CIERN
“Broken windows, broken bones. Broken hearts, broken souls. Bloody days, bloody nights. It's a bloody waste, your bloody rites!“
30/09/2024, Hayley CLX
photos: © Todd Core, Ken Kruse & Maria Chain Cult
"Broken windows, broken bones. Broken hearts, broken souls. Bloody days, bloody nights. It's a bloody waste, your bloody rites!“
A band that creates music to confront and fight ideologies that dominate & oppress human rights, ideologies that dominate & oppress aninal rights and the conservation of our planet.
It is 2019 and in Berlin four young driven musicians start making Anarcho Punk. Anarcho Punk with a razor sharp edge. Hence CIERŃ, which is Polish for thorn.
Outside darkness is slowly taking it’s place. In the background the speakers echo ‘Bloody Rites’, 3rd song of the 'Emperor Rx’ album. And my company; Devi, Justin, Edu & Juan.
Hello awesome gang, good evening to you all. Let me first give each and everyone of you on behalf of Peek-A-Boo a big thank you for doing this interview!
So, CIERŃ, who came up with the band name? Is there a special story behind it?
[Devi]: When Edu and I first met in October 2019, we were working with another guitarist. He is Polish, so he suggested CIERŃ as our band name (actually in truth, he told us what it would be *laughing*) When we asked what it meant, and he said it’s thorn in English, we agreed it was a suitable name in terms of the direction the band would head in, both politically and musically stabby.
And the first result of meeting each other in 2019 are the 4 songs released in 2020 on the 'The Box' EP? Which was the very very first song, the one with that it all started?
[Devi]: Yes. And the first song we wrote was ‘Let Go’. The lyrics are inspired by my love of the Pacific Ocean.
Edu. You are the drummer. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been drumming? Which drummers do you look up to?
[Edu]: I was born and raised in Colombia, where I grew up heavily influenced by Metal, Punk, and Hardcore from a young age. However, more recently, especially with the nostalgia of being away from home, I’ve come to appreciate my roots much more. Genres like Cumbia, Salsa, and even Colombian Hip-Hop have taken a more prominent place in my life, though everything is still shaped by my Punk, and Post Punk ethos.
I’ve been drumming since I was 15, always drawn to different genres from Hip Hop to Metal, but yeah Punk has consistently been a core part of my musical, aesthetic, and political identity. While I used to admire technical drummers like Mike Portnoy when I was younger, these days my inspiration comes more from the overall sound, simplicity, and how music defies its context.
[Devi]: One of the things I love most about working with Edu as a drummer is his brood taste in music and how this, combined with his amazing skills, is what gives heart and uniqueness to the primal sound of CIERŃ.
Ok guys, imagine... It's somewhere in the near future and a biographical movie is made about the life of CIERŃ. Which actor/actress would you find perfect to portray you?
[Devi]: Gillian Anderson … because she’s good in every roll … and she’s a red head.
[Justin]: If Devi is Gillian Anderson than I want to be David Duchovny because I want to believe…
[Juan]: I’d say Carlos Ballarta. A Mexican actor/comedian who I think is the funniest person. He’s a leftist proud of his origins, so I can relate to that for sure. Also because I’m from middle of the world Mexico, aka Ecuador.
[Justin]: I have been informed that Owen Wilson will be playing me in the CIERŃ movie. The rest of the band can verify that I say Wow all the time.
[Devi]: *laughing* And “nice” or “cool”!
In 2022 you made the 2 songs ‘The Emperor Rx’ and ‘Bloody Rites’ (also released as a single), as a comment on war. At that point Justin you were also already a part of the band. There isn't even a little the slightest doubt the lyrics are very important, but what’s the secret behind creating your songs? Are the lyrics written first and then the music, or vice versa?
[Devi]: I can speak to the lyric part… I just start writing songs based on politic topics we discuss or share in common. When we meet to practice, the others might already have ideas of their own and these are worked on in combination with the others. Sometimes it starts with a drum sequence, sometimes bass or guitar… we don’t really have a fixed formula. I think that’s nice because everyone can bring ideas to the practice space. Then I usually flip through my lyric book and find the mood of the words that fits the mood of the music. The puzzle pieces just come together.
