Shadows of the Heart: Some Days Are Darker Unveil Enigmatic Anthem “Dead Romance”
In the twilight realm of goth-rock, where melancholy reigns supreme, a flicker of transformation emerges. Windsor, ON-bred and Phoenix, AZ-based post-punk enigma Some Days Are Darker.
Their very name whispers of duality, suggesting that even in the deepest shadows, light may linger. Their latest single, “Dead Romance,” weaves this delicate balance into a tapestry of haunting beauty and introspective empowerment.
From its inception, “Dead Romance” was a vessel for catharsis, evolving over the years as frontman Lear Mason navigated the emotional battlefield of love lost. The track’s moody aura captures the essence of moving through and on.
“‘Dead Romance’ began as a ballad,” Mason reveals. “I struggled with the lyrics, rewriting verses, adding lines, eliminating others. I think I was writing an apology I wasn’t ready to give, so it languished for years… a ghost in the shadows.”
The breakthrough came with the intervention of producer and SDAD drummer Robbie Williamson, who helped Mason reshape the song’s somber tone into something more driving and resonant with his current state of mind.
“Relationships are chaotic, and blame is shared. We endure, we learn, we grow. And so, the song found its voice in being more of a celebration of perseverance than an apology.”
What emerged is a track steeped in the dramatic flair of goth-rock icons like Placebo and Depeche Mode yet pulsating with a fresh new voice. Bassist Chris Martin’s groove summons the forlorn to the dance floor, blending sorrow and strength in an irresistible call to embrace their darkness.
Some Days Are Darker will bring their melancholic yet uplifting saga to life in two upcoming shows. They will first cast their spell at The Beast in Tempe, AZ, on Saturday, June 15, followed by an evocative performance at The Nile Underground in Mesa, AZ, on June 21.
Join them as they transform tales of misery and woe into a dance of acceptance and resilience.
The name “Some Days Are Darker” suggests a nuanced outlook on melancholy. How did you come up with the band name, and what does it represent to you?
Nuance is exactly it. Although we portray the band in black and white, I prefer to think of it as greyscale. Ambiguous. Always shifting and with no clearly drawn line. I’ve had a few people describe the name to me as being uplighting. As in—not all days are dark. I like that interpretation. For me, when I first wrote it down, it was both an observation and an affirmation. Life can be painful and difficult, but we persevere. And everyone loves a good underdog story.
Could you describe the collaborative process within the band when crafting songs like “Dead Romance”? How do ideas typically take shape?
Dead Romance was a song I wrote on acoustic guitar that I always thought of as a ballad. I’ve had the lyrics and chord structure for a long time. I finally sent the demo to our drummer/producer Robbie Williamson (Orange Blossom Studio, PHX) and he had the idea to raise the tempo and let it rock more. I think that was also partially influenced by our live shows and seeing how the people in the room reacted to different songs. We also experimented with more early 80s instrumentation like Roland Juno chorus and an RS09 to bring it closer to that early The Cure, New Order-type sound that we love.
How has the band’s cross-border background (Windsor, ON and Phoenix, AZ) influenced your music and creative approach?
We’re a band with no home. And like you mentioned earlier, it’s very nuanced. We don’t feel attached to any one place, or city, or scene. I think that contributes to our sound. It’s hard to put a finger on. More of an eclectic mix. Some of our previous bands, like FaceDown for example, had to have “Canada” after our name to differentiate from other international bands. That was a very Windsor-based band. Some Days Are Darker is more of a drifter. We all carry the blue-collar, Midwest work ethic with us. On the road, in the studio, at rehearsal. Ultimately, we just wanted to leave Windsor to broaden our perspectives and opportunities. We’re relocating to NYC this fall and I’m wondering if that will finally feel like home. So far the city has been very welcoming to me.
How do you feel about the current state of goth-rock and post-punk music? Where do you see the genre heading in the coming years?
The current state of goth-rock and post-punk is as strong as ever. I see those genres as doing the dark, emotive, mid-tempo thing like us, in a more guitar- and drums-based way whereas dark wave and cold wave and some of the adjacent genres do it more electronically. That’s where I see it heading in the coming years. Bands with fewer members doing that sound more electronically. We’re seeing it already. Inversely, we’d love to have one or two more people on stage with us to do more live instruments. We present more like a rock band, but that’s just our nature. We’re all lifer musicians. Journeymen. And to the listener sitting at home, none of that matters. All that matters is the song.