D.A.A.M.S. | LIFELESS PAST LIVE FROM CINETOL (2024)
Angelo Werleman
08/03/2025
Lifeless Past is a gothic post-punk duo from Curaçao, founded by Injerreau Cijntje (aka Satori), with Brandon Schotte on drums. They are part of what, as I’m writing this, I’ve decided to call D.A.A.M.S. (Diasporic ABC Alternative Music Scene), yes, very creative, I know. Still working on it.
I first stumbled upon this ecosystem while reaching out to Efrem Angela, an Aruban multidisciplinary artist whose work intersects music, photography, and design. Efrem has been an interesting figure in Aruba’s creative scene. I initially approached him to document his band, Toto Boroto. That’s how I met Brandon, who plays bass for Toto Boroto. He introduced me to Lifeless Past and invited me to one of their shows to take pictures.
That was the start of my journey within this scene, documenting bands like Toto Boroto, Lifeless Past, Santo Blanco, and Badtime. I photographed their shows whenever I could, even traveling abroad with Lifeless Past. Over the last few months, between traveling and focusing on other projects, I haven’t been able to attend their shows as often, but if they’re playing near Amsterdam, chances are you’ll find me there.
I shot their "Anxiety" music video using a camera I had access to during my film practice sessions. Through my friendship with them, I’ve been introduced to the world of goth, punk, and other alternative spaces/experiences that have shaped me both personally and creatively. I got to experience sleeping in a squat in Germany with them. I got to shake hands with late Steve Albini at their Paradiso show. Yes, the Steve Albini, the guy who probably shook hands with all your favorite bands from the ’90s and made them sound good.
I first stumbled upon this ecosystem while reaching out to Efrem Angela, an Aruban multidisciplinary artist whose work intersects music, photography, and design. Efrem has been an interesting figure in Aruba’s creative scene. I initially approached him to document his band, Toto Boroto. That’s how I met Brandon, who plays bass for Toto Boroto. He introduced me to Lifeless Past and invited me to one of their shows to take pictures.
That was the start of my journey within this scene, documenting bands like Toto Boroto, Lifeless Past, Santo Blanco, and Badtime. I photographed their shows whenever I could, even traveling abroad with Lifeless Past. Over the last few months, between traveling and focusing on other projects, I haven’t been able to attend their shows as often, but if they’re playing near Amsterdam, chances are you’ll find me there.
I shot their "Anxiety" music video using a camera I had access to during my film practice sessions. Through my friendship with them, I’ve been introduced to the world of goth, punk, and other alternative spaces/experiences that have shaped me both personally and creatively. I got to experience sleeping in a squat in Germany with them. I got to shake hands with late Steve Albini at their Paradiso show. Yes, the Steve Albini, the guy who probably shook hands with all your favorite bands from the ’90s and made them sound good.
Lifeless Past blends goth, post-punk, and darkwave with shimmery, shoegaze-infused textures. Their music is drenched in brooding atmospheres and raw intensity—you’ll want to dance like a goth under a bridge, and at times, you might even feel the urge to mosh, not out of rage, but because you’re sad, the good kind of sad.
In a 2017 interview with Peek-a-Boo Magazine, Satori described the band’s influences and the origin of its name:
"I take inspiration from many different bands, ranging from The Pixies to Depeche Mode. Other influences include Christian Death, Cemetery, They Feed at Night, and The Cure. I also find inspiration in films with eerie musical moments. My lyrics are often based on real events, but they can also be introspective conversations with myself. The name Lifeless Past reflects our approach—creating music rooted in the past (the ’80s) with a dark, deathrock character.”[source]
Documenting their journey, along with other bands from the ABC scene, has helped me grow in photography and filmmaking. Shooting their shows got me experimenting with lenses and renting gear just to try new things. My collection of photos and videos from these bands and their performances continues to grow, and we hope to do something with them in the near future, maybe a photo book or another creative project.
"I take inspiration from many different bands, ranging from The Pixies to Depeche Mode. Other influences include Christian Death, Cemetery, They Feed at Night, and The Cure. I also find inspiration in films with eerie musical moments. My lyrics are often based on real events, but they can also be introspective conversations with myself. The name Lifeless Past reflects our approach—creating music rooted in the past (the ’80s) with a dark, deathrock character.”[source]
Documenting their journey, along with other bands from the ABC scene, has helped me grow in photography and filmmaking. Shooting their shows got me experimenting with lenses and renting gear just to try new things. My collection of photos and videos from these bands and their performances continues to grow, and we hope to do something with them in the near future, maybe a photo book or another creative project.
That night, Badtime also performed. Badtime is a musical project by fellow Aruban Kevin Schuit and their partner Ioana Ciora. Their music, which feels like a sonic extension of their artwork, is dark and moody yet charged with energy and rhythm, blending electronic drum beats, throbbing basslines, mesmerizing synths, and raw punk-driven guitars [source].
This performance was also filmed and will be released soon, as I want to continue highlighting this growing musical ecosystem, one that has ignited a deep passion in me for documentation, and, most importantly, a newfound representation of the many lives our people live abroad.
I also want to mention that Kevin Schuit has been in multiple bands with his brother, Nick Schuit, as well as with Efrem. Satori has also collaborated with them on various projects, along with their friend Maurice Abath, another talented musician from Aruba (yes, the son of the legendary Edwin Abath), who sometimes fills in for Brandon on drums when he can’t be there or plays guitar for Toto Boroto. They have all been involved in, or have intersected with, various past and present bands such as Toto Boroto, Santo Blanco, Nancy Acid, The Sasters, and many more.
This tight-knit network of friends and collaborators has shown me nothing but love and support, treating me like family. Down the road, the goal is to involve all of them in a creative project, whether musically or in a documentary piece. The lore and history of these artists run deep, and I want to show the kids back home that we can be anything we want. So, consider this a mini introduction, keeping it sweet and short this time, as I’ll be diving deeper into their journeys, both individually and as a collective, in the future.
Enjoy this live show recording from Cinetol on August 17, 2024, which I captured using a camcorder, my camera, and, at the last minute, a phone when I ran out of batteries. I also tested a new audio recorder for the first time, so we have audio straight from the mixer deck.