DIMMU BORGIR

 

Origen: Noruega, Oslo.

Formados: 1993

Estilo: Black sinfónico

Temática: Anticristianismo, misantropía, muerte, ocultismo y satanismo

Enlaces: Bandcamp, deezer, Dimmu Borgir, facebook, instagram, soundcloud, spotify, tidal y youtub

Miembros:

• Shagrath Bajo, teclados y voces
• Silenoz Bajo y guitarras

Discografía:

• Rehearsal January 1994 Demo 1994  
• Rehearsal February 1994 Demo 1994  
• Rehearsal August 1994 Demo 1994
• Inn i evighetens mørke EP 1994
• For all tid CD 1995
• Stormblåst CD 1996
• Devil's Path EP 1996
• No Colours Records Recopilatorio Vol 1 Split 1997  
• Live & Plugged Vol. 2 Split video 1997  
• Enthrone Darkness Triumphant CD 1997
• Godless Savage Garden EP 1998
• Spiritual Black Dimensions CD 1999
• Sons of Satan Gather for Attack Split 1999
• True Kings of Norway Split 2000
• Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia CD 2001
• Alive in Torment EP 2001
• World Misanthropy EP 2002
• World Misanthropy DVD 2002
• Death Cult Armageddon CD 2003
• Vredesbyrd Single 2004
• Sorgens kammer (del II) Single 2005  
• Stormblåst MMV CD 2005
• Stormblast MMV / In the Arms of Devastation Split 2006  
• The Serpentine Offering Single 2007
• In Sorte Diaboli CD 2007
• Golden Gods 2007 Split 2007  
• The Invaluable Darkness DVD 2008
• Gateways Single 2010
• Abrahadabra CD 2010
• Titans of Symphonic Metal Split 2014  
• Legacy Magazine Sampler Recopilatorio 2017  
• Forces of the Northern Night Directo 2017
• Interdimensional Summit Single 2018
• Eternal Apocalyptic Offerings Recopilatorio 2018  
• Eonian CD 2018
• Council of Wolves and Snakes Single 2018  
• Live at Dynamo Open Air 1998 Directo 2019  
• Dust of Cold Memories Recopilatorio 2022  
• Perfect Strangers Single 2023  
• Inspiratio Profanus Recopilatorio 2023
• Grand Serpent Rising CD 2026  

GRAND SERPENT RISING (2026)

Tal vez la irrupción en los noventa de Dimmu Borgir como estandartes de un nuevo "estilo" o vertiente dentro del black metal como es el black sinfónico, resultó un soplo de aire fresco, algo más que necesario para que el black siguiera creciendo y asentando su sonido. Primero con la edición de un par de álbumes de resultado incierto como "Stormblåst" y "For all tid", el posterior reconocimiento y consagración con "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant", para comenzar a languidecer con "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia", en donde los cantos de sirena los empujaban a explorar terrenos más alejados del black sinfónico para amarrarse a la teatralidad de formas, aspectos que no han abandonado en las siguiente dos décadas, hasta llegar a este "Grand Serpent Rising". En donde, vamos a pensar en un resurgir del estilo, o más bien la coherencia, madurez y dejémonos de experimentación. Dimmu Borgir han regresado para forjar un álbum a la altura de su leyenda. "Grand Serpent Rising" se siente directo y agresivo, oscuro y visceral, es cierto también, que esa ambientación cargada, esos elementos góticos y esa teatralidad ya han venido para quedarse definitivamente en la propuesta musical de la banda, sin embargo el ´álbum se siente directo, inquietante, capaz de trasmitir una atmosfera cargada, para nada impostada, que logra ofrecer una versión, hasta cierto punto, un poco diferente a la que nos tenían últimamente acostumbrados. Creo que la banda ha afrontado un reseteo, ha buscado aquellos aspectos de su sonido que sirvieron para definir un estilo como el black sinfónico en los noventa, y los han vuelto a poner en valor, enfocándose de entrada en un trabajo de guitarras mucho más rico y dinámico, con la habilidad suficiente para conservar cierta crudeza y rugosidad en la mezcla, para que las texturas logren imprimir bastantes dosis de agresividad, con ello el sonido se muestra mucho más potente, partiendo de una base guitarra, bajo y batería, para con ella, construir, a base de sintetizadores y teclados el grueso del sinfonismo de su propuesta. El álbum no adolece en ningún momento de todo lo característico del black sinfónico, se ha trabajado a conciencia la construcción de esa ambientación típica del género, sin embargo no trasmite una sensación de teatralidad ni de buen rollo, no, aquí Dimmu Borgir se han centrado en construir una ambientación oscura e inquietante, que sabe completar y amoldarse a guitarras y batería, trabajando al unísono para que el sonido se sienta poderoso, denso y violento. Algo similar sucede con las voces, con un registro que abarca diferentes segmentos, desde la profundas y más cavernosas, hasta aquellas que parecen querer trasmitir mayor agresividad y crudeza, trabajadas desde planos meramente limpios unas veces, hasta otros mucho mas elaboradas, pasando por secciones casi que habladas. Estamos ante un álbum que ha tardado ocho años en estar listo, pero en donde descubrimos que Dimmu Borgir están de regreso para reclamar el lugar que les corresponde dentro del black. (8,2).

