Rock Monsters Romania

The quarantine was a really hard period for bands and artist. We talked to some bands from all over the world to see the real effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in music.

Today, we talk to Horror Dance Squad, a groovy aggressive, modern metal band from Tallinn, Estonia. Through the years, they shared the stage with bands like Siamese, Comeback Kid, Dead By April, Adept, Eskimo Callboy, We Butter The Bread With Butter, Deez Nuts, August Burns Red or One Morning Left. They have also represented Estonia at the 2016 Wacken Open Air Metal Battle.

How can you describe the changes generated by the pandemic in the band’s
activity?

We have had to cancel a few shows we were very excited to play, but fortunately, the
situation in Estonia was safe enough to allow some of the summer festivals to continue
and we were lucky to get to play two very fun shows during the summer. At the same
time, we are about to release our new album, No Flag Will Fly Forever (25 September),
and we have kept ourselves busy with releasing and promoting the new singles, filming
music videos and spreading the word about our new stuff.

What daily activity did you miss the most during quarantine?

Simply to be able to go out and meet with people.

Were there any pluses for this period without concerts?

It gave us the chance to spend time focusing on making the best music videos we could
and getting ready to release the album. We also put together a live-streamed concert
back in March which was a really fun experience for us.

How does it feel to return to some normalcy?

It’s great to be able to play at least a few local concerts this year. Even if we can’t quite
put together a tour at this moment, we can still get on stage here in Tallinn and around
Estonia.

What plans have you got for the rest of 2020?

Our biggest plan is the release of No Flag Will Fly Forever, out of 25 September. We
will also be releasing our music video for the single Burn This Place Down at the same
time, which was our biggest production to date. For those lucky fans here in Tallinn, we
also have our album release concert coming up on 31 October. Due to restrictions here,
it’ll be limited to 150 people, so it’s going to be a very exclusive event.

Do you have any message for the bands or artists who are still in lockdown/quarantine?

I’m sure they all already know that, even though things are tough right now, there is
always a way to create and share the thing you love. Let’s keep doing what we love to
do!

What message do you have for the people who are going to read this interview?

Music brings us together even if we have to stay a little bit apart. We hope that you can
find a message in one of our songs that will help you feel understood and less alone
during these trying times.

Interview by Radu Mihai