2025 Featured Vides @ Music Videos Matter

 

LEAVE COMMENT TO SUBMIT A MUSIC VIDEO TO BE FEATURED AT 

WWW.JABLKADALEKOODSTROMU.SK 

              

Nyx Division 🇺🇸 Soldier of Love (2025-Sep) 

AFI  🇺🇸 Behind the Clock (2025-Aug)

 

 

#159 Tom/EZR Reviews: Dinner! - Psychic Lovers (2016)

 

Dinner! - Psychic Lovers (2016)
By Tom/EZR

Je tu koniec roka 2024, hranatý odišiel lízať riť diktátorovi do Kremľa, v telke dávajú smutnú vianočnú rozprávku "Štyri slepé patróny deda Cintulku" a ja som počas prechádzky okolo Štrbského plesa dostal chuť napísať niečo krátke o albume, ktorý mi koncom roka rozbil aktuálny playlist a pokazil radosť z vytvárania tohtoročných top 10 rebríčkov. 

 

Dánsky indie-synthový sólo projekt Dinner! som objavil náhodou pri rannom počúvaní rádia cestou do práce. Song "Turn Me On", ktorý ako som zistil má dotyčná rádio stanica zaradený v rotácii už pár mesiacov bol presne ten, ktorý ma pritiahol ku kapele ako roj múch k čerstvo vyloženej kláde. Ešte pri šoférovaní som ho našiel a lajkol vo svojom Spotify, aby som sa k nemu vzápätí počas pracovnej doby vrátil. Je ráno a ja si prvý krát púšťam album Psychic Lovers v celej jeho ešte stále nespoznanej kráse.

Prvý song "Cool as Ice" má refrén, ktorý vzniknúc v USA v 80s, lámal by všetky priečky hudobných rebríčkov ako kokosová Fidorka moje odhodlanie nejesť sladké. Skladba navodzuje atmošku fialových neónových svetiel, vybíjaných kožených overalov a dymostroja z obskúrnych gay klubov, ale koho mi len pripomína ten vokál? Podľa hejterov na Youtube, znie ako Patrick zo Sponge Boba, Arnold Schwarzenegger alebo ako potomok Johna Mausa a Nico. Mne však najviac zo všetkého pripomína hlášky orkov z hry Warcraft 2: Zag-zag, Dabu, Lok-tar... 

Pri druhej skladbe "The World", ktorá vyústi do krásneho la-la-la-la motívu, si googlim Dinner! a zisťujem, že je to jednočlenný projekt Andersa Rhedina, o ktorom sa vzápätí dozvedám, že pôsobil v Kodaňskej kapele Choir of Young Believers (aka COYB), z ktorej albumu Grasque (vyšiel v rovnakom roku ako Psychic Lovers) som sa pred niekoľkými rokmi niekoľko mesiacov nevedel spamätať. Náhoda? Nemyslím si... 

Prichádza rádiová trojka "Turn Me On", ktorej niet čo vytknúť, a za ktorou nasleduje "Gone" -  a to je rana päsťou Ricka Astleyho priamo na môj solar. Päsť je Rickova, boxérska rukavica však patrí Andersovi. Alebo je to naopak? "What You Got" je ďaľší refrénový skvost a "Wake Up" je jednoduchá konverzácia medzi Andersom a francúzsky hovoriacou slečnou o tom ako by sa obaja radi zobúdzali pri sebe v rôznych európskych metropoliach.

Ako ubieha čas pri posluchu emóciami a nostalgiou nabitého Psychic Lovers, pred očami sa mi mihajú asociácie ako v Disneyho kreslenom filme. Tento album definuje slovo "weird", na jednej strane dokonalé melódie, na druhej strane divný spev a atmoška, ktorá vás buď chytí a už nepustí alebo si poviete WTF? a nedáte ho dokonca (ako väčšina mojich známych, ktorým som tento album tlačil do priazne). 

Siedma skladba "Holy Fuck!" je kombinácia synthových plôch a pulzujúcich synth basov - ktoré mi prvý krát evokujú iného majstra weird synth štýlu - Necrococka, a to hlavne z jeho projektov Kaviar Kavalier. "A.F.Y." je neosynthový tlkot srdca doprevádzaný monofonickým chorálom, ktorý trochu v agresívnejšej forme odprezentoval Attila Csihar na ikonickom albume De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas nórskych zlobivých chlapcov Mayhem. 

Deviatka "Lie" je bezbeatový synth minimalizmus s krásnym refrénom. Vo videoklipe tancuje popri Andersovi hrajúcom na hračkárkej gitare neznáma dievčina tanec, ktorý je intímny a surreálny. Videoklip má D.I.Y. 90s vibe a evokuje mi dokument Dig! o rozdielnych cestách dvoch spriaznených alternatívnych 60s revival kapiel The Brian Jonestown Massacre a The Dandy Warhols.  

 

Desiatka "Kali, take me home", je jeden z mojich troch favoritov celého albumu. Štvorakordový repetitívny námet pomaly graduje a Andersov goticky ladený vokál sprevádzaný detským zborom je presiaknutý emóciou samoty a smútku, ktorú vzhľadom na to, že už rok nepijem alkohol a napriek tomu ju viem precítiť, považujem za autentickú.  

"Kali take me home, I don't want to be alone.
Kali take me home with you tonight." 

Andersovo svojské poňatie melanchólie nemusí vyhovovať každému a albumu nedá viac priestoru čo je škoda, pretože Psychic Lovers je ozajstný, možno zámerne nevybrúsený klenot alternatívnej hudby. Túto kvalitu mimochodom podporuje aj fakt, že album vyšiel na labeli Captured Tracks reprezentujúceho okrem iného aj kapely DIIV, The Soft Moon, Wild Nothing alebo Holograms. 

===========================================================================

Links:

https://dinnerct.bandcamp.com/album/water-songs

===========================================================================

 

Dinner! - Psychic Lovers (2016)
By Tom/EZR

It’s the end of 2024, our local Peckerhead of a Prime minister went off to lick a dictator’s ass in the Kremlin, on TV they’re showing a sad Christmas fairy tale “Four Blind Cartridges of Grandpa Cintulka”, and while walking around Štrbské pleso I suddenly felt the urge to write something short about an album that shattered my current playlist at the end of the year and ruined the joy of making this year’s top 10 charts.

The Danish indie-synth solo project Dinner! I discovered by chance while listening to the radio on my morning drive to work. The song “Turn Me On”, which I later found out had already been in rotation on that station for a few months, was exactly the one that pulled me toward the band like a swarm of flies to freshly laid cable. Still behind the wheel, I found it on Spotify, hit like, and returned to it again during the workday. It’s morning, and I’m listening for the first time to the album Psychic Lovers in all its yet-unknown beauty.

The first song “Cool as Ice” has a chorus which, if it had been born in the U.S. in the 80s, would have broken every music chart like a coconut-flavored Fidorka breaking my will not to eat sweets. The track conjures the vibe of purple neon lights, studded leather jumpsuits, and smoke machines in obscure gay clubs — but who does that vocal remind me of? According to YouTube haters, it sounds like Patrick from SpongeBob, Arnold Schwarzenegger, or the offspring of John Maus and Nico. To me, though, it mostly reminds me of the orc lines from 90's PC Game Warcraft II: "Zug-zug, Dabu, Lok-tar…"

By the second track, “The World”, which flows into a beautiful la-la-la-la motif, I’m googling Dinner! and find out it’s a one-man project by Anders Rhedin. Soon I learn he used to play in the Copenhagen band Choir of Young Believers (COYB), whose album Grasque (released the same year as Psychic Lovers) floored me for months when I first heard it years ago. Coincidence? I don’t think so…

Then comes the radio hit “Turn Me On”, flawless, followed by “Gone” — a Rick Astley punch straight to my solar plexus. The fist is Rick’s, but the boxing glove belongs to Anders. Or is it the other way around? “What You Got” is another chorus gem, and “Wake Up” is a simple conversation between Anders and a French-speaking girl about how they’d love to wake up next to each other in various European capitals.

As time passes while listening to the emotion- and nostalgia-soaked Psychic Lovers, associations flicker before my eyes like in a Disney cartoon. This album defines the word “weird”: on one hand perfect melodies, on the other hand strange vocals and an atmosphere that either grabs you and never lets go, or makes you say “WTF?” and skip before the end (as most of my friends did when I tried to push this record onto them).

The seventh track, “Holy Fuck!”, is a mix of synth layers and pulsing synth bass — which for the first time reminds me of another master of the weird synth style, Necrocock, especially his Kaviar Kavalier projects. “A.F.Y.” is a neosynth heartbeat accompanied by a monophonic chant, reminiscent (in a more aggressive form) of Attila Csihar’s presentation on Mayhem’s iconic De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. 

Track nine, “Lie”, is beatless synth minimalism with a beautiful chorus. In the video clip, an unknown girl dances alongside Anders playing a toy guitar, her dance both intimate and surreal. The clip has a DIY 90s vibe and reminds me of the documentary Dig! about the divergent paths of two kindred 60s revival bands, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols.

The tenth track, “Kali, take me home”, is one of my three favorites on the whole album. A four-chord repetitive theme slowly builds, while Anders’ gothic-tinged vocal, accompanied by a children’s choir, is soaked with loneliness and sadness. Given that I haven’t drunk alcohol for a year and can still feel it, I consider it authentic.

“Kali take me home, I don’t want to be alone.
Kali take me home with you tonight.”

Anders’ unique take on melancholy may not suit everyone, and many won’t give the album enough space — which is a pity, because Psychic Lovers is a real, perhaps intentionally unpolished, gem of alternative music. This quality is also underscored by the fact that the record was released on Captured Tracks, the label representing bands like DIIV, The Soft Moon, Wild Nothing, or Holograms.