An example maybe I would give is ‘Disposable’. Edu already had this great drum idea and the others worked around it. When the words came in, all the stops and breaks they had created mirrored the meaning of the lyrics:
Example: Consumer lust is all around. Excess waste in poor taste. Never slowing down!. There is a symbolic pause, but the machine (music) keeps going. Did that make sense?
Will be cool to see what happens when we start writing with Juan.
[Justin]: Alot of the songs come together organically but with a syncronicity that is somewhat strange. I usually just write my part on the first take and don't think about it again. Whatever I played that first time is the riff fundamentally although the details may subtley change. But alot of the times it fits stylistically in unexpected ways.
Like ‘Bloody Rites’ was a bad demo recording from the first incarnation of the band and i just wrote a guitar part over it without even realizing what the song was about but it actually totally works. And also with ‘The Emperor Rx’ and ‘Shadows’ were just voice memos that Laura had sent over a messenger app and i wrote my part on top in another message and Devi had written lyrics and in the case of ‘Shadows’, the intro has some qualities that in retrospect feel like they were written for the lyrics but it was actually a parallel process.
‘The Emperor Rx’ is also the title of your first full-album, same as the song, released in 2022. How did it come about? And how did the collab with ‘Bat-Cave Productions’ happen?
[Devi]: I can give input about the lyrics: I’m a tarot reader and to me the cards are not just symbolic of emotion, thought, creativity and values… they are extremely political. ‘The Emperor Rx’ was written about the tarot card The Emperor in reverse, or upside down. He is “the father” of the Major Arcana and meant to represent power, control, strength, stability and guidance. But what happens when he is upside down? Reversed? Everything become chaos, power abuse, domination, oppression, arrogance, insecurity, fear and loss of control.
When I wrote these lyrics in early 2021 I was seeing the state of disarray in the world. We all did. We were deep into Covid-19 chaos. The Emperor is meant to symbolize someone we look up to for inspiration and guidance, but I felt the world had been cheated buy power hungry leaders… then Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24, 2022. We released the song on March 2, 2022. The timing of the release could not have been more serendipitous. The meaning of the song and the timing of the release could not have been more serendipitous.
Of course we had no idea this war would start, but the song became something of an anthem to this specific time in history. I even remember Laura saying to me something like: Devi, your witchy intuition must have anticipated this war coming. How could I have known to write these words and that less than one week after the invasion started, we would release ‘The Emperor Rx’?.
When we released ‘The Box’ in 2020 Tomasz of Bat-Cave started to write us with some consistency (we weren’t answering him fast enough) and determination. We really wanted to release vinyl, but he offered us CDs. We thought about it for some time, and he persisted (love him) so we said yes to the CD release of The Box.
When it came time for ‘The Emperor Rx’, we pushed hard for vinyl. Tomasz and I had a friendly “discussion” on stage at the Return To The Batcave Festival in 2022, where I got active audience participation and support for the vinyl release… Tomasz succumbed. And so the story continues. Next up: ‘Flawless’ CD. He is a true friend to us all and appreciate everything he has done, not only for us, but for the scene as well.
Justin, CIERŃ guitarist, anything you like to tell us about yourself?
[Justin]: Ummm so about myself? I don’t know … am I even real or just a probabilistic swarm of a quantum field. Probably the people that read this will only know me by the vibrations of my guitar strings so I guess I'm just a frequency like everyone else. I also might have taken too much acid once upon a time.
There’s the short Stephen King story ‘You Know They Got a Hell of a Band’, don’t know if any of you read it? In short (without spoiling too much); It’s about a couple who get’s lost and wander into a small town called ‘Rock and Roll Heaven’ inhabited by dead Rock-'n'-Roll legends. Imagine that you with CIERŃ end up in such a place and have to perform every night. What present or no longer excisting bands would you love to share the stage with?
[Justin]: I think of the different musicians that have been a part of Berlin like Iggy Pop, Bowie, Nick Cave, Blix Bargeld, even going back to the queer burlesque scene from the Weimar Era.
[Devi]: I was thinking the same! But would also add some other West German bands such as Malaria! and X-mal Deutschland. Sharing a stage with icons such as Marlene Dietrich would be incredible because she spoke out and did a lot for human rights during (and after - WWII) the Weimar Era.
