Rising To The Masses: Black Hole Divers

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Before the first riffs echo through the fields of Catton Park, we are diving head first into the pulse-pounding world of the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock 2024. So grab your backstage pass, tune your senses, and join us as we explore the stories, inspirations, and the relentless drive of the bands who are rising to the masses! Introducing Black Hole Divers…

How would you describe your band to someone who’s never heard you?

We are a five piece Brazilian crossover band based in Ireland since 2023.
We swim between fast and melodic music, flirting with elements of Thrash and Hardcore punk, resulting in aggressive rhythms followed by personal conflicts and social ways of thinking.
Composed by Andre Luchinitz (drums), Diegoat (bass), Felipe Mora (lead guitars), Lucas Frankel (vocals) and Marco Tulio “tchulin” (rhythm guitars), our songs are results of jams and controversial visions of music.

Tell us about your band’s origin story. How did you all come together?

The band was formed through word of mouth. Diegoat (bass) and Felipe Mora (lead guitars) were trying to start a band when Diego called and recruited Lucas Frankel (vocals) and Andre Luchinitz (drums) who also became our music producer. As the synergy starts to flow in the rehearsals defined by songs from Poison Idea, Black Flag, Misfits, etc, the band finally gets consolidated when Marco Tulio “Tchulin” (rhythm guitars) joins as last reinforcement.
After our first two gigs opening for a Brazilian legendary band Dead Fish, we had our material approved by Overdrive to compete in Ireland’s M2TM.

What song would you recommend for someone’s first listen of your band?

Describe your songwriting process. How do you create your music?

Every single head is responsible for it.
From small details to complex structures, each member has a part on it, and that’s what clearly brings up the ‘crossover’ style.
For us it doesn’t matter whose idea it is, the important thing is that all ideas brought to the table are always up for changes.
In our way everybody can bring ideas and we’ll always give them a chance even if it doesn’t work out in the end.

How do you handle creative disagreements within the band?

To be honest I think this one is our specialty.
As a crossover band that’s what we offer best, discrepancy.
Most of us have a defined style in music, and even if similar, our references don’t stay in a fine line.
Usually the ideas discarded for every song is higher than the actual approved.
I guess each one has a different way to deal with it, but you could use even a chameleon either a chimera to relate it, since crossover has this as its own method.

What are your musical influences?

We do have similarities when talking about influences, however, as the same as all the other topics, the background distinction is also huge. We should break it down a bit so you’d understand.
Our rhythm guitarist listens to a lot of bossa nova and hip hop, while our lead guitarist is basically swimming into a thrash metal school.
Our best groover is totally addicted to punk and hardcore, meanwhile our frontman has pure rock n roll running on his blood.
Our human metronome, as a good multi instrumentalist, also deals and aggregates a mix of things.

What’s the story behind your band name?

We have the understanding of black hole to be a metaphor related to the
problems that we face with society and with the inner self. As we approach both topics with our lyrics, we use this name to show that we dive into such subjects, exposing them and bringing light upon the same.
André brought this name and concept and we didn’t even flinch or had a voting
pool of any sorts, feels like the name has chosen us as well in a way.

What’s your guilty pleasure music outside of metal?

Everything I guess.
No matter the genre I believe you will always be able to find a good craic when the music is from the heart.
Our members are always listening to electronic music, national rhythms (no matter where), and whatever other culture has to propose us.

Tell us about your most memorable live performance or tour experience.

I believe our best memories were in Metal 2 the Masses, when we saw a bunch of people smashing each other, among uncountable pits fully of boys and girls having a great time, jumping on the stage, even if sometimes they drop our microphones and turn our pedals off!
Every musician should have an honour to see someone stage diving his songs while surfing the whole crowd cheering you.

What’s the most challenging aspect of being a metal band in today’s music industry?

In our eyes is communication.
People are not aware of what’s going on, which comes down to not being represented in the mainstream media. Thankfully we still have channels that support the underground to spread news and organise events, but unfortunately the attention they get is significantly less than the mainstream.

Any advice for other aspiring metal musicians?

Have fun. Stick on the path that YOU have chosen, playing what you want, not what others want to hear. It doesn’t matter if you’re not the best musician or the best band.
Everything is about the energy you bring to the stage.
Don’t do things to impress people, do what makes you happy.

What’s next after Bloodstock for the band?

We are completely focused on BOA at the moment.
Although the first plan is to release a video clip to our song Time/Illusion as soon as possible, as we also have two new songs being developed meanwhile which we are going back to Ireland to record at TrackMix Studio as soon as we come back from England.
Then in 2025 we are releasing our first album.

How do you choose album artwork or visuals for your releases?

Both our LOGO and EP artwork were designed by our friend Matheus Risso.

What’s the most unexpected inspiration for one of your songs?

A junkhead.

What’s the best gig you’ve attended as a fan and why?

Black Sabbath for sure.
Being able to attend it was just sublime.
Seeing those legendary lads rocking in their 80’s was just unreal.

Have you faced any challenges as an unsigned band? How do you overcome them?

Everyday. We do try overcome with positive thinking and hope, since we are an unsponsored band and also have no payback since the start, we keep promoting our music the way we can, spreading the word and with the support from our friends and family, which is really important to us, as we know in are the road, and its necessary to keep it alive somehow.

How do you stay motivated during creative slumps?

I would say for me is trying to find new bands, especially locals.
I guess this initial part when you’re describing your sound but also flirting with other stuff is something that keeps my creational method working, because it serves as a constant reminder to stay out of a specific blob.

Black Hole Divers are set to play The Hopical Storm New Blood Stage On Saturday 10th August 2024.