Ghost Bath: Honing the Art of Despair
Image Credit: Anastasia Davidchyk
Prepare to descend into the abyss with Ghost Bath, a band that's pushing the boundaries of Depressive Suicidal Black Metal (DSBM). In our latest interview with the man behind Ghost Bath, Dennis Mikula, we unearth the raw and unfiltered truths behind their haunting melodies and chilling screams. From the depths of despair to the heights of melancholic ecstasy, Ghost Bath is not just a band, but a journey into the darker recesses of the human soul.
Brace yourself for an exploration of their creative process, their connection with fans, and a glimpse into the future of this audacious act. This is Ghost Bath. Unfiltered. Unrestrained. Unleashed.
You refer to Ghost Bath as DSBM, what does that mean to you?
DSBM is a form of black metal that I found around 2011. It spoke to me more than traditional black metal genres. Likely because I’m depressed as fuck. It feeds into that. Besides the lyrical and visual content, it also has some interest[ing] twists to original black metal, such as a slower BPM, more melodic tracks, and more insane sounding vocals. All of which I found to be refreshing and interesting. Something I could use to create my own art.
Tell us about the feeling you get when a Ghost Bath song is done, or is a song never done?
I write songs very quickly. They are written in the moment and on the spot. So once I’ve got the written piece, I feel that it is not FULLY finished. I then listen to it a ton, on different speakers, and figure out if anything else can be changed with it. It’s not until it’s fully mixed and mastered by a studio AND released to the world that it is done in my mind. At that point it is no longer mine but the listener’s song. Once my songs are public, I sort of stop listening to them. By that point I’m usually onto the next thing. The only time I hear them is rehearsal or live shows, which is a completely different experience and context for me than a recorded track.
Can you highlight an interesting or unique moments on one of your albums that your usual listener wouldn’t pick up on?
I make a crazy amount of “happy accidents” as they are called, both while writing and recording. I’m sure a lot of musicians do. I just think I’m more inclined to keep them on the final tracks. For example, on the newest record ‘Self Loather’ the song Unbearable. The end riff changes the entire time. Two of the guitars are in a different time signature than the other, and so the riff sort of wraps around itself, never playing the same start of measure 1.
I also write parts that are deceptively simple. I figured this out when practicing with fill-in musicians or even when I show band mates certain parts I’ve written on guitar. I enjoy minimalism and focus on chords and progressions the most. But the way I change through chords always have a slight change or difference that does not follow normal patterns. I don’t even mean to do it, it just comes natural. And when I show the others, they sometimes stare at me like I’m insane. Which I am.
What is your favourite instrument to play and why (excluding your throat!)?
100% guitar, no doubt. The guitar at this point is just an extension of myself. I can pick one up and express anything I want in a short matter of time from just a faint idea in my head. I wouldn’t even say I’m a “great” guitar player. I don’t shred or write fast solos. I just write what I feel.
Back to the vocals, you’ve got a wide variety of shrieks, roars, rasps, and more. What are your top 3 tips for aspiring vocalists to get where you are?
Some of these tips I’ll feel hypocritical in saying because I don’t exactly follow them. But maybe I’ll stick to what I would recommend before going into the studio (and not live):
Drink a TON of water
Warm up by singing some songs you like that don’t strain your voice
Don’t drink for a few weeks before going to record, it’ll dry you out
(Live, I don’t follow any of these)
How does being in a Black Metal band affect your relationships?
Being a musician affects every part of my life, I think, regardless of genre. I’ve made sacrifices I think most would not be willing to make. Time away from family. Distance from close ones. I am always working on stuff, sort of in my own world. Others around me could probably explain it better than me, because to me it’s just doing what I love. But I know full-well it isn’t the greatest for close ones.
Rapid fire, choose one or the other:
Disc World or Malazan Book of the Fallen?
Disc World. Malazan I have not fully read yet. I love the writing style and idea, but I want to make sure I can commit enough time to read the full series before I start.
Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam or Marrow of the Spirit?
Marrow of the Spirit. It is what inspired Ghost Bath. It’s one of my favorite records ever.
Sunny day or starry night?