#278 Nyx Division / Post-Punk, Goth'n'Roll / Domîno Monët / 26.8.2025

 

 

Blog Photos: Kevin Brown

 

1. Who are you, what do you do, and what has been capturing your interest the most these days?

My name is Domino Monet– I sing for Nyx Division. I’m a graduate student of psychology so my interest has been fairly monopolized by my studies these days. Within those studies, I have found that there is an interesting and undeniable connection between music, the human psyche/condition, and the phenomenon of belonging- something that we crave on personal, social, spiritual, and biological levels. Our species has never been successful in isolation, and that is mirrored in the ways we continue to create communities around music, art– anything that centers around creation. So yeah, I suppose I’ve been pretty interested in those connections and phenomena lately. 


2. Your debut album Midnight Lights drops in September. How have things changed for Nyx Division since the 2023 EP Dark Star, and what influenced the new album’s lyrics and sound? 

The band has gone through quite a few changes, I’d say! We had some band member turnover in 2023 that welcomed our new guitarist, Justin Cory, to the fold. His style, tone, and sonic influences are similar but notably different from our original guitarist's, so the character of the guitar in Nyx Division has changed in a way that we’re all very excited about. Our drummer also moved back to California around the same time, which has given us the challenge and opportunity to write songs together long-distance. We, of course, miss having all of us in the same room every week, but we’ve been able to expand and explore our song-writing capabilities through that distance. 

The new album’s lyrics and sound are certainly influenced by Justin Cory’s stellar guitar work and the nature of composing songs long-distance. We’re all influenced by an eclectic blend of genres– heavy metal, new wave, disco, d-beat, post-punk – so the sound is essentially a reflection of a bunch of stuff we like. We’re not concerned with sticking to any “genre”, really. If we like it, it feels good, and it’s fun to play, we keep it. 

The lyrics follow a similar trend. I always write lyrics after the instrumentals are constructed so I can allow myself to be influenced by the color, mood, and energy of the notes themselves. For me, writing lyrics is a practice of active listening more than anything else– if you don’t listen to the music you won’t be able to enhance it with words or melody. You’ll be singing on top of as opposed to within the composition. 

That’s the abbreviated version of the lyrical process, but for those interested in knowing more, we’ll be releasing the album alongside a zine that further explores the themes and influences involved in Midnight Lights. 

 

3. Did the writing for the album happen gradually over time, or was it more of an intense creative burst?

Both– we’re all fiercely creative, active writers so we’re never not writing something. The distance between us and the unfortunate reality that we all must work overtime to make ends meet is really what interrupts the speed at which we create new music, and that was certainly true for Midnight Lights. Even so, we managed to stay in a very productive rhythm together and construct the entirety of Midnight Lights at a steady pace punctuated with bursts of manic, creative energy. 


4. Can you share a few memorable experiences from the writing and recording process of the new album?

Sure– The first thing that comes to mind is that during the recording process, we experienced some shifts in availability from the engineers that resulted in us having the challenge of recording our album in 2 days instead of 3– and we did it! A lot of that album is single takes. The vocals alone were recorded in about 2 hours, which was a personal record for me! The band went in with razor sharp focus and it was really astonishing to watch what unfolded as a result. I think we all surprised ourselves with what we were capable of in that process.


5. In your recent music video Soldier of Love, the end credits use a font reminiscent of Iron Maiden. Do you fear the goth community might call you out for committing ‘metal crimes’?

Haha, excellent question! I have never heard the term ‘metal crimes’ before but as far as I’m concerned, that’s a crime I’m certainly willing to commit. But to answer your question: Of all the things I do fear in this world, the goth community accusing us of metal crimes is not one of them, haha. When Alex Rivas first reached out to me in 2021 to be in the band, the way he described the sound was, “We’re going for a Twisted Sisters of Mercy kind of thing”, which I thought was brilliant. So the band – even before it was named – has always had its sonic roots in heavy metal history. But I suppose if the goth community doesn’t like that and intends to lock us up for our ‘metal crimes’, my only request is that they put us all in one cell so we can keep writing, haha. 

 

6. Older goth fans sometimes say nothing new excites them, while younger listeners seem more open to different styles and new bands. How do you expect both groups to react to Midnight Lights?

I can’t quite predict how either generation will respond to Midnight Lights– I’m not much of a fortune teller. I wish I was! But what I  can say is that at the shows we’ve played thus far, there is a very wide range of ages, genders, nationalities, ethnicities, socioeconomic standings– people from all walks of life. And regardless of how people’s various social locations may differ from one another, the vast majority of them seem to enjoy being at our shows. People dance, laugh, and smile together– and I think those moments of joy are invaluable. One of our goals with the Midnight Lights record was to capture a bit of that live music magic, so if nothing else, I hope that regardless of differences in age, gender, ethnicity, etc., listeners are able to feel that energy and let it impact them in a way that is authentic to them, good and bad. 


7. How will the new album be released and distributed? Where will fans in Europe be able to get a copy?

The album will be released and distributed in the U.S. through our dear friends at Blackwater Records (LPs) and Transylvanian Recordings (CDs & Tapes) and in Europe through the kind folks at Agipunk! European fans can get their LPs from Agipunk to avoid monstrous shipping costs– and pre-orders are available now through this link: Midnight Lights Pre-order. Agipunk is also hosting a listening party on September 10th at 8:00am PDT where you can go listen to the album for free and chat about it, if you’d like. There is, of course, always the digital download option too– though we prefer the tactile experience of records, CDs, and tapes and recommend them whenever possible. 


8. Nyx Division is based in Portland, Oregon, which is known for its diverse alternative music scene. What are the roots of the goth/post-punk sound in Portland, and would you say it is unique compared to other major West Coast cities including Canada and Mexico?

There’s various different schools of thought around what the “true roots” of the goth/post-punk sound are in Portland, but I think if we’re painting in fairly broad strokes it’s undeniable that The Wipers & Dead Moon had a massive impact on the post-punk legacy of Portland and the Pacific Northwest in general. I think every major city has its own unique scene and history, which in turn creates a unique sound. For Portland I think a big part of what makes that unique to us is the weather/environment. It’s grey, rainy, we go for what feels like months without seeing the sun, but it’s also gorgeous. The elements of the environment– gloomy, moody, undeniably alive– are absolutely mirrored in the music. It’s romantic, restless, at times a bit hopeless, but absolutely full of kinetic energy. Portland has historically been a very working-class town as well, which I think may be one of the major contributing factors to how it’s different from, say, LA. People aren’t moving to Portland to “make it big” like they do in LA. Punks, goths, & metal-heads here are service workers, factory workers, construction workers– the music scene here (for the most part) belongs to the proletariat class and that certainly shows up in the sonic quality of the bands that come from this area. 

 

9. It feels like every few years the West Coast produces a new goth wave that makes its way across Europe. What makes the West Coast so fertile for this kind of music, and do you also notice influences coming from Europe or other regions?

I certainly notice influences coming from Europe and other regions, absolutely. At this point in our digital history, we belong to a world of globalized media. More music than we could listen to in 3 lifetimes is available on any given digital platform, whenever we want it, and through that virtually unlimited access we can allow ourselves to be influenced by everything from Tuvan throat singing to Slovenian Synth Pop. I think this limitless access has impacts on all people, regardless of whether or not they’re fully conscious of those impacts, but perhaps the West Coast is more prone to producing things that feel/sound new in the vein of goth music simply because the West Coast is known for being willing to try new things and be loud about it. Across all kinds of disciplines– medicine, art, dance– the West Coast has a history of pushing the boundaries with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. 

I also think that music is and has been a reflection of various people’s struggles throughout time, so the political and social climate of a place will be reflected in the voices that rise from the pressures of that struggle to survive. There is certainly no shortage of struggle to survive in America right now (West Coast included) so there’s a lot of music being produced as a means to cope with and unify under that distress. 


10. Would you agree that Portland attracts musicians from other West Coast cities? If so, why do you think that is? 

10 years ago I would absolutely agree, yes! However, in the last 10 years, Portland has become rather gentrified and the affordability that attracted many West Coast musicians to this city is hardly attainable now. That’s not to say that musicians from West Coast cities don’t continue to migrate here– they still do– but you used to be able to work 3 days a week, have all your living expenses covered, and have plenty of time to go to shows, band practice, and have a little time to rest in between it all in Portland. Now that the cost of living continues to become more comparable to other West Coast cities like Oakland and San Francisco, you’d have to be an independently wealthy trust fund kid to have the life most musicians used to have in Portland now. I still love living here, and I’m happy so many have stayed, but just as many have left to go live in places that are more affordable. 


 

11. Which bands or individuals do you like to collaborate or perform with and what are your favourite venues and cities to play?

We like to collaborate and perform with just about anyone as long as they’re kind and generally like-minded (ie: not total assholes). We are very lucky to be a part of a music scene that is extremely supportive and caring with one another, so to name all of our favorite people we like to perform with would take quite a while! That said, we would be remiss if we didn’t thank and name our friends in Nox Novacula, HÄLT, Schedule 1, False Figure, Sympathy Flowers, Deathcharge, and Perimeters. Coffin Club, Blackwater, and Highwater Mark are all legendary Portland venues we love– without which there would be no viable underground live music scene. We’ve always loved playing Vancouver, BC and Oakland (we love you!!!!!) and we hope to be able to travel more soon and see what other cities have to offer and what we may be able to offer in return. 


12. When you’re not rehearsing or performing, how do you usually spend your time? Would you say you’re part of Portland’s ‘weirdness,’ and if so, how?

We all spend our time differently of course, but one common denominator amongst all of us is that we all love being outside; and the Pacific Northwest/West Coast is an excellent place to be outdoorsy. Hiking, swimming, going to waterfalls, rivers, volcanoes, high desert grasslands– we love it all. It’s good (and necessary!) to get out of the city and remember that life lives on beyond all the concrete and traffic noise.

Speaking personally, I’m a fairly boring person outside of my band life, haha. As mentioned earlier, I’m a graduate student, so an enormous amount of my time is spent reading research articles, studying, and contributing to my field of study. Studies aside, I tend to spend my “free” time reading, writing, riding my bike, going to the movies, or spending time with my animals and the people I love. So basically, I’m just a nerd. My apologies to anyone who was expecting me to be “cool”, haha. 