Nuclear Blast Records

1. Tridentium 03:55  

2. Ascent 05:21  

3. The Qryptfarer 06:59  

4. As Seen in the Unseen 04:30  

5. Ulvgjeld & blodsodel 05:42   

6. Repository of Divine Transmutation 06:33  

7. Slik minnes en alkymist 05:38  

8. Phantom of the Nemesis 05:07  

9. The Exonerated 05:57  

10. Recognizant 05:51  

11. At the Precipice of Convergence 04:16  

12. Shadows of a Thousand Perceptions 05:29  

13. Gjǫll 04:00   

  01:09:18

Black Howling ‎– Return Of Primordial Stillness 13,99 €

Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition

ESCAPING AGHARTHA - INTERVIEW

 

1. Escaping Aghartha has been around for over ten years, initially as a one-man band, then came the addition of Anghatengh. How did the idea for Escaping Aghartha come about? Why did you choose this name, and what does it refer to?

Indeed, it's hard to believe Escaping Aghartha is celebrating a decade! As for the name, I am a huge fan of the drone metal band Sunn O))). The song Aghartha, off Sunn O)))'s album Monoliths and Dimensions, changed my perspective of music. I had never heard anything so dark and captivating. Additionally, the lore of Aghartha - which is a legendary city at the center of the earth - has a mysterious, otherworldly aura to it. Escaping Aghartha was suggested to me as a band name by a friend. I instantly fell in love with it, as it was both an homage to one of my favorite bands of all time and also had a dark and mysterious feeling to it. Sometimes I wish I chose a name more relevant to biology/conservation, but I still really like the name, all the same. (Though in the time since I chose the band name, the concept of Aghartha has become infested with radical and hateful ideologies which I detest; there was also a bomber in Indonesia that dedicated the bombing "to Aghartha" some years back). 

2. In a few days, you'll be releasing "Lurkers of Languid Waters," your ninth studio album. How difficult has it been to maintain a sense of freshness in such a personal and distinctive project within the black metal genre? Throughout Escaping Aghartha's career, what are the best and worst moments you can recall? What role does Imminent Extinction, your other musical project, play in channeling your emotions?

I have found it pretty easy (thankfully!) to keep things feeling and sounding fresh when it comes to writing and composing music for Escaping Aghartha. Part of that is I do not limit Escaping Aghartha to any one genre, and I am constantly blending genres together in my ever-evolving sound. I never feel pigeonholed to stay in one genre. Hmm, as far as best and worst moments...I think my best moment was when Croak released and was featured on the front page of Bandcamp Daily. The amount of publicity from that was incredible. My worst moment was when I played a live show (my second) without a proper soundcheck beforehand. The venue insisted I could just soundcheck very quickly immediately before my set. I wasn't mic'd up to the PA, so I thought I'd need to turn my amp up way louder to compensate. The end result was a lot of feedback, a thin tone, and it being so loud when I started playing that I panicked, lost my fingering, and jumbled the first 5 seconds of my set. Still, I learned a lot from that, so it really wasn't that bad, all things considered. (insist on a proper sound check, y'all) As for Imminent Extinction, that was my very first musical project. I released a handful of (very bad) songs on youtube and bandcamp and then didn't touch the project for many years until covid. I was feeling a lot of emotions and made a short slam/deathgrind album with a lot of social commentary. I didn't want to release it through Escaping Aghartha because I felt like that would detract from the environmental degradation/conservation biology theme I was focusing on. Eventually, I wound up putting that album on a compilation album titled "Escaping Aghartha" of unreleased songs anyway. I don't see myself ever releasing an Imminent Extinction album again. I think these days, I would probably just go ahead and release an album criticizing society via Escaping Aghartha. I've made enough biology-themed albums at this point that I feel like I could have the occasional off-theme album without it detracting from my overall theme for the band.

3. It took a couple of years to complete "Lurkers of Languid Waters," but it's also true that you collaborated with several musicians to develop different aspects of the recording. How did you approach the songwriting and recording process for this new album? How did you decide to collaborate with Thijs and Gregorio on this album, and how involved were they in the entire process? What brands of instruments did you use for "Lurkers of Languid Waters"?

. I think of Escaping Aghartha like a ship: I'm at the helm of it, steering it in the direction I want. Sometimes the ship I'm sailing is small and I can do everything myself, like with the ambient album Avian on Hiraeth Records. Other times, the ship is massive and unwieldy and I need the help of many people to fulfill my vision and help me sail towards my destination in mind. My longtime friend Thijs, who I met through an old facebook page I used to run (The Metalhead Medic, a page where we posted metal bands we liked to give them free promotion and help people find new cool bands) offered to play bass guitar for an album. I'm really glad I took him up on the offer, as he KILLED IT on the bass. For the most part, I just told him to do whatever he thought fit the songs well. If there was something he sent me that I didn't quite like, I would say "Maybe play this part like this instead" and he'd send me a new version until we both liked what he made. As for Gregorio, I had lost my previous drummer, CJ Yacoub, as they were dealing with things that prevented them from drumming. Finding a replacement was difficult - both in the sense that CJ has a unique and powerful style not easily replaceable, but also in the sense that finding ANY drummer proved to be a huge challenge. I was trying anything, from craigslist, instagram, and eventually a facebook group where I met Gregorio. I interviewed around 6 different drummers before I decided he would be a great addition to the lineup of Lurkers of Languid Waters. I had programmed some skeleton drums and sent them to him to give him an idea of what I wanted, but encouraged him to experiment and mess around. I'm not a drummer, and I know my drum compositions are lacking compared to the skill of a real drummer. Similarly to Thijs, he would send me things and I would sometimes give minor suggestions about the compositions until we decided on the final arrangement. 

