With the impending release of their highly anticipated sophomore album, DOGMA, Hamburg-based metalcore outfit HALF ME are gearing up for their most ambitious chapter yet. Exploring themes of oppression, societal division, and the abuse of power, DOGMA finds the band pushing their sonic boundaries tenfold, fusing pummeling breakdowns, brutal vocal deliveries and intricate guitar riffs with dark atmospherics, tension and anthemic melodic moments, providing a fresh new take on the modern metalcore genre.
We caught up with vocalist Chris Zühlke to discuss the making of DOGMA, the deeper meaning behind the record, their musical evolution, and what's next for the band.
At the time of us chatting, your sophomore album, DOGMA, is set to drop on October 23rd. As you know, a second record can be a make-or-break moment for any band, and since you began rolling out singles, it feels like the hype surrounding HALF ME has only grown stronger, especially as you follow up your successful debut album, SOMA. Leading up to this new release, which has been three years in the making, what is your collective headspace like? How has the reception to the new music been from your perspective, and has it met or even exceeded your expectations?
Chris Zühlke: The DOGMA rollout so far has been real smooth! Those are the songs we’ve been holding on to for so long; it’s a blessing they have been received so well. At this point, we’re just excited for everyone to embrace them in an album context.
What I really appreciate about the overarching theme of DOGMA is that you're not sugarcoating the fact that the world at large is very much in peril. Whether it's division, war, oppression by those in power, or the way society as a whole can sometimes feel blindly ignorant to the impending doom around us, this album really asks listeners to confront what they're seeing with their own eyes and try to break the cycle. With all of that being said, why did it feel inspiring to look outward and write about the current state of society on this record? Were there any particular events or aspects of your daily lives that motivated you to center the album around this concept?
Chris Zühlke: At some point, there’s just no way around having to accept that there is more happening than what we see. We all are supposed to find out. I think the world can literally be what you see in it, and if you look close enough, you’ll find evil in everything. That's also why we've decided to take this record down a different path and have it themed around the grand scheme of things, basically shining a light on common people's struggles from a different angle.
The album title itself, DOGMA, along with various artistic choices throughout the cover art and music videos, evokes religious imagery and perhaps some of the more oppressive aspects of those institutions. How important was it to tie the album's concept together both visually and sonically, and what was the thought process behind incorporating those darker religious undertones?
Chris Zühlke: Dogmata are what it comes down to when you look at things from a “who controls the narrative” point of view. Religion as a whole makes a good vehicle for that line of thinking and matches our perception of them. This album is not particularly about Christianity and its wrongdoings. We’re far from what you would call a Christian band, and if we weren’t brought up in Europe, it surely could have been any other religion.
Is there a particular song, or a few songs, that you feel best encapsulate the overarching themes of DOGMA? Your most recent single, "King," just dropped as well. Can you walk us through the meaning and backstory behind that track?
Chris Zühlke: "KING" references the DOGMA album art, with jesters holding that special position, having a clear sight through their knowledge and closeness to the throne, while being purposed to entertain the blue-blooded even with brutal honesty. Think of it as like a told-you-so moment on the record. It's the jester coming clean as everything crumbles around him.
You've already released a number of musically diverse singles, ranging from the more atmospheric and tension-building "Psalm," to the unapologetically heavy ripper "King," to "Weather Eye," which features a strong anthemic and melodic chorus. How important was it to make sure this album featured songs that pushed the boundaries of your core sound and genre, creating a collection that feels unique and diverse while still remaining cohesive as a whole?
Chris Zühlke: Each song serves its own purpose on the album and outside of it, just as much as they are written to work in their own unique ways. We’re dedicated to this path, definitely making it of great importance to us.
Considering how much ground you're covering sonically on DOGMA, I'm curious what the writing and recording process was like as a whole. How did these songs evolve throughout those three years, and were there any particular artists, albums, or other influences along the way that helped shape the sound of the record?
Chris Zühlke: We were mostly trying to abandon as many boundaries as we could in terms of what could be an inspiration and what could not. There were points in time where we put into words what we wanted this album to be, all of which now are not necessarily helping to better describe what we’ve created. There’s a good portion of Half Me characteristics to discover along with new approaches. Writing and tracking this record happened in between and during touring, while being separated from each other, and also in the studio with our longtime friend Luca from Lucky Punch Audio, who has engineered the drum recordings as well. It’s mixed and mastered by Chris at Embark Audio.
Switching gears, as we're a media outlet associated with a fashion brand, we always like to touch on personal style. How do each of you like to express yourselves through fashion, and are there any particular clothing brands or designers you're currently loving?
Chris Zühlke: Our individual styles certainly express our character and us as people, whether that may be subtle or provocative. Just as with our art, we like to leave room to read into it.
We always like to ask artists this one: If HALF ME's music could serve as the soundtrack to any film, TV show, video game, or other piece of media, what would it be and why?
Chris Zühlke: Chernobyl, due to the show's gut-wrenching feeling, the stress, fear, cover-ups, and abuse of power.
Finally, with DOGMA's release on the horizon, what else should fans and readers be on the lookout for throughout the rest of this year and into next year?
Chris Zühlke: We’re returning to the United States as we speak, supporting Thrown alongside Norma Jean and Boltcutter starting in October. Right after this, our own Crusades are taking place in Australia, some in Asia, as well as Europe and the UK.
DOGMA, the sophomore album from Half Me drops October 23rd via Arising Empire.
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