I don’t think about us as being a part of Portland's “weirdness”. The “Keep Portland Weird” slogan, while once a well-intentioned call to quell certain aspects of gentrification, has been repeated, regurgitated, and remixed into meaninglessness. We are definitely weirdos in the dictionary sense of the word, but I think of that definition as separate from the “weirdness” associated with Portland’s famous slogan. 

13. When can fans expect to see Nyx Division in Europe? Are you familiar with any bands from Slovakia or the Czech Republic, and which European cities or festivals would you like to play?

Hopefully sooner rather than later! I am familiar with a few bands from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, though I could certainly be more educated and exposed to music from that region. In particular, I really like A/64, Nové Horizonty, Morbid Silence, Mace Head, and Komakino. 

We’d be happy to go to nearly any European city and honored to play just about any festival– we all love travelling, meeting new people, and playing with new bands, especially when it involves getting out of the United States! 


14. Is there someone with whom you’d like to read an interview on Jablká ďaleko od stromu?

Hmmm…great question…I think it would be fascinating to bring the 18th-century Czech composer Bedřich Smetana back from the dead and interview him on his thoughts on modern music. 


15. What’s one last piece of advice you’d like to leave for our readers?

Great question…well shit, I suppose I should say something profound and meaningful: My advice would be to practice listening as an art. Not just hearing, but true listening– the kind of listening that provides a doorway into worlds outside your own. Nothing has enriched, enlivened, and made my life more meaningful than that. 

 

 

============================================================================ 

Links:

BANDCAMP: https://nyxdivision.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-lights-2

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nyxdivision/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@nyxdivision 

============================================================================

 

1. Kto si, čo robíš a čo ťa v poslednom čase najviac zaujíma?

Volám sa Domino Monet – spievam pre Nyx Division. Som študentkou magisterského štúdia psychológie, takže v poslednom čase moje záujmy dosť ovládajú práve štúdiá. V rámci nich som objavila fascinujúce a nepopierateľné spojenie medzi hudbou, ľudskou psychikou/stavom a fenoménom spolupatričnosti – niečo, po čom túžime na osobnej, sociálnej, duchovnej aj biologickej úrovni. Naša druhová existencia nikdy nebola úspešná v izolácii, čo sa odráža v tom, ako si stále vytvárame komunity okolo hudby, umenia – okolo čohokoľvek, čo sa točí okolo tvorby. Takže áno, myslím, že práve tieto súvislosti a javy ma v poslednom čase zaujímajú najviac.


2. V septembri vychádza váš debutový album Midnight Lights. Ako sa veci zmenili pre Nyx Division od EP Dark Star z roku 2023 a čo ovplyvnilo texty a zvuk nového albumu?

Kapela prešla viacerými zmenami, povedala by som! V roku 2023 sme mali výmenu členov, vďaka ktorej k nám pribudol nový gitarista Justin Cory. Jeho štýl, tón a zvukové vplyvy sú síce podobné, ale predsa len odlišné od nášho pôvodného gitaristu, takže charakter gitary v Nyx Division sa zmenil spôsobom, z ktorého sme všetci nadšení. Náš bubeník sa tiež približne v tom čase presťahoval späť do Kalifornie, čo nám prinieslo výzvu a príležitosť písať piesne na diaľku. Samozrejme, chýba nám, že už nie sme všetci spolu v jednej miestnosti každý týždeň, no vďaka tomu sme mohli rozšíriť a preskúmať naše schopnosti skladania piesní na diaľku.

Zvuk a texty nového albumu sú určite ovplyvnené Coryho výbornou gitarovou prácou a samotnou podstatou skladania na diaľku. Všetci sme ovplyvnení eklektickým mixom žánrov – heavy metal, new wave, disco, d-beat, post-punk – takže výsledný zvuk je vlastne odrazom toho, čo sa nám páči. Neviažeme sa na žiadny konkrétny „žáner“. Ak sa nám to páči, má to dobrý pocit a je to zábava hrať, nechávame to tak.

Texty nasledujú podobnú logiku. Vždy ich píšem až po dokončení inštrumentálov, aby som sa mohla nechať ovplyvniť farbou, náladou a energiou samotných tónov. Pre mňa je písanie textov skôr praxou aktívneho počúvania – ak hudbu nepočúvaš, nedokážeš ju slovami ani melódiou pozdvihnúť. Len by si spieval „nad“ skladbou, namiesto toho, aby si bol jej súčasťou.

To je skrátená verzia procesu tvorby textov, ale pre tých, ktorých zaujíma viac – album vydáme spolu so zinom, ktorý detailnejšie preskúma témy a vplyvy, ktoré stoja za Midnight Lights.


3. Vznikal album postupne, alebo to bol skôr intenzívny kreatívny výbuch?

Oboje – všetci sme veľmi tvoriví a aktívni skladatelia, takže niečo píšeme neustále. To, čo spomaľuje rýchlosť, akou tvoríme novú hudbu, je vzdialenosť medzi nami a, žiaľ, realita, že všetci musíme pracovať nadčasy, aby sme vyžili. A to platilo aj pri Midnight Lights. Napriek tomu sa nám podarilo zostať v produktívnom rytme a celý album sme postavili v stálom tempe, ktoré občas prerušili záchvaty manickej tvorivej energie.


4. Môžeš sa podeliť o niekoľko nezabudnuteľných momentov zo skladania a nahrávania albumu?

Jasné – prvé, čo mi napadne, je situácia počas nahrávania, keď sa zmenila dostupnosť zvukárov, čo znamenalo, že sme album museli nahrať za 2 dni namiesto 3 – a podarilo sa! Veľa skladieb je na prvý pokus. Samotné vokály som nahrala približne za 2 hodiny, čo je môj osobný rekord! Kapela išla do toho s ostrým sústredením a bolo úžasné sledovať, čo sa z toho vykľulo. Myslím, že sme všetkých prekvapili, čoho sme schopní.


5. V tvojom nedávnom videu Soldier of Love koncové titulky používajú font pripomínajúci Iron Maiden. Nebojíš sa, že vás goth komunita obviní zo spáchania „metalových zločinov“?

Haha, skvelá otázka! Termín „metalové zločiny“ som ešte nikdy nepočula, ale ak to tak je, tak je to zločin, ktorý som ochotná spáchať. Ale aby som odpovedala: zo všetkých vecí, ktorých sa bojím na tomto svete, obvinenie goth komunity z metalových zločinov medzi ne rozhodne nepatrí, haha. Keď ma Alex Rivas v roku 2021 prvýkrát oslovil, aby som bola v kapele, opísal zvuk slovami: „Chceme niečo ako Twisted Sisters of Mercy“, čo som považovala za geniálne. Takže kapela – ešte predtým, než dostala meno – mala svoje zvukové korene v histórii heavy metalu. Ale ak sa goth komunite nepáči a chce nás za tie naše „metalové zločiny“ zavrieť, mám len jednu požiadavku – nech nás dajú všetkých do jednej cely, aby sme mohli ďalej písať, haha.


6. Starší goth fanúšikovia niekedy hovoria, že ich už nič nové nenadchne, zatiaľ čo mladší poslucháči sú otvorenejší rôznym štýlom a novým kapelám. Ako očakávaš, že obe skupiny zareagujú na Midnight Lights?

Úprimne, nedokážem celkom predpovedať, ako sa na Midnight Lights budú pozerať obe generácie – nie som veštec. Kiežby som bola! Čo ale viem povedať, je to, že na koncertoch, ktoré sme zatiaľ odohrali, vidíme obrovskú rôznorodosť – vekovo, rodovo, národnostne, etnicky, sociálne… ľudia zo všetkých možných prostredí. A bez ohľadu na to, ako sa ich životné okolnosti líšia, drvivá väčšina si naše koncerty užíva. Ľudia spolu tancujú, smejú sa a usmievajú – a myslím, že tie momenty radosti sú na nezaplatenie. Jedným z našich cieľov s albumom Midnight Lights bolo zachytiť kúsok tejto mágie živého hrania, takže ak nič iné, dúfam, že poslucháči – bez ohľadu na vek, pohlavie, etnicitu a podobne – pocítia tú energiu a nechajú ju na seba pôsobiť autenticky, či už v dobrom alebo v zlom.


7. Ako bude nový album vydaný a distribuovaný? Kde si ho fanúšikovia v Európe budú môcť kúpiť?

Album vyjde a bude distribuovaný v USA cez našich priateľov z Blackwater Records (LP) a Transylvanian Recordings (CD a kazety) a v Európe cez skvelých ľudí z Agipunk! Európski fanúšikovia si môžu kúpiť LP priamo od Agipunk, aby sa vyhli šialeným nákladom na dopravu – predobjednávky sú už dostupné cez tento link: Midnight Lights Pre-order. Agipunk tiež organizuje listening party 10. septembra o 8:00 PDT, kde si album môžete zdarma vypočuť a podebatovať o ňom, ak budete chcieť. Samozrejme, vždy je tu aj možnosť digitálneho downloadu – hoci my preferujeme hmatateľný zážitok z platní, CD a kaziet a odporúčame ho vždy, keď je to možné.


8. Nyx Division sídli v Portlande v štáte Oregon, ktorý je známy svojou rôznorodou alternatívnou scénou. Aké sú korene goth/post-punkového zvuku v Portlande a povedala by si, že je jedinečný v porovnaní s inými veľkými mestami na západnom pobreží, vrátane Kanady a Mexika?

