1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Melior Pars: That’s completely understandable—we only introduced the band very recently, on January 8th. We are Apostasie, a melodic black metal band with a focus on historical and atheist themes. Our debut album, Non est Deus, tells the story of the Historia Ecclesiastica Perversa—exploring the madness of dogmas and rituals within the Roman Catholic Church.
The album delves into events from the so-called Christian “history of salvation,” the Latin-Roman church, and the closely tied history of Europe. the album delves into events from the so-called Christian “history of salvation,” the Latin-Roman church, and the closely tied history of Europe.
Most of us have known each other for many years, and some of us even played together in a previous band. We’ve decided to bring that chapter to a close and make a fresh start—with a new name, a refined style, and a brand-new album.
2.You have your first album coming out in November, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
Melior Pars: Musically, we bring a unique twist to black metal with the inclusion of a hurdy-gurdy, creating a sound that’s both ancient – especially medieval – and melodic. In our composition process, we drew heavily on the historical concept of the album. Lyrically, Hrabanus referenced historical sources, and musically, we incorporated melodies from the Christian musical culture of the Middle Ages. Our goal was always to create a narrative—or perhaps cinematic—structure for the songs, while maintaining the essential, progressive intensity of the black metal genre.
Many of the tracks have gotten quite complex; for instance, the title track runs close to 10 minutes, while “Blut” is a shorter piece, under two minutes. Some songs follow a traditional structure, while others break from it. Still, certain elements recur throughout, like polyphonic melodies, tremolo picking, and, of course, the hurdy-gurdy. Sometimes it serves as a third guitar, sometimes as a subtle highlight, and at other times, it even brings a touch of folk to the song. We’re proud to say this album is both diverse and richly layered.
So, you see, our interpretation of black metal is non-traditional, setting us (quite much) apart from the classic Scandinavian 1st and 2nd wave bands.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover the History og Latin and European Christianity and Catholicism can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting that is presented on the album and the research you put into the subjects you wrote about?
Hrabanus: As we previously mentioned, I used original medieval and Christian religious sources (including, of course, the Bible) for the lyrics. As a trained historian, I have also engaged academically with the intellectual culture of Western Christianity in general and with the Christian worldview of the Middle Ages in particular. My lyrics are, in a way, a result of my study into the historical events of Western Christianity—ranging from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the Christian theology that emerged around it, to the iconoclastic controversies, the Crusades, plague epidemics, the discovery of the "New World," and Martin Luther’s so-called Reformation.
I attempted to cast light on the dark aspects of European Christian history in a fragmented way—shedding insight on religious fanaticism of rulers, Christian imperialism, persecution of Jews, superstition, and more.
4.The band also covers topics related more to atheism, can you tell us a little bit more about you atheist views?
Hrabanus: To speak more generally about the thematic and lyrical concept of *Apostasie*: Honestly, as an artist, I grew pretty bored with the idea of reducing an anti-religious, atheist or perhaps, more accurately, rational-scientific worldview to something overly simplistic—a purely antithetical opposition, with, say, devil worship for effect, whoever the fuck that is. Instead, I’m interested in delivering a critique that remains relevant to this day—a critique of a worldview whose shadows still stretch into the present due to its historical evolution: racism, homophobia, misogyny, imperialism. What’s needed isn’t just antithetical opposition but a well-founded critique.
Maybe a last quick anecdote on the relevance of our "historical" lyrics today. I wrote most of the lyrics between 2016 and 2018, including *Blut schreit Palästina*, which deals with the Crusades, and *Pein, Pest*, focusing on the plague and the ensuing persecution of Jews across many European regions and cities. I probably don’t need to elaborate much to show that these themes haven’t lost any relevance. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 brought conspiracy theories blaming so-called "Jewish elites," and the current conflicts in the Middle East are often fueled, or at least underpinned, by religious dogmatism. The complexity of the political situation in the Middle East doesn’t allow for a one-sided stance—except to say that war is horrific and that a critical examination of its religious foundations is essential.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Apostasie'?
Hrabanus: Originally, Apostasie (from the Greek apostasía, meaning "defection" or "rebellion") is a political term referring to an uprising against the existing order. In Jewish-Hellenistic literature, the term took on a religious charge, coming to signify a renunciation or abandonment of faith.
Melior Pars: Many of us, however, were raised with Christian values. While we don’t view most of these values as inherently wrong, we don’t believe in any deities. What we do see is that institutions, which claim the sole right to interpret faith and present themselves as the ultimate source of truth, often collapse under their own shifting morality. They use God and faith to justify their twisted actions against humanity—especially toward those of different beliefs and perspectives.
