Chris Pohl (Blutengel) interview: ‘Love, Death, Darkness and Fears’
Chris Pohl - Blutengel interview
In the early ’90s, during a trip to Berlin, I discovered Chris Pohl and his first project, Terminal Choice. I was immediately captivated by his music—this young artist clearly had talent. Of course, I couldn’t have imagined that he would soon become a leading figure in the electro underground scene. Over the years, he launched several other successful projects. In addition to Terminal Choice, there were Miss Construction and Tumor, to name just two. And then there was Seelenkrank, which would later evolve into Blutengel.
For more than 25 years now, Blutengel has released one successful album after another, establishing Chris Pohl as a true music icon in his home country. His latest album, “Dämonen:Sturm”, released this year on Out Of Line, further confirms his brilliance and unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional work. The album is not only a deeply personal exploration of inner demons but also a musical gem, blending elements of Dark-Pop, Electro-Wave, and Cinematic music.
I had an open and insightful conversation with Chris Pohl about various topics—but especially about the phenomenon that is Blutengel. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)
Understanding the vision of Chris Pohl and Blutengel
Q: After more than 25 years of existence, you released your fourteenth studio album this year with Blutengel. After all these years, what is the most difficult part — finding the inspiration for a new album, or transforming that inspiration into actual music and songs?
Chris: To be honest, I’m not worried about that. I’ve never let myself be influenced by trends and I write my lyrics the way I feel. Of course, many themes will repeat themselves over the 25 years, but that’s certainly the case with all bands that have been in the business for so long. Love, death, darkness and fears…. That’s what still keeps me busy.
Q: “Dämonen:Sturm” deals with inner demons, but also with fear and depression. How personal is this theme and this album for you? What exactly were you trying to express — or maybe even exorcise — through this music?
Chris: I could now say that it is the most personal album, but that would be wrong, because the previous albums were also very personal. As my girlfriend suffers from depression and this has a big influence on my life and my feelings and fears, I simply wrote my thoughts off my chest. In addition, of course, there are the fears that you get with the current political situation in the world. When I write my songs, it’s like therapy for me.
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about this kind of therapy? To what extent can artistic creation offer comfort or solutions in such times?
Chris: As I said, making music is extremely important to me. I listen to very little music but I make a lot of music 🙂 And I always find it incredibly nice when fans write to tell me that my music and lyrics help them. Music can do a lot. You can feel understood and realize that you are not alone with your feelings. But music can also distract you for a brief moment from the sadness of everyday life.
Q: Looking back, how do you reflect on the making of “Dämonen:Sturm”? How did the whole process unfold from start to finish, and what were the biggest challenges or difficulties you faced along the way?
Chris: I started writing shortly after the last album because the ‘story’ wasn’t over for me yet. I produced a lot of demos and then picked out the best tracks by the end of 2023. I wrote more songs at the beginning of 2024 and then gave the whole thing to the producer in May. However, he was so busy and had so little time that it took until the end of 2024, beginning of 2025 for the final mixes to arrive. THAT drove me crazy. I hate waiting. Otherwise, it was a production like all the others before it. My producer was again Henning Verlage, who also produces Unheilig and Eisbrecher. The work was very relaxed and he knew exactly what direction the album should take in terms of sound.
Q: You wrote about 25 songs for this album — not even counting alternative versions — while also performing live frequently and staying active with your side project, She Hates Emotions. How do you manage it all? And when you’re not working on music, what do you spend your time on? Do you still have room for other interests or activities?
Chris: Hehehe… It wasn’t even planned that there would be 25 songs again this time. I wanted to write 25 songs for the 25th anniversary of the last album. This time it wasn’t planned but I didn’t want to save any songs. Since we only release an album every two years, I always have about two years to write songs. In between a little She Hates Emotions… I manage that quite well. When I’m not making music, I like to play computer games or spend time in the garden.
Q: With your cover of Amanda Lear’s “Follow Me”, you deliver a surprising reinterpretation — it’s not a song I would immediately associate with Blutengel, but I find it incredibly well done. Can you tell us more about why you chose that song, how you transformed it into the Blutengel style, and what the original track means to you personally?
Chris: This song reminds me a lot of my childhood. It was played at every party my parents threw. I always thought Amanda’s voice was so brilliant. A few years ago, I heard the original song in a TV commercial and thought: ‘I should cover it.’ Of course it had to sound different from the original, because I couldn’t and didn’t want to copy that voice. So I made the music modern and danceable. Most fans don’t even know the original, as it came out at the end of the 70s 🙂
Q: There are also some instrumental tracks on the album. What were you aiming to express with those? And how would you feel about writing a full Soundtrack for a film or show? Have there ever been plans in that direction?
Chris: I love instrumentals. I also love film music in the style of Hans Zimmer. I even wrote a Soundtrack for an imaginary movie with my project The Lonley Soul Experience. I would love to do some real film music. Unfortunately, I have no contacts so far….
Q: Which existing movie or series do you think Blutengel’s music would best fit or resonate with, and why?
Chris: Oh, I can’t say that. Maybe a song in “Wednesday” would have fitted. Maybe in a new “Hellraiser” movie…. But since I don’t write the songs to appear in a movie, it would probably just be a coincidence if someone chose a Blutengel song and I could hear it on TV or in the movies^^
Q: You recently completed a live tour, mainly in Germany, with a performance in Switzerland as well, I believe. Looking back, how do you feel about this tour? What was new this time? And can you share a bit about how you prepare for a tour like that?
Chris: What surprised me was that it was one of our most successful tours. I always think that Blutengel should go downhill at some point, but we still seem to have a lot of fans. We even sold out twice and played in front of over 1700 people. That’s amazing. This time we did without video projections and concentrated on new lighting effects. Of course we still have a performance with four ladies. THAT is also the most difficult part of the preparation. Which show goes with which song…. Apart from that, I practice my new songs and that’s it. The logistics and the technology take up most of my time.
Q: If I’m not mistaken, you’ve only performed in the USA a few rare times. Why is that, and are there particular places or countries where you would really love to perform?
Chris: That’s right. We only had one big tour in the USA. One concert in Mexico and one concert in Canada. That was extremely cool. The reason why I’ve turned down very good offers so far is very simple and also embarrassing: I’m afraid of flying! On top of that, I’ve been looking after my parents for the last few years and have never been able to leave them alone for so long. Maybe I’ll be able to do it again, because the USA is really beautiful. I would also love to play in China.
Q: “Dämonen:Sturm” — like many of your other works — is available in several formats, including a cassette edition. I imagine this format holds some nostalgic meaning for you, since in the ’80s and ’90s most artists released music on cassette. How do you look back on that era, and how do you see the evolution of music formats over the years?
Chris: I’m a child of the 80s and love the era and the music. Of course it’s very funny to release a cassette, because many fans don’t even remember it. I think it’s a shame that people only buy music online and only listen to it on their PC or cell phone. So music is simply worth less and is only consumed on the side. In the 80s and 90s, people used to buy a record and look at the booklet. Music was simply much more valuable. This development and AI music scare me and will ensure that the market will soon be flooded with quickly composed, bad and unfeeling music.
Q: How do you see the future of Blutengel? Do you have any specific plans or dreams you’d still like to realize?
Chris: I would just be very happy if things continued like this with Blutengel for a while longer. I have no concrete plans and will continue to release music until nobody is interested in me anymore 😉
Q: And one last question: if you had to choose just one song to play for someone who has never heard BLUTENGEL before, which song would you pick — and why?
Chris: Even if the song is old, I would probably go for “Reich Mir Die Hand”. Lyrically and musically, it combines a lot of what Blutengel stands for. Maybe also “You Walk Away”. I don’t know….;-)
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
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