Existuje viacero teórií o tom, čo sú „pravé korene“ goth/post-punku v Portlande, ale ak to povieme veľmi zjednodušene, je nepopierateľné, že The Wipers & Dead Moon mali obrovský vplyv na post-punkové dedičstvo Portlandu a severozápadu USA všeobecne. Myslím, že každé veľké mesto má svoju vlastnú scénu a históriu, ktoré vytvárajú jedinečný zvuk. Pre Portland je veľkou časťou tejto jedinečnosti samotné prostredie a počasie. Je tu šedivo, prší, celé mesiace nevidíme slnko, ale pritom je tu nádherne. Tie prvky prostredia – ponuré, náladové, no zároveň pulzujúce životom – sú úplne zrkadlené v hudbe. Je romantická, nepokojná, miestami beznádejná, ale absolútne plná kinetickej energie. Portland bol historicky aj veľmi robotnícke mesto, čo je podľa mňa ďalší faktor, ktorý ho odlišuje napríklad od LA. Ľudia sa do Portlandu nesťahujú „urobiť kariéru“ ako v LA. Punkáči, gotici a metalisti sú tu čašníci, továrenskí robotníci, stavebníci – hudobná scéna tu (väčšinou) patrí proletariátu a to sa určite odráža v zvuku kapiel z tohto regiónu.


9. Zdá sa, že každých pár rokov vyprodukuje západné pobrežie novú gothovú vlnu, ktorá dorazí až do Európy. Čím je západné pobrežie také úrodné pre tento typ hudby a vnímaš aj vplyvy prichádzajúce z Európy alebo iných regiónov?

Jednoznačne vnímam vplyvy z Európy aj iných častí sveta. V tomto bode našej digitálnej histórie žijeme vo svete globalizovaných médií. Viac hudby, než by sme stihli vypočuť za tri životy, je dostupných na akejkoľvek digitálnej platforme kedykoľvek, a vďaka tomuto prakticky neobmedzenému prístupu sa môžeme nechať ovplyvniť všetkým – od tuvinského hrdelného spevu až po slovinský synthpop. Myslím, že tento neobmedzený prístup ovplyvňuje každého, či si to uvedomuje, alebo nie, no možno je západné pobrežie viac náchylné produkovať veci, ktoré pôsobia alebo znejú ako nové v rámci goth hudby, jednoducho preto, že je známe tým, že je ochotné skúšať nové veci a byť pri tom poriadne hlučné. Naprieč všetkými disciplínami – medicína, umenie, tanec – má západné pobrežie históriu posúvania hraníc s prístupom „ber alebo nechaj tak“.

Taktiež si myslím, že hudba bola vždy odrazom zápasov rôznych ľudí počas dejín, takže politická a sociálna klíma sa odráža v hlase, ktorý sa vynára z tlaku boja o prežitie. A v Amerike (vrátane západného pobrežia) momentálne rozhodne nie je núdza o zápas o prežitie, takže vzniká množstvo hudby ako spôsob, ako sa s tým vyrovnať a zjednotiť sa tvárou v tvár stresu.


10. Súhlasila by si s tým, že Portland priťahuje hudobníkov z iných miest západného pobrežia? Ak áno, prečo si myslíš, že to tak je?

Pred desiatimi rokmi by som absolútne súhlasila! Avšak za posledných desať rokov sa Portland výrazne zgentrifikoval a dostupnosť, ktorá sem lákala množstvo hudobníkov zo západného pobrežia, je dnes sotva dosiahnuteľná. To neznamená, že hudobníci z týchto miest sem už neprichádzajú – stále áno – ale kedysi si mohol pracovať tri dni v týždni, pokryť všetky životné náklady a mať kopec času chodiť na koncerty, skúšky a ešte si aj trochu oddýchnuť. Dnes, keď sa životné náklady čoraz viac približujú mestám ako Oakland či San Francisco, musel by si byť nezávisle bohatý „trust fund kid“, aby si mal život, aký mali hudobníci v Portlande kedysi. Stále tu rada žijem a som rada, že mnohí zostali, ale rovnako veľa ľudí odišlo na miesta, ktoré sú cenovo dostupnejšie.


11. S ktorými kapelami alebo jednotlivcami radi spolupracujete alebo vystupujete a aké sú vaše obľúbené kluby a mestá na hranie?

Radi spolupracujeme a hráme prakticky s kýmkoľvek, kto je milý a zmýšľa podobne (t. j. nie je úplný kretén). Máme obrovské šťastie, že sme súčasťou scény, ktorá je nesmierne podporná a starostlivá, takže vymenovať všetkých obľúbených ľudí, s ktorými hrávame, by trvalo dosť dlho! Napriek tomu by bolo chybou nespomenúť našich priateľov z Nox Novacula, HÄLT, Schedule 1, False Figure, Sympathy Flowers, Deathcharge a Perimeters. Coffin Club, Blackwater a Highwater Mark sú legendárne portlandské kluby, ktoré milujeme – bez nich by undergroundová scéna živých koncertov nebola životaschopná. Vždy nás bavilo hrať vo Vancouveri (BC) a v Oaklande (milujeme vás!!!!!) a dúfame, že čoskoro budeme môcť viac cestovať, spoznať, čo ponúkajú ďalšie mestá, a zistiť, čo môžeme ponúknuť na oplátku.


12. Keď neskúšate alebo nevystupujete, ako zvyčajne trávite čas? Povedala by si, že ste súčasťou portlandskej „divnosti“ – a ak áno, ako?

Každý z nás trávi čas inak, samozrejme, ale spoločným menovateľom je, že všetci radi trávime čas vonku; a severozápad USA/západné pobrežie je na to skvelé miesto. Turistika, plávanie, výlety k vodopádom, riekam, sopkám, do vysokoplošných púštnych oblastí – milujeme to všetko. Je dobré (a nevyhnutné!) dostať sa z mesta a pripomenúť si, že život existuje aj mimo betónu a hluku áut.

Za seba môžem povedať, že som mimo kapely pomerne nudný človek, haha. Ako som spomenula, som študentkou magisterského štúdia, takže obrovské množstvo môjho času zaberá čítanie odborných článkov, štúdium a prispievanie do môjho odboru. Okrem štúdia zvyknem tráviť „voľný“ čas čítaním, písaním, jazdou na bicykli, chodením do kina alebo časom s mojimi zvieratami a blízkymi ľuďmi. Takže v podstate som len nerd. Ospravedlňujem sa všetkým, ktorí dúfali, že som „cool“, haha.

Nemyslím si, že sme súčasťou portlandskej „divnosti“. Heslo „Keep Portland Weird“, hoci pôvodne dobre mienené ako snaha brzdiť niektoré aspekty gentrifikácie, bolo toľkokrát opakované, prežuté a prekrútené, že stratilo význam. Určite sme čudáci v slovníkovom zmysle slova, ale myslím, že to je iné ako „divnosť“ spojená s týmto slávnym sloganom.


13. Kedy môžu fanúšikovia očakávať, že uvidia Nyx Division v Európe? Poznáš nejaké kapely zo Slovenska alebo Česka a na ktorých európskych festivaloch či v mestách by ste radi zahrali?

Dúfame, že skôr než neskôr! Poznám zopár kapiel zo Slovenska a Česka, hoci by som určite mohla byť viac ponorená do hudby z tohto regiónu. Osobitne sa mi páčia A/64, Nové Horizonty, Morbid Silence, Mace Head a Komakino.

Radi by sme šli prakticky do akéhokoľvek európskeho mesta a boli by sme poctení hrať na takmer akomkoľvek festivale – všetci milujeme cestovanie, spoznávanie nových ľudí a hranie s novými kapelami, najmä keď to znamená dostať sa mimo USA!


14. Je niekto, s kým by si rada čítala rozhovor na Jablká ďaleko od stromu?

Hmmm… skvelá otázka… myslím, že by bolo fascinujúce priviesť späť z mŕtvych českého skladateľa 18. storočia Bedřicha Smetanu a spýtať sa ho na jeho názor na modernú hudbu.


15. Akú poslednú radu by si chcela zanechať našim čitateľom?

Výborná otázka… no do čerta, asi by som mala povedať niečo hlboké a zmysluplné: Moja rada by bola vnímať počúvanie ako umenie. Nie len počuť, ale naozaj počúvať – ten druh počúvania, ktorý otvára dvere do svetov mimo toho vášho. Nič iné neobohatilo, neoživilo a neurobilo môj život zmysluplnejším tak ako toto. 

 

 

#158 Flork Reviews: ZOPA - Diamond Vehicle (2025)

ZOPA - Diamond Vehicle (2025)
By Flork

I first heard about ZOPA earlier this year over lunch with my higher-up from Jablka, although I wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with ZOPA’s singer; I just hadn’t known or made any connection to his acting career. My superior raved about the Sopranos (something I never got into since my parents watched it religiously and I thus regarded it as a TV series for a generation I had no care or interest in) and raved more about ZOPA. He explained that the indie rock trio was actually formed by actor Michael Imperioli (think Sopranos and The White Lotus, as well as many others) with bassist/multi-instrumentalist Elijah Amitin and drummer Olmo Tighe. He urged me to give them a listen. And so, when I finally did get around to playing Diamond Vehicle, which was released earlier this year in February, I was somewhat overcome by a wave of nostalgia. What caught my attention was their sound—a band built on an escalating tension, not too strong, but just enough to balance between grit and grace, or heaviness and light. Let’s say that a desperate, yet honest tenderness came to my mind. And though ZOPA is known for their vintage sound, which is steeped in the 1970s New York lineage of Television, the Velvet Underground (you might compare Michael Imperioli’s singing to Lou Reed, but I won’t), even the Ramones and Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, ZOPA made their debut with La Dolce Vita in 2020, although the band has been around since 2006. Their name, meaning „Patience” in Tibetan and part of Imperioli’s Buddhist name, speaks to the band’s meditative undercurrent. Yet beneath the spirituality is something rawer, even haunting, which could be compared in a way to Imperioli’s other great role: Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos. Christopher was a character plagued by addiction and self-doubt, but also a dreamer desperate for redemption. ZOPA’s music inhabits a similar paradox—taut, jagged, full of noise, but threaded with yearning, as well as that honest tenderness I mentioned previously, desperately searching for light.

 

The album’s opener A Still Life embodies that tension immediately: a spacious, shoegaze-tinged tune that is sprinkled with a spectral beauty by backing vocals a bit like Jane Siberry, and which become a presence across each of the seven tracks. These harmonies are crucial—they soften the edges, add depth, and make the music feel communal rather than insular. You become aware that the production uses analogue technology as if the album might have been recorded at Abbey Road. There are no moments of overdubbing with multiple layers of sounds, just pure rock and roll the way it was once played.

