interview by John Wisniewski for MK ULTRA Magazine
Berlin’s brilliant darkwave and Post-Punk band Night Nail recently dropped their new remix album “Fates Remade” featuring remixes from a true tour de force of modern Post-Punk and Darkwave creators including Bestial Mouths, Bedless Bones, A State Of Flux, Kill Shelter, Gianmarco Silvetti, iamnoone, Antipole (produced by Pedro Code of IAMTHESHADOW), The Neuro Farm, A Cloud Of Ravens, VV & the Void, and ROKI. Night Nail was originally based in Los Angeles, making their debut with the “LA Demons” album in 2018. Metropolis Records released the critically acclaimed “Fates Explained” in late 2023 and followed it up with “Early Demons and Demos 10-Year Anniversary Edition” earlier this year. With all of this in mind, Brandon Robert of Night Nail, was kind enough to give MK ULTRA Magazine a little bit of his time to discuss the state of his art.
John Wisniewski: Can you tell our audience about the original formation of Night Nail?
Brandon Robert: Night Nail began in Los Angeles in 2013 when Brandon started recording at home on his laptop in response to the stark, state of dark music and newer bands, at the time. Brandon (guitar/vocals) built the band around the initial demos you can hear on Early Demons and Demos with the original line-up including Bryan Panzeri (drums), Justin Deactivere (synths), James Hendrix (bass), and Justin Lomery (guitars).
JW: What was it like recording the latest album “Fates Explained”? Is there a central concept behind the album?
BR: I worked out the demos with Justin and Ilija tracking their parts on my laptop. Then, I sent the songs along with the project files to Pete Burns to mix and to do some additional tracking on, produce. To track the edits and facilitate communication, we created a shared Google Doc. The key was clear communication between ourselves as he is working from Scotland and I am working from Berlin.
JW: How did Pete Burns of Kill Shelter, who produced the album, get involved?
BR: I met first met Pete Burns in 2020 after he reached out to Night Nail to ask to include us in a feature for his “RULE of THREE;” an online music magazine. Since meeting online, we have forged a strong relationship and creative force together. We have worked together on four albums, multiple singles, and music videos. Pete Burns is a multi-talented artist, mixer, producer, masterer, videographer, & wordsmith with PR and publicity. I am grateful to have been invited into his world and to try to contribute artistically and energetically, as much as he gives.
JW: For the new remix album “Fates Remade,” how did you choose the remixers that participated?
BR: I sent a lot of emails out to friends, bands, and some people in bands we don’t even know. Many did not respond (straight to spam). There were some gracious declines. But, there were ’11’ amazingly-talented bands that did said, ‘YES!’ I chose those ’11.’
JW: Can you tell us about how you feel the band has grown since you recorded “LA Demons”?
BR: We have became a band that meets adversity, head on. During that time when we recorded ‘LA Demons’, we had a lot of new band “buzz” around us and the support seemed strong. But, then we moved to Berlin and we needed to find a new audience. We had to find new ways to continue to make music without label support. Eventually, we found a label, but, we did it all DIY and from a foreign country. It wasn’t all easy.
JW: I’m curious, why did the band choose to move to Germany a few years back?
BR: Quite simply, the opportunity to get out the LA scene popped up for me and I took it. I simply needed to change and evolve.
JW: Any up and coming bands you are listening to these days?
BR: Bedless Bones, Iamnoone, Ohne Nomen, Gianmarco Silvetti, Bestial Mouths, A State of Flux, VV & The Void, A Cloud of Ravens, The Neuro Farm, Antipole, IAMTHESHADOW, Kill Shelter, & ROKI.
JW: Will you be playing any upcoming live shows?
BR: Yes, we play this Sunday, September 15, 2024 in Berlin, Germany at Urban Spree with Then Comes Silence, and Gotterdamerung. Then, we play ‘Feel the Darkness’ Festival in Oldenburg, Germany on Saturday, September 9, 2024 with Disinteresse, Marie Laveau, and Left for Pleasure.
JW: Any future plans and projects you would like to mention?
BR: We are planning a US and EU tour for 2025. Also, we will be recording a new album next year.