1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Band: Well, imagine a nighttime stroll through an abandoned cemetery, bathed in moonlight, accompanied by heavy, fast riffs, a powerful bass, rhythmic drums, and somber wails echoing from the darkness, singing of forgotten times. On the one hand, you know it’s just a figment of your imagination, but on the other—what if there really is something waiting there? Maybe it’s worth taking a step in that direction? Maybe something will change, maybe some gates will open?
2.Recently you have released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?
Band: The new line-up allows for a much broader range of influences and a more creative approach to writing their own parts. "Noc Grozy" was much rawer material, rooted in classic, vintage black metal - "Pieśni Pogardy" draws heavily on inspiration from the old days, but also features a more modern sound, far more dynamics and energy; more "disturbing elements" at the background, too.
HellScythe: Seth still contributes his screams on some backing vocals but I took care of the vocals on the new album, being the newest addition. This allows him to play more difficult and complex pieces without worrying about how to play and sing at the same time.
I tried to incorporate a wide range of vocal techniques myself, from classic harsh vocals, growls and clean vocals to harmonies and banshee-like screams.
Band: Each member was free to use their influences and write their own parts (taking into account the feedback from the other members, of course, which led to the emergence of guitar solos, more progressive parts, as well as technical and, at times, lead bass playing.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?
Band: The album’s concept loosely explores the theme of the unpleasant people one encounters every day. People who are mean, nosy, envious, and fixated on the superficial aspects of life, who never look any deeper. Moreover, they are linked by the common thread of the goddess Nemiza.
4.A lot of your lyrics are inspired by Paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
HellScythe: For my part, I’ve been interested in religion since I was a child; I loved finding out as much as possible about different beliefs, starting, of course, with Christianity, moving on to paganism, Slavic beliefs, the beliefs of the ancient Greeks and Romans, Norse religions and Buddhism, as well as African beliefs, sects and cults.
Admittedly, these interests haven’t changed the fact that I don’t believe in any established faiths; at most, I might believe in some kind of cosmic energy. But not really.
Paganism in the lyrics allows us to encapsulate a certain atmosphere, but also to give it a certain form, highlight certain aspects, or clothe it in a visual layer.
On our “Pieśni Pogardy”, the lyrics coalesce into a pagan invocation of the goddess Nemiza – who, incidentally, is herself a deity created (is she not, like every deity?) at a later period than the Slavic beliefs themselves. I think this adds a certain layer of irony to the whole album.
5.I know that the bands name means 'father of spirits' in Latin, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
Seth: The project’s name (as well as the project itself) was conceived in 2012. I started the project after parting ways with Hegemoon and Tanathron, and it all began in the attic with my 2 sons (lineup: drums, guitar, and keyboard). We weren’t making music to release albums; we played, you could say, more for fun and just for the heck of it—there was no talk of playing concerts or releasing anything.
It wasn’t until 2018, under the influence of a certain group of people, that we decided to create some material and try to record this project, but…
The Sons went their separate ways to pursue non-musical interests, and a number of other people began to come and go through the band (and there were quite a few of them); we’d especially like to give a shout-out to:
Drummer Łukasz (2012-2019)
Keyboard player Bartek (2012-2015)
Vocalist Adam (2018-2022)
Bassist Andrzej (2019-2022)
Guitarist Tomek (2018-2023)
Guitarist Mirek (2020-2023)
and many others whom I haven't mentioned, but who have been with us since 2018.
Finally, in 2021, this project - born out of pure passion - came to fruition. With our current drummer “Jantar”, Mirek and Tomek we released the EP “Noc Grozy,” featuring five heavy tracks of dense black metal.
We incorporate many elements characteristic of the Pagan style from three decades ago. The market is flooded with new releases, and we strive to blend the old school with the new in black metal. The material was recorded in our rehearsal space in Sosnowiec, and Dariusz (Młody) Płaszewski handled the rest - mixing and mastering at PANZER STUDIO 666.
In 2023, Kuba and Maciek joined our ranks, bringing significant changes to our music and enriching our exploration of this art form. In 2025, fresh blood joined our band—our vocalist HellScythe. That year also saw the release of new material titled “Songs of Contempt.” It is characterized by a blend of a new style with old-school black metal, and was recorded partly in Sosonowiec and partly in Częstochowa
Now we are trying to step out of the shadows to strike with renewed strength and hatred.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
Band: The raven is very often a symbol of death and war, and is seen as a harbinger of misfortune. At the same time, they are incredibly intelligent creatures; in many cultures, they have served as messengers – just as we act as emissaries, producing sounds and shouting about times long past. In Slavic mythology, ravens also played a significant role in the process of childbirth, as the souls of the dead (wele) travelled from the Wyraj (slavic Underworld) to the earth.