Starry night. I hate the daytime. I’m a night owl. I will wake up at like 6pm to avoid the day and the sun.
Movies only! Fellowship or Return?
Fellowship. Based on personal experience, I was most excited for this own growing up as it was the first. It blew my mind.
Ghost Bath: Self Loather
Now imagine, we’re on tour with you. We’re running around to get the band some nice chai lattes, and trying to get the perfect Tesco meal deal combo.
What can your fans expect on the upcoming tour with Uada & Cloak?
A depressed me strumming chords and staring at you in the audience. If you’ve never seen us live, we are heavier than on record, or so we are told.
What would a Ghost Bath show look like if you had no limit on money, time, or venue?
I think playing in a unique location would work well with us. A graveyard possibly. Dead of night. That would be very peaceful and I think I would feel right at home performing.
Do you find it difficult to tour now? Why?
I did for a while after the pandemic, but I think finally things are going back to normal (at least on our side of things) We struggled to get tours for a bit but over the next few years I foresee us getting on quite a few.
What has been the most memorable or impactful interaction you've had with a fan, and how does their support influence your music and performances? The worst?
Finding fans who have tattooed our logo or cover art on themselves has been pretty crazy. I’ve had fans come tell me how they wanted to kill themselves and my art has helped them with that. In fact, I get this almost every single show. It just makes me jealous and more depressed to be honest. I wish my music helped me as much as it does them. I still want to die.
What can we expect on the next tour?
We put more energy into our shows than almost any other band we’ve shared the stage with. It just comes out of us.
In 2016 you said “We feel sorry for anyone who tries to put “rules” or regulations on a certain art or genre; it must be a bland and monotonous existence to live with such limitations. We will never follow what anyone else wants, or doesn’t want, in art.” Do you still align with that thinking now that you’re older?
100% stand by this to this day. Especially with what we have going on with our next record. We don’t hold back. Anyone who “wants to sound a certain way” by keeping to a genre’s limitations is boring to me. I get the idea of “doing something well” that’s been done before. But that does not make waves. It doesn’t push anything important forward. Be you.
How important is it for you to be recognised for your work?
I think we all want to be recognized whether we say we do or not. I just don’t want mine to be forced. I like the idea of the slow and steady growth we’ve had with people who genuinely enjoy us finding our music organically.
Do you read comments often from your fans and do they influence you? What about reviews of your albums?
Sometimes I will if I’m bored. I never follow anyone’s advice or criticism. Despite what everyone believes, people do NOT know what they want when it comes to art. They couldn’t devise a perfect piece of art for themselves. If they could, they would. But doing so misses two important elements of art; mystery and surprise.
Tell our metalhead listeners more about what vaporwave is, and how it is part of your life?
Vaporwave is an internet genre of music, devoid of any locational scene. It is nostalgic and mysterious, spanning a wide array of sounds. A lot of it uses samples and distorts them. Much of it is by anonymous alias’s (or used to be) I run a record label called Geometric Lullaby that focuses on this type of music.
You mentioned you’re always ahead. What direction will you be taking Ghost Bath next?
An unexpected one. One that isn’t afraid to take chances. I can’t give away details yet as that would take away the mystery and surprise. Just know that we are bringing in elements and ideas that Ghost Bath has never used before.
What is the best way to support Ghost Bath?
Coming to shows first and foremost. Buying records. All the normal shit. Probably showing a friend who you think could use the music would work well. I don’t know, I like to let things happen naturally.
And finally, we ask artists to ask a random question to the next band we interview (they don’t know who it will be). From Danish black metal titans, Afsky, mastermind Ole asks:
Where do you see the world in 100 years from now?
I think that’s an impossible question. One I would never pretend to know the answer to. But just for fun, I can come up with something…Probably recessed back into a “dark” period. Riding horses through piles of broken computers. I don’t know.
What random question would you like us to ask the next band we interview?
What’s one of the weirdest genres you can think of to mix with metal? And do you think, if done well, it could work?
We’d like to thank Dennis for visiting the Citadel. Make sure to head over to the Bandcamp and support Ghost Bath, now!
