Robse makes his own business now.
Robert-Martin « Robse » Dahn, best known for his work as a vocalist with bands such as Equilibrium, Mallevs Maleficarvm and Minas Morgul, decided to found his own solo project in 2022.
He surrounded himself with Dennis « Blaze » Baron (guitar, Mallevs Maleficarvm, Final Depravity, ex-Tragedy and Triumph), Oliver Hey (guitar, Final Depravity), Marco Paulzen (bass, Once), Marius Berendsen (drums, Mallevs Maleficarvm, Tragedy and Triumph) and Alina Lesnik (keyboards/vocals, Ardarith, Once) to give life to Harlekin und Krieger, his first album, released by Reaper Entertainment.
Sonata Arlecchino opens the album with a relatively modern yet epic sound, before Harlekin und Krieger sweeps in with a martial Melodic Death sound that perfectly matches the vocalist’s German roars. The choruses adorned with Alina‘s backing vocals seem softer to our ears, as do the opening moments of Hey Sturm, which make the atmosphere less aggressive, but definitely not less heavy when the two guitars start marching in unison to create a catchy rhythm. The furious acceleration will undoubtedly be the occasion for a veritable hurricane in the pit, then it’s to a sort of mysterious Pagan ritual that Amenthes invites us, using dark keyboards as well as some occult vocal parts on the final. Aus dem Gleichgewicht again offers a few gentle touches that turn into pure energy under Robse‘s cries, but once again the keyboard adds a majestic dimension to the mix, before moving on to Von der Schenke zur Taverne, which keeps more or less the same joyful approach, sometimes blending the two voices in a very complementary way. Fury returns with Kleine weiße Friedenstaube, but the band welcomes Stumpen (Knorkator) on vocals to complement screams, creating an intriguing contrast within this short composition, which again gives way to soothing on Lied der Nacht, a track where the keyboardist leads the dance on Folk tones. The majority of the track is acoustic, providing a real break with the violence until the vocalist returns, followed by Nostalgia and its obvious melancholy, accompanied by Dom R. Cray (Equilibrium, Nothgard), which the band mixes to perfection with its imposing approach and massive howls, also found on Flamme der Revolution. The jolting rhythm provides obvious motivation for the virulent composition, which will also have its little effect on stage, then it’s again with an imposing sound that Viva la Caida begins, before suddenly accelerating to welcome the wild vocal parts, which turn into a veritable anthem on the choruses of this last long track.
Well-known in the Melodic Death Metal world, Robse emancipates himself with a powerful and thoughtful album. Fans of his former bands will recognize exactly what Harlekin und Krieger is made of, and love it even more!
90/100
A few questions to Robert-Martin “Robse” Dahn for the release of his new debut album under the name Robse, Harlekin und Krieger.
Hello Robse and first of all, thank you very much for your time! Without using the usual musical labels such as “Melodic Death Metal” or so, how would you introduce your new solo project ?
Robert-Martin “Robse” Dahn (vocals): Hello and cheers to my beloved France! Melodic Death Metal describes it quite well when you need to roughly define the style. The occasional Immortal Black Metal parts and the power of old In Flames and Amorphis songs, combined with the deep voice from the Equilibrium past, create that very special epic Robse sound.
How did you choose your nickname Robse, and how do you connect it to the music you make?
Robse: When my path and Equilibrium unfortunately diverged and the name Robse was on everyone’s lips worldwide, I thought it would be the best idea to name the new band after myself. It might sound a bit presumptuous, but for quick progress, I felt it was the best idea. Giving up and stopping was never an option, and so far, no one has complained.
Your first album Harlekin und Krieger will be out next month. How do you feel about it? Do you already have any feedback?
Robse: The fact that a full album is already in the starting blocks just two years after founding this band makes me more than happy. It’s like expecting a little baby in the form of a cool digi-pack and a beautiful box with vinyl. It’s fantastic. The responses to the first two singles were absolutely great, and there were actually no negative words. People are really happy that I’m back.
How would you sum Harlekin und Krieger’s identity up in only three words?
Robse: Powerful, serious, and funny.
How did the creation process happen for Harlekin und Krieger? How did you gather the musicians who now work with you, and how did they participate in the album’s creation?
Robse: My drummer Marius and I have known each other for quite a while, and we played together in a Black Metal band seven years ago. He constantly writes songs and sends them to me, and as the time came for me to leave Equilibrium, we started turning his best ideas into finished, powerful songs. The great thing about our band is that all six musicians are really songwriters. Our keyboardist Alina contributed a ballad, guitarist Ölle wrote two songs in the style of In Flames and Cradle of Filth, and guitarist Dennis writes the cheerful dance songs. When I have ideas, I whistle a melody to Marius in the WhatsApp group, and he makes a song out of it. This way, the album was completely composed in three months.
