Balancing intensity with introspection, Coilshift is the solo outlet of Cologne-based composer and performer Sascha Rissling. The artist's recent single “Haemostatic Agent” is an epic, intricate post-rock banger that, despite its bite, is ultimately soft around the edges, lulling the listener into a bed of colourful guitar lines and progressively restrained instrumental metal.
In this interview, Coilshift reflects on a lifelong relationship with music shaped by early influences, time spent with Der Weg einer Freiheit, and a gradual shift toward creating on his own terms. Now juggling life as a developer, athlete, and parent, he discusses the role of instinct over intention in his compositions, the realities of releasing music in the modern era, and finding inspiration in both the mundane and the extreme; from the cinematic scope of Hans Zimmer to the raw force of Cannibal Corpse. JH
Hey Coilshift, thanks for taking the time to talk to me today. Could you tell me a little bit about your musical background and how you came to form Coilshift?
Hey Jay, thanks for reaching out! Greetings to Bangkok – I’ve spent some time in Thailand, so this feels extra special.
Musically, I grew up surrounded by instruments thanks to my musician parents. After a rough start with piano and a short stint yelling in a skate punk band at 14, I picked up a cheap guitar in a discount supermarket and never looked back. This became my entire world.
I cycled through local punk and melodic death bands before joining the tech-death outfit „Fuck You and Die“. There, through shared members and local shows, I met Der Weg einer Freiheit and joined them as a session guitarist in 2011, and a year later as a permanent member, touring two albums before quitting in 2017 to do my own thing and step down from the stage for a while.
My path to Coilshift came after a few projects fell through and I decided to just release the music without vocals anyways to close those chapters. These projects were released as a modern metal EP called „Inconvergence“, and a black/atmospheric/post/shoegaze sounding album called „Abstand“ - where I ultimately started finding what I liked to create.
By then, I was done relying on music for income, so I became a web developer to secure my livelihood and play guitar purely out of passion whenever I want, not taking on any music business jobs anymore.
In 2021, my first standalone single magically hit the Spotify algorithm just right and I thought I might be doing something right here. Since then, I’ve been releasing music sporadically. For 2026 I have planned a handful of releases in a more structured manner, which started with „Haemostatic Agent“ earlier this month.
I really like the intensity of your songs. Do you think that represents who you are as a person at all? Would you describe yourself as intense?
I never consciously sit at my desk and intend to „put my emotions into a song“. It’s just whatever happens after I start playing. If it’s cool I record it, if not then I just don’t.
It is very important for my existence to write music, but I wouldn’t say the music you hear is a real-time reflection of how I am actually feeling that second, at least on a conscious level. Who knows what’s going on deep down in the brain and why a certain riff or progression just happens at this exact moment.
In short: Intense fits the music, but not my personality.
What comes first, technical ability or passion?
I can play some quite technical things but that almost never makes it into Coilshift because it’s just not my tool for creating.
This is my creative outlet and it has to feel easy. I keep that for recording some YouTube covers or playing the songs of my tech death band.
According to your Bandcamp page, you work in software 9–5. How do you balance the professional and creative aspects of your life? Does one influence the other?
Not only am I a developer by day, but I also have another time-intensive hobby in endurance sports and am also a father. Everything influences everything. If I had a packed day, the music I write at night will sound different than on a relaxed day for sure. There are times when I can’t or won’t write at all and that’s fine.
How do you find releasing music in 2026? Are there any specific challenges or benefits to the industry nowadays?
The internet makes it feel like you need to know „how to hack the algorithm“. I almost fall for it sometimes to be honest, and I’ve spent some money where I should rather have not in the past. It’s a learning curve.
I think releasing music is a multifaceted question that artists have to answer for themselves individually. Everyone is different.
Pondering too much on it might end up in not having enough time to actually make the music, which I have definitely been a victim of.
Getting your music heard and pushing it out there yourself was always hard and probably will forever be. There are professionals making a living off promoting music for a reason. It’s an art and a science and I respect that.
I don’t have an answer and will do what I’ve always done. Upload and release. Make a video if I feel like it. Write music and have fun. Repeat.
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And lastly, what most inspires you? In music or in life.
Great question – it can be a movie or a boat floating down the river. It can be rays of sunlight in the morning, it can be a brutal death metal riff or a spider on my bicycle after not using the bike for three days. There is beauty in everything and I believe every truly lived moment can be inspirational.
In music specifically I am really inspired by anything that makes me feel something, like unexpected guitar effects creating an unexpected emotion.
This might happen in both a Hans Zimmer or a Cannibal Corpse track.
Connect with Coilshift: https://links.coilshift.eu/