After listening to the exceptional ‘Signs Of Yesterday’, we are thrilled to sit down and have a chat with the musical mind behind it. Join us as we discuss the song, its composition, and the story behind it with Dominick Keath.
- Hi Dominick! Thank you for another opportunity to chat. We are smitten with ‘Signs Of Yesterday’. We can see large stylistic differences between all three of the singles you released this year thus far. From the ballad tendencies of ‘Frozen Tears’ to the 80s operatic rock of ‘Providence…’ to the electronic soundscapes of the latest, do you think there’s one of the three approaches you would prefer to explore more than the others?
Hi Moataz, and thanks for having me on again! And huge thanks for the appreciation of my new single. I`m very excited to answer your questions about my work.
Yes, indeed there are significant stylistic differences between the three songs and I`m very proud of them all. Both `Frozen Tears and `Providence De La Jetset represent my musical background in a very profound way and they where also written and recorded pretty effortless since that style and approach comes very natural to me. `Signs Of Yesterday‘ however was quite a bit more of a challenge and also that song differentiates in the way that the process goes as well. The song has basically been in the works for years before I had it finalized and released. Despite the fact that the song is a bit more experimental, still I always had the idea that `Signs Of Yesterday‘ would be more of a “hit-song” than the two previously released songs. At least that was my main intent.
The stylistic direction on my upcoming releases will certainly tilt more towards the approach of `Signs Of Yesterday.’ The main reason for that is that I aim for the broader audiences and would preferably be regarded as a mainstream kind-of-artist as opposed to a musician locked into the nished metal category. I think that `Signs Of Yesterday‘ has that potential. My upcoming songs will be created from that very standpoint. They will also showcase more of my funky and groovy influences alongside with the grandiosity of the symphonic and bombastic elements. The melodic and catchy choruses that is heard on the previous releases will still be a profound focus in my future material, but less routed in the classic metal-style.
- On writing ‘Signs Of Yesterday’, what was your approach to coming up with such a unique arrangement? Did you have a particular sound in mind that you were going for? or do things fall in place as the process progresses?
Well, I had an intent of doing something different in terms of arrangement and stylistic approach where I started off with the idea for the groove. It`s funny because the actual main riff was inspired by a song by Joe Satriani called `Wormhole Wizards.’ From there I composed the rest of the song and the end result has no similarities to the “Satch-song” whatsoever. It turned out quite different just like I wanted it to be (and obviously not an instrumental song). Usually I write like that meaning that I start off with the instrumental parts and then I write the lyrics as the process progress and the song takes form.
- We can hear a fantastic string sequence, a great beat, and an involved synth performance, all right alongside the great singing and lyrics. Do you receive any assistance in preparing your songs or is your approach wholly DIY?
Thanks! No, it`s all me. I do it all by myself. Songwriting, performing and recording is all the DIY-method including the marketing side of it which I do under my own label. It`s kind of a danting task to be an independent artist especially when you`re new to the whole thing and the music industry has changed quite a bit from the old days. The possibillities are way better now I think but it requires a lot of work to carry it through and to manage it on you own. But over time I hope it will pay off and that i will be able to see some results. The only exception to the standard procedure in the music side-of-things is that the mixing/mastering of my songs is done by my producers (Anders “Theo” Theander and Johan Snofeldt) at `RoastingHouse Music. `Signs Of Yesterday,’ however, is the only exception to that since I already had that song mixed and mastered long before I hooked up with `RoastingHouse. So I am therefore listed as the producer myself on this particular track.
My next release and all the following releases will be mixed/mastered and produced by `RoastingHouse Music just like the first two was.
- Regarding your time in Morocco and in Malta and the profound story you shared with us, now would be a good time for our readers to also get to know the inspiration behind the song, from the man himself. How did it feel to finally realize where you belonged and what you wanted to do? Was it more scary or exciting?
In hardship and struggle we often find out who we really are. Our strenghts and weaknesses come to show in a very profound way when you realise that something within you has do be dealt with in order to reach the next level.
