Echoing guitars, stoic bass, heavy drumming, the occasional murmur of Denis Wanic's voice in the background of the big atmospheric sound that could also serve as the soundtrack to a David Lynch film: "Not all of your pain is self chosen" is the name of the current third studio album by Cologne band SUIR, which sounds like dark, broad-walled post-punk, cold wave and shoegaze. Denis Wanic and Lucia Seiß have been working together since 2017, and at the end of 2023, Ralph Schmidt joined as the third band member on drums.
The unusual band name combines surrealism in art with the French word for "being". After the rather washed-out sound of the first albums "Soma" and "Ater", the new songs offer clearer, piercing guitar and bass motifs, which Wanic and Seiß nevertheless weave into sad, beautiful songs and again alienate with a lot of echo - a new emotional sound aesthetic has been created.
Their live shows create a powerful and atmospheric feeling, comparable to waking up from a dark and intense dream.
The band is currently writing new songs that present and manifest their sound as a trio.