Is there a concept behind Harlekin und Krieger?
Robse: The title Harlekin und Krieger basically describes my persona. The constantly funny guy who always makes a joke but can also be the warrior facing the problems of this sick world. A good message to the world: Stand strong in life but never forget your inner child.
What can you tell me about the artwork? What were the guidelines you gave to create it, and how does it fit with the music you created?
Robse: The cover should prominently feature the warrior who fears nothing and no one, surrounded by harlequins representing joy in life. We definitely succeeded in this. The artwork is by my good friend Valtyr from beautiful Switzerland. It’s a really beautiful picture that hangs as a canvas in my living room.
The band’s sound is of course made of Melodic Death Metal, but how do you manage to create your own touch? Where do you find your inspiration to create music and/or lyrics?
Robse: I believe my typical Robse sound comes from my consistently deep voice, reminding people of the good old days of my old band. I find inspiration for lyrics in everyday life. Songs that life writes. I didn’t want to write novels lyrically, invent something new, or follow the Edda. The path was clear: fun should be combined with serious topics. Songs about friendship meet songs about the constant war on this sick planet. There’s something for everyone, and the positive message is always there: Never let the problems of this world get you down, open a beer, and spit in your enemies’ faces.
How did you decide on the singles to reveal to introduce the album and why did you pick those ones precisely? Do you have a favorite song on this album? Or maybe the hardest one to achieve for the album.
Robse: The song Harlekin und Krieger was perfect to present our band Robse to the world. It’s bombastic, danceable, and has a positive message. The song Flamme der Revolution is my secret favorite. It reminds us that we only die once, and the rest is pure life. Don’t worry about small problems and just enjoy life. Also, this song blasts some awesome metal in your ears.
You also have two guests on the album, Stumpen and Dom R. Cray. How did you manage to involve them in the album creation?
Robse: Dom is my good old friend from Equilibrium, and I brought him into the band back then. We always stayed in good contact, even after the separation from Equilibrium. We both played on the biggest stages in the world and are like brothers. He was the producer of this album and responsible for the mix and mastering. He was always my second voice in the past, and it was a must for him to be part of this album. Stumpen is the singer of the German fun Metal band Knorkator and is something like my role model. Over the years, we have become friends, and it was a big dream come true for me to sing with him. Great guy, that Stumpen. We sing an old song about peace from the former GDR.
The band teams up with record label Reaper Entertainment, how is the collaboration with them?
Robse: I have known the boss of Reaper for many years, and he was responsible for my old band at Nuclear Blast. It was clear to me that if I continued down this path, it would only be with good friends who are kind and honest. Reaper and Florian Milz were the only options.
Do you think you improved yourself as a musician with this new record?
Robse: Finally, I can do what I want and now can do many things that I couldn’t do in the past. At 44, I have actually developed further, worked on my voice, and finally have the fun that Heavy Metal should bring. It just feels great, and I love this new path.
The band’s debut show will happen at the Summer Breeze festival, how do you work on live shows as a band? Can we expect you to go on tour soon?
Robse: Our record release party will be held at Summer Breeze on August 16th, and it will be awesome. We have great stage banners and cool songs ready. We don’t have a sophisticated show; we just want to have a huge amount of fun. Always nice and relaxed. It will be my fifth time on the Summer Breeze stage, and I’m looking forward to seeing all the old fans and friends. We are diligently planning a tour for 2025. The requests are enormous, and we are really excited.
Are there any other musicians or artists you would like to collaborate with? Whether it is for one song, or maybe more.
Robse: I would actually love to do a song with my childhood idol Morten Harket from the Norwegian band A-ha. He sings the verses with his unique voice, and I roar in the chorus like a wild boar. That would be absolutely amazing.
What do you know about the French Metal scene? Are there any bands you know and like?
Robse: I love and adore the French Black Metal scene. Bands like the mighty Seth, Anorexia Nervosa, Ad Inferna, and Himinbjorg inspired me to join this scene. Of course, the gods Alcest and Blut aus Nord must also be mentioned.
Last and funny question: which dish would you compare Robse’s music with?
Robse: The Robse dish is a huge wild boar leg with liters of beer, whiskey, and lots of red wine.
That was the last question for me, so thank you very much for your time and your music, last words are yours!
Robse: Thank you for these great questions. I send greetings to France and all the old fans out there. We often saw each other and had a great party together during my concerts across Europe. I’m sure our album with its power, hardness, and melodies will blow you away, and I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon.