Doomed Confessionary: Volker, Danny & Mattia (Godburner)
Godburner is an instrumental doom/drone metal band from Berlin, Germany.
Two friends Volker (guitar) and Danny (drums) each pursued their own musical projects for a time, until their shared passion for heavier doom metal called them to reunite.
Godburner was born – a name that perfectly captures the essence of their mission: to craft the most brutal, unrelenting doom sound they could ever imagine. After recording some early demos and searching for the right bassist, they crossed paths with Mattia. Now, with a complete lineup, they’re pushing the limits of their creativity, constantly chasing after the dirtiest riffs and the deepest, most haunting sonic landscapes.
Born from a fervor for music that spits in the face of life itself, Godburner unleashes a sonic assault of crushing instrumental doom. With riffs that are brutally deep, sluggish, and drenched in fuzz, they carve through the air like a slow-motion storm, all while laced with infernal drone whispers that seep into your soul.
Godburner’s debut album »Make Doom Great Again« was released on April 25th, 2025.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Volker: Of course! First of all, thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to share a few words about us on such a great magazine like Doomed Nation. We are Godburner – a trio from Berlin, fully committed to instrumental heavy drone doom metal. We love it when the walls shake and the sound rattles your guts. We just dropped our debut album »Make Doom Great Again«, but honestly, we are only getting started. For us, Godburner isn’t just music – it’s a statement.
Danny: Volker and I have known each other for ages and made a lot of music together back in the day. Then we both went off to do our own projects for a while, so our paths kind of split. But with the idea of making seriously uncompromising heavy doom, we met again in our way back musically. You could say Godburner is basically our reunion for me and Volker. Then only a bassist was missing to complete the lineup, and that’s when we met Mattia in 2024.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Volker: Oh man, where do we even start? Of course, we’re insanely proud to have finally dropped our debut album. But getting there was anything but a walk in the park. We did pretty much everything ourselves – from recording to releasing. Sometimes it felt like we were chiseling the album out of raw Berlin concrete with our bare hands.
And as if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, we also had to find a bassist who not only shares our passion, but also gets our vision of uncompromising doom. But now we’re finally complete and ready to tear up some stages. In the end, it feels damn good to have smashed through all those obstacles.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Volker: What we’re most proud of is that we managed to find the perfect lineup for Godburner. In a city like Berlin, where there’s a musician on every corner, you would think it would be a piece of cake. But finding someone who not only shares our love for heavy doom and drone, but is also ready to walk this uncompromising path with us? That was a whole different level.
We searched for months, went through a bunch of rehearsals and conversations, and finally we met Mattia in Summer 2024. He comes from Italy but spent the last decade between Berlin and London playing a range of different styles. In Berlin, he was looking to join reliable and dedicated musicians in order to start making music again and bring it on the stage. And that’s how we met.
From start, playing together felt great and everything clicked together. Now we are a real team. Everyone is all in, no compromises, just pure dedication. That’s exactly what Godburner is all about. Without that chemistry and commitment, our sound would just be half as massive. And that makes us proud as hell.
What was your biggest regret?
Volker: As a band, there is nothing we really regret. We’re still pretty fresh with this lineup. Sure, setbacks happen, but we just use them as fuel for the next challenge. Personally, my biggest “regret” is that I maybe didn’t start making this kind of music way earlier. On the other hand, as I said above, it has been pretty hard to find the right person to take on bass duty, and that’s why we decided to hit the studio as a duo and get some work done in the meantime. As every musician might be able to tell, recording with a complete lineup is much better in terms of energy and focus than having to work differently to make up for a missing member. But in spite of this, me and Danny decided to go down this path because we wanted to be ready to take on shows as soon as possible once the lineup was complete. That’s why in a sense I don’t think this really is a regret for me.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Volker: Well, that one’s easy. As a fully formed band, we haven’t actually had the chance to hit the stage yet. But trust us, that’s not an excuse, it’s more like a promise: we’re burning to finally abusing our gear and your ears live and take over some stages as soon as possible.