As for the instruments, I use an Orange OR15 amplifier with a PPC412 cabinet. I love them both. My guitar is a Gibson SG from 2016 (2017?). I don't think I would buy another Gibson, as there are so many other guitar brands out there that make equally good guitars at a fraction of the price, but I really wanted that dark and doomy tone that SGs are known for. Lastly, I use a LOT of different synthesizers via Fruity Loops.

4. The sound of all your albums has always maintained a deep and atmospheric tone. A combination of black, doom, and drone would be a fairly accurate description. However, for "Lurkers of Languid Waters," I suppose the theme plays a part, but you take it a step further. The sensations of depth, darkness, and unease are very well achieved. How would you describe the sound of the new album to someone who hasn't heard it yet? What do you intend to convey with the sound of "Lurkers of Languid Waters"?

I completely agree, most Escaping Aghartha releases could be put under black, doom, drone, or a combination of those genres (I would also argue death metal is another prevalent genre amongst my albums). I appreciate you saying that, as I tried to make this album sound immersive and deep. The album has a good amount of variation to it, with the song Transformations being upbeat and boppy, while Cradle of the Sargasso Sea is meditative and calming, and Degrade and Impede is a horrifying descent into eerie and vaguely psychedelic realms. At nearly 80 minutes long, it would get boring to have the same sound the entire album, so I tried to keep it fresh with variation. Overall, though, I would describe the album as dark and haunting, yet beautiful and full of life, too. I wanted to make the music sound like you were in a dark ocean, or maybe a silted pond, with creatures lurking behind every corner - dark, but with life. I used the sound of water many times throughout the album to try to hammer home that feeling of water and immersion within it.

5. You have a background in biology and ecology, and you somehow incorporate your knowledge and interests into the themes of your releases. However, it would be very easy to focus on media-savvy animals like bears, tigers, blue whales, etc. Instead, you seek to highlight the value of other, less recognized species, such as bats, frogs, or, as in the case of your latest release, eels. When did you decide to create a "concept" album about them? How did you approach writing the lyrics, and how did you achieve that balance between the text and the rich atmosphere of "Lurkers of Languid Waters"?

Originally, Escaping Aghartha was not a biology-focused band. I really didn't have a central theme at first - I was meandering, exploring different themes, seeing what resonated. Eventually, on Evoke.Contrast.Evolve, my first metal album, I discovered how intensely I felt about the biological theme when I wrote the song "Imminent Extinction" (an allusion to my first project's name). I then decided to focus on environmental/biological themes primarily, as the album after E.C.E. was Oceanic Womb, which revolved around the degradation of our oceans and the life within them. Rather than focus on making concept albums about well-known animals, I wanted to focus on the animals that people didn't know were threatened. As a conservation biologist, my job and deepest desire is to conserve the life and ecosystems in this world. But in order to do that, people have to care about them. And if people don't know that frogs or bats or eels are threatened and need help, then they won't care about them. I figured I could have the greatest positive impact with my music by writing about these animals which don't have much media coverage, and which often have negative stigmas associated with them. As far as the lyrics...I oftentimes find writing them very difficult. As a scientist, I want to convey the facts about the animal and the reasons for their declines as effectively as possible through the lyrics. However, that sometimes means that the lyrics read more like a scientific pamphlet rather than dark and mysterious lyrics associated with black/doom metal. It's a difficult balance to strike, but I've become better at it over time. On Lurkers, I had some songs focused lyrically on the reasons behind their declines. Other songs lyrically revolved around the biology of eels, celebrating their incredible transformations and unbelievable migrations they take.

6. I mentioned earlier how your music evokes an atmosphere reminiscent of the deep sea, largely thanks to the sound you coax from the guitars. However, Harrison Hunt is only credited for mastering the new album. How did you approach the mixing and mastering process? How did you focus on the guitar work and overall soundscape for the new album? Which bands inspired you in developing this technique?

 Harrison really outdid himself this time with the mastering! I was thrilled with how it sounded when it came back from him. As far as the mixing goes, I wanted a powerful, yet atmospheric sound. Oceanic Womb was a bit too dry and lacking in atmosphere, while Croak was too atmospheric and lacked some of that power. I feel like I finally nailed the sound this time around and achieved an ideal balance. You mention the guitars largely contributing to the deep sea sound, but I actually think the synthesizers pull a lot of the weight here. Many of these songs sounded a bit hollow until I put the synthesizers in the mix, at which point the songs flared to life. The richness and depth of the synths contrast beautifully with the relatively harsh guitars. As far as bands that inspired me for the overall sound I went for, Lethian Dreams, Ahab and Ruins of Beverast are all inspirations. I love how they have strong rhythm guitars balanced with beautiful lead guitars which are often caked in reverb, delay, and chorus. It gives the songs a very full feeling.

