Downfall of Gaia is an international quartet from Germany and the USA that was deeply rooted in the sound of D-beat and Crust Punk when they began playing music in 2008. Their first album Epos was released in 2009 via several independent labels, which was still characterized by Crust Punk influences mixed with Black Metal elements. Steven said that what was most striking to him about Downfall of Gaia was the fact that this was the first Post-Black Metal band he got to know that stripped off the sometimes difficult ideology of Black Metal and began playing with that sound on their own. Of course - there had been several other bands that had done this before, but both of us got to know this possibility of playing with Black Metal via Downfall of Gaia. Hence, the band also had a major influence on the progression of our musical taste.