Blodskam Interview

 

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

We have mostly been dealing with interviews, selling merch and that kind of stuff. We also have been tossing some ideas around for the next album. 

 

2. In September you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It is maybe a little more dynamic and varied. The songwriting process was more consistent and concentrated this time. The sound is, well, the same but different. 

3. The lyrics on the new album cover a different take on the biblical story of Eve, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting on the new release?

This time we wrote the lyrics together and wanted to tell a chronological story from the first song to the last. And we both came up with basically the same idea separate from each other! On Ave Eva we reinterpret the biblical story of Eve and make her the usurper and destroyer of the universe. After she encounters Satan in the form of a serpent she finds her black flame and heads out to kill Adam and all the world’s creatures. The final, epic, song 'Chaos Reigns' marks the end of the universe as it goes down in fire and blood. Infinite chaos is restored.

4. Your previous album was called 'Là-Bas', do you have an interest in the novel of the same name written by Joris-Karr Huysmans?

Yes, the title was in fact an homage to his novel. It is a hidden little gem in the literature dealing with occult themes from the 1800-hundreds.

 

5. According to the metal archives page the band has been around since  1998 but you waited until 2019 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait?

We started the band, made some riffs and half finished songs, took some photos at a graveyard, in corpse paint, covered in blood. But then it never took off. We lived in different cities, had other band priorities and just laid Blodskam to rest. Then Aghora felt the need to do something about it and finished the songs that became Là-Bas in just a weekend’s time. We recorded it in 2014 and finally Suicide Records was able to release it in 2019.

 

6. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Blodskam'?

It is the word for incest in ancient swedish. The feel of the word felt very black metal and since we are brothers, it adds kind of a twisted aspect to that.

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

It was done by artist Jonas A Holmberg. We wanted something different from the debut album (which was also very good and made by Christoffer Engvall) and asked if he wanted to do it. He was given the lyrics and listened to the album and came up with an idea. After some discussions and revisions he ended up with the final artwork. It is great and captures the theme of the album perfectly.

 

8. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

We will remain a duo, it is the best format for us. The brotherhood is the core of Blodskam.

 

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

Very good, actually. We are maybe not a big name, but we seem to find the right listeners and have received mainly good reviews in magazines and fanzines. 

 

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

The songwriting is not so much a conscious process. We will see what direction it might take! I have my own style in writing and playing the instruments, so it will definitely sound like ”Blodskam”.

 

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?

The band is rooted in 90s' black metal, but the music also is influenced by elements of other genres. We listen to a lot outside metal as well, most of it has some kind of darkness to it though.

 

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

Keep the black spirit alive and support the underground! 

Blodskam on Facebook – facebook.com/blodskamofficial
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Blodskam/Ave Eva/Suicide Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Blodskam  are  a  duo  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  raw  and  brutal  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Ave  Eva"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Suicide  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also b e  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clear  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.

  On  this  recording  Blodskam  beings  in  more  of  raw,  traditional  and  brutal  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  destructive  force  of  Eve  and  her  bloody  mission to  destroy  Earth ,  slaughter  its  creatures  and  undo  God's  creation  to  restore  infinite  chaos.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Blodskam  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  brutal  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUIDE  "Perverse  Creation"  and  "Chaos  Reigns".  8  out  of  10.

  https://suiciderecordsswe.bandcamp.com/album/ave-eva

https://youtu.be/oPIQ-h6EotA  

    

Blodskam/La-Bas/Suicide Records/2019 Full Length Review

  Blodskam  are  a  duo  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  psychotic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "La-Bas"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Suicide  Records.

  Drum  beats  and  some  dark  yet  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody at  times. Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  style  and  the  musical  instrumental  all  sound very  powerful  throughout  the  recording.

  Most  of the  tracks  goes  for  more  of  a  modern  style  of  black  metal  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives the  songs  more  of   a  raw  feeling.  When  listening  to  all  of  the  songs  on  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  also  get  more  creative  as  the  album  progresses.

  The  closing  track  captures  of  the  atmosphere  of  an  insane  asylum  with  only  a  small  amount  of  vocals  being  utilized.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Psychotic,  Death,  Decay  Anxiety  and  Philosophical  themes  with  some  Satanic  references  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  have  Swedish  titles.

  In  my  opinion  Blodskam  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychotic  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  want  to  hear  a  band  that  is  very  different  from  most  of  the  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "God  in  A  Straitjacket"  and  "The  Machines".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/blodskamofficial