or go really wrong. Fortunately, everything came out perfect or almost perfect. After a really crazy period, something just “clicked” and we composed enough material to record a demo, then an EP, and now we’re starting to play shows and creating music for an LP. I feel that every effort was worth it, but… Above all, the support I got from the band members was incredible! I will always be grateful and do my best to be a kick-ass bass player!
What can you be most proud of so far?
Of not ever lowering the bar! No matter if we recorded the demo or the EP, we diligently pressured ourselves to create professional and audience-respecting results. The demo was published on a small scale, but fully professionally, also in terms of graphics and promotion. Next, we spent a lot of time sharing ideas and discussing what our EP should sound and look like. Of course, the outcome would never be possible without the amazing people who helped us achieve our goals. We are especially grateful to Arkadiusz Dzierżawa for recording, engineering, and producing our EP, Klaudia Piątek for always caring for all the visual arts, and Mirosław Matyasik from CH District and Larmo for creating such a moving and… deeply Silesian intro!
What was your biggest regret?
It’s hard to say as we’re tirelessly trying to do our best and plan our actions carefully. But sometimes life is a tricky little joker. Maybe, if it wasn’t for some factors, we could have started playing gigs sooner? Alas, in our area a lot of venues were closed even before the pandemic. However, it’s actually hard to divagate. We are happy about where we are right now and it motivates us to work even harder.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
We are about to play our first show! So, I guess that for now the waiting is the cool feeling which we are all experiencing. We all have experience when it comes to recording or playing live, but at the end of January we will play as Starless Void for the first time ever. We can’t wait!
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
That’s very difficult to answer as all of us follow completely different paths, come from different backgrounds, and have a different taste in music. This mixture is what defines us. Thus, I will reply from my perspective. What I’m super happy about is the fact of popularization of electronic music among metalheads. Years ago, when I first heard Perturbator and even deeper into the past, when I listened to Unter Null, Combichrist or Suicide Commando as a teenager, I didn’t see it coming. The point is, I love both scenes and I’m really glad to be able to listen to various artists during concerts and festivals. Also, our intro was made by the creator of the electronic project “Larmo”, which shows how different aesthetics can actually intersect and overlap. That’s great!
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
In October, Twin Noir played their very first gig in Poland and I must say I was totally impressed. Great artists with a great idea of performance! Recently I’ve also come across »No Return« by Cripta Blue, and I’ve really loved the sound and the artwork!
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
If you make a mistake, just move on. Works both on stage and in real life. Except for the studio recordings!
What are your guilty pleasures?
Apart from singing Jigglypuff’s song to my cats and nailing pop hits at karaoke? Naaaah, I don’t think there’s anything… 😉 Well, all of us in the band love to eat well. So yeah, food is life, food is inspiration!
Can you say something more “about current music scene in Katowice / Silesia?
Half of the band lives in Katowice, then there’s the neighboring Ruda Śląska and Wodzisław Śląski, slightly closer to Czech Republic. Hence, all of us come from Silesia. Around Katowice, we are commonly associated with blues music thanks to great bands like SBB and annual events such as Rawa Blues Festival. Ruda Śląska used to be known for its hardcore/punk/DIY scene, while the area of Wodzisław Śląski was home to the first funeral doom metal band around here, which was the almighty Gallileous! As I said before, we have faced some serious venue issues around here, but I’m optimistic. Recently, a great place named Piąty Dom (“The Fifth House”) was opened in the heart of Katowice. A lot of fabulous gigs are organized there! Many ambitious and dedicated artists are present here, for instance, the aforementioned Larmo (noise), Ciśnienie (dark jazz), Hasselhoff Messerschmitt (street metal), Volt Ritual (doom/stoner), and others.
Where can we see you live soon (concerts/tours)?
In January, we are playing in Katowice (the last Sunday), in February in Bytom, and in March again in Katowice. For now, we are not planning to play anywhere further. In the future, we may play further in Poland or in the Czech Republic.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We are hoping to record our LP next year. A lot of material is ready, but first, we are eager to play live. In general, next year we want to focus on shows, then the recording, and then shows again.
Do you have any special plans for New Year’s Eve?
Not really! Especially since the last day of 2024 is Tuesday, and it’s a labor day. Which means that on Wednesday we can have a longer nap and get back to reality on Thursday 🙂 It has been a tough but fruitful year, though! Maybe it is better to bid farewell in peace and quiet? 😉
How can people best support your band?
Simply speaking: come to our shows and buy our records! We promise to give you the time of your lives!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Thank you for supporting us! Without you, none of this would make any sense. We are here for you! Thank you so much for allowing us to appear in your zine! Stay tuned for more records and… See you soon!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well