HellScythe: Furthermore - a cemetery, a raven, an overturned crucifix in the background – for me, it’s like going back to a time when people didn’t bow their knees before a corpse on the cross. Isn’t that cool?
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Band: Our gigs are bursting with energy, set against a dark and heavy atmosphere. We all love playing live and we give it our all, whether we’re playing to a handful of people or several hundred.
Our upcoming gigs will feature a set comprising the entire new album, as well as a selection of ‘hits’ (laughs) from “Noc Grozy”.
HellScythe: I have very fond memories of every gig I’ve played with the lads so far, though I’m sure everyone has their own way of looking back on them. The gigs in Częstochowa are certainly special, as they’re ‘home’ gigs – lots of familiar faces, a different vibe in a way.
Off the top of my head, I have very fond memories of Skarżysko-Kamienne, at the Semafor club, where we played with Wrath Opiate, Whore Mother, and the now defunct Dutch band Frontline Despair. Great organisation (greetings to Małgosia, the club’s owner), a crowd of young and brilliant people in front of the stage, some of whom we’re still in touch with. Our black hearts rejoice that young people are still listening to this kind of music. The kids are all right.
8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Band: A few concerts have already been announced; for Polish fans (or fans abroad who fancy a bit of Poland), we recommend following our social media. More is yet to come!
8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Band: We haven’t ruled out working with record labels; we’ve received a few offers that we turned down, and it’s not as though we’re actively sending out demos ourselves in the hope that someone will sign us. Of course, we’ll consider any proposal, but we’re far from ‘selling out’ (laughs).
So far, we’ve still been operating on a DIY basis. We like the freedom and lack of constraints in what we do. However, it’s certainly problematic when it comes to promotion.
HellScythe: At least no one’s forcing us to record ‘funny’ TikToks.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
Band: We’re getting really good feedback from fans abroad, which surprises us a bit - given that we sing in Polish and our social media is in Polish. In a way, we’re also getting “praise” for this – on several occasions, both at gigs and in comments on the internet, fans from abroad have praised us for not having “given in” to “anglicisation”.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
HellScythe: My ex-band Misanthur clearly had a prophetic album title, ‘Ephemeris’ - we released the album on Season of Mist, and after numerous personal and interpersonal problems, despite attempts to get back together, it all came to an end.
At the moment, I’m also playing guitar in a band that plays old-school Polish rock.
There are also some plans for a new project with a musician I’m friends with from a band we’ve shared the stage with a few times, but it all depends on how the stars align (fingers crossed).
Seth: I don't feel like playing in other bands anymore. The last band I played in as a session musician was “Zmarłym”.
As for the future, I'll put it this way:
I want to devote all my energy and new ideas solely to this project. Time waits for no one, and we'll have to film something someday (laughs).
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
HellScythe: No one knows for sure. I’m a fan of creating without overthinking it, though it goes without saying that such discussions do sometimes crop up within the band – “which direction should we take?”, “more of this, less of that?” – but one thing is certain: Black Metal will always be the backbone of our music. Despite drawing inspiration from various sources, this is the genre that resonates deeply with each of us.
We have the ‘rough outlines’ of two new tracks; both are faster than any of the songs on “Noc Grozy” and “Pieśni Pogardy”. For my part, I can reveal that there will be more going on vocally, and the compositions are shaping up to be heavier yet more nostalgic than before.
As for the material – we were considering a split with one band, but we think we’ll go for another full-length album instead.
12.What are some of the bands or musical style that have had an infleunce on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
HellScythe: While replying to this interview, Current 93’s “Invocations of Almost” really set the mood for me. Lately, I’ve also been listening to a lot of noise rock (my beloved Tropical Fuck Storm), and as for black metal, Oranssi Pazuzu.
Seth: I don't really listen to music, but when I do, the older the songs, the better (laughs). But seriously, generally speaking, anything good is good, regardless of the genre.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Band: Thanks so much for the interview and the interesting questions – and final words? Come to the gigs, support the scene and the REAL artists, ditch streaming services and their AI slop, and, well, just live your lives the way you want to – see you at the gigs.
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