The automobile and energy industries prove it on a daily basis: they swear by hybrids, in other words a homogeneous mix of different components which blend past, present and future. German newcomer act Gloomball apply similar parameters in terms of their artistic orientation. Their debut album is called The Distance and documents an amazing diversity of styles, influences and ingredients. “We refer to our material simply as rock music, but you could also call it alternative metal or modern rock,” guitarist Björn Daigger, who composed the majority of the tracks together with vocalist Alen Ljubic, explains, adding: “At the end of the day, our range includes elements from pop to death metal. In addition, there are classic orchestra parts as well as ultra-deep seven-string guitars. There are no stylistic taboos in Gloomball.” Since 2010, Gloomball have developed from a project which was initially limited to pure studio work to a hot live act and have long had their baptism of fire, continuing to impress growing numbers of fans with their dynamic style. They have played with top acts such as Dillinger Escape Plan, Ektomorf, Neaera, Ignite, Parkway Drive and Axxis without getting the short end of the stick. So it’s no surprise that it didn’t take long for renowned record companies to express their interest in this band. Additional strong arguments for the justified public interest were Gloomball’s two demo releases which document beyond doubt just how talented and at the same ti