Love and Other Forms of Violence crashes between hushed verses and walls of distortion, invoking compassion amid chaos. That escalating tension is always there, like rising flood waters that never breach the levees. Red Sky swaggeringly pulses with Amitin’s bass, and is inspiring in its essence, with hopeful and complimenting lyrics (you’re not like anyone else....you call my name and guide me to the next life...).

Other tracks, such as Withdrawal and Ocean/Heroin snarl with punk urgency, echoing the kind of restless hunger that Christopher himself carried. These are the Velvet Underground comparisons I mentioned earlier, but they are more homages to the times as opposed to plain covers. It is here where ZOPA cleverly channels the ghosts of New York past. And like I said before, even in its roughest moments, ZOPA’s music leaves space for tenderness, like taking a deeper looks into one‘s conscience or memory, whispering reminders of something purer underneath the noise.

 

Diamond Vehicle ends with The Arrows of Outrageous Fortune, which might be  the band’s most ambitious piece, since it‘s ten minutes of grief and catharsis, written for a friend lost to suicide. Its shifting movements mirror the album’s themes of suffering and survival, and certainly transcendence, leaving listeners in a state that is both drained and uplifted.

And the Flork’s prognosis? Diamond Vehicle is a an album for those who are nostalgic for those times when a band could make a seedy dive bar feel like a cozy living room, filled with good friends and company. I really like the background vocals, since they create a spectral counterpoint that enlarges the music beyond the trio itself. In fact, you rarely hear rock music sung this way anymore. And though it might seem that the New York sound has softened a bit over the years, ZOPA proves that New York rock is still alive and kicking—always streetwise and cutting, but this time with patience, compassion, and peace.

#277 Grave Hex / NWOSDM / Martti, Matti, Miikka, Hanna / 18.8.2025

 

1. Who are you, what do you do, and what has been capturing your interest the most these days and when in August do you expect first snow in Finland?

Martti: 1. Hey! We’re Grave Hex, a new death metal band from Helsinki, FI. Seems like climate change is showing its impact here, since it’s been pretty hot lately.


2. Your first release, Vermian Death, seems to be highly anticipated by your peers in the Finnish underground scene. How has Grave Hex become a known name in the scene without any previous releases?

Miikka: My guess is that the combined involvement from Night Terrors Records, Cavernous Records, Earhammer Studio and Slimeweaver has made an appealing impression, causing much of the attention. Obviously to some extent it's also just word getting around. Personally I'm always excited to hear new stuff from my friends especially if the style is something previously unheard from them. Either way we greatly appreciate the reception. It was equally funny and heartwarming to get asked to play shows before we even had released anything.

 

3. Tell us more about Vermian Death — what did the creative process look like, what influences (coming from different backgrounds) and ideas did each member bring, and how happy are you all with the result?

Matti: The album writing process was as painless as it can get as we had three of us take part in writing the riffs and songs, and we had a lot of mutual influences to begin with. I personally found previous Night Terrors records bands Atavistic Decay and Claustrum hugely influential for the sound I wanted to go for. On the other hand the sound on the album is very rooted in the old school death metal sound. Bands like Autopsy, Bolt Thrower and Rippikoulu surely were among those we thought of when writing. As for our backgrounds in hardcore or sludge, I don’t think we intentionally took influence from there but obviously there’s going to be some deeply rooted stuff that shows up in the songwriting by default. In terms of the songwriting process itself for the album, for a majority of the songs either Miikka or Martti would bring in a set of riffs or ideas out of which I then constructed complete songs, adding variations, bridges, additional parts etc. and writing the drum parts to accompany. We found this way of working highly effective and it made the album sound cohesive and flow naturally.


4. Where was the album recorded, did you use any special approach, and what challenges did you have to overcome during the process?

Matti: We recorded the album all by ourselves at our rehearsal space. I tracked the drums and the bass alone either on top of a demo or just playing the drum parts by heart. In a separate session we recorded guitars, vocals and some additional analog synths. Nothing special in the recording process itself, but since none of us had much experience in death metal vocals, we needed a little more trial and error and a bit more time to record them. 


 

5. The sound of Grave Hex is very low—what tuning and equipment do you use? Are you playing 6- or 7-string guitars, and what’s your ideal sound setup?

Miikka: When choosing the tuning for a new band it's important to pick something that's not already being used in other ongoing projects so purchasing new gear feels at least somewhat justified. Vermian Death was recorded in A because it has a nice balance between heaviness and definition and it's what we currently roll with – not to say that won't change ever. We prefer fairly conventional four and six string instruments and our setups are based on analog pedals and therefore are not dependent on using specific amplifiers.


6. Back in the early ’90s, almost every country or region had its own distinct sound in extreme music — especially noticeable between US and European death metal. But in recent years, I've noticed many European extreme bands reaching out to US-based mastering engineers. Why do you think this is happening, and what made you choose to work with Deathgrave’s Greg Wilkinson?

Miikka: I’ve been drawn to heavy underground music from the US for about 20 years and on average I've found it more interesting and inspiring than the stuff from Europe. Likely because of that, I’ve been a huge Brainoil fan ever since Death of This Dry Season came out. I had been aware of Earhammer before, but that’s when I really began to follow Gregs doings. Years went by and I didn’t really consider contacting Greg for anything until Grave Hex happened. After recording and hearing how the material turned out asking him to partake in the production felt like the right thing. Needless to say, we were super excited when he happily undertook the assignment. His work is always stellar with a 100% hit rate. Legend.


7. Besides the CD version, Vermian Death is also being released on cassette via Night Terrors Records — how did you connect with the label, and what do you like about the cassette format? Did you also consider releasing it on black asphalt? 

Martti: To be honest, I just reached for Night Terrors and we’re super surprised we got signed so easily. Matteo is just the best person to work with and without even meeting him face to face, seems like the nicest person there is. Big thanks to him! We’re very happy to be on the label, as we’ve been fans of the labels roster long before we got signed – Atavistic Decay and Claustrum have been on heavy rotation since they released music, lately Reekmind and Putridarium have released some of the best stuff around. We would love to have Vermian Death released on vinyl, but understand it’s a financial risk for a label to put out an album on vinyl from a new band. Hopefully some day there will be Grave Hex vinyl available. Cassettes have a nice, warm analog sound to them, and are a nice thing to collect.

 

 

8. Where does the inspiration for Vermian (or ‘worm’) death metal come from? Do you see the Worm as a typical maggot feasting on decomposed flesh, or more as a supernatural entity? What’s the mythology behind the Worm, and is there any link to Dune’s sandworm?

Matti: We can’t actually recall how we ended so deeply in the wormhole, but our collective subconscious seems to be crawling with maggots. Dune surely has been an influential book/movie/game series for me (especially Dune II: the Building of a Dynasty), but the sandworms weren’t really in our mind when we came up with Vermian Death. It was another 90’s pc game instead, as at some point we discussed worms in games and I remembered the annoying Multiworms from X-Com: Apocalypse which would burst when dying, birthing even more worms. I like the idea that worms are both very earthly creatures that decompose living things but can also spark the imagination about mythical cave-dwelling beings.


9. I own a vinyl by Florida’s sludge/funeral doom band Worm — are you in any way affiliated with them, and can we talk about the emerging Worm death metal scene? 

Matti: Yea we are familiar with Worm, they’re awesome! But no affiliation. As nature’s decomposers, worms are quite a natural theme for something as rotten as we play.


10. What are your favorite venues to play, and which bands do you most enjoy sharing the stage with?

Matti: I suppose there aren’t any real stand outs one way or the other. We’re used to playing in small venues all around Finland. Personally it’s usually the crowd that makes the show, not really the venue. Tukikohta in Oulu has been fun every time I’ve played there. While writing this, we have yet to play a show with Grave Hex, so we’re yet to share the stage with any bands. We’re soon playing shows with Svarta Havet and Qwälen who we’re familiar with through our other band and they’re lovely people! 

 

11. Finland is famous for having one of the best educational systems in Europe — how much detail do kids there learn about Aimo Koivunen’s heroic escape from Soviet forces, and is it covered in history or chemistry lessons?

Hanna: Actually this story was never taught in school! Apparently Aimo did quite a bit of cross-country skiing back in the days. In school we also went skiing every week during the winter times. But without the substances Aimo took of course. The best tip for skiing in Helsinki is heading to Arabianranta (translates to the Coast of Arabia) and then going towards Viikki. Beautiful scenery and no uphills. Also remember to  wax your skis regularly!!!


12. In Central/Eastern Europe, our medieval aristocrats are ‘famous’ for their kindness and humane treatment of others — you know, folks like Count Dracula or Elisabeth Báthory. Does Finnish history have anyone with a similar hobbies?

Hanna: Hmm… We don’t have cruel aristocrats of our own because Finland used to be part of Russia and Sweden for so long. So most Finnish people were working class / farmers. The worst serial killer in Finland was a person who killed twelve people in 1849. They were part of the common folk working as a farmhand. 


13. Do you know any bands or labels from Slovakia or the Czech Republic? What would make you consider playing concerts in these countries? 

Martti: Sněť comes to mind, I saw them live at Helsinki Death Fest back in the day. Great stuff. 

Matti: This one’s out of the death metal sphere but there was a band called ██████ (nic) from Plzen which was hugely influential to me at one point. They fall somewhere in the skramz / post-black metal category.

Hanna: Some years ago I visited a venue in Prague called Underdogs. There were some energetic local bands like Atomic Candy Creeps, Skincare and David's Sister playing that night. Good stuff. Would love to go back (though I just found out Underdogs is no longer) and have some fresh beers by Vinohradský Pivovar.

Miikka: Sněť are amazing and frequently on my death metal listening rotation. I'm also aware that Gutalax is Czech. They're very prolific tourers. Lots of chances to see them play around here which is admirable.

 

14. What has the band been listening to, reading, and watching lately — any decent recommendations you’d like to share with the readers? 

