Akasian Peace

Akasian Peace was founded late 2016 by Steyn T. Müller after suffering a stroke causing him to loose most of his ability to play or perform any music. Before all that he played lead guitar in the South African Progressive Metal band Persistence of Vision.

After 8 years the band broke up and Steyn focused on a studio project called fürdankä, named after his wife Danka. The project moved away from the Progressive Metal genre into a more Dark Ambient Gothic direction. A style that influenced him from the very beginning through his love of bands like My Dying Bride, Woods of Ypres, Anathema, Draconian, Type O Negative and the likes.

“I'm not going to be here much longer so I want every moment to mean something. Creating music means something.”

— Steyn T. Müller

Mid 2016 Steyn suffered a stroke that brought his whole world crashing down. Playing basic open chords proved a challenge as muscle weakness caused from the stroke erased years of guitar playing in a single night. In October 2016 he started working on a rigorous new training schedule to regain his former abilities on the guitar. Less than 2 weeks into this new practice schedule a routine scan picked up cancer. He was back in hospital undergoing surgery to remove the tumor.

What followed was a month of Radiation treatment that left Steyn drained of all energy or will to continue his new practice schedule. During this time a deep depression took over as he saw now use in taking on anything new, thinking that as soon as he starts the next thing will come crushing down.

During December the decision was made to carry on with the Gothic music project, but now under a new name. Akasian Peace was born. An outlet for all the emotions, struggles and thoughts experienced going from relatively healthy to being crushed, physically, mentally and emotionally.