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1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
Since the recording, we’ve taken the time, together with LADLO, to prepare for the release under the best possible conditions.
We worked on the cover art visual identity, up to the stage elements designed with costume designer Déborah from @how_to_make_a_duchess on instagram.
In the meantime, several concerts have allowed us to refine our live approach in this new phase of the band : more direct and more stripped-down.
At the same time, each of us has continued to pursue their individual projects, which in their own way help to enrich the world of Malepeste.
2.In November you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Ex Nihilo marks a natural evolution rather than a rupture.
It retains the foundation of black metal but freely embraces some new shades with more pronounced tempo variations, and vocals that explore new aspects of their range.
We also paid particular attention to the clarity of the sound and the precision of the mix, which stands in clear contrast to our earlier releases, without losing the raw tension that many of us seek in this kind of music.
3.This is also your first release in 7 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time span?
Our personal, family, and professional lives have gone through some reshuffling, not to mention the pandemic.
In the meantime, we also worked on Grande Loge, a ritual/ambient project that brings together the same team as Malepeste.
Several tracks from Ex Nihilo already existed in embryonic form for years. We enjoyed revisiting and enriching them until they naturally found their place in the album.
As often happens, behind the tracks that see the light of day lies a multitude of sketches sleeping in the shadows ; some may be reborn one day, others will remain forever in limbo.
4.A lot of your lyrics cover Occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about how this interest has evolved over the years?
For many years, the occult was at the core of our approach, both spiritual and artistic. We sought to understand the invisible and give meaning to our experiences, exploring various traditions such as Kabbalah and Austin Osman Spare’s Chaos Magick. That period was intense, marked by profound experiences but also by illusions and a certain excess. The early albums and stage universe of Malepeste still carried traces of that fascination.
Over time, we became aware of the limits of occultism ; its dogmas, rigid symbols, and heavy traditional frameworks. We chose to break away from that esotericism and return to something more organic and alive, where art becomes a ritual space freed from temples and systems.
Today, we are truly distancing ourselves from the “occult” label, embracing instead a more embodied relationship with the sacred ; one rooted in presence, fragility, and human fervor, as felt in certain forms of ritual expression or within the creative act itself. Ex Nihilo reflects this evolution: it explores creation as an act that is both liberating and alienating, and the search for meaning that runs through all existence, between emptiness and emergence.
5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored on the releases?
The first album, Dereliction, dealt primarily with the fall : the feeling of abandonment and the abyss opening beneath our feet.
The second, Deliquescent Exaltation, alternated from track to track between ascension and descent, within a more theological universe drawing from various mythologies and religions.
This one, Ex Nihilo, explores creation itself as a means of expression that is both alienating and liberating, useless and therefore essential. It delves into the feelings of exaltation and despair that this process evokes.
The rise and fall is the common thread linking all these albums, explored in different ways and forms ; a reflection of our fascination with cycles. The day an album’s theme is solely that of ascension, it will mark the end of the cycle.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Malepeste'?
It evokes an ancient force, a visceral evil.
It is both an exclamation and a curse, a word that encapsulates the ambivalence between vital impulse and the inevitable corruption that accompanies it.
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
It is an acrylic painting on a linen canvas, 30x30 cm, created by Nostra.
Visually, it follows in the continuity of the artwork for Ce qui fut, Ce qui est, Ce qui sera.
The painting depicts a primordial figure suspended in space ; a being both creative and contemplative, aware of what it holds in its hand: its incandescent creation, destined for chaos.
It is not a triumphant deity; its gesture evokes both the birth of the world and the tragic awareness of the void from which everything emerges and to which everything returns.
This figure may also serve as a metaphor for the artist, or for any human being, confronted with what they bring into existence, imbued with the consciousness of time and loss.
8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Among our best memories, we could mention the final dates of the tour with Hetroertzen and Malhkebre.
They weren’t large venues, and the logistics could be exhausting at times, but we cherished that total immersion, living for several days entirely devoted to the band, surrounded by sincere artists who share the same sense of commitment.
Those suspended moments remind us why we do all this.
Our live performances, with or without stage decor, rely on the tension of the moment.
They are conceived as intense, organic experiences where raw energy takes precedence over everything else.
Each concert becomes a kind of trance state, an attempt at absolute presence rather than a fixed staging.
9.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
The next upcoming date is interesting: November 28th at Le Ferrailleur in Nantes, with Vigljos, Les Bâtards du Roi, and Räum.
The evening looks promising.
Other one-off dates should be announced in the coming months.
10.On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
We come from the underground, and it's never easy in that scene to gauge a "global" reception.
But sometimes friends traveling abroad have sent us photos of our tapes or CDs they've stumbled upon overseas; our music has flown.
We generally get good feedback after a show, for reasons specific to each listener's taste.
And by the way, listeners, if you'd like to share any negative feedback with us, we'll welcome it with the same curiosity.
11.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?
We can mention Herjann's band, Udyr.
Flexor's band, Moriquendi.
Or Xahaal's band, Ominous Shrine. The latter currently has a new release in the works.
There is also, of course, Grande Loge, which we mentioned earlier.
And sometimes, Larsen's voice makes a brief appearance on other projects in our area.
12.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
It's too early to predict, but we'll likely continue exploring the tension between dissonance and melody.
We like forms that emerge from chaos; there will probably still be this idea of movement, something introspective.
In practical terms, we don't rule anything out, as long as it feels right in the moment.
13.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?
Currently, I would say we often listen to projects like : Abigor, Ungfell, Arkhaaïk, Acherontas, Qrixkuor, Mortual, Clairvoyance, Altar of Plagues, Veilburner, Solar Temple, Sum of R, Oranssi Pazuzu, Blood Incantation, Sigh, Augury, Five the Hierophant, Messa, Faetooth, Slift, Castle Rat, Year of the Goat, Lux Occulta, Neptunian Maximalism, Swans, Comus, Anna von Hausswolff, Księżyc, Gaë Bolg, cLOUDDEAD.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for this interview.
Ex Nihilo marks a milestone for us, both musically and personally.
Perhaps it will resonate with those who, like us, feel the need to find and create meaning within chaos.
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