INTERVIEW: CATCHING UP WITH DARKO ON THEIR NEW EP CANVAS
Copyright: Tim Kramer (Photo)
Surrey progressive punks DARKO have returned with Canvas, a blistering new EP, 18 July via Lockjaw Records. Serving as the final chapter in a trilogy - following Sparkle (2022) and Greyscale (2024) - Canvas sees the band refining their fusion of breakneck punk energy, technical musicianship, and post-hardcore flair. We caught up with vocalist Tom West and guitarist/vocalist Rob Piper over email to talk about the new record and what lies ahead for DARKO.
How would you describe your sound to new listeners?
People seem to resonate with the label “progressive punk”. We play fast and hard, but like to experiment with different sounds and concepts. Our influences are extremely wide but imagine some mash up between melodic punk rock hooks of The Offspring, Rise Against, AFI and the thrash/prog metal of Mastodon, Sikth and Protest the Hero. Best thing to do is listen without preconceptions and you might be pleasantly surprised if you like energetic music with a message, this is for you! - Tom
“ if you like energetic music with a message, this is for you!”
How does your creative process work as a band - do songs start with one person, is it collaborative?
The songs tend to be about social injustice, centrist hypocrisy, or personal anguish, so there's rarely a lack of inspirational source material! Lyrically I tend to spaff all my thoughts on a subject onto a page, link up the rhyming couplets, and then find the melodies that compliment the music the lads have provided. - TW
A lot of the songs start off with one of us being sparked up by a new record or sound that we want to experiment with and see if we can weave into the Darko sound. This will be played around with and create a foundation demo which usually had the music for an entire track. Then we take that to the rehearsal room and jam it out and tweak bits. During that time Tom will demo vocal ideas and we all collaborate to make the final changes and refine the tracks to the final piece. - Rob
Can you explain the backstory between Chapters, the conceptually-linked EPs?
There isn't a linear narrative between the three chapters: “Sparkle”, “Greyscale”, and “Canvas”, but putting it out in three parts meant we were able to explore broad themes of birth, death, and rebirth, as well as loss, grief, and finding a way to carry on in spite of it all.
There are some tasty musical Easter eggs throughout, and the AUX trilogy ties each chapter together lyrically with a thread of late-capitalism, culminating in a rocket full of billionaires exploding over the sea as they attempt to escape the hell they've left for the rest of us. - Tom
What makes CANVAS different from your other EPs, Greyscale (2024) and Sparkle (2022)?
It was originally planned to be a straightforward nod to old-school Darko, so there's a lot more anthemic skate punk in there. But we've grown so much over the last few years that we couldn't help dipping our paintbrush into some much wilder shades as well. - Rob
What were the band’s main influences and inspirations for CANVAS?
The opening of Canvas is probably the first time we’ve explored a blackened hardcore sound of Mol and Deafheaven, one of my favourite UK festivals is ArcTanGent and was really incited to make something epic for the opening of this record which juxtaposed the relentlessness of “Dared to Dream”. We’ve taken inspiration from other bands in the punk scene such as Four year Strong, Menzingers and Propagandhi. - Rob
The first single ‘Canvas’ talks about the grassroots music scene, how important was it for you to write about that?
DIY Promoters are the backbone of our community, and to be honest should be celebrated as much as the bands are. Putting on shows is an often thankless task and one that can result in financial hardship. It was nice to write about something positive, and I really like having a specific song in the set to dedicate to the people who made the whole thing possible. - Tom
“DIY Promoters are the backbone of our community, and to be honest should be celebrated as much as the bands are”
Can you tell us a little bit more about the beautiful artwork of CANVAS, its concept/backstory?
Canvas artwork is the third in the series. The artwork starts with the epic Atlas moth fronting the Sparkle EP representing the movement from the chrysalis pupa to the beautiful moth as the metaphor of emergence as a better being. This was then followed by ’Greyscale’ where we see the caterpillar of the Atlas moth feeding on the decay of an apple, the apple representing the decaying society.
Then we get to Canvas where the rotting apple has broken down allowing new life to grow out represented by a sapling. This hopeful little guy can also be found at the end of our video for “Override!”. - Rob
What else does the future hold for the band? Any exciting projects you would like to share with us?
This is an exciting thought and as we write this I am glancing out the window at the misty Austrian mountains. We are driving from Germany to Italy with our good friends Raisin Awareness as we are half way through our Canvas release tour.
Currently our plans are to share “Canvas”, “Sparkle” and “Greyscale” with the world. I’m sure when we are back home we will start refining what will be next but right now we are in “Canvas” celebratory mode, so help us spread the word, share with your friends and enjoy! - Rob
Canvas out now via Lockjaw Records, available on all streaming platforms. Read our full review here.