Martti: Lately I’ve been reading books about anarchism (David Graeber etc), Palestine (genocide needs to end NOW), and listening to bestial war metal; Antichrist Siege Machine, Profane Order, Black Curse and Invultation pop into my mind right now. Also, when the Pissgrave albums we’re re-released, I spinned them like a maniac. Needless to say I’m pretty pissed about the world right now. 

Matti: Not much of a reader nor do I watch a lot of movies/series. The last reads for me were handbooks on mixing and recording, haha. In terms of music I’ve been on a dungeon synth kick so I’ll recommend The Torch Bearer by Spellplague and Warp Ritual by Psychic Hood. On the heavier side, I’ll shout out the upcoming Sunniva album.

Hanna: Reading a book about the famous Finnish singer Kikka. Her music is important to me. Watching an animated series called Blue Eyed Samurai and waiting for the new season of Slow Horses. I've been listening to alot of Finnish rap like JV, Eevil Stöö and Jodarok lately. Also Dax Riggs solo stuff and Acid Bath has been on my daily playlist. Just saw VVORSE live and their gig just made my week.

Miikka: Go listen to Cobalt and Man's Gin to commemorate recently passed Erik Wunder, the mind warping iconoclast from ice cold Colorado.


15. Are you fans of music videos and do you plan to release one anytime soon? Are there any recent music videos you find interesting?

Hanna: We haven’t talked about making a music video. But we will likely do one in the future. Maybe start out with something that has a little lighter production like clips from live shows and the rehearsal place. Or something with worms. 


16. Is there someone on the scene with whom you’d like to read an interview on Jablká ďaleko od stromu?

Martti: Hoc Est Bellum. They have an album coming out in the near future. Great bestial black metal with anti-fascist members. They just recently opened for Antichrist Siege Machine when they toured Finland.


17. What’s one last piece of advice you’d like to leave for our readers?

Hanna: Surround yourself with good people and music. 

 

============================================================================ 

Links:

BANDCAMP: https://gravehex.bandcamp.com/ (under construction)
CONTACT: gravehexdeathmetal@gmail.com 

============================================================================

1. Kto ste, čo robíte a čo vás v poslednom čase najviac zaujíma – a kedy v auguste očakávate prvý sneh vo Fínsku?

Martti: Ahoj! Sme Grave Hex, nová death metalová kapela z Helsínk, FI. Zdá sa, že klimatická zmena tu už ukazuje svoj vplyv, pretože posledné dni sú poriadne horúce.


2. Váš prvý release, Vermian Death, sa v podzemnej fínskej scéne stretol s veľkým očakávaním. Ako sa Grave Hex stali známym menom bez akýchkoľvek predošlých nahrávok?

Miikka: Myslím si, že kombinované zapojenie Night Terrors Records, Cavernous Records, Earhammer Studia a Slimeweaveru vytvorilo dobrý dojem, ktorý prilákal pozornosť. Do istej miery je to samozrejme aj o tom, že sa jednoducho správy rýchlo šíria. Osobne sa vždy teším, keď počujem nové veci od kamarátov, najmä ak je to štýl, ktorý som od nich predtým ešte nepočul. Tak či onak, veľmi si vážime, aký ohlas to vyvolalo. Bolo zároveň vtipné aj nás to zahrialo, keď nás oslovili na koncerty ešte predtým, než sme vôbec niečo vydali.


3. Povedzte nám viac o Vermian Death — ako vyzeral kreatívny proces, aké vplyvy (z rôznych zázemí) a nápady priniesol každý člen a nakoľko ste spokojní s výsledkom?

Matti: Proces písania albumu bol taký bezbolestný, ako len môže byť, pretože na písaní riffov a skladieb sa podieľali traja z nás a od začiatku sme mali veľa spoločných vplyvov. Pre mňa osobne boli kapely Atavistic Decay a Claustrum z katalógu Night Terrors Records obrovskou inšpiráciou pre zvuk, ktorý som chcel dosiahnuť. Na druhej strane je zvuk albumu veľmi pevne zakorenený v old school death metale.

Kapely ako Autopsy, Bolt Thrower a Rippikoulu určite patrili k tým, ktoré sme mali v hlave pri písaní. Čo sa týka našich koreňov v hardcore alebo sludge, nemyslím si, že sme odtiaľ vedome čerpali, ale prirodzene sa tam vždy objavia hlboko zakorenené veci, ktoré sa v skladateľstve prejavia samé od seba. Pokiaľ ide o samotný songwriting pre album, vo väčšine prípadov priniesli Miikka alebo Martti súbor riffov či nápadov, z ktorých som ja potom skladal kompletné skladby – pridával variácie, prechody, doplnkové časti a zároveň písal bicie. Tento spôsob práce sa ukázal ako veľmi efektívny a urobil album jednoliatym a prirodzene plynúcim.


4. Kde ste album nahrávali, použili ste nejaký špeciálny prístup a aké výzvy ste museli počas procesu prekonať?

Matti: Album sme si celý nahrali sami v skúšobni. Ja som nahral bicie a basu osamote, buď na demo, alebo len spamäti podľa bicích partov. V samostatnej session sme potom nahrali gitary, spevy a niekoľko dodatočných analógových synťákov. Samotný proces nahrávania nebol nijako špeciálny, ale keďže nikto z nás nemal veľa skúseností s death metalovým spevom, museli sme skúšať metódou pokus–omyl a venovať tomu viac času.


5. Zvuk Grave Hex je veľmi nízko ladený – aké ladenie a vybavenie používate? Hráte na 6- alebo 7-strunové gitary a aký je váš ideálny zvukový setup?

Miikka: Keď si vyberáte ladenie pre novú kapelu, je dôležité zvoliť také, ktoré už nepoužívate v iných aktuálnych projektoch, aby malo zmysel kupovať nové vybavenie. Vermian Death bol nahraný v A, pretože má dobrú rovnováhu medzi ťažkosťou a čitateľnosťou a to je to, čo momentálne používame – hoci to sa v budúcnosti môže zmeniť. Preferujeme pomerne klasické štvorky a šesťstrunové nástroje a naše setupy stoja na analógových pedáloch, takže nie sú závislé od konkrétnych zosilňovačov.


6. Na začiatku 90. rokov mal takmer každý štát či región svoj vlastný špecifický zvuk v extrémnej hudbe — obzvlášť bolo cítiť rozdiel medzi americkým a európskym death metalom. V posledných rokoch som si však všimol, že mnoho európskych extrémnych kapiel oslovuje masteringových inžinierov z USA. Prečo si myslíš, že sa to deje, a čo vás viedlo k spolupráci s Gregom Wilkinsonom z Deathgrave?

Miikka: Ťahá ma to k ťažkej undergroundovej hudbe z USA už asi 20 rokov a v priemere ju považujem za zaujímavejšiu a inšpiratívnejšiu než veci z Európy. Pravdepodobne aj preto som sa stal obrovským fanúšikom Brainoil hneď, ako vyšiel album Death of This Dry Season. O Earhammer som vedel už predtým, ale vtedy som začal Grega sledovať intenzívnejšie. Roky plynuli a ani som nerozmýšľal, že by som ho kontaktoval, až kým sa nezrodil Grave Hex. Keď sme nahrali materiál a počuli, ako to vyznelo, prišlo mi prirodzené osloviť ho k produkcii. Netreba hovoriť, že sme boli nadšení, keď úlohu s radosťou prijal. Jeho práca je vždy špičková, s 100% úspešnosťou. Legenda.


7. Okrem CD vychádza Vermian Death aj na kazete cez Night Terrors Records — ako ste sa dostali k labelu a čo sa vám páči na kazetovom formáte? Zvažovali ste aj vydanie na čiernom asfalte?

Martti: Úprimne, jednoducho som sa ozval do Night Terrors a boli sme poriadne prekvapení, že nás tak rýchlo podpísali. Matteo je proste najlepší človek na spoluprácu a aj keď sme sa ešte nestretli osobne, pôsobí ako úplne najmilší človek. Veľká vďaka jemu! Sme veľmi radi, že sme na tomto labeli, pretože sme boli fanúšikmi ich rosteru už dávno predtým, než nás podpísali – Atavistic Decay a Claustrum u nás hrali dookola odkedy niečo vydali, a v poslednom čase Reekmind a Putridarium priniesli niektoré z najlepších vecí. Veľmi by sme chceli, aby Vermian Death vyšiel na vinyle, ale chápeme, že pre label je to finančné riziko vydať vinyl od novej kapely. Dúfame, že raz vyjde aj vinyl od Grave Hex. Kazety majú príjemný, teplý analógový zvuk a sú skvelé aj ako zberateľský predmet.


8. Odkiaľ pochádza inšpirácia pre vermian (alebo „červí“) death metal? Vidíte Červa skôr ako klasickú larvu hodujúcu na rozkladajúcom sa mäse, alebo ako nadprirodzenú entitu? Aká je mytológia za Červom a existuje nejaká spojitosť s piesočnými červami z Duny?

Matti: Úprimne si už ani nespomíname, ako sme sa dostali tak hlboko do červích dier, ale naše kolektívne podvedomie sa zjavne hemží larvami. Duna bola určite pre mňa vplyvná kniha/film/herná séria (najmä Dune II: the Building of a Dynasty), ale piesočné červy sme nemali v hlave, keď sme prišli s Vermian Death. Bola to iná PC hra z 90. rokov – v istom momente sme sa bavili o červoch v hrách a ja som si spomenul na otravné Multiworms z X-Com: Apocalypse, ktoré pri smrti vybuchli a zrodili ešte viac červov. Páči sa mi predstava, že červy sú zároveň veľmi pozemské tvory, ktoré rozkladajú živé veci, ale dokážu aj podnietiť fantáziu o mýtických bytostiach žijúcich v jaskyniach.


9. Vlastním vinyl od floridskej sludge/funeral doom kapely Worm — máte s nimi nejaké prepojenie a môžeme hovoriť o nastupujúcej „worm death metal“ scéne?

Matti: Jasné, Worm poznáme, sú skvelí! Ale žiadne prepojenie nemáme. Ako prírodní rozkladači sú červy celkom prirodzenou témou pre niečo také zhnité, ako hráme my.


