From the depths of South Africa’s underground metal scene, two prominent forces have re-emerged with a new musical endeavour, Seance Room. Wilhelm Barnard (ex-Laconia) and Dwayne Coetzee (ex-Sacrifist/Laconia) are no strangers to heavy riffs and haunting melodies. Their upcoming project is already stirring interest with cryptic posts and updates on social media. With their first album in the works, the duo promises a collection of tracks steeped in atmosphere, grit, and passion. We sat down with Wilhelm and Dwayne to discuss what led to this collaboration, what fans can expect from the release, and how they plan to keep the flame of physical media alive in a digital age.

Interview Questions

What have you both been up to since your time with Laconia and Sacrifist?

Wilhelm Barnard: "Well, I've not been tremendously musically active since the Laconia days which I stepped away from around a decade ago. Or at least not from a performance perspective. I think the last local band I saw live on top of that was when Sacrifist released "Tyranny" in 2016. I do however still play guitar and enjoy composition and that's never really left me, so over the years I've been recording my own things to just keep the juices flowing. Some of those ideas actually made it onto this upcoming album. "

Dwayne Coetzee: "Well the last couple of years I worked a bit on finalising a second Laconia album with the help of Wilhelm, to set in stone some songs that were played live but was never released as actual music. After that I focused more on riding bike with the club (Hell Razors), and that is also where the spark arrived to start making music again,...seeing bands perform at the day-jols gave me some nostalgia to pick the axe up again and here were are busy with the first album... you cannot keep a musician down for too long."

How did Séance Room come together? What sparked the idea for this new project?

Wilhelm Barnard: "For me, it was a combination of factors. I think aside from our friendship, playing music together all those years ago really solidified our drive to keep creating music together. I think we just "get" each other and creatively there are no dramas. But the concept for Seance Room has been a while in the making and I think if memory serves I first got the idea to do something formal in 2023, although myself and Dwayne have been talking about it for much longer. That's that side of it, but there's also the part of getting occasional reminders from people that own some of our previous work that they wish there were more. I also have to give credit to Paradise Lost (my favourite band) for really igniting the flame to really do this, after seeing them live in 2023. That was a huge catalyst."  

Dwayne Coetzee: "As Wilhelm stated our friendship is beyond just making music together, we hang out quite often and even though the band scene is long gone we are still very connected with music. My drive started by seeing other bands play live and feeling the need to do a project again where we can really just do whatever we feel like. There are no restrictions because of other members either not being into it or the band's image does not reflect it."

Can you tell us about the meaning behind the name "Seance Room" and the concept behind the project?

Wilhelm Barnard: "Coming up with a name is half the battle. There was a couple being toyed with but Seance Room is the one that stuck. The philosophy behind the name itself for me comes from a place where it felt like the process of creating music has died. The past is dead, and the joy it brought you is also withering because you don't really actively do it that much anymore. So in a sense there's this subconscious grief and longing for it. A seance is an attempt to communicate with the dead, so essentially the name Seance Room circles back to wanting to communicate with that part of yourself that's been "dead" for a while and resurrecting it. And while creating, you're usually in a room (laughs), so that rounds it off. "

Dwayne Coetzee: "The name is 100% Wilhelm's idea and I loved it when I heard it.  Great minds think alike.... yea yea fools never differ too... but you get the idea."

You’ve mentioned 11 tracks for the upcoming album. What kind of sound or vibe should listeners expect from the album?

Wilhelm Barnard: "Between the two of us our musical interests are quite broad. I'm an old school thrash guy but also the last couple of years very much into bands like Frayle and Darkher, so a healthy helping of doom and atmospheric stuff. Then there's also the legacy bands I'm also very influenced by like Paradise Lost. So you can't really help but have those kinds of vibes (for lack of a better term) also present themselves in the music you're creating. So, I'm really trying to create a musical palette that is of course metal, but contains melancholic doom or gothic elements with some symphonic parts to offset the occasional chaos."

Dwayne Coetzee: "Our musical taste does have a wide variety but there are also many bands we listen to that are the same, so those elements will be more prominent in the songs we create. I do have a big love for Black Metal and hardly ever had an opportunity to delve into that musically so here and there I made sure that part is also shown in the songs, albeit not complete black metal songs but many elements do have strong Black or Swedish Death metal vibes.... but the main focus of the songs are a mixture between melancholic doom meets heavy headbanging goodness.. just what the doctor prescribed."

Is there a release date in mind, and do you have plans for any limited physical releases like CDs or special editions?

Wilhelm Barnard: "The idea was always to get all the instumentation done first, and then record the vocals. So we've just reached that point where Dwayne will have to stare down the barrel of a microphone again. We're fortunate that we're completely in control of this so there's no-one breathing down our necks to get it done, or rush. But at this pace the album will probably be ready to go around February/March 2025. I collect vinyl records so physical media is still something I cherish. I think it's nice to have a physical, tangible copy of something. Vinyl pressings are however out of the question for this record as the costs associated are astronomical. But the record will have a very limited CD run, aside from being available digitally."

Dwayne Coetzee: "It was important to get the music recorded first so we could get a feeling of what we actually trying to accomplish with this album, as it is a brand new project we had to get the puzzle pieces to fit first... but yes I will be doing vocals during the course of the Holidays (hopefully I can still do it... hahahahaha)"

Are there any unique or special features of the album release that fans should look forward to?

Wilhelm Barnard: "Well, aside from putting it out on CD which almost no-one does nowadays, nothing really springs to mind. We're approaching this release completely independantly so keeping it very simple. But for me, the "special" part of the whole project will be when it's complete and people can listen to the whole album."

Dwayne Coetzee: "Knowing Wilhelm there might just be a visual thing being released later which will not be on disk but available on our social platforms.. I still need to twist the arm though..."

Where can people follow you online to stay updated on Seance Room and the progress of the album?

"Best will be the Seance Room Facebook page. We also have a Bandcamp page where the album will be available digitally once it's released."

Any final thoughts or words for fans eagerly awaiting this release?

Wilhelm Barnard: "Looking forward to releasing this album, and hope you enjoy it!"

Dwayne Coetzee: "Hopefully the crowd can enjoy it as much as we do - putting hard efforts for something you are passionate about should be shared to those who appreciate music."

With the foundation laid and the final touches on their debut album underway, Wilhelm Barnard and Dwayne Coetzee are set to introduce Séance Room to the world. Their deep-rooted passion for storytelling and their commitment to creating a rich, immersive experience are evident in every aspect of the project. Drawing on influences from doom, gothic, and black metal, the album promises to be a journey into both the familiar and the unknown. Fans can look forward to a distinct blend of melancholic atmospheres and headbanging anthems. With plans for a limited physical release and potential visual content in the works, Séance Room is more than just an album – it's an experience. Follow their social platforms for updates on release dates, exclusive content, and the possibility of future live performances. The séance has begun, and the echoes are only growing louder.

Your support makes stories like this possible!

Underground Press relies entirely on your generosity, enabling us to report on the entertainment industry, free of charge and independently. Your contribution ensures millions worldwide can continue to visit our site for amazing content from around the web.
*Currency in South African Rands (ZAR)