Ninety seconds before midnight – that’s the current status of the infamous Doomsday Clock, the metaphorical countdown to global catastrophe and the remaining time humanity has left until doomsday, as determined by international scientists. It’s a nerve-wracking tightrope walk between life and death, and TENSIDE captures that tension perfectly on their new album. On “Come Alive Dying,” the Munich-based modern metal formation navigates an existential gray area between apocalypse and creative rebirth—a stylistic and thematic balancing act that sees the quartet set entirely new standards in their genre in 2023!

For over fifteen years, this band, formed in 2005, has captivated an international fan community with their modern metal sound, blending influences from metalcore, thrash, and industrial metal to create their unique and instantly recognizable trademark style. Following well-received albums like “NOVA” (2013) and “Convergence” (2017), TENSIDE achieved their greatest success yet with the release of “Glamour & Gloom” in March 2020, entering the German Top 100 Album Charts at #45. The album also made waves in digital charts across more than fifteen countries, generating over 10 million global streams. TENSIDE has built a solid standing through countless live performances, from small underground clubs to renowned festival stages. They have headlined tours throughout Europe, the UK, China, and Japan, and have supported international top acts such as Killswitch Engage, Trivium, As I Lay Dying, Bad Wolves, and many more. They have rocked stages worldwide, from Wacken Open Air and With Full Force to Bulgaria’s Hills of Rock and China’s Midi Festival. Now, the time has come to take the next step.

For the production of their eighth studio album, frontman Daniel Kuhlemann, guitarist Michael Klingenberg, bassist Jonas Hölscher, and drummer Johannes Jörg enlisted an all-star crew to bring the band’s musical vision to life with a bombastic and atmospheric widescreen sound. The new record was primarily recorded at the band’s own studio in Munich in collaboration with co-producer Christoph von Freydorf (Emil Bulls) and Karsten “Kohle” Kohlenbusch at Kohlekeller Studios. The tracks were mixed in Los Angeles by Joseph McQueen (As I Lay Dying, Bad Wolves, Bury Tomorrow) and mastered in Nashville by Ted Jensen (Gojira, Korn, Bring Me The Horizon). TENSIDE remains true to their motto of no repetitions on “Come Alive Dying.” “I believe that with this album, we have undergone our most significant evolution,” explains vocalist Daniel Kuhlemann. “Everything is wider, more diverse, and goes deeper than anything we’ve ever written before. There are metal bangers in the beloved TENSIDE style, complemented by catchy and groove-based tracks. We have given each song the space it needs to grow. As a result, we have, for the first time, fully realized what we had envisioned. This is the album we have always wanted to make!”

An atmospheric contrast of energy and emotion, heaviness, hooks, and gripping harmonies meld with alternatingly shouted and cleanly sung vocals and dark, technoid electronica elements, creating the ultimate end-time soundtrack for the metal arena mosh pit. And thematically, TENSIDE traverse a no-man’s land of light and shadow, brightness and darkness, as Daniel Kuhlemann continues. “Come Alive Dying” is an anthem to both death and life. In recent years, I’ve gone through an incredibly challenging period. Our last album was released at the beginning stages of the pandemic, putting all plans on hold. During that time of uncertainty, I also lost my father. His final words were that he was ready for the next world. That deeply touched me and made me realize how closely life and death intertwine. One wouldn’t be conceivable without the other. During this phase, I completely turned my life around and asked myself many questions,” the answers to which can now be heard in “Come Alive Dying.” Well, at least some of them. “The album is like taking stock of what has already happened in my life and a compass pointing towards where my journey is yet to go. I see the end of the pandemic as a new beginning, a fresh start in a foreign world, and a challenge to embrace change. That is the second major theme in the songs.”

Change is already reflected in the eponymous opener of “Come Alive Dying.” “I am not afraid of dying,” Kuhlemann shouts angrily in the chorus of the title track, whose lyrics are shaped by personal losses and farewells, holding up a mirror to all listeners, revealing the alarmingly growing indifference towards our own vitality. An unstoppable riff machine that captures the overall mood of the album with full force and anticipation. An unforgiving sonic juggernaut, seamlessly followed by the groove monster “Shadow To Shine”: a furious, resolute kick in the rear, finally confronting the much-needed transformation. A clear message that gains particular urgency fueled by Daniel Kuhlemann’s own life journey. Stepping out of the comfort zone of self-pity and self-sabotage to transcend oneself and rise like the literal phoenix from the ashes. “We took an enormous amount of time and experimented a lot,” describes the singer, emphasizing the exceptional attention to detail and impactful nature of the new songs.

Just like on the hymnal “Pitch & Gold,” where TENSIDE momentarily dial it back, delivering clean vocals, atmospheric synths, a melancholic melody, and contemplative lyrics that send shivers down your spine and create those iconic moments of swaying phones. A socially critical track that connects thematically to the message of the title track, confronting the indifference that we often realize too late, in the intoxication of our senses induced by addictions and dependencies, how narrow the line between glory and misery can sometimes be. After the shimmering arpeggio inferno of “Darkness To Blight,” the dark mosh pit banger “Impending Doom” follows as another album highlight, with TENSIDE being supported by Darkest Hour frontman John Blakemore Henry. A battle cry of rebellion that underscores the ongoing destruction of the planet. “The Doomsday Clock is ticking, without enough being done to avert this catastrophe. The song aims to raise awareness of how close we are to destroying our world with dangerous technologies. John Henry is the perfect duet partner. We’ve played several shows with Darkest Hour, and since he had recently moved to Munich, we have also shared a studio. Eventually, we asked him if he’d be up for blasting some vocals with us…”

After the driving force of “Aim For Paradise” and the forward-pushing “Deadweight,” the album enters its final round with the instantly catchy “Pretty Lonesome” and the uncompromising “Dust Of The Bereaved,” culminating in the ominous sucker punch of “Vengeance.” “We’ve always wanted to create such a catchy track like ‘Pretty Lonesome.’ It’s an absolute outlier that combines extreme catchiness with our beloved signature heaviness. Thematically, it revolves around fear of attachment and trauma that keeps haunting and pulling one back into the old black hole. To protect oneself, it’s easier to remain alone rather than let someone get too close. With ‘Vengeance,’ the album concludes with a total stylistic opposite: It has become a tradition for us to end each record with a dark apocalyptic song. The closing track, ‘Vengeance,’ can be interpreted as the antithesis to the opener, ‘Come Alive Dying’: the step from darkness into light. It’s a reckoning with indifference in search of redemption, completing the circle.”

Complementing the journey of “Come Alive Dying” is the breathtaking artwork by renowned British 3D artist Phil Radford, also known as MayaGuy, who perfectly captured the album’s thematic concept. All the videos for the album were produced by filmmaker and director Mirko Witzki (Caliban, Any Given Day, Arch Enemy) in collaboration with Phil Radford and the band.

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