“Apostasie” is something we witness daily—the hollowing of faith and the turning away from God. We felt it was the perfect name to represent our musical and lyrical vision. And, to be honest, we couldn‘t decide between this and another option and flipped a coin.
Hrabanus: Yes, and besides the coin-thing and what Melior Pars already said: “Apostasie” is the perfect term and band name to position our work as a profound and earnest critique, rather than a childish play with satanic imagery, fake blood, and fog.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
Hrabanus: For the album's artwork, we definitely tried to extend our critical concept visually. I’ve once again drawn from historical sources, in this case, visual sources. Some of the images featured include objects from my hometown, Worms (Germany), such as a Marian icon. The album cover itself is a reimagined rendering of Mantegna's Triumph of Death. This piece serves almost as a symbol of a rational worldview, emphasizing the often brutal ontology of life and death, entropy as opposed to notions of God and the afterlife.
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Melior Pars: To be honest, we’ve only played three shows under the name Apostasie so far. Most of us are active in other bands, so we wanted to make sure everything was well-prepared before fully launching. The reason we introduced the band on January 8th was actually due to a gig proposal from In Aeternum Booking in Annaberg-Buchholz—a booking agency I had previously worked with through another band. Knowing this would be a major opportunity, we were excited to have Apostasie included. To prepare, we aimed to play one or two smaller shows first and secured a gig at Alexander the Great club in Mainz, which was set to be our debut.
Then, just a week prior, another unexpected opportunity came up. I was scheduled to play with my other band „BLOOD FIRE DEATH - A Tribute to Bathory“ at From Hell in Erfurt when the opening act had to cancel two days before the show. One phone call later, and Apostasie was set to make its live debut at central Germany’s most iconic metal club. We’re incredibly grateful to Frank from From Hell for making this happen!
With the album release, we already have more shows planned and announced, and we can’t wait to share what’s next.
Our stage performance is fueled by a deep passion for what we do, visually amplified by striking outfits designed by Schnittmuskel, a talented and well-established designer from Karlsruhe, Germany, who we teamed up with before launching the band. Key figures on stage include Hrabanus, whose fury is unmistakable as he delivers his verses of unbelief, and Batseba, our veiled hurdy-gurdy player, adding a powerful mystique to our sound. Each of us incorporates twisted religious and mystical symbols into our look to underscore our lyrical themes. Altogether, I’d describe our performance as “passionate and energetic.”
8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the tour you have planned after the new album is released?
Melior Pars: We’re currently on the lookout for a booking agency to help us book future shows, as we’re still managing everything on our own. With our album about to be released by Trollzorn Records, we’re excited to be playing our release show locally, supporting Anguish and Ondfødt. In January—almost a year since our band’s debut—we’ll have our first international gig in Lenzburg, Switzerland. We’re also thrilled about an upcoming festival appearance in eastern Germany in June, which we’re eagerly anticipating.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
Melior Pars: I‘m going to tell you after the album got released! But so far, we‘re releasing lyrics videos on YouTube and social media platforms. First reactions have been quite positive, so I am confident people value that we‘ve something to say and bring a fresh new take on modern black metal. The second one just got released on 1st of November, check it out!
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Melior Pars: Apostasie is all about growth and rejecting dogma, so we’ll continue forging our own path. We’ve begun working on a concept for our second record, though it’s still in the early stages. But rest assured, wherever we go, we’re committed to spreading disbelief to new horizons. Hence, we’re actively searching for further gig opportunities across Europe.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Melior Pars: Most of us have known each other for over a decade—some, nearly two. Naturally, we’ve watched each other grow and evolve over the years. I remember countless nights in our rehearsal space (still the same one today) getting drunk together while listening to Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Cradle of Filth, and Immortal—but also Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and others. Helrunar and Menhir have long been among our favorites, along with Candlemass. Personally, I discovered Gaerea at Party.San in 2022, and they’ve since become one of my favorite bands; I deeply admire their musical genius. It’d be a dream to share a beer with them backstage one day. Go check out their new record ”Coma”, it’s a god-damn masterpiece.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Melior Pars: People used to say that metal is dead. I tell you, it‘s not, unless we stop reinventing. Screw dogmas and false prophets promising you salvation in an after life in exchange for obedience. Submit only to your true self.
Hrabanus: Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
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