7. The new album will be released by Hypnotic Dirge Records on CD and vinyl. How did you decide to work with Hypnotic Dirge Records? How important is it for you to have the label's support and to have a couple of physical editions of the new album?

To me, having the support of a label is invaluable. My goal is to educate as many people as possible about eels, so the exposure that comes with being on a label is incredible. I am especially glad to be on Hypnotic Dirge Records, as they are fully on-board with the environmental themes and we share similar values when it comes to biological conservation. I do really struggle with the environmental impacts of a physical release. On one hand, creating a physical product + shipping a product creates a lot of plastic waste that I feel very conscious about and which I intensely dislike. However, some people really prefer physical media and won't buy a digital album, so for the sake of fundraising for eel conservation, I feel that the benefits outweigh the cons. It's close, though. 

8. Mairead McGuinness is credited as the artist for the album cover. Who is Mairead, and when did you decide to collaborate on the album artwork?

Mairead is a lovely, kind soul that I found on Instagram. She's the best. I saw that she liked doom/black metal and also was very passionate about environmental conservation, especially with birds. I of course had to reach out and introduce myself. I told her that I donate all the profits from the first month of many album sales, and she generously volunteered to create and donate album art to reduce albums costs on Escaping Aghartha to maximize the fundraiser. She first did art for the dark ambient album Strigiformes. I was overjoyed when she agreed to do a second collab - this time for the art for Lurkers of Languid Waters. It's one of my favorite art covers within the Escaping Aghartha discography for sure!

9. Moving away from the more conventional themes within the genre, you focus on biology and defending nature. How does this theme fit within a genre like black metal? Do you see Escaping Aghartha as a way to highlight and raise awareness of important and lesser-known aspects of wildlife conservation? Are you familiar with the American project Starer, which also has a background in animal protection and rescue through the ESMA association?

 I absolutely do see Escaping Aghartha as a way to highlight conservation issues! As for how Escaping Aghartha's themes fit into black metal, I think the themes of environmental degradation and wildlife conservation is a pretty good fit. You have all these black metal bands that write songs about nature (Agalloch and Wolves in the Throne Room are two that come to mind immediately), but they're mostly writing about the glory of nature and all of its splendor. Then you have a bunch of misanthropic black metal bands that write songs about their hatred for humanity. I see Escaping Aghartha's lyrics and theme as a bit of a mismash between those two sides of black metal. I haven't heard of Starer, I'll have to check them out! I do love Gojira and Ecologist for their pro-environmental themes, though.

10. Is there a possibility of performing Escaping Aghartha's music live, or will it always be a studio project? How do you envision an Escaping Aghartha concert, let's say, in the context of a music festival focused on nature conservation?

As I mentioned earlier in the interview, Escaping Aghartha actually has performed live before (the song Oceanic Womb, from my first live performance, is actually on Escaping Aghartha's youtube channel). That show I was opening for Kayo Dot which was extremely exciting. But anyway, I did live vocals and guitar, then piped in drums + guitar solos + synthesizers over the PA speakers. People seemed to really enjoy it, and it was a fun experience for me as well. The main thing stopping me from doing more shows is that it's difficult to move the amplifiers and my gear as a single person. And also my car is now too small to move my amps, so I'd need to find a friend with a van. The alternative, which I thought about, is performing keyboard and vocals live and piping in guitars, but I'm not sure how people would respond to that. Right now, my focus is on recording and putting out new music. Once I settle down in a location, I'd like to find band members for live shows and start performing again. A festival focused on nature conservation would be awesome! I'd love that.

11. How did you get started in music: the first concerts you attended, the first albums you bought? What event in your life led you to want to become a musician?

 My first albums I bought were Weird Al Yankovic albums. I was OBSSESSED with Weird Al as a 10-year-old. I've seen him several times, and he was my first concert I saw. I loved it. Disturbed was the first band that got me started on the path of hard rock/metal (a band which I do not care for at all anymore), and they were my first rock/metal show. However, Machine Head also played at that Disturbed show, and they seriously changed my perspective on music. I loved the intensity to their music and how they often had songs surpassing 7 minutes in length - something that I had never been exposed to before. I still respect Machine Head immensely and still listen to their masterpiece The Blackening every now and then. I'm not sure there was any one event that made me want to become a musician. I just found myself singing along to Disturbed and other bands and thought how cool it would be to be a vocalist in a band. I tried out to be the vocalist in a couple bands in high school, but at that point my skill was far, far too low for anybody to consider me as a vocalist. I decided I'd make my own music and become my own band. I got gifted a guitar for Xmas one year, and slowly over the next 5 years, I experimented with my guitar and taught myself how to play. Eventually, I could play well enough to actually make music I was happy with.

12. Which album represents the essence of black metal for you? What are your most recent black metal albums?

For me, Agalloch's Ashes Against the Grain is hands-down my favorite black metal album. I love the wild feeling it has. You can almost feel the snow and wind in some of the songs. The songwriting is masterfully done, with each and every track being worthy of praise. Not Unlike the Waves is a standout track for me. It's hypnotic. It's gloomy. It's perfect. And the last three tracks, Bloodbirds I-III, are an incredible end to the album. As far as newer black metal albums, I've been enjoying the black metal/triphop album He Left the Temple by Foghazer (also on Hypnotic Dirge Records) and the instrumental post/black album New World by DEADTREES. 

13. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit. If you'd like to add anything for Escaping Aghartha fans, this is the place. I hope you enjoy the questions.

Thanks for the interview, this was fun! Anybody out there reading this, if you want to make music, you should go for it. Don't worry about your skill level. You will gain the skills over time through practice. The most important thing is that you have fun making music and enjoy the journey!

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Fen & De Arma ‎– Towards The Shores Of The End (Gold) 29,99 €

Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition, Remastered, Gold

FUNERAL PILE - INTERVIEW

 1. Although the band was formed in 2008, it ceased activity in 2010, only to resume around 2020. Why did you decide to create Funeral Pile? What happened in the band's early days that led to the hiatus, and where did the idea to return a decade later come from? Why did you choose the name Funeral Pile, and what does it refer to?

Back in 2008 we were all still teenagers and completely obsessed with metal, and honestly, I think we still are in many ways. We simply wanted to create music instead of only listening to it and contribute our own part to the culture.

The band eventually split up because some of us moved away to study, while others started apprenticeships or full-time jobs, and suddenly nobody had enough time left to continue the band properly. Even during those years, though, we all stayed in contact.

Then in 2020, we all met again on New Year’s Eve, and almost out of an inner urge we decided to bring the band back to life. We discussed for a long time whether we should choose a new name or keep the old one, but since we still had the old logo and nobody came up with a better idea, we decided to stick with Funeral Pile. According to legend, the name itself was created during a very, very drunken night. 😉

2. You recently released "Summoning," your second full-length album, which follows your debut, "Evoked in Flames" (2021). The second album is often said to be the most difficult, the one that brings you recognition. Did you experience this feeling while working on "Summoning"? How did you approach the songwriting and recording process for this new album? What brands of instruments did you use? 

Yes, working on Summoning was definitely much more intense and came with a lot more pressure attached to it. With the first album, we simply started writing and recording without overthinking anything, because at that time we had no real plans or expectations. The fact that it was received so positively honestly surprised us.

Because of that, we really wanted to do everything right with the second album and push ourselves further in every aspect. The songwriting process itself stayed mostly the same, though: everyone tried to contribute the very best they could to each song, whether instrumentally or lyrically.

We play Solar guitars with Kemper profiling amps, Spector Basses with Darkglass Amps and for playing live we use Tama drums. We are not endorsed. We've invested a lot of money in our instruments and believe we have the best ones for our style.

3. The new album incorporates a wide range of styles and influences within extreme metal, from black metal to doom and melodic death metal. However, in my opinion, there's a greater sense of cohesion compared to "Evoked in Flames." Do you share this feeling? How would you describe the album's sound to someone who hasn't heard it yet? What bands or styles influenced you when composing "Summoning"?

All of us have very different musical backgrounds and tastes. I personally come more from the black metal side, while Annike, for example, comes more from the death metal side. Everyone tries to add the elements that fit them best, and then we work together to find the best way to combine everything. Most of the time, this results in a really good mixture of all our favorite genres.

It’s difficult to describe the sound because, as you mentioned, there are so many different aspects of extreme metal blended together. The best thing is probably to listen to it and form your own opinion. Some people place us more in the black metal corner, while others hear us more as death/doom metal — it really depends on the listener’s own preferences. But I think that’s exactly what makes it exciting.

4. For the themes of the songs, you've chosen literary works by Lovecraft and the events of Shackleton's ill-fated expedition—elements that focus on terror and darkness. Where did the ideas for incorporating these themes come from, and why did you choose these specific ones? Do the lyrics adapt to the music, or vice versa? 

Ralf and I are both very interested in history and literature, and we naturally tend to gravitate toward stories that don’t necessarily have a happy ending. That’s where our fascination with themes involving terror, death, and darkness comes from.

At the same time, these themes also fit our sound naturally. Topics about beautiful nature, romance, or overly positive stories simply wouldn’t work with the atmosphere of our music.

5. You handled the recording process for the album yourself. Why did you decide to get involved in this process? Did you have a clear idea of ​​how you wanted the album to sound and not want anyone else to interfere with that vision, or was it a decision you made on the fly? Why did you choose to work with Konst Fischer for mixing and mastering?

We run the band alongside our full-time jobs. Plus, each of us has a family. We don’t have the time to lock ourselves away in recording studios for long periods. Home recording gives us the flexibility we need and also the time to let the songs mature. Furthermore, Martin has the experience and the equipment for it. He has already worked with major producers in his previous bands and knows what it takes to push us creatively and drive the songs forward.

But for the mixing and mastering, we decided to hand it over to someone else—an experienced sound engineer who might be able to bring out aspects of our sound that we hadn’t even thought of ourselves. We decided to work with Konst Fischer because Martin had known him for many years and knew that he is a great guy and very easy to work with. We were also familiar with some of his work, which we thought was excellent. And he has also done great work with metal bands that have made it into the charts, such as Serious Black.

6. Who designed the album cover? What does it represent, and how does it relate to the album's content?

The album artwork was designed by Artem Demura. He is mainly known for his concept artwork in the video game industry, but he has also created covers for several metal bands, including Woods of Desolation. We immediately fell in love with his style, and working with him was very smooth and uncomplicated.

