☕ Coffee and Metal 🤘 With Darling Dead
Darling Dead is a perfect blend of gothic metal, industrial metal and black metal.
They've dropped new Music TODAY!!!!
Yes I listened the moment it dropped ....and you can listen NOW !
Brandi Kates Mitternacht -Vocals
Aeva Bisange - Synth/Keyboard
Darling Dead Interview with Brandi Kates Mitternacht, Johnny Astro, & Raven Crimson
Angel - Who are your biggest musical influences, & how have they shaped your style?
Brandi Kates Mitternacht - I have a lot but I will narrow it down a bit.Musically-Cradle of Filth, Sisters of Mercy, Behemoth, The Cure, Dimmu Borgir, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Marilyn Manson, Fields of The Nephilim, Type O Negative, Rammstein, Lord of The Lost, Bauhaus, Theater of Tragedy, Deathstars, Emperor, Motionless In White, The Birthday Massacre, Poisonblack, Lacuna Coil, HIM, Draconian, Paradise Lost, Black Sabbath, Psyclon Nine Vocally-Dani Filth, Andrew Eldritch, Shagrath, Peter Murphy, Carl McCoy, Ihsahn, Till Lindemann, Peter Steele, Chris Lords, Whiplasher Bernadotte, Satyr, JP Leppaluoto, Ville Valo, Chris Motionless. I also admire four particular female vocalists-Lena Scissorhands, Courtney LaPlante, Cristina Scabbia and Tatiana Schmayluk. Everything I have mentioned here has blended together to form mostly everything that comes from me musically. Maybe that doesn't seem like it's narrowed down but trust me, it is!
Johnny Astro - Misfits, Sisters of Mercy, Motley Crue, Cradle of Filth, Joy Division,Mimi Barks, Psyclon NineMusically our songs genre bend heavily which allows each one to stand apart from the other & it gives us a unique sound that helps to separate us from other bands, however our songs are stitched together with an overtly, dark tone. We also use extremely low tunings which set a dark and heavy foundation for our songs, which allows us to continue building the song with an arsenal of musical sub culture influences,such as Metal, Death Rock, Aggrotech, Punk, Black Metal, Post Punk & most prominently Goth.The goth element is a mirror of my musical influences, the glue that binds my taste within the diversity of musical genres that have inspired me. It's a staple of Darling Dead's sonic & visual aesthetic.
Raven Crimson - My biggest musical influences are diverse cultural backgrounds & western artists as well. Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Lacuna Coil, Sirenia, Unsun, Rammstein, The Birthday Massacre, Black Veil Brides, X Japan, Dir En Grey, Malice Mizer & so on.
Angel - What’s something you listen to that might surprise people, given the music you make?
Brandi - Prince, Brantley Gilbert, ABBA & 70s R&B
Johnny - Prince. AKA The Artist formerly known as. I hold a sacred appreciation for his vast imagination, boldness, music, lyrics, image & showmanship. The passion, respect & dedication he had for all of the above. He not only created art in Its most entertaining, expressive & sincerest form, he transmuted his DNA, life force & physical being into a piece of art itself. He walked, breathed & bled it mind, body, spirit & soul to the point that even the subtlest of his off stage mannerisms became a masterpiece of their own accord. From every glance he gave to every note he played. He remained the Quintessential Artist.
Raven - Something I listen to that might surprise people would definitely be Dir En Grey. They are very expressive & have an ominous musical presence, beautiful as well. They have a wide range of musical styles also. They have gone heavier over the years.
Angel - What’s a non-musical skill, hobby, or obsession in the band that has secretly shaped your music?
Brandi - Probably travel. I love to travel & have been lucky enough to travel extensively within the US. I've also been to Canada, The Caribbean, South America & Europe. I currently reside in Mexico. As you move around seeing new places & things, you may be surprised at what can give you a song idea.
Johnny - For me personally, that would be metaphysics & a fascination with what's behind the veil, the motives that drive an individuals will, & the universal collective consciousness. The art of self destruction as a means of creation, growth & artistic expression. The cosmos & the elements that created & sustain life on this planet.
Raven - It would be cooking & fashion expression. It's like creating that secret ingredient that makes it stand out from the rest, being very original & expressive from food creating to fashionable looks.
Angel - Who in the band would survive a zombie apocalypse the longest—& why?