The Weimar Republic produced many great artists, thinkers and writers. The musicians of the time were experimenting in new styles too, which speaks a lot to who we are as a band. Musicians were creating modern compositions of music and paired them with the thriving cabaret scene. This music became extremely fashionable! I would die to go back in time and be a part of this glamorous, magical era. Who knows, maybe I was in a past life.
Now that we are on the subject of performing on stage, what’s your most memorable concert so far?
[Juan]: To me, it had to be Gothic Pogo in Leipzig this year. I’ve attended that festival a couple of times, and it has been a dream of mine to play there. I love that festival because it is very vocal and straightforward, with its politics of inclusion, diversity, and anti-fascism. Those values are, to me, essential in a context in which the far right in Germany is permeating more spaces, including the World Gothik Treffen - happening simultaneously as Gothic Pogo - where it is more common to spot unapologetic neo-nazi goths.
Gothic Pogo was amazing because lots of people came to see us, and they really enjoyed our show. We loved playing there, and partying in that space is always fun.
Despite the fantastic time we had playing there, something that made it memorable too was to witness that even progressive cultural spaces in Germany have been affected by anti-Deutsch (or, more accurately, Hyper-Deutsch) politics, which forbids you to demonstrate your solidarity with Palestine.
[Devi]: I think we have had lovely experiences at all the gigs we have had, but I have 3 memories I’d like to share.
One. Our first gig ever was in Warsaw during Covid-19 so the gig was outside during the day. It was my first performance ever as a singer, so I was extremely anxious. There wasn’t room for me on the stage so I stood on the ground at eye-level with the audience. I had my eyes closed for the greater portion of the event, or I was looking at the ground or looking at the sky. After watching videos of this performance, I remember thinking, I will never perform that way again. I could see my anxiety, and I knew that I had to embrace these scary feelings and work through them.
Two. Our second gig in Warsaw, and our first gig with Justin and Laura. Again I was feeling anxious before performing, and my legs wouldn’t stop shaking. Justin had said to me that he had the perfect remedy to stop the shaking. He grabbed my hand and took me backstage where he showed me what is now our “secret dance” before every performance. We all do our own versions of this “secret dance” together before performances where we can calm ourselves before stepping on stage. The dance is fun, it brings us together and it never fails.
Three. Playing Gothic Pogo has been a dream for myself since the band came together in 2019. Being invited to such a diverse and inclusive event with such high standards and anti-rascist/facist political views was a welcomed invitation. We played our absolute best, the crowd was incredible and they packed the location and we were treated with respect and care from the event organizers. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun on stage as I did at Gothic Pogo. Lifetime achievement - unlocked.
[Justin]: The first show we did with the lineup with Laura in Warsaw where it was the first show after lockdown and the crowd was pounding on the stage so we had to play songs a second time cus we had no encoure. That and the time Juan found out how low he could go and fell over.
[Devi]: Hahahah. Oh yeah, that was a memory. Then we all stood around and looked at him, smiling while he flailed like a beetle on his back. We helped him… eventually, but not before a photo was taken. The crowd was super supportive after that and we picked up where we left off in the song.
Juan, you joined the band this year. How did you meet each other? What do you want to tell the Peek-A-Boo readers and CIERŃ fans about yourself?
[Juan]: The fact that I’m officially in the band results from the serendipitous Goth life in Berlin. I met Devi, I believe, in 2021 at a Goth summer party, most likely, and then we clicked immediately. I played the bass with a band then, Naturata Brutalismus, and we coincided in many Goth spaces with Devi. I guess Devi liked how I played. I also saw Justin with one of his projects, Night Nail, seducing people with his sax at this venue in Berlin; I found out Justin and Devi played in the same band. Then, I met Edu at the first rehearsal, and it was cool to know the same Latin American Punk bands had influenced us.
I migrated to Berlin from Quito six years ago. Now, I do academic work for a living, and I love dancing to Cumbia and EBM (not simultaneously). I used to have a Post-Punk band in Ecuador called La Calle Morgue. I also love food and drinks with contentious geographical origins, such as arepas, ceviche, pisco, and empanadas.
[Devi]: I liked you immediately! I hadn't even heard you play bass, and the first concert of NB you invited me too, I came late and completely missed the show.