The artwork itself also contains several hidden references and details connected to the lyrics and themes of the album, which ties the visual concept directly to the music.

7. For the new album, you've also taken a step forward and decided to self-release it on CD and vinyl. What prompted this decision? Was there no interest from any record label, or do you simply prefer to have more control over your music?

To be honest, we were looking for a label. There were some interested companies, but no offer that seemed fair and reputable to us. In the end, we didn’t want to wait any longer for offers, so we decided to release it ourselves. At that point, independence was more important to us, even if it now’s entirely up to us to get our music out there.

We would still be interested in working with a label in the future, but only if both sides can meet on equal terms and work together in a way that benefits both the band and the label.

8. German black metal and extreme metal in general from your country have always been a benchmark beyond its borders, with countless styles and genres. However, focusing on Bavaria, where you come from, is there a solid extreme black metal scene in this area? Did everything function somewhat like a "brotherhood," hence the collaboration with Winterherz from Waldgeflüster on the track "The Mill"? Could you tell us a little more about this collaboration and how it came about?

The extreme metal scene here in Bavaria—and especially in Munich—is relatively large. But the bands that have been active for a long time and also perform live are the ones you keep meeting at concerts and festivals. Because of that, especially within black metal, people tend to know each other personally, and over the years friendships and connections between bands develop naturally.

.I’ve personally known Winterherz for many years, and our bassist Martin is also a member of his band Waldgeflüster. What many people don’t know is that since we reformed, Waldgeflüster shared their rehearsal room with us because we couldn't find a room of our own. Rehearsal romos are hard to find here.On top of that, Thomas, Waldgeflüster’s drummer, mixed our first album. So our connection with them has always been very close, and we honestly owe those guys a lot.

Because of that, it felt completely natural to ask Winterherz if he would lend his voice to one of our songs. The collaboration worked out perfectly, and we honestly couldn’t be happier with the result.

9. How is the live presentation of the new album going? What concerts do you have scheduled in the coming weeks?

We already celebrated the release of the album at the GrowlBowl Festival in Munich, and the entire show was accompanied by a film crew. Because of that, anyone interested in the band will soon be able to get an impression of us as a live act through YouTube videos.

We also have several more concerts planned for the coming months. The exact dates will be published son on our social merida accounts.. We can already reveal that later this year we will be sharing the stage with bands like Deserted Fear and Waldgeflüster.

10. How did you get started in music: the first concerts you attended, the first albums you bought? What event in your lives pushed you to want to become musicians?

The first CDs I ever bought for myself were Hymn by Barclay James Harvest and Out Of The Blue by ELO. I think I was around eight or nine years old at the time. Out Of The Blue is still one of my all-time favorite albums today and the artwork is fantastic on that.

It took a few more years before I discovered metal, probably when I was around twelve or thirteen. It started with Oceanborn by Nightwish, and from there it quickly progressed through bands like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir until I eventually found black metal.

Today my musical taste is very broad, but black metal has never let go of me since then. Every year I still discover new artists that inspire me all over again.

My very first concert, by the way, was DJ Bobo — at the tender age of nine. 😉

The urge to make music myself came very early on. For me, it was always about contributing my own small part to metal culture and helping to carry this passion and scene forward.

11. Which album represents the essence of black metal for you? What are the most recent albums you've bought?

One of the very first black metal albums I ever listened to was Nemesis Divina by Satyricon, and for me that album still contains everything that defines the essence of a great black metal record: atmosphere, aggression, melody, and that very unique feeling that only black metal can create. That is exactly how black metal should sound to me.

The most recent albums I bought were Best Of by John Denver, Era by Asarhaddon, and Deiform by Funeral Mist. So my taste in music definitely goes far beyond metal alone.

At this point I also have a huge list of albums that I still want to buy someday. Every month I manage to cross a few off the list — while at the same time the list somehow keeps getting longer and longer. 😉

12. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit. If you'd like to add anything for Funeral Pile fans, this is the place. I hope you enjoy the questions. 

First of all, a huge thank you to everyone supporting us from so many different countries around the world. We truly appreciate every single interaction, whether it’s meeting people at concerts or receiving messages and emails online. Without all of you, there would be no music and no scene.

And of course, thank you as well for this great interview and for the interesting questions. We hope that someday we’ll get the chance to continue this conversation over a beer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vouna ‎– Atropos (Purple w/ White, Silver, Gold Splatter) 35,99 €

Vinyl, LP, Album, Purple w/ White, Silver, Gold Splatter

SHEWOLFF

 

Origen: Bélgica

Formados:?

Estilo: Black, punk

Temática:?

Enlaces: Instagram.