10. Aké sú vaše obľúbené kluby na hranie a s ktorými kapelami najradšej zdieľate pódium?

Matti: Myslím, že sa nedá povedať, že by nejaké špeciálne vynikali jedným či druhým smerom. Sme zvyknutí hrávať v malých kluboch po celom Fínsku. Osobne je to pre mňa vždy skôr o publiku než o priestore. Tukikohta v Oulu bola zábava zakaždým, keď som tam hral. V čase, keď toto píšem, sme ešte s Grave Hex neodohrali koncert, takže sme zatiaľ nezdieľali pódium so žiadnymi kapelami. Čoskoro však hráme so Svarta Havet a Qwälen, ktoré poznáme z našej druhej kapely, a sú to skvelí ľudia!


11. Fínsko je známe tým, že má jeden z najlepších vzdelávacích systémov v Európe — do akej miery sa deti učia o hrdinskom úteku Aima Koivunena pred sovietskymi jednotkami a je to súčasťou dejepisu alebo chémie?

Hanna: Tento príbeh sa v škole vlastne nikdy neučil! Zjavne Aimo kedysi dosť často robil bežkárske výlety. V škole sme tiež chodili každý týždeň v zime na bežky. Ale, samozrejme, bez látok, ktoré Aimo užil. Najlepší tip na bežkovanie v Helsinkách je vyraziť do Arabianranty (v preklade Pobrežie Arábie) a potom pokračovať smerom na Viikki. Krásna scenéria a žiadne kopce. A nezabudnite si pravidelne voskovať lyže!!!


12. V strednej a východnej Európe sú naši stredovekí aristokrati „preslávení“ svojou láskavosťou a humánnym zaobchádzaním s inými — veď viete, ľudia ako gróf Dracula alebo Alžbeta Bátoriová. Má fínska história niekoho s podobnými záľubami?

Hanna: Hmm… My vlastných krutých aristokratov nemáme, pretože Fínsko bolo veľmi dlho súčasťou Ruska a Švédska. Väčšina Fínov teda patrila k robotníckej triede alebo boli roľníci. Najhorším sériovým vrahom vo Fínsku bol človek, ktorý v roku 1849 zabil dvanásť ľudí. Bol to obyčajný človek, ktorý pracoval ako čeľadín.


13. Poznáte nejaké kapely alebo labely zo Slovenska alebo Českej republiky? Čo by vás motivovalo odohrať koncerty v týchto krajinách?

Martti: Napadá ma Sněť, videl som ich naživo na Helsinki Death Fest kedysi. Skvelá vec.

Matti: Toto je síce mimo death metal, ale existovala kapela ██████ (nic) z Plzne, ktorá bola pre mňa v jednom období obrovským vplyvom. Pohybujú sa niekde medzi skramz / post-black metalom.

Hanna: Pred pár rokmi som bola na koncerte v Prahe v klube Underdogs. Hrali tam energické lokálne kapely ako Atomic Candy Creeps, Skincare a David's Sister. Skvelá vec. Rada by som sa tam vrátila (hoci som sa práve dozvedela, že Underdogs už neexistuje) a dala si čerstvé pivo z Vinohradského pivovaru.

Miikka: Sněť sú úžasní a často sú na mojom deathmetalovom playliste. Viem aj o tom, že Gutalax sú z Česka. Sú veľmi aktívni na turné. Veľa príležitostí vidieť ich hrať tu okolo, čo je obdivuhodné.


14. Čo kapela v poslednom čase počúva, číta alebo sleduje — máte nejaké odporúčania pre čitateľov?

Martti: Poslednú dobu čítam knihy o anarchizme (David Graeber a pod.), o Palestíne (genocída sa musí skončiť TERAZ) a počúvam bestial war metal; hneď mi napadajú Antichrist Siege Machine, Profane Order, Black Curse a Invultation. Tiež, keď boli znovu vydané albumy od Pissgrave, točil som ich dokola ako šialený. Netreba hovoriť, že som momentálne poriadne naštvaný na svet.

Matti: Veľa nečítam a ani nesledujem veľa filmov/seriálov. Naposledy som čítal príručky o mixovaní a nahrávaní, haha. Čo sa týka hudby, momentálne mám náladu na dungeon synth, takže odporúčam The Torch Bearer od Spellplague a Warp Ritual od Psychic Hood. Na ťažšej strane spomeniem nadchádzajúci album od Sunniva.

Hanna: Čítam knihu o známej fínskej speváčke Kikke. Jej hudba je pre mňa dôležitá. Sledujem animovaný seriál Blue Eyed Samurai a čakám na novú sériu Slow Horses. V poslednom čase veľa počúvam fínsky rap ako JV, Eevil Stöö a Jodarok. Taktiež sólovú tvorbu Daxa Riggsa a Acid Bath, tí sú na mojom dennom playliste. Nedávno som videla naživo VVORSE a ich koncert mi úplne spravil týždeň.

Miikka: Choďte si pustiť Cobalt a Man's Gin na pamiatku nedávno zosnulého Erika Wundera, šialeného ikonoklasta z ľadového Colorada.


15. Ste fanúšikmi videoklipov a plánujete nejaký vydať v blízkej dobe? Sú nejaké nedávne klipy, ktoré vás zaujali?

Hanna: O natáčaní videoklipu sme sa zatiaľ nerozprávali. Ale pravdepodobne v budúcnosti nejaký spravíme. Možno začneme s niečím jednoduchším, napríklad zostrihom z koncertov a skúšobne. Alebo niečo s červami.


16. Je niekto na scéne, s kým by ste si radi prečítali rozhovor v Jablká ďaleko od stromu?

Martti: Hoc Est Bellum. Čoskoro im vychádza album. Skvelý bestial black metal s antifašistickými členmi. Nedávno dokonca predskakovali Antichrist Siege Machine, keď turné zavítalo do Fínska.


17. Akú poslednú radu by ste radi zanechali našim čitateľom?

Hanna: Obklopujte sa dobrými ľuďmi a dobrou hudbou.

  

#157 Flork Reviews: Šuma - Bahna (2025)

 

Šuma - Bahna (EP, 2025)
By Flork

It’s been about a year or two since I came across Šuma (Shuma) quite by chance—one of those serendipitous Spotify moments when an album ends and the algorithm takes over. As something familiar faded, a new sound began: atmospheric, ambient, yet wonderfully evocative. The track was Kupalka from their album Me, Mother and I was immediately enchanted. The vocals had an ancient feel with such clear mixing, even pristine. The effect was nothing short of transportive. And since hearing this gem of a track, I’ve been a fan of the duo from Belarus, with its mysterious echoes and repetitions, immersed in ancient folklore and legend (Kupalka (Купалка) comes from Kupala Night (Купалле), a traditional Slavic celebration held around the summer solstice, associated with fire, water, fertility, and ritual purification. The song embodies those elements with both reverence and creativity, and I knew that I’d found something rare).

 

 
And so, with their latest EP, BAHNA, the Minsk-based duo continue their journey of reimagining Belarusian folklore through electronic textures. Like Me, Mother, it’s an experience that feels otherworldly—kind of like a forgotten ceremony that’s been rediscovered on the dance floor. Released this year at the end of June, the result is a four-track Ep that is deeply atmospheric and ambient, steeped in ritual and memory, yet thoroughly modern in a way that only Šuma can pull off.

Opening with Zamova (Замова – Spell), a track that introduces us gently, listeners are swept into the abyss with washes of sound that feel like mist rising from a forest at dawn. Rusia’s vocals float like a mantra above subtle beats and deep, meditative synths. It's a track less about melody than mood, and is reminiscent of a trance-state ritual, setting the tone for the following tracks. …Niuka (…Нюка, possibly from нюкаць, meaning to sniff or sense – hinting at a mysterious presence) delves deeper into the shadows. This is where the ambient space grows darker and perhaps more layered, with haunting loops and sped-up percussion, creating a soundscape of fear and desperation. I love this track with Rusia’s near-chanting vocals, like nagging voices in your head. It’s eerie but without being harsh, and somehow evokes the sensation of walking through fog—uncertain, expectant, unaware of what lies ahead.

The third track is Maslenica (Масленіца, the Slavic festival marking winter’s end and the beginning of spring) shifts gears to a faster tempo, almost like a tribal ceremony. The image I conjure in my mind is a fire dance. Yet even here, the joy is restrained, delivered through quick yet gentle pulses and rising rhythms. There‘s defiitely a sense of movement, of life waking up, and remains rooted in Šuma’s signature sound, which is richly textured, immersive, and reverent to tradition.

 

The final piece, Koleda (Каляда – a winter solstice song or carol, a word we also use in Slovak), acts as a quiet farewell. With choral echoes and subtle melodic shifts, it’s ceremonial in its pacing—less a song than a fast procession. Like the previous tracks, it is Šuma at its best.

Musically, Šuma have evolved to a high level of maturity in both their compositions and skillfull layering. This EP is perhaps their most distilled work yet—minimal, but meaningful; thought-provoking, but commanding. It’s also worth mentioning that as a title, BAHNA fits perfectly with Šuma’s aesthetic—it's atmospheric and rooted in the natural world, as well as rich with metaphor. The word refers to wetlands in the Belarusian language—mysterious, often fog-covered landscapes associated with myth, danger, and transformation in Slavic folklore. In a symbolic sense, it can also evoke emotional or spiritual depth: a murky, hidden terrain where things lie buried or waiting to emerge.  And so, like a marsh, the Ep is layered, immersive, and highly enigmatic.

And the Florkman’s prognosis? In a time when so much electronic music prioritizes volume and velocity, Šuma offer something else, like space, patience, and resonance. BAHNA doesn’t clamor for attention, but rather summons it, softly and with intention. For anyone lucky enough to stumble upon Šuma, as I once did, the reward is lasting. I’m glad that I stayed for the spell. 

