Having released their debut record, Memento Mori late last year, the Michigan based rock trio, Dark Serenity are looking to spread their name far and wide.

With plenty of potential to capitalise on the recent surge of retro tinged rock, lead by the likes of Rival Sons, Greta Van Fleet, The Struts and Dirty Honey, Dark Serenity have the talent and confidence to carry their career in any direction they wish to go – and if one of the aforementioned bands were to take them out on the road, I’m sure this is a band that could back it up, and earn the respect of fans along the way.

They’re not only in it for their own recognition though.  The band members, Kate Emerich, Mike Bergamo and Zach Barnez, hope to reach the level that will inspire the next generation of rockers – something that is undoubtedly important in the current climate of electronic music and all of the “rock is dead” naysayers.

Shayne shot some questions over to the band recently, and they were more than happy to answer…

What does the band name mean to you?

The driving force for life is death. There is motivation, a purpose for life and happiness that can be taken from that.

Where is the band based?

The band is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, however, we play all over the state.

How long have you been together?

We’ve been together for a little over two years.

What style of music do you play?

Straight up Rock.

Give us the story of the bands formation.

We all met in highschool, all have been playing individually for years already. We jammed together one day in the Guitarist’s (Kate) parent’s basement, and the rest is history.

Tell us about your influences

Mik, Drums- Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Buddy Rich

Kate, Vocals, Guitar- Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore, Stevie Nicks, Jimi Hendrix.

Zach, bass- Geddy Lee, Billy Sheehan, Geezer Butler.

Tell us about your latest release.

Our latest release is actually our first. It’s our first batch of songs. It was the first eight songs we wrote, and we really needed to release something to get our name out there, as well as the demand for it in the local scene. It’s titled ‘Memento Mori’. We are also currently working on the material for our second release.

 Where is your music available?

Everywhere online, including major platforms Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and Amazon Music.

 What are your goals for the bands future?

Our goals are to keep touring, (as we are on our first tour currently), and we want to secure a label, and play some festivals.

If you could share the stage with any other band or artist, who would you chose?

Rival Sons. It’d be a show everyone would remember forever.

 What can you tell us about your live shows?  

Very loud, your ears will probably ring for days. They’re also very energetic, you’ll see Mike beating the hell out of his drums, Zach playing his bass behind his head, and Kate absolutely ripping into solos. We love leaving a lasting impression and getting the audience involved.

 Do you have any upcoming gigs to promote?

We have a gig at Rocks Bar, in Colorado Springs, August 2nd.

 What do you think sets you apart from other bands?

Honestly what really sets us apart from everyone is our originality, our sheer talent, energy and drive. We also believe our authenticity sets us apart.

 Explain why you think a new listener should give your music a go.

The world hasn’t seen anything remotely like us since the 70’s, our mission is to bring rock back into the golden age. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.

 What has been your biggest achievement as a band, so far?

Our biggest achievement thus far is this first tour. We started in Manhattan, and now months later, playing in Wichita, KS, and soon Colorado. We’ve met a lot of awesome and interesting people, and also made a lot of useful connections.

 What else do you hope to achieve?

We hope to achieve mainstream success(obviously), but also to inspire. If we can make really anyone want to pick up an instrument and play it, we’ve done our job. Most importantly however, we want to bring rock music back to the top where it belongs.

Where can fans find you online?

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/darkserenityband/?hl=en

Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/darkserenityband/

Twitter –https://twitter.com/Dark__Serenity

Website- https://www.darkserenityofficial.com/