Miembros:

• Jeffrey Bajo
• K. Von Shewolff Guitarra y voces
• Liam Batería

Discografía:

• Rehearsal Demo Demo 2023  
• We're All Gonna Fukkin' Die EP 2026

WE´RE ALL GONNA FUKKIN´ DIE (2026)

Concebido en origen como un proyecto en solitario de K. Von Shewolff, pero que pronto se vió completado con un par de miembros más, lo cual ha dado forma a los seis temas que conforman este Ep, si bien es cierto que algunos de ellos ya formaban parte de la demo de 2023. Lo que nos vamos a encontrar es este "We're All Gonna Fukkin' Die" va muy en la linea del sonido característico de un sello discográfico como Dying Victims Productions, sonidos underground, crudos y de carácter retro. Shewolff se sumergen en un estilo extremo que nos traslada una vez más al metal extremo de los ochenta, con una combinación resultadista de estilos como el thrash y el punk, con un capa de elementos de black primitivo. Temas directos y de ritmo mordaz, con pocas o ninguna concesión a la hora de trabajar diferentes texturas, centrándose en una crujientes guitarras, un ritmo en general alto, unas voces crudas y directas un aura de primitivo metal extremo. Los temas se suceden con una actitud y rabia contundente, un sonido de batería acorde con esas influencias más clásicas de sonido punk o thrash nos dan la bienvenida, acompañadas por unos riffs de texturas rugosa y cruda, con un carácter inmediato y directo, que saben aportar ese tono engañosamente melódico de estilos como el punk o el hardcore, pero siempre rebosantes de violencia y crudeza. Con las voces se esta en una linea bastante adaptada a elementos que tanto se pueden clasificar como de thrash o punk, siempre guardando un aporte de oscuridad, crudeza y actitud que dinamiza un tanto el conjunto, sobre todo en aquellas secciones en donde los temas bajan un tanto el ritmo, para ofrecer dimensión diferente a la hora de afrontar el impulso final. Un Ep que logra trasmitir toda la rabia y crudeza de un primitivo black/punk, de forma directa y acorde con su faceta más underground.  (7,6).

Dying Victims Productions

1. Eternal Night 03:48  

2. Guillotines 03:00  

3. We're All Gonna Fukking Die 03:47  

4. Nail + Burn 05:01  

5. Fantastik Fukk 02:06  

6. The Day the Whole World Ends 06:48  

  24:30

Luring ‎– Malevolent Lycanthropic Heresy ( White/Black Splatter)  39,99 €

Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition, White/Black Splatter

SARCASM

 LIFEFORCE OMNIBOUND (2026)

Vamos con el sexto álbum de los suecos Sarcasm, una banda que se formó en los albores de la década de los noventa y que esta encontrando en épocas más recientes su madurez musical como banda. Desde que editaran su primer álbum, hace ahora cosa de diez años, la banda parece haber encontrado una formula creativa bastante atractiva, mezclando elementos melódicos tanto de procedencia death como black, ofreciendo unos álbumes hasta cierto punto dinámicos, de poderosos sonido y cierta violencia implícita. Con un batería poderosa que sabe ofrecer tanto un carácter directo como profundo, jugando con la intensidad para lograr unas veces la devastación más extrema y otras la oscuridad más insondable, para dar sustento al grueso de las composiciones. En lo qee respecta a las guitarras se mueven con soltura en un sonido directo y poderoso, con implacables riffs que se solapan de manera rápida y agresiva, sin embargo es aquí donde la música de Sarcasm se va fundiendo en influencias de diferentes estilos dentro del metal extremo, desde un carácter más death, hasta ese tono más black que le añade profundidad, pero siempre desde una base en donde la melodía alcanza bastante protagonismo, asomando con habilidad incierta desde la parte más directa del sonido, bien sea por un riff que cabalga libre a través de la mezcla, bien por el aporte más consciente de un sonido de guitara más rico en matices. Cuando la música parece querer restar intensidad, es donde , ya sin ambages, esa melodía tiene mayor protagonismo, sin embargo Sarcasm, conserva esa habilitad innata de lograr que su propuesta no se resienta en exceso de aspectos como la agresividad, la violencia y sobre todo la oscuridad. En cuanto a las voces, también son participes de ese dinamismo de formas del plano meramente musical, con un carácter profundo, denso y oscuro, alternando pasajes que se remontan a un death de carácter más clásico, o secciones en donde se enfrascan en trabajar matices que ofrecen un plano mucho más surrealista o ocultista. Un sexto álbum que habla bien a las claras de una bandas, que si bien no transita por terrenos arriesgados, bien es cierto también que logra completar un álbum de sonido demoledor, con cabida para diferentes estilos e influencias dentro del metal extremo, para completar un resultado final que se amolda a lo intereses de ellos mismos. (7,7).

Hammerheart Records

Into It Records

1. Essence of Existence 03:57  

2. Altering the Perception 04:33  

3. The Reward of Adversity 06:58  

4. Crumbling Mind Edifice 04:14  

5. Plunged into a Paradox 04:30  

6. Wayward Fragments of Infinite Divisibility 04:51  

7. A Concept Older than Time 06:43  

8. Empirical Life Metaphysical 04:45  

  40:31

Патриархь ‎– Пророк Илия 119,99 €

Vinyl, LP, Gold

Vinyl, LP, Single Sided, Etched, Gold

GRAVEIR

 THE FESTERING TRIAD (2026)

