viernes, 22 de enero de 2021

OV SHADOWS - INTERVIEW



1. Ov Shadows was born in 2016, was Ov shadows a response to the disappearance of the Waning band of which you were part? Why did you really decide to create Ov Shadows and why did you choose this name? 

Yes,  we had all been members of Waning for a couple of years and felt that we had reached a point where we couldn't evolve the concept anymore and that the band had lost the dark essence in the music that we always strive for. We wanted to put our music in a more dark and extreme direction again and that's basically how the idea of Ov Shadows came up. The band name is inspired by Jungian psychology and the concept of ‘the shadow self’ - ‘the shadow aspect’ - which is reflected in our strive to explore and embrace the dark aspects that dwells within each and everyone of us.


2.How was the composition and recording process for this new album? How is your way of working in the studio? Can we say that this "I djävulens avbild" is the result of all the members of Ov Shadows having been focused one hundred percent on the band in recent times leaving aside other projects?  

Basically, we always follow the same approach when it comes to creating music and recording. The writing process begins in AAs studio and he is the one who mainly composes the music and then brings the raw material to our rehearsals. But the final product is always a result of a creative collaboration within the band, with contributions from everyone. Some songs are more or less kept as they where in the initial stage, whereas others goes through several versions or changes before we are satisfied. Ov shadows have been the highest priority for everyone in the band during this period, we have all been fully focused on getting it done in the best possible way. There are some other projects around the band but nothing that is particularly active right now.


3. Your first work “The Darkness Between Stars (2018)” is a correct black metal album that made you known within the scene as a band, however this “I djävulens avbild (2020)” is a much more mature album It stands out above all for offering much more darkness. Are you satisfied with the final result of “I djävulens avbild”? Have you consciously evolved the sound between these two albums in search of your identity?

Yes, we are very pleased with how the album turned out. We feel that we have developed in the right direction both in terms of sound and composition. After the release of  “The Darkness Between Stars”,  we were pretty clear about which direction we wanted to take and what we wanted to improve. We wanted a more aggressive and intense approach with our music and also bring some more atmosphere to it. Basically, it is a constant search for an ultimate dark and cold feeling that we want to be the essence of our music.


4.Your black has a very marked component of density and darkness. What are your main musical influences when dealing with the composition of the music of Ov Shadows?

The musical inspiration is something that constantly varies and then of course there are many classic black metal albums that are always included as inspiration.



5.As for the lyrics, what topics do you discuss in them? Why do you consider these topics interesting to be treated? And why have you decided to write in Swedish and abandon English for this last job?      

The lyrical theme have evolved from dealing with lucid dreams and the shadow self into demonology.The topic is chosen because it interests me (RA).As for the language I felt that I needed to change language from English to break old writing habits and on top of that I have always wanted to write an album in Swedish.


6.Who was in charge of the cover design for “I djävulens avbild”, what does it represent and how does it relate to the content of the album? 

The cover and layout was made by our art designer Mr Snow Pulse and represents the anchoret from the song Anakoretes Gap/The Maw of the Anchoret.


7.The Swedish black scene had a capital importance in the development of the genre in the nineties, with leading bands such as Marduk, Bathory or Dark Fueneral among others, to face the beginning of the century in a somewhat more lethargic way. How would you describe Today the dry black scene of which you are a part? What new bands can you recommend from the Gothenburg area?

Today's black metal scene in Sweden is of course something completely different compared to the time you mention. There are some really good bands here, but on the whole the development of black metal has been taken over by many other countries such as France, Iceland and the US. But we do our best to look ahead and try to create something unique of our own. New black metal bands from Gothenburg? Wish we could drop some names but unfortunately it is almost a non-existent scene here, times have really changed since the 90's.


8. Do you have in mind at some point to bring the Ov Shadows proposal to the stage? If so, why haven't you done it yet? Is the time of your first concert near? 

Absolutely! Our ambition has always been to play live but due to other commitments and events it has not yet been realized. We definitely consider ourselves to be a live band so when the opportunity comes Ov Shadows will be ready. 


9. Your previous album “The Darkness Between Stars” was published by Black Market Metal Label, however for this new album “I djävulens avbild”, the edition is in charge of Hypnotic Dirge Records, how did you get the possibility of releasing your second album through this label? Are you satisfied with the work done by Hypnotic Dirge Records, in terms of editing and promotion?

We came in contact with each other thanks to AAs involvement in the band Obitus, who released the excellent album "Slaves of the Vast Machine" in 2015 on Hypnotic Dirge Records. We knew that the label stands for quality and dedication, which made the choice easy for us once they offered a record deal. We are very pleased with the collaboration with Hypnotic Dirge Records, everything have work out very well and we really appreciate all the work they have done/are doing for us.


10.How were your beginnings in music: first albums you bought, first concerts you attended? Why did you decide to be a musician and what is black metal for you?

Like many other young metal heads, we started listening to bands like Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer, and so on. Then came a drive to constantly find music that was meaner and darker, which eventually led us into black metal.Hard to remember the first concert but we went to a lot of gigs in the Gothenburg area in the late 90s. There was a very lively metal scene in Gothenburg at that time and gigs were arranged in many different places. Today it is unfortunately very dead on that front, so of course you miss that period.Do not think that any of us in the band really planned to become a musician or at some point decided to become one, but it is something that has grown gradually over the years. Basically, we are big fans of the genre and have a great interest in dark art in various forms and that has led us to become musicians.



11.What album represents the essence of black metal for you? What albums have you bought lately?

It will be very difficult to choose an album as a representative of an entire genre, but of course there are some albums that we think manifests the essence in black metal;  Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse, and Deathspell Omega - Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice to name a few masterpieces.The record that is played most frequently right now, at least by some of us in the band, is Aklhys latest record Melinoë, where they once again managed to create an exquisite piece of art of the darkest kind.


12.What future plans do you have for Ov Shadows in terms of upcoming releases, reissues, concerts, etc?

Both “I Djävulens Avbild” and ”The Darkness Between Stars” will be released on vinyl during 2021, which we of course really are looking forward to. They will be released through Vendetta Records in Europe and Hypnotic Dirge Records in North America. We don´t have any release dates yet but hopefully it will come out in the beginning of 2021.  For you cassette lovers out there, we can also announce that "I Djävulens Avbild" will be released in this format in early 2021 with a newly written bonus track. The aim is also set to eventually release a third full-length, but it's a journey we've just begun and a lot of work remains.


13. Thank you very much for the time dedicated to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for Ov Shadows fans this is the place. I hope the questions have been to your liking. 

Thank you Black Metal Spirit for giving us this opportunity and thanks to everyone who supports us it means a lot!


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