Picture: Cameron Steacy
You may create all of the sickening riffs and guitar tones you need, however when you don’t have the songwriting talent, you’re simply one other one of many dozens of deathcore pretenders determined to change into the following huge factor. Gatineau, Quebec band Blackdog are absolutely conscious of that actuality, and their new EP Change Your Desires With Mine balances aggression and introspection with the arrogance of a veteran act. By discovering a center floor between hardcore, excessive steel, and ambient music, Blackdog are desirous to problem conference in a style vulnerable to blind imitation. If you’re slamming within the pit, you want the odd second for a breather, and these guys know precisely use dynamics to get essentially the most out of a brutal breakdown.
We’re comfortable to premiere the title observe for the brand new EP, which you’ll be able to stream under, and we additionally caught up with keyboardist/songwriter Samuel Cousineau to study extra about Blackdog and the brand new document.
Since our readers in all probability don’t know who you’re, please inform us about yourselves!
Samuel Cousineau: We’re 4 guys out of the Gatineau/Ottawa steel scene. We’ve been in bands since highschool, performed exhibits throughout Quebec and Ontario, we’re very obsessed with what we do. The highway is a bumpy one within the steel scene and we have now encountered a number of ups and downs collectively. We’re tremendous devoted to our artwork and we put every part that we’re into it. We bonded over our frequent need to construct one thing good, one thing totally different with Blackdog. All of us love and hearken to a number of totally different music so regardless of our frequent targets, all of us have totally different visions and totally different concepts to place into the ultimate outcome. That range of concepts is one thing that we strongly put to make use of into our inventive course of and it’s one thing that we predict is one in every of our benefits. Lengthy story quick, we’re 4 very motivated and passionate guys which have a narrative to inform and we wish to do every part in our energy so that you can hear it.
What bands are Blackdog’s largest influences?
Our writing is principally influenced by Detest and Knocked Unfastened. Their potential to fuse ambient textures with uncooked unrelenting heaviness conjures up us deeply. We take that very same stability, the distinction between environment and depth and channel it into our personal writing, making a sound that vibrates and resonates with us.
Having influences from totally different genres is nothing new in music however we really feel like what we’re doing is greater than that. We don’t outline ourselves into one thing particular, we don’t put boundaries and we don’t cease ourselves with guidelines. We wish to create one thing that may make you go “Wow”. Each time. We’re all the time on the lookout for new methods to include one thing particular into each track. There aren’t any blueprints for what we’re doing and what we wish to accomplish, we’re simply making an attempt to push the bar increased and we would like that to be demonstrated in every part that we do.
Please inform us about “Change Your Desires With Mine.”
“Change Your Desires With Mine” closes out the EP and represents a turning level for us. Sonically, we wished it to really feel like a launch, heavy and highly effective, but in addition layered with environment to seize each battle and acceptance. The lyrics are deeply private, reflecting on loss and the concept of buying and selling locations with somebody you care about, simply to ease their ache. It’s about acceptance, however by the lens of heaviness and emotion colliding.
What do you assume including extra atmospheric touches brings to your music?
The atmospheric components permit us to push past simply being heavy for the sake of it. They carry a way of area and emotion that makes the aggression extra significant. It’s about dynamics, stress and launch, calm earlier than the storm. By layering atmosphere with depth, we are able to create one thing that feels immersive, nearly like a journey, reasonably than only a barrage of sound. That stability is what makes the heaviness resonate on a deeper degree.
What’s subsequent for the band? Do you have got any plans to tour within the close to future?
Proper now, our focus is on sharing Change Your Desires With Mine with as many individuals as potential. We’ve been writing, and there’s already new materials taking form that pushes even additional into the stability of heaviness and environment. As for touring, it’s positively on our radar — we wish to take these songs to the stage and let individuals expertise the power firsthand. Nothing beats the connection of a dwell present, and that’s the following step for Blackdog.
Change Your Desires With Mine can be launched on November 5, 2025. Pre-save it right here.