We seriously can’t wait to throw all that raw energy and power straight into the crowd. So, the best gig? That one’s still to come – and we’re more than ready for it. Stay tuned!
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Volker: In my heavy music rotation, I’ve got classics like Bongzilla’s »Apogee«, Electric Wizard’s »We Live«, and Bongripper’s »Terminal«.
Mattia: I started making music with thrash metal and then went on to study popular music, but never letting go of my metal roots. While my musical horizon broadly widened after my studies, and my tastes evolved, metal, and especially death and technical death metal are always my “home sweet home”. Bands like Meshuggah, Spawn Of Possession, At The Gates, Deeds Of Flesh, late Pantera, and Fear Factory always have a reserved spot on my playlists.
Danny: My heavy playlist doesn’t really change that much, it’s just growing. Maybe I’m just stuck in my ways. Right now, I’m listening to a lot of Bongripper, Void Sinker, Electric Wizard, Belzebong, and Russian Circles – just to name a few.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Volker: The best advice I ever got came from my guitar teacher back when I was a clueless teenager. He told me, “Play every single note with maximum feeling and dynamics.” Sure, technique and basics matter (they’re your foundation) but what really counts is what you put into every single notes: emotion, energy, passion.
Especially in doom and drone metal, where every note has to resonate and really hit, that’s everything. It’s not about how fast you can play or how many notes you can cram into a bar. It’s about making every note count, making it cut right through you and the audience. That’s exactly the spirit we live by in Godburner: go all in, always with maximum impact and feeling.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Volker: Guilty? Us? Come on, we don’t feel bad about our pleasures – quite the opposite! We own what makes us happy, even if it gets a little out of hand sometimes.
Personally, I’ve got a borderline unhealthy obsession with guitar gear. Pedals, amps, crazy effects – if it makes noise or wrecks the sound in a new way, I need it. I blow way too much cash on that stuff, while I’m out here wearing clothes that have definitely seen better days. It is just a thing of priorities, who needs new jeans when there’s a new fuzz pedal calling your name?
Danny: Not much comes to mind. Maybe just eating way too much good food?
Volker: Our only “guilty pleasure” is that we don’t feel guilty at all. We live for the sound, for the doom – and for everything that inspires us to crank it even louder.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Berlin?
Volker: Berlin is a great place for anyone who loves it loud and heavy. The scene for heavier music here is huge, buzzing, and super diverse. You will find tons of bands pushing boundaries and creating new sounds with real passion and creativity. The best thing about Berlin? The scene is open to any kind of personality and any kind of musical experimentation that often struggles to be accepted in superimposed or arbitrary genres. Long story short: Berlin is the perfect breeding ground for everything loud, heavy, and huge like our music.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Volker: We would love to give you some dates, but we’re still so fresh as a full band that we don’t have gigs lined up just yet. But don’t worry, we’re currently working on setting up some shows. We can’t wait to unleash our doom live on the audience. So keep your eyes open, follow us on Instagram at godburner.doom, and get ready: the mighty Godburner doom train is definitely coming soon!
How can people best support your band?
Volker: It’s simple: listen to our music, and if you dig it, spread the word! There’s nothing more valuable for us than the support we get from fans who share our tracks with their friends and throw us on their playlists.
Danny: We will be soon on Spotify, so make sure to keep an eye out over there and follow us on Instagram and Facebook in the meanwhile. That’s the best support we could ever get from you!
And of course, if you’ve got a festival, a club, or even just a living room with a power outlet, invite us over! We’re ready to go all in and shake your walls to the ground.
In short: spread the word, blast our music full loud, and get us on stage!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Danny: We still have got a few download promo codes for »Make Doom Great Again«, so head over to godburner.com now and get your own Hi-Fi digital download!
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Volker: MAKE DOOM NOT LOVE.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well