Codex Mortis Interview

 

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

Arjan: Since the recording of the new album, we've been gearing up for its release this June. We've been busy promoting the album through interviews, social media, and preparing for upcoming shows. Also we started writing our 3rd album.

Mathieu: We signed with Black Lion Records, which was a great start for sure and we had a few gigs. But also a few line-up changes which always is a sort of set back. But what the most impact had on us and which was truly heart-breaking, was the sickness and death of our dear friend and drummer Quint Meerbeek, which cast a dark shadow upon last year.

2.You have a new album coming out in  June, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Arjan: The new album represents an evolution in our sound. Musically, it's more intense and direct compared to our previous release. We've experimented with different song structures and incorporated elements from various metal genres to create a more diverse and dynamic listening experience.

Mathieu: I think we matured in the songwriting as well as in the narrative part of the music. We still weave death with black metal and draw inspiration from classical music, and I guess we’ve managed to improved that compared to our debut album. 

3.The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story that you had covered with this release?

 Dirk: It’s actually six different stories rolled into a whole, bound together bij a spirit that jumps from person to person and through different times in the past. The fictional stories are told on historical backgrounds from the Netherlands and Europe.

  Mathieu: ‘Tales of Woe’ tells a story of a man getting possessed by a vengeful spirit who seeks to twist the mind of its victims by sharing horrific visions from its predecessors, and the man’s struggle with this mind-probing entity. It has some background on how the disembodied villain, the vengeful spirit, came to being and other tracks tell of those visions, while the last tracks deal with the man’s struggle to get rid of this possession.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Codex Mortis'?

 Dirk: Well, a codex is actually a bundle of papers or (written on) animal hides (vellum) put together to form a book. We chose this name since that is what we wanted to do; to tell stories.

Mathieu: We draw inspiration from the occult, myths, and folklore stories, the unknown, tales of sightings on manifestations of un-life etc. Codex (book), Mortis (death), loosely translated means ‘Book of the Dead’, or Book of Death as an elaborated necrologium, referring to the tales we draw inspiration from. 

Also it was inspired by the Codex Gigas, an manuscript that is also known as the Devil's Bible due to its highly unusual full-page portrait of Satan, and the legend surrounding the book's creation: the scribe was a monk who broke his monastic vows and was sentenced to be walled up alive. To escape death, he promised to create, in one night, a book to glorify the monastery forever, including all human knowledge. Near midnight, he became so desperate that he prayed to Lucifer to help him finish the book in exchange for his soul. The Devil completed the manuscript, and the monk added the Devil's picture as a tribute.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

Mathieu: Drawing inspiration from historic tales and sages, we were searching for an artist that could visually complete the sonic picture we try to scape, preferably like those old paintings, from the Dutch Masters. We were in search of an artist that could capture the dark mood of, for instance, Jheronimus Bosch. We found in Vladimir a very skilled artist for the artworks of this concept album

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Arjan: We've had the privilege of playing a couple of shows over the years. Our stage performance is energetic and intense, with a focus on delivering a captivating live story experience that resonates with the audience. However, we do not play alot of shows, so in that we are a bit exclusive. We are more focussed on writing and producing.

Dirk: For me it was the show at dB’s in Utrecht together with Bodyfarm and Slaugtherday. The venue was sold out and the crowd went wild! Maybe it wasn’t our finest played show, but we made up for it in stage-performance.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Arjan: We are currently in the process of planning shows to assist the release of Tales of Woe in the Netherlands, of which one is confirmed September 14th in Fort33 in Leusden, Netherlands, but more is in the pipeline.

8.The new album is going to be released on 'Black Lion Records', how would you compare working with them to your previous release 'Vidar Records'?

Mathieu: At the time (amidst the pandemic) we were very happy with our deal with Vidar Records, but unfortunately we didn’t get much milage out of our first album since the world was up-side down. BLR is a bigger label coming with more reach and experience, but since circumstances are completely different it is hard to make a comparison.

Arjan: Working with Black Lion Records has been a great experience. They've been incredibly supportive and have provided us with the resources and platform to reach a wider audience. The collaboration has been seamless, and we're grateful for the opportunity to release our music through their label.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

Arjan: The reaction to our music on a worldwide level seems positive. We hope fans of black and death metal can connect with the dark themes and intense energy of our music.

Mathieu: As said, the release of our debut didn’t live up to our expectations, but we’ll be certain its successor ‘Tales of Woe’ will get the attention it deserves. Little time has past since the we dropped our first single, but it is already well received and widely played.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Arjan:  Moving forward, we're excited to continue pushing the boundaries of our sound and exploring new musical territories. We're always looking for ways to evolve and grow as artists, while staying true to our roots and the essence of Codex Mortis.

Dirk: More stories with epic musical arrangements. 

Mathieu: We’ll continue to polish and chisel the codex-sound into more and better songs, aiming for even better concepts and maybe experiment with other instruments, but without being gimmicky.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are yo listening to nowadays?

 Arjan: We draw inspiration from a wide range of bands and musical styles, spanning from classic black and death metal to other genres such as classical music.

Dirk: It differs from one day to another, but for all of us Classical Music is what got it all started. For me Opeth is and was a big influence. The way they can paint a picture with music and story telling is amazing. Also bands as Dimmu Borgir and Hypocrisy had a big influence with epic songs as "In deaths embrace and "death row".

Mathieu: For the same reasons Dirk mentioned: Cradle of Filth, Emperor, Dissection as being the most influential black metal bands, bands like Vader, Nile and Deicide death metal-wise. And from classical composers such as Chopin, Mozart, Vivaldi, Saint-Saëns, of which I find it inspiring how the different instruments or parts vary in theme, how they relate to each other and how this shapes their music. And for me the challenge is to translate this into a double guitar and bass setup.

12.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

 Arjan: Occultism serves as a potent source of inspiration for us, allowing us to delve into themes of mystery, darkness, and the unknown. It's a fascinating realm of exploration that adds depth and intrigue to music and lyrics.

Dirk: For me it is a way of making sense of the world we live in its just another way of looking at people and our world. It depends on what you think is  occultism I guess. I don't go around calling up spirits and I don’t have a pyramid under my bed, but I do believe in residual energy when people die. 

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

We want to thank our fans for their continued support and enthusiasm. it means to us to see it resonate with listeners around the globe. Keep an eye out for our new album, follow us on social and streaming media. June 21st Tales of Woe will be released and we hope to see you at one of our shows. Stay metal!!

https://codexmortisblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/tales-of-woe