Musically diverse prog-rock/metal outfit Dark Universe has release its new album Into The Black. It was an absolute pleasure to catch up with Jaime Page who’s apocalyptic and haunting guitar work compliment the stunning vocals from Donna Greene. This band shakes the earth from Perth, Australia, and the shockwaves can be felt everywhere!
Can you briefly introduce yourself to the readers of Music Talks? Just a little bit on who you are, where you are from, what kind of music you do?
Hey, this is guitarist Jaime Page from Dark Universe. We are a fairly heavy prog/metal band from Perth. I am lucky to have an insanely talented gang of players on my side including vocalist Donna Greene, drummer Michael Burn and multi-instrumentalist Craig Skelton.
Our music has been described as genre shattering and we love that tag! Our first album 'Dark Universe' released in 2016 is a dark travelogue of human vulnerabilities that are intensely personal to their creator, me!
I do love the deep, dark Gothy heavy stuff and Deepest Black has defined us in that respect, but we are ultimately about rising above, and no matter how dark it gets it is instinctive to find the silver linings.
Our follow-up Into The Black took some twists and turns and got a little angry but stays true to our vision.
As a band from WA, do you feel isolated from the rest of Australia? Or is it liberating to have your own captive audience?
Yes, we do feel a little isolated as the tyranny of distance makes it very hard when it comes to touring. We adore our local die-hards but ultimately have to escape the bounds of Perth.
What was the inspiration behind the song ‘Weight Of The World'?
W.O.W. has many meanings woven into a common theme. It can mean whatever you want it to be. Musically it was inspired by an old science TV show called Tomorrows World. I wanted it to sound as angry as I felt about the legacy we leave behind us, and I think it refers to the subconscious shame we feel about the legacy we leave the planet and our children's children.
It also deals with persecution, discrimination, religion and British colonialism. ANd yes, all that in a five-minute rock song!
What 3 things keep you sane while on the road?
Beautiful music. I put on my headphones and immerse myself in Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush and Tori Amos. I also read gluttonously.
Do you have any interesting/weird/funny rituals before going on stage that we should know about?
You ask all the good questions! Yes! The ritual is usually finding a quiet private space for Donna and I to do our stage makeup and get vibed. That can be a challenge in a noisy, busy pub!
The vocals are strong, compliment the music and have a great impact, do you find the Rock music audience immediately accepting of a female Rock singer, or does it take time?
Donna Greene is a stunningly great vocalist but yes it is a little harder to be taken seriously but things are getting better and quite frankly I would never want to work with anyone else.
Of much greater consequence is my personal situation. It has really been a paradigm shift that many have struggled to deal with but again, things are getting much better and people are becoming more accepting.
What is next for you? Anything cool to announce or news to share?
We have a brand new album prepped for the studio, but Donna and I are currently ensconced in our D'Verse project, which is an experimental hybrid of an EDM/Pop/Rock/Metal/Trance nature. We will be performing shows as an electronic duo and look forward to trying some new concepts in performance art.
Graphic art, video and literature provide so much inspiration for us and we can't wait to experiment with some immersive multimedia experiences that will be challenging but artistically stimulating and exciting.
We hope to release an EP of the new material very soon. In the meantime, we also focus on spreading the Dark Universe in overseas markets. It is a slow process but worth the effort.
Listen to the new single 'Weight of the World'
Links to Dark Universe
WEBSITE: http://www.darkuniverse.com.au/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/darkuniverseau
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/darkuniverseau/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/darkuniverseau/