1. You've been active since 2012. What memories do you have of that time? Why did you decide to form the band? Why did you choose the name Mortal Scepter, and what does it refer to?
Back then we were just a group of friends who wanted to play the music we loved. At first, some of us had another band heavily influenced by Iron Maiden and Helloween, but when that ended, we decided to go faster and more aggressive. Thrash is a genre we always loved so we came to it very naturally.
As for the name, it actually started as a joke. “Scepter” was a word we used a lot during parties, and when we had our first real gig lined up without even having a name, we added “Mortal” to make it sound darker. The idea was to keep it just for that one show… but in the end, it stuck, and now it’s part of our identity.
2. In 2019, you released your first album, which garnered a handful of good reviews. However, a period of silence of almost six years followed. What happened in the band that hasn't had much news about you in recent years? Was the continuity of Mortal Scepter ever in doubt, or was it just a matter of needing time to solidify your next steps?
It was never in doubt. Mortal Scepter belongs to all four of us, and we were determined to continue. But of course, life gets in the way and jobs or other activities (two of us are in other bands) sometimes made scheduling difficult. We also wanted to take the time to write something stronger, and not rush an album just for the sake of releasing it. Looking back, those years were necessary: we grew technically, personally, and finally found the sound we had in mind since the beginning.
3. Your second album, "Ethereal Dominance," will finally be released on September 9th. What was the writing and recording process like for this new album? Have you spent these last six years polishing aspects you weren't entirely satisfied with in the past? How do you think your sound has evolved? What brands of instruments did you use in the process?
We definitely learned a lot from Where Light Suffocates. That was our first “real” studio experience, and while we like the songs, we’ve always been frustrated with the sound. With Ethereal Dominance, we wanted to avoid the same mistakes. The writing process was very natural: most of the songs were born during sessions at our drummer’s place, with everyone contributing riffs and ideas. Compared to the first album, we allowed ourselves to explore more atmospheres and more complex structures, without losing the speed and intensity.
As for instruments, we keep it pretty classic: Ibanez and ESP guitars, Peavey amps... We don’t obsess about gear—the important thing is the way we push ourselves while writing and playing.
4. The new album still maintains the essence of the retro and classic sound of styles like eighties death metal and thrash… Which classic death metal and thrash bands have influenced you when composing "Ethereal Dominance"? How would you describe the sound of the new album for those who haven't had the chance to hear it yet?
We’ve always been deeply influenced by the first wave of death/thrash bands: Massacra, Demolition Hammer, Protector, Sadus, Devastation… and of course the German thrash scene with Kreator, Destruction, Deathrow. On this album, we also wanted to channel the more progressive side of bands like Death, Atheist or Nocturnus—technical riffs, odd time signatures, songs that don’t follow a predictable pattern.
If we had to describe the album in a few words: fast, aggressive, but with a dark and sometimes epic atmosphere. It’s still thrash at its core, but with death metal edges and more tension in the songwriting.
5. The lyrics, on the other hand, do follow a more classic pattern, with regard to violence and darkness, for example. Is this theme inherent to the style? What specific themes inspired you when writing the lyrics? Does the music adapt to the lyrics or vice versa?
Most of the lyrics are rooted in science fiction, sometimes directly inspired by novels we’ve read. We like to explore ideas about human extinction, cosmic threats, or distorted realities. For example, the title track was inspired by the The Three-Body Problem novels and the way they explore the Fermi Paradox.
We don’t really adapt music to lyrics or the other way around—it’s more that both feed each other. We want the words to enhance the atmosphere of the music, not to simply describe violence for the sake of it.
6. You worked with Raph Henry for the recording and Benoît Roux for the mastering. Was it important for you to achieve a sound that would differentiate you from your previous album? Why did you choose these people to carry out this process?
Yes, it was very important. We were frustrated with the sound of Where Light Suffocates, and we didn’t want to repeat that experience. We already knew about Raphaël Henry’s work and even before the album was written, we were considering working with him. He understands this music and knew how to push us further in the studio, while also respecting our limits. Benoît Roux’s mastering gave the album the impact and clarity we were missing before. Together, they helped us finally get the sound we had in mind for years.
7. The new album took six years to release, but you still maintain trust in releasing it with Xtreem Music. How did this unity come about for the release of your two albums with this record label, and what bond do you have with them?
We’ve always had a great relationship with Dave Rotten and Xtreem Music. They believed in Where Light Suffocates even though we weren’t 100% satisfied with the result, and they never pressured us during these six years of silence. For us, it was natural to continue this partnership.
8. In some ways, both album covers follow a similar theme of science fiction and destruction? Who was in charge of the cover design for "Ethereal Dominance"? What does it represent and how does it relate to the album's content?
As for all of our previous releases (albums and EP), the cover was made by Jon Whiplash. We didn’t give him a strict concept; we just shared the lyrics and the songs and let him do his thing. The result is this drifting spacecraft, a scene of catastrophe, which perfectly mirrors the atmosphere of the album: dark, oppressive, cosmic. It’s not tied to one song in particular, but more like a visual reflection of the whole record.
9. Which classic French death metal or thrash bands have been a reference for you? Which current French bands would you recommend? Was the past better in two styles, like death metal or thrash? Which bands would you like to be compared to in the end?
For French references, definitely Massacra and Agressor in the early days. They showed that French bands could play this music with the same intensity as the US or German scenes. Among current bands, Skelethal of course, Hexecutor, Necrowretch, Sacrifizer, Blackened … The past had its legends, but we think the French extreme scene is very strong right now.
As for comparisons—we’d like people to see us as carrying the same spirit as those pioneers, but with our own identity.
10. Do you already have any dates lined up for the live presentation of the new album? What can your fans expect from a concert from you?
We’ll start by releasing the album in our hometown, at the same venue where we played our very first gig. After that, we’re hoping to hit more stages across France and Europe. On stage, we keep it raw and intense—no long speeches, just pure thrash and death metal energy. Fans can expect fast, aggressive songs delivered without compromise.
11. How were your beginnings in music: first concerts you attended, first albums you bought? What event in your lives pushed you to want to be musicians?
For most of us, it started with the big classics—buying Iron Maiden, Metallica and Metallica albums as teenagers, going to small local shows, and slowly realizing that we didn’t just want to watch from the crowd, we wanted to be on stage too.
12. Which album represents the essence of black metal for you? What recent albums have you bought?
It’s a difficult question because black metal doesn’t resonate with all of us in the same way. We really love At the Heart of Winter by Immortal, even if we don’t see it as the album that represents the true essence of black metal.
There are too many albums to name them all! But Lower Form Resistance by Dissimulator (2024) is probably the most striking one recently.
13. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit. If you want to add something for Mortal Scepter fans, this is the place. I hope you enjoy the questions.
Thank you for the interview! We really hope people will give Ethereal Dominance a chance, because it’s the album that truly represents who we are. We want to play more shows, meet people, and keep spreading this music we love. ETHEREAL DOMINANCE SHALL PREVAIL!
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