Brandi - Johnny! Dude has 9 lives. When there is nothing left but the cockroaches, he will be there too! 😂 As for me, I would be using vampire power to rip off the zombie's heads.
Johnny - Usually with a question like this I would pick someone else in the band but I believe in that scenario it would most likely be me. I'm schizophrenic & throughout my life, I've unwittingly managed to find myself consistently living in chaotic situations & environments, so I've racked up a myriad of survival skills along the way as well as added a sublime electrical layer of a lived reality to my lyrics & the songs I write. Also the number of separate occasions where I've personally experienced death & have been resuscitated back to life hit double digits with the last one being a couple years ago. Unlike a certain rockstar that comes to mind, I've got the hospital paperwork to back it up. I feel like I have been living in a zombie apocalypse most of my life. Chaos adores me & within her I thrive the most. I believe the Gods will keep me around as long as I keep them amused. So a zombie apocalypse would give me a chance to sharpen both my artistic & survival skills, while providing me & the Gods with some entertainment.
Raven - It depends on who has more of a logical mind & complex ideas to survive, but I would say Brandi. I tend to be clumsy at times.
Angel - Where can people catch Darling Dead live in 2026?
Brandi - Not sure the answer to that. The new single, To See Moonlight In Her Blood, was released today & we are focused on recording at this time. Darling Dead has a history of being cursed with planning to release new material at a certain time & not meeting the time lines. I won't even give a tentative release date with that in mind. It is highly likely whenever the next live performance is, that it will be in LA.
Angel - What are your favorite venue(s) to play shows at?
Brandi - Love Bar Sinister in LA! There are a few negative aspects to playing The Whisky in LA but being on stage there is fucking badass! Klub Terminal in LA, Brass Mug in Tampa & Poorhouse in Ft. Lauderdale are all solid. I may be getting the name wrong but we played a place in Miami called Renaissance Ballroom I believe that was pretty cool.
Johnny - Whisky a go go & Bar Sinister.
Raven - I would say The Whisky a go go. Lots of legendary bands performed there.
Angel - What platforms can fans follow you on?
Brandi - Bandcamp, YouTube & YouTube Music, Facebook, Instagram, X, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora. I can't remember all of the names but I know we are on regional platforms in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Angel - What’s the most metal everyday object or situation you’ve ever encountered?
Brandi A high powered blender. It fucks shit up but gives you something good when it's over!
Johnny - I once knew a lady who would wear thick sinister clown make up like Slipknot but it was also smeared like Marilyn Manson's & sometimes after applying her make up without a mirror, she would strip naked and walk the streets & would stand on the corner yelling back at people who would hurl insults at her. This would go on until the police would arrive. One day I was walking down the street & saw her standing on the corner of the intersection, naked with her usual clown makeup on. Except this time she was also holding a machete in her hand, as she was making some brutally amusing insults to someone who had just talked shit to her, but didn't catch the light in time. So he sat there in his idling car consumed with terror regretting the shit he said to her, thinking the green light was going to save him. Well it didn't. What transpired next was visually & sonically unforgettable & I thought to myself, that chick is Metal as fuck. She needs to start her own band.
Raven - The most metal thing I think I've encountered was when I was in this band called The God Bombs. I was very ill one day, had a high fever & was very sore. I hadn't eaten for over a day, no water. I was on tour, me & my bandmates were running late. So I winged it & didn't want to let my brothers down, so I did the unthinkable instead of recovering. Performed with everything I got. It wasn't till the 3rd song on my solo on the guitar I remember shredding but after that I couldn't remember. From then on, I was told I passed out on stage. One of our roadies picked me up & rushed me off the stage. The bar owner was frightened & thought I had died on scene. I was also told that people were surrounding me, one guy was giving me CPR & food water as i was waking up. I reassured everyone that I was okay now. I grabbed my guitar & continued to perform.
Angel - How would you describe Darling Dead as coffee?
Brandi - Bold flavored, thick, infused with berries & the color of blood, maybe a little actual blood.
Johnny - So intensely black it shines, absorbing every detail of its surroundings & those who gaze into it. With a hypnotic spicy autumn aroma that rushes all your senses, giving you an orgasmic high that ascends you into different dimensions. Loaded with a highly potent caffeine content that will fuel your astral journey for hours. Leaving you with a madhouse like craving for more.
Raven - A nice splash of adrenaline & black roasted flavor with a slight earthy sweet taste.
