Interview with Vocalist and Guitarist Martin of My Dominion (Germany)

December 22, 2025

Interview with Vocalist and Guitarist Martin of My Dominion (Germany)

by Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.

CV: Do you think modern Heavy Metal music has evolved past its origins? Or are things relatively still the same?

Martin: It is a good question. The answer is probably not that clear-cut. On the one hand, many of the old heroes are still around and have changed relatively little about their recipe for success. Why should they. In addition, there are countless bands that more or less successfully copy the classic bands. In that respect, relatively little has changed in this bubble.

On the other hand, there are many, many bands that are still trying to set new accents today and do their own thing, both in terms of composition and production. The production and distribution of an album, however, has changed for all musicians. Today, any musician with a basic affinity for technology can record and distribute an album at home with very little resources.

This is nice for small bands like ours, which suddenly have the whole world open to them, but on the other hand it naturally leads to the market being flooded. Standing out from that is incredibly difficult. Good music alone is actually no longer enough.

CV: Does Metal still draw people to want to listen and engage the music while challenging the audience to imagine becoming a musician themselves?

Martin: I do think there are still people who are enthusiastic about metal and who would like to become musicians themselves. However, the impression is that there is a bit of a lack of young blood. The proportion of people under 30 at a classic metal show in Germany is already quite low. It used to feel like there were more youngsters around.

However, there are still enough bands that get young people excited about guitar music, even if these are less often the old-school metal bands.

CV: Many believe that success for a band relies on three major components; good distribution, good PR and good booking. In the new modern music industry, all of that is without a doubt achievable by the artist themselves. Do you feel more and more established acts will go the independent route and eliminate the middle man component?

Martin: Bands that have reached a certain size do have it easier to go independent and thus generate significantly higher revenues. Many bands actually do this. On the other hand, it has become considerably more difficult for bands to reach this level of recognition.

In order to establish yourself in the scene, it is extremely important to have good contacts. These still come primarily through key players in the scene, such as record labels, booking agencies, promoters and similar actors.

CV: Do you feel that the idea of a band eliminating those second and third party partnerships; labels, management, bookers, etc., and doing things on their own, is a direct result of artists and bands being misled and taken advantage of for so long?

Martin: Honestly, it is hard to give a particularly meaningful answer to this question, because there is no personal experience to draw on. There was a label involved at one point, but it did not rip the band off; it “only” failed to do enough promotion. Beyond that, however, the deal itself was fair.

CV: Do you feel there is a need or want for artists of any style or genre to rise above the past and to do more musically…artistically? Or can a level of comfort be reached and maintained as a means to sustainability?

Martin: Of course there are many artists who want to express themselves through creativity and who try to establish themselves through innovation. There is always joy in discovering bands and artists who offer something new and challenge existing listening habits.

At the same time, there are also many, many bands that simply want to make the music they love together with friends, without being particularly innovative. Both are equally great and completely valid approaches.

CV: Many critics believe music is irrelevant today... just background noise. As a musician who is out there writing, releasing, and performing, from your perspective, do you still see music relevance in the world today? Is there a connection?

Martin: It may well be that for many young people music is no longer as identity defining and meaningful as it was 10, 15 or 20 years ago. Nevertheless, music still has the power to move and excite people emotionally, and that will never change.

The big question now, of course, is what will happen to musicians in times when AI generated music in many genres – especially those in which the live experience does not play a major role – has already become so good that it is hardly distinguishable from “real” music.

CV: Has music in general split into too many genres and sub-genre classifications in an effort just to please an indecisive audience in your opinion? Is it just more of a marketing ploy to funnel buyers to a specific brand?

Martin: Especially in metal, an incredible number of subgenres have emerged over time. As a fan and as a musician, this does not bother me at all.

It is actually helpful to discover new music via a label or genre term. The more precisely you can describe your own taste, the higher the chances of finding something that really resonates with you. So this is not a disadvantage at all in this view.

CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from you in 2026?

Martin: Primarily, we are looking forward to promoting our new album “Extinction” both live and online. There will certainly be new music videos and new merch to go along with it.

CV: Thanks again for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.

Check out My Dominion at:

Official: http://www.my-dominion.de/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyDominionMetal/

The Cosmick View

Where the stars always shine bright
www.thecosmickview.com
www.facebook.com/TheCosmickView

www.thecosmickvoice.com
www.anchor.fm/the-cosmick-voice

My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, author, show host, big dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.