Estamos ante el tercer larga duración de los australianos Graveir, una banda que desde el comienzo de su trayectoria se ha caracterizado por hacer pocas o ninguna concesión de cara a la galería, afrontando la entrega de un black metal, en cada nuevo álbum, que demuestra que estamos ante una banda con unas ideas claras y une estilo definido y que regresa con un álbum que se mantiene firme en esa personal interpretación del black metal. Los ocho temas que contiene este "The Festering Triad", son ocho temas directos y violentos de sonidos extremos, con un entramado de guitaras que revolotea febrilmente sobre nuestras cabezas, capaces de afrontar elementos crudos, otras más disonantes o profundos y oscuros desarrollos en donde la ambigüedad de formas y contenidos no deben pasar desapercibidos. Con un ritmo alto y lacerante de batería, que imprime un tono hasta cierto modo destructivo al conjunto, sin apenas concesiones, más allá de algunas secciones en donde la oscuridad parece querer reclamar su trono a base de una atmósfera un tanto más trabajada, pero sin que esa carácter demoledor, de hiriente ritmo, se vea alterado en ninguna de las canciones. La banda sabe también ofrecer un buen número de recursos a la hora de trabajar las texturas de las guitarras, con espacio para que algunas disonancias tengan también cierto peso en la mezcla, con cambios de ritmo trenzados de forma sistemática y con un buen equilibro entre la crudeza inherente de su sonido, cierta profundidad y algunos acercamientos a terrenos unas veces de carácter death, otras con ciertas capas de vehemente melodía. Completa el conjunto unas voces hirientes, incisivas y directas, en donde cierta profundidad se equilibran con aspectos más crudos y oscuros, menospreciando toda forma de vida y asaltándonos con su febril locura y cierta decadencia. Un tercer trabajo que lejos de conformarse con la trayectoria de Graveir, sigue afrontando nuevas cotas de agresividad, arriesgando para no ser encasillados en la masa informe de un black metal repetitivo. (7,9).

Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

1. Lords of Misrule 05:51  

2. A Futile Exhortation 03:17  

3. Revanchism 04:35  

4. A Thief in the Heart of Man 04:19  

5. The Festering Triad 04:46  

6. A Line of Blood Drawn in Sand 04:54  

7. By the Will of the Goat 04:32  

8. The Rite of Degradation 05:05  

  37:19

Nihil Invocation ‎– Blood Upon the Gates at Dawn 11,99 €

Cassette, Album

CROCELL

 

Origen: Dinamarca, Aarhus.

Formados: 2007

Estilo: Black, death.

Temática: ?

Enlaces: Bandcamp, deezer, facebook, instagram, spotify y tidal.

Miembros:

• Asbjörn Steffensen Voces
• Andreas Posselt Batería
• Mads Gath Guitarra
• Onkel Kusse Bajo
• Tommy Christensen Guitarra

Discografía:

• The God We Drowned CD 2008
• The Wretched Eidola CD 2011
• Come Forth Plague CD 2013  
• Prophet's Breath CD 2015  
• Relics CD 2018
• Chariots of Hellfire Single 2021  
• Baptized in Bullets EP 2021  
• Funeral Bliss EP 2021  
• Of Frost, of Flame, of Flesh CD 2024  
• Sarcophagus Single 2026  
• Shredded Banners Single 2026  
• Swarm of Insects CD 2026

SWARN OF INSECTS (2026)

Séptimo álbum para los daneses Crocell, un nuevo trabajo que continúa la senda iniciada en sus anterior "Of Frost, of Flame, of Flesh" (2024), en cuanto a la combinación de un black, death, bastante conseguido y en donde cuentan con la participación de Mads como nuevo guitarrista, al mismo tiempo que se han ocupado ellos mismos de toda la faceta de grabación. "Swarm of Insects" es un álbum directo de inicio, muchas veces de ritmos explosivos, pero también en al mayoría de los casos sabiendo equilibrar brutalidad y melodía. El álbum se siente de inicio como una obra en donde el death tiene un peso sustancial, totalmente entendible, la banda en origen era el estilo que ofrecía, para ello han trabajado un entramado de guitarra y batería que cuando operan al unísono ofrecen un muro de sonido impenetrable, denso y poderoso, sembrando destrucción, ofreciendo una buena dosis de oscuridad y no renunciando a elementos de corte más melódico que llevan al conjunto hacia terrenos más evocadores y épicos, Sin embargo en el álbum podemos encontrar también un buen puñado de elementos, y sobre todo estructuras que van introduciendo influencias de estilos como el black metal, ofreciendo un tono más oscuro e introduciendo también una atmosfera hasta cierto punto mas trabajada. El resultado es que esa furia más desatada que nos golpea de inicio con un propuesta más death, poco a poco se va  catalizando hacia mayor oscuridad, con pasajes en donde la música fluye libre en la búsqueda de diferentes sensaciones, equilibrando casi que de manera prefecta brutalidad y oscuridad. El séptimo álbum de los daneses muestra a una banda madura, en la búsqueda y evolución de su sonido de forma inconformista, buscando nuevos retos para golpearnos con furia con una propuesta de black/death de lo más violenta e inmersiva. (8).

Emanzipation Productions

1. Sarcophagus 05:07  

2. Sculptor of Nations  

3. Swarm of Insects  

4. Traitors' Blood  

5. Layrinthian Tunnels  

6. Shredded Banners 05:06  

7. Wolfen Man  

8. Volcano

Escumergamënt ‎– .​.​.​Ni Degu Fazentz Escumergamënt E Mesorga​.​.​. 19,99 €

First regular edition 12" LP, black vinyl, single jacket, and printed inner sleeve.