1. The band started around 2021. What led you to create the band? Why did you choose the name Profane Elegy, and what does it refer to?
Mikael: I was at the point in my life where I finally had time to focus on creating music again and so I was looking for someone with a similar taste and interest. Our name incorporates two recurring themes in our music. 'Profane' meaning unholy and 'Elegy' meaning a sorrowful song. You could say it is our ethos.
J. Gulick: I was looking to start a new music project that was specifically more Black Metal oriented. I think for me my aim was to puit together a band that was equally melodic yet aggressive and dark. I put up an ad looking for members online and came across Mikael, and then found a session drummer to help compose ‘When All Is Nothing’. Then after the release of ‘When All is Nothing’ we gathered a full lineup.
2. In 2023, you released your first EP, "When All Is Nothing." Three years later, you followed it up with your first album, "Herezjarcha." Have you been immersed in composing the new album for these three years? What was the songwriting and recording process like for "Herezjarcha"? What brands of instruments did you use in the process?
Mikael: I probably spent around 2 years writing and recording after our first release.
J. Gulick: I believe Herezjarcha took around 6 months or so of me writing weekly, trial and erroring ideas, etc. Before we released Herezjarcha, we actually had 14 songs done and the drums finished in the studio, but decided 14 songs would be too much of an immediate expense, including the thought of having to do a double Vinyl instead of one. What’s left unrecorded will be on our follow up álbum.
3. The new album maintains a similar musical tone to your first EP; however, there is a greater focus and quality to the music, as well as a greater exploration of that unique facet of your sound: the violence and blending of styles, such as black and death metal, progressive touches, and occasionally clean vocals that create a striking contrast. How would you describe the album's sound to someone who hasn't heard it yet? What bands or styles inspired you to compose "Herezjarcha"?
Mikael: The simplest way I could put it would be a combination of black/death/doom metal. I think all 3 of those are significantly represented across the album. Swallow the Sun and Woods of Ypres comes to mind for comparisons on genre blending. Particularly their more black metal leaning songs.
J. Gulick: When I wrote this album, I didn’t necessarily think of immersing myself in certain styles or pulling influence from bands directly. I went along with a natural progression with what i thought worked with each song, having a beginning/middle/end, etc. The style definitely branched out from ‘When All Is Nothing’ being mostly Black Metal dominated to this one being a Black/Death/Doom hybrid. I even took a more Black/Thrash approach found in bands from the late 90’s/early 2000’s and more of those songs will also be heard on Album 3. A couple of the songs had a more Melodic Death approach as well as a more Progressive tinged direction then the previous. There are entirely too many bands to name that I took an influence from, but I may eventually namedrop bands and specific albums. My influences with Profane Elegy start from mainly 2nd wave Black Metal, to tinges of 1st wave Black and Death, Doom, early Melodic Death and some Progressive/Rock/Metal.
4. The themes of your lyrics seem to revolve around life and death. Could you elaborate a bit more on this? What motivates you to explore these themes? How is this task divided between Josh and Michael? Do the lyrics adapt to the music, or vice versa?
Mikael: I write all the lyrics. Death is definitely a common recurring theme in our music. It’s the sword of Damocles hanging over all our heads and I think it’s important that we explore it to come to terms with it before the moment we depart. The Romans had the concept of memento mori which means ‘remember you will die’, I believe in that mentality and these songs about death are a form of memento mori for myself and the listeners. I believe Confronting these uncomfortable truths can bring peace and help one live well.
5. Just like with the EP, the album will be self-released. Was this something you planned from the beginning, maintaining this control over your music? Are there any offers or possibilities of releasing it in physical format with a record label?
Mikael: our mentality is independence. If the right offer would come along we’d certainly be interested but we’re happy with our freedom right now.
6. There isn't much information about the recording, mixing, and mastering process for "Herezjarcha." Did you handle this process yourselves, or did you enlist the help of someone outside the band? How were the new band members involved in this process?
J. Gulick: We recorded the music ourselves with drums and mixing/mastering being done at Backroom Studios. Kevin Antreassian did a phenomenal job.
7. The album title is "Herezjarcha," a neologism that can be interpreted ambiguously. What specific meaning does it have for you? Who designed the album cover, and how does it relate to the album's content?
Mikael: Actually it isn’t a neologism, it is the Polish translation of the word english word heresiarch, it means arch heretic. Some inaccurate info went out on that hence the confusion. We felt that it encapsulated the essence of the songs as a whole. The reason it is in Polish is a nod to my heritage. Cover was designed by Artem Grygoryev, it is the literal embodiment of the arch heretic. The idea was something similar to the painting of a saint.
8. How has the live presentation of the new album been? Have the new members allowed you to have a greater live presence? What dates do you have confirmed for this year to present "Herezjarcha"?
Mikael: It’s been great doing it live, Dave and Sean add so much to the band we are lucky to have them. We are very selective with how often we play. We’ll be in Brooklyn on 2/28 for our first show of 2026. Then we’re opening for Rivers of Nihil on 3/14, we don’t have anything after that planned until 10/3 when we play Under Appalachian Skies fest.
9. How would you describe the black metal scene in a country like the USA? What bands from Pennsylvania would you recommend?
Mikael: very small, I honestly don’t follow the PA scene at all.
J. Gulick: There is a Black Metal scene, albeit small. There’s a few I do like from Pennsylvania like Profligate, Daeva, Satanic Magick, Zauberei, Unholy Altar, etc. There are good bands, they just don’t seem to get as much publicity, which makes sense given the genre. Death Metal is much bigger in the states it seems, but to an extent that could be debatable (potentially).
10. How did you get started in music? What were the first concerts you attended? What were the first albums you bought? What event in your lives led you to want to become musicians?
Mikael: I started a cover band with friends in high school. I can’t exactly recall my first record purchase but I had Creed and POD albums. I was big into rock growing up and only came to metal in my late teens. First rock concert was tour with 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, Alter Bridge. Not exactly trve kvlt haha.
J. Gulick: My first álbum I bought was a Nirvana compilation álbum when I was maybe 10 or so and from there it got me into a lot of different music early on, specifically punk and just a wider range of stuff in general. The first Metal song i vividly remember hearing was Metallica’s ‘Fight Fire with Fire’ when I was like 12 or so and I just got hooked from there. Around highschool I became really immersed in Metal, mainly Death Metal and more Progressive leaning bands and in highschool a bit later I really came to the conclusión of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, or at least largely dedícate to. Outside of dabbling in some not so serious Punk bands in Highschool, my first serious band was a Death Metal band back in 2010 with a close friend of mine. That eventually splintered forming a more Technical Death Metal oriented band called Decimator, but disbanding in 2013 before recording our EP.
11. Which album represents the essence of black metal for you? What are the most recent albums you've bought?
Mikael: Under the Sign of Hell by Gorgoroth is a pretty good example I’d say. Gorgoroth is probably my favorite ‘traditional’ style black metal band. I collect vinyl and picked up Watain’s live album most recently. I’ve got my eye on some Panzerfaust and Groza next.
J. Gulick: I can agree with Under the Sign of Hell by Gorgoroth. I also would say Bathory’s ‘Blood Fire Death’ or ‘Under the Black Mark’. Mayhem’s ‘De Mysteris Dom Sathanas’ also comes to mind or Immortal’s ‘Pure Holocaust’. Too many to name really.
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 Profane Elegy fans, this is the place. I hope you enjoy the questions.
Mikael: to anyone who follows us, the biggest thing you can do to support us is share our music with your friends and help us grow! We’re on every platform out there and are not hard to find.
J. Gulick: Thanks for taking the time to interview us. Hails.
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