The song is all about growth really and growth often comes with a price just like as described in one of the lines from the lyric “For any gain in life there is a sacrifice” which in my case was to face the root-problems of the occuring setbacks that I encountered in my life. The particular sacrifice for me was to deal with things like limiting beliefs and some self damaging personality traits that never served me in getting forward in life. As you let go of certain aspects of your own state of being it might even mean that you have to distance yourself from things that you are emotionally attached to. You simply have to do whatever it takes to become the person who is able to fullfill your life goals and dreams.
As for the details in my life that inspired the song it was simply that I was more or less forced to abrubtly end things that I had going back home in Sweden. Circumstances made me have to plan my whereabouts from where I could land a job in a crisis of temporary homelessness. I just couldn´t wait around for any more rejections back home so I left for other opportunities. Of all places in the world my next job-offer came from Malta after having travelled around a bit prior to that. It was just in time before I was dead broke I had to take the chance on flying to Malta for a casino job which I miraculously landed already the second day after I came there. A great job and a fine way of living but eventually I had to face the facts that I left plenty of unfinished business back home in Sweden. Malta was to small of a place for me and the music scene there is also very limited. I lived a good life that I didn`t wanna give up on but I didn`t progress there. I was “stuck” in the wonderful island in the sun.
Again, the lyric line “For any gain in life there is a sacrifice” is another example of just that even if applayed to the relative trivial situations during my travels. In greater aspects of life the message is still the same I think.
So I guess the sense moral (if there is any) to the story simply is to listen to your inner desire for fullfillment and purpose as opposed to stay in the comfort of superficial convenients.
- The background story for ‘Signs Of Yesterday’ is very deep and personal, and I’d dare say that as a song, it might be your most musically intricate and most empowering. Would you agree to that? And if you had to pick a favorite of your three latest singles, which one would it be?
Thanks for the acknowlegde of the musical and instrumental aspects of the song as well, considering it carries a strong message. I´m very proud of the song as a composition and I would agree to the fact that it is probably the one that I`ve put the most effort into in terms of arrangements and groove-making so far.
If I had to pick a favorite (it`s almost like asking someone to pick their favorite child) it has to be `Signs Of Yesterday‘ for the same reasons as just mentioned. Another reason might be my guitar work on it as I provided `Signs Of Yesterday‘ with a well composed guitar solo that is a bit more extended than the one in Frozen Tears.
From a sound-production point of view however, it isn`t as good as it`s predessessors.
So it`s a tough call, but “Signs” would be my pick all together after all, due to the composition value.
- Finally, what are your plans for the immediate future? Should we expect a fourth, completely different single to come out soon? Or is it finally time for an album? Or maybe a tour? Where can fans find you next?
I plan to release new songs leading up to a full album but I will release them as singles. That is the so called “waterfall release strategy” meaning one song at the time will be released. I also have some plans for an EP with songs that will be in the style of blues rock. This will probably be a reality a bit later on. I haven`t come that far in the planning of that just yet.
However, the fourth song is in the making as we speak. This new song (that haven’t got a title yet) will stylistically pick up from where `Signs Of yesterday‘ left off, but it also has some similarities to Frozen Tears as it has similar rythm patterns. This new one I am very excited about since it has the groove and a very strong melody in place already. As a disclosure I can tell that it has some jazzy and very funky elements to it but still with a common thread to the previous songs.
It`s gonna be a banger and I can`t wait to see how it will be recieved. If you like `Signs Of Yesterday‘ you will love the new song for sure!
Release date will be set to somewhere in the end of Januari of next year (2025).
There are no tours or shows in the pipeline just yet but the plan is to make that a reality if there will be demand for it over time. Until then I just will enjoy the entire process.
- Thank you, Dominick for the chat. It is always rewarding to connect with the artists and give them the space to speak about their creations. We hope the conversation was as compelling to you as it was to us, and we hope to reconnect again over your great music soon.