I liked your easy going attitude and passion for politics about human rights and environment conservation, but you are fun to be around, a great dance partner and a music and art lover. We were lucky to have you step in for Laura as often as you did, but it was also clear when the time came, that you were a great fit for CIERŃ and you should join us.
Also... arepas... give them to me. I will eat them all.
The most recent and previously mentioned ‘Flawless’ EP was recorded by Boris Wilsdorf in his studio, which is the home of Einstürzende Neubauten. No doubt that must have been a great experience?
[Devi]: Edu found Boris, but I think he might wish to explain that himself.
When Edu suggested Boris to the group, I was pretty excited about it because I'd been a fan of Einstürzende Neubauten since my teens. My dad had brought me to see them for the first time when I was 11 (outdoor festival in Vancouver), then in my teens I found them again and later in my 20s I returned the favour and brought my dad to see them play.
To step into the sacred rehearsal space of EN was an honour. To be able to record there and use some of their equipment was magic. Boris was fun to work with. A real nutter. I think we all worked very well together and agreed most of the time for decisions to be made. When there were challenges, we found a solution. I can be a bit stubborn sometimes, ehem, but I liked how Boris accepted my quirks, as I accepted his. It was a valuable experience I won't ever forget.
[Edu]: I found Boris through a colleague who’s also a musician and recommended recording there after I checked out the studio online and saw who was behind it. I immediately told everyone in the band, and we were all really excited about the opportunity. We had a great connection with Boris—he’s definitely very experienced and full of great ideas. The process was really interesting, especially because recording an album or making music is pretty much a constant negotiation. Working with a producer and involving more people in the recording and production process helps the band grow. It teaches us to adjust our ideas and find common ground to take the music to the next level. We all learned a lot from it. The result and the experience were great.
Last, but certainly not least. Devi; Thorn-Queen. You already shared a lot. Anything you would still like to tell about yourself?
[Devi]: I’m originally from Vancouver, Canada and have been living in Berlin since 2011. I moved here because I was feeling very disenchanted with my career as a costumer in the film industry. It had been exciting for a long time, then just didn’t seem worth it anymore with 80 hour work weeks. I wanted to see what else was out in the world for me.
I have a BFA in Visual Arts and I have many creative interests that I put to use where I can. Many of them are transferable to the work I do for the band, such as album art, photography and video.
My interest in music started early. There was always music playing in my house as I grew up. Elvis, Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Doors. I had sung in choirs and played ukulele in elementary school and learned to play the guitar in high school, where I formed a punk band called ‘Never Should’ with a group of friends. Not long after I became deeply interested in the Goth scene. I had been in a punk shop in Vancouver and heard Siouxsie & the Banshees ‘Christine’ for the first time. I was hooked. This took me to record shops for vinyl and many DIY gigs. I later got into DJing (since my early 20s) and doing this in Berlin got me involved with people in the music scene here.
When I’m not doing work for CIERŃ, you might find me reading tarot cards somewhere or at the moment, with my head buried deep in books about anatomy, pathology, law and economics. I’m studying to be a medical assistant.
Allright guys. Devi, Justin, Edu & Juan, let me again on behalf of Peek-A-Boo give you a big thank you for doing this interview. Here's to a Bat-tastic musical future!
♦ CIERŃ | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree ♦
Hayley CLX
30/09/2024
Next interviews
DICHRO • An Interview With Darkwave Band, DICHRO
IRDORATH • They wrote that we wanted to influence people's minds with our bagpipes so that they would be willing to attack the police.
LES RAMONEURS DE MENHIR • We want to “unite the tribe”. Together, we are dynamite!
STEVE IGNORANT BAND • How the fuck is any government going to make life better when everything is privatised?
BRAINDEAD • It’s certainly crazy that we can play together with the big names of punk.
UK SUBS • Punkrock is an endless struggle
TANTRUM ZENTRUM • Wouldn’t it be great if the people on the front lines just stopped and refused to fight?
LEAETHER STRIP • 'I have never experienced a writers block'.
MORTAL REALM • An Interview With Mortal Realm's Adam Jones
LOCKJAW • An Interview With Industrial Metal Band, LOCKJAW