Introduction
I will start today’s introduction by explaining that Ultima Radio answered our questions faster than any other band. The reason? They were waiting for a plumber!
The band based in Austria emerged initially from Stoner Rock. Throughout the years they have progressed with more Nu-Metal influences and now fit somewhere in the Alternative spectrum. Where about exactly well that is for you to decide. What I can safely say though is they are brilliant!
Interview
You recently linked up with new singer Daniel! What was the searching for a new singer like, and how did you know he was the right fit?
Ultima Radio – The search for a new singer came together pretty quickly, actually. We’d known for a while that we’d need to make some lineup changes, so we reached out to Dani early on. He wasn’t a stranger to us at all—we go way back with him. In 2016, we put out a 7-inch split vinyl with his main band, Witchrider.
Since then, we’ve shared the stage many times, and over the years, we’ve all become good friends and really got to know each other. So, we already had a sense that he’d be the perfect fit even before we asked him to join. A few rehearsals later, that feeling was totally confirmed.
You have been around since 2014 and released your first album three years later in 2017 (A Thousand Shapes). How would you say your sound has changed since those early days?
Ultima Radio – We’ve always enjoyed experimenting with different genres. Since our first EP, which was more straightforward stoner rock, we’ve drawn on influences from all the music we grew up with—grunge, alternative rock, post-rock, nu-metal, and more.
By the time we released our third full-length album in 2022, we aimed for a consistent sound across the whole production, landing on a fast, aggressive nu-metal style. I think the intensity of those early COVID lockdowns had us channeling a lot of pent-up frustration.
With our recent lineup change, our style has shifted again, settling into a heavy alternative rock sound with strong echoes of the early 2000s.
If we were looking for a deep cut of your work, which song would you suggest from either A Thousand Shapes or Dusk City?
Ultima Radio – After all these years, finally a question about our hidden track on Dusk City! It’s called “One-Off” and is tucked away at the very end of the album on the CD, tape, and vinyl versions.
Not many people have discovered it, but it’s a real gem, especially from a songwriting perspective—definitely worth a listen! And for anyone thinking, “Revealing their own hidden track…” well, let’s just say it’s not the only hidden track on that album. Good luck finding the other one!
Your new EP (Basement Session) was released earlier this year, what has the reception been like for this, and what inspired the name?
Ultima Radio – From the start, we planned to film the entire EP as a session in this basement, so the name for it became pretty obvious early on. The main goal of the video was to introduce not only our new music but also our new lineup. But honestly, we love creating session videos because it’s always more engaging for listeners when they have something to watch along with the music.
In the era of social media, with attention spans shorter than ever, that visual element has become essential. So far, the response from the press, fans, and fellow musicians has been fantastic, and we’re thrilled to finally be back on everyone’s radar.
We love Taste Of Shame, off the EP, would you be able to give us a little more background into the song? What inspired it?
Ultima Radio – Tell my band memeber to correct me if I’m wrong, but I think “Taste of Shame” was actually the first song we started working on with our new singer, Dani. The story behind it is pretty straightforward—we figured the riff would be an easy, lighthearted way to kick things off, something catchy for us to settle into together.
That’s why we chose it as the opener for the EP: it’s easy to dive into, and it sets the tone before moving into the more intricate tracks that follow.
What is the bands biggest regret to date?
Ultima Radio – Tough question! Honestly, I think we can proudly say we’ve never really missed an opportunity. Someone once mentioned that, among our local scene, even if we’re not the band with the biggest fanbase, we’re definitely the ones who put in the hardest work. So, no regrets so far. Although… there is our song “Fake Me”—but let’s not get into that!
When do you plan on playing live shows again? Do you have any set for the UK?
Ultima Radio – We’ll be back on stage starting in January 2025 with shows in Austria and Germany. Unfortunately, we haven’t made it to the UK yet, even though a lot of the bands we’re currently inspired by, like Tigercub and Husky Loops, are based there. You’ve got an incredible scene over there!
Marvel or DC? And why?!
Ultima Radio – Honestly, there are so many Marvel movies coming out these days that it’s hard to keep up. I’m not a huge fan of either franchise, but if I had to pick, I’d go with DC. It’s dark and gritty, just like our music.
What is the funniest thing you have ever seen at one of your shows?
Ultima Radio – So, there was this group of young guys at one of our shows up in northern Germany. At some point during our set, they started performing this dance that was definitely choreographed beforehand.
They somehow cleared a space in the crowd, giving us a clear view of what they were doing. It looked kind of like a rowboat routine—they sat down and started rowing. To be honest, I still have no idea what was going on there, but we had a blast, and it was pretty obvious they did too!
What is the story behind the band name?
Ultima Radio – When we started the band, each of us came from a very different musical background, but when we began jamming, we found ourselves naturally playing in one unified style. The name comes from the Latin *Ultima Ratio*, which means “the final argument” or “the last resort.”
For us, the music we created was our last resort—not the Papa Roach song, of course! So, we changed Ratio to Radio, and that’s how our name was born.
Dream gig and then stop, or never reach the dream gig but continue to play as long as you want?
Ultima Radio – Although we definitely have dream gigs we’d love to reach, I can’t imagine ever saying, “Okay, that’s enough.” Just like with many other things in life, you always want to aim higher with each step. So, yeah, we’ll keep playing for as long as we can.
I guess we should ask what your dream gig would be, and why is that?
Ultima Radio – A goal we set for ourselves a few years ago is landing a solid slot at Austria’s biggest rock festival, *Nova Rock*. It’s definitely a dream that could actually come true. So, if any of the organizers happen to be reading this—don’t hesitate to book us!
Going back round to your EP, Longing For is actually our favourite, that intro is something else! How do you know when the instrumentals on a track are done?
Ultima Radio – Thanks for the kind words! For us, recording everything is an integral part of the songwriting process. I own a recording studio here in Graz, so we handle all of our recordings ourselves. We usually start with a rough instrumental version of an idea, and then gradually replace individual tracks piece by piece over time.
Each new recording adds fresh details and refines the sound—well, at least that’s the goal! Sometimes, though, you just have to go with the very first take of a solo. Ultimately, the process is only stopped when we reach a point where it’s time to release the music and move on to working on new material.
What bands from Austria do you like? Have you met any of your idols, if so, what was that like?
Ultima Radio – You know, Austria isn’t that big, so it feels like we’ve already crossed paths with almost every band in our genre at least once. It’s not exactly like that, but it sure feels that way.
Unfortunately, within the borders of our mountainous little country, we haven’t really found any true idols. However, we’ve definitely found a lot of good friends, as well as a lot of mutual inspiration.
You describe yourselves as Stoner rock / Alternative, Personally I would sway more towards the alternative side of things. Are there any other genres that you enjoy but would never put into an Ultima Radio record?
Ultima Radio – There isn’t really anything we’re interested in that we haven’t tried to incorporate yet. Lately, we’ve been experimenting with more electronic elements, like synths and drum samples, in our upcoming songs.
We’ve always been huge fans of Radiohead, especially the Kid A era, so exploring a fusion of more experimental elements with heavy rock music is definitely something we want to continue pursuing. The song “Fade” from our current EP is a good example of where this journey could take us.
All rights to the songs used in this interview are retained by Ultima Radio. The photos used were provided by Ultima Radio and taken by Julian Jauk.
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