#276 Hippie Death Cult / Stoner Hard Rock / Eddie Brnabic / 16.7.2025

 

1. Who are you, what do you do, and what has been capturing your interest the most these days?

Eddie Brnabic, guitarist for Hippie Death Cult among other things. Lately I’ve been really focused on the band working on new material as well as touring relentlessly. When I’m not doing that I’m helping with album production, photo and video production for other bands. Between all of that and tending to my personal life, my plate is plenty full. 


2. Could you introduce Hippie Death Cult to our readers? Where are you based and who’s in the band?

We are based in Portland Oregon and the band consists of myself on guitar, Laura Phillips on vocals and bass guitar as well as Harry Silver on drums.


3. A year and a half after its release, Helichrysum has received a great deal of positive feedback. What has changed for the band since then, and how have you spent the time following the release?

Since the release we’ve played somewhere around 200 shows in support of it across the US, Canada, Europe and the UK. So, we’ve definitely stayed very busy grinding on the road. It’s hard to notice what’s possibly changed for us in the eyes of others while we’ve got our nose to the grind, but for us we are definitely noticing more people at the shows and the feedback has been very positive and encouraging. 

                                                         photo: Eddy Vasquez
 

4. Could you describe your songwriting process? How do your songs typically come to life — do they start with guitar riffs, a bass backbone, or perhaps even drums? And how much of your material originates from jamming?

There is a myriad of ways that our songs come together. I have a giant backlog of bursts of inspiration stored both in my phone and my computer that I can draw on at any given time. Some of those being just bare bones parts or fully fleshed out and recorded song ideas. The majority of the songs we’ve put out thus far came from those. We also jam quite a lot at our rehearsals and there’s a lot of parts and sometimes full songs that come out of that as well. Either way a song starts out, we have always worked out and finalized the instrumentation as a band first and then Laura will take them and create the lyrics and melodies.


5. If I’m not mistaken, Hippie Death Cult is rooted in heavy psychedelia and hard rock. Where do the fast riffs and occasional growls come from — are they drawn from different influences or do they emerge spontaneously during the creative process?

I wouldn’t say that we’ve ever deliberately wrote a song with a specific influence in mind. I’d say it’s most likely subconscious and definitely more spontaneous rather than calculated. I always say that every good idea I ever have is “given” to me, rather than it coming from a place of deliberate thought. Which is a common theme amongst artist types. I think we all have a uniqueness that comes out in the various filters each one of has individually developed through our own subconscious programming through the years. For me personally the list is huge, but to generalize it, some of that derives from birth of rock n roll stuff like Little Richard & BB King to soul stuff like James Brown, Funkadelic and Sly to metal pioneers like Sabbath and Zepp to the initial thrash metal movement with early Megadeth and Metallica. The common thread that I find throughout all of the stuff I’ve personally gravitated to over the years, is that they are all originators and true artists. I’m often quite bothered by the sea of cookie cutter, contrived type bands that straight up just copy other artists. You get this watered down version of what the original was and sort of miss the point of being an artist all together, and that kind of stuff doesn’t appeal to me at all. I think if anything, we are always just striving to create our own sound, vibe and spin, rooted in rock n roll that hopefully has its place somewhere within the lineage of the genre. 

.

6. With such a strong blend of psychedelia and hard rock in your sound, how challenging was it — and how long did it take — to gain recognition within a scene that broadly identifies itself as doom metal?

I feel like we were embraced from day one by the doom metal community. Or at least a good amount of people within the community. Once we put our very first song up on YouTube, it seemed to circulate around the community fairly instantly and we gained some level of popularity. By the time our first album dropped it seemed like it was well anticipated and we sold out of several variants of vinyl upon its release. It was also ranked #1 on the Doom Charts upon release, which also seemed to help get us on a lot of people’s radars. I think for people that were open minded to a fresh take on the genre, we were appealing. But there also seems to be a small portion of that particular audience that really enjoys hearing the same ‘ol, same ‘ol type of bands that all use the same exact sounds, riffs, motifs and imagery as each other repeatedly that we might not have appealed to, I don’t know? Which is absolutely fine by me. 


7. You’re based in Portland, Oregon — a city nestled between Seattle, known for its grunge legacy, and San Francisco, with its rich metal history. Is there such a thing as a 'typical Portland sound'? What, in your view, makes Portland’s music scene unique compared to other West Coast cities?

Wouldn’t say that there is any “one” sort of sound. I think Portland is a place that embraces not only being unique, but also just being yourself. So you get a good variety of artistic expression in this city and there’s always good bands playing every week in all sorts of genres. It’s a very supportive community and scene. Both with the camaraderie between artists and with concert goers alike. So, to say what makes it unique, is that is probably less pretentious than other cities and scenes can be… sometimes. Fuck… there’s pretentious hipsters here too, so I don’t know. 

                                                         photo: Dick Smith
 

8. In a recent interview, Andres from Oakland’s False Figure commented on Joel Gion’s story of moving from San Francisco to Portland by saying, 'I know, it’s crazy how much Portland takes from us.' Do you agree that Portland draws in a lot of musicians from other cities? What do you think makes Portland appealing for someone coming from the Bay Area?

I don’t think that’s true necessarily. I think Portland has always been Portland. Oakland definitely has some similarities, but I don’t think that’s necessarily intentional. I think that one of the main reasons many artists were flocking to Portland from the Bay Area because the cost of living was significantly lower and a lot of people got priced out of living in California. But, now that has made Portland much more expensive and there isn’t as much of a gap there, though it still does exist to a degree.


9. The name Hippie Death Cult immediately brings to mind the darker side of 1960s counterculture — for example, the Manson Family. Was that an intentional reference? Are there any particular stories or figures from that era — like other so-called 'satanic hippie cults' — that have influenced your themes or aesthetics? In your view, how widespread was the turn toward darker beliefs in that flower-power generation, and are there still echoes of that today?

No, there was no intention with being particularly affiliated with Manson in any way. If anything, our themes and motifs reflect an anti-cult sentiment, as ironic as that is. So, in a way you could say that a lot of those counter culture cult movements definitely influenced our themes and intrigue us, but we are definitely not taking our idea of a cult seriously at all, and if anything warning people away from cults à la the song “Arise” etc… Cults all end the same way, beyond their various “spiritual” and other disguises. They all end up being about money, power or sex and it’s always a disgusting situation. Giving your power away to another human’s ideas, relinquishing your individuality, intelligence, and ability to practice your own critical thinking, is never going to result in a good situation. I’ve been equally fascinated and disgusted with stories that I’ve come across and have yet to see one that actually possesses any integrity.

The name for us is very tongue-in-cheek. It’s just a band name. We can have fun with it in different ways and play with all sorts of angles and made-up mythologies, which is basically what most all cults are doing anyways, but in a harmless way. There are plenty of ways to look at the death theme in a positive light. For instance, going through an Ego death or honoring the little deaths we go through every day in our individual evolutions as we grow to overcome or except our own personality and habitual flaws as we strive to become better humans, honoring people who have passed on… so on and so on. If anything, we view the band’s motif as a way of honoring death, rather than the darker themes it could also represent. 

To answer the latter part of your question, I think the turn toward darker beliefs in that flower-power generation had was and is probably more widespread than the positive ones. Humans tend to gravitate towards the darker side of things. The influence of questionable morality, neglect of personal accountability, abuse of drugs, cult-like and hive mind mentality and all sorts of things like that are very prevalent today that seemed to influenced in some ways by that original counterculture generation. 


 

10. What do you think makes Portland so weird? Do you think it’s even weirder than New York City... or Bratislava? 

Ha! I’m not sure. Maybe because people are so liberal and open minded there it has spawned some sort of a culture where can let their freak out in the weirdest ways without fear of harsh judgement. For better or worse … I don’t know how I would compare it to anywhere else… everyone is weird to someone else. 


11. Last summer, you played a gig at Bratislava's infamous underground spot, Garages. Do you have any memories of that show? How did the opportunity come about—was it part of a larger tour? Where did the tour start and end, and what are some of your standout memories from it?

Ha! Yes, I remember that show well! I remember pulling up to the “venue” wondering if we were in the wrong spot and what the fuck was going on. We had no previous knowledge of that place or its history. That ended up being a highlight of the tour for us and we had an absolute blast with the people of Bratislava. It was a unique situation, playing in front of an old storage garage in a parking lot having all of the people crowded all around us. It was great and we had a lovely time.

Yes, it was part of a month long tour of Europe. There were so many highlights on that one. Playing on the beach in Sardinia at DunaJam and playing in front of over 5000 people at Das Fest in Karlsruhe were a couple of others that come to mind on that particular tour.


12. Hippie Death Cult seems to be a heavily touring band. Are you used to life on the road? What are some of the most memorable experiences you've had while touring?

We love to tour! We are used to life on the road and we all seem to be cut out for it. We all get along great and are always down for the adventure. There are so many memories that it is really tough to distill it down to a few… There’s nothing like connecting with each other and any given audience on a higher plane each night when we reach that “flow state” type of vibe and things get really soaring. There’s too many memories to list… it’s really hard to distill it down to what is most memorable. 

                                                          photo: Dick Smith

 

 

13. What are your plans for the rest of 2025 and what can we expect from Hippie Death Cult in the near future?

We just finished up another European tour and some local shows this year after releasing a live album in May. We have a couple other surprises trickling out later this year, but the main focus for us right now is hiding out and completing a new album that will drop sometime next year. 


14. Which album, album cover, and music video have impressed you the most recently? 

I’m going to combine the album and music video into one experience I had of seeing Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats live here in Portland recently. They performed their latest album “Nell’ Ora Blue” in its entirety, and I thought it was a very cool and unique show. It definitely made me appreciate the album much more seeing it performed live, especially with all of the extra instrumentation elements represented and the amazing video visual presentation by Mothpowder Light Show. One of the featured additional artists; Rachel Burnett really stood out to me, handling some outstanding synthesizer, saxophone and vocal accompaniment. You could tell a lot of work went into that production and I thought it was a really ballsy and impressive statement for that band to make at this point in their career.  

I’m trying to rack my brain about a particular album cover that has impressed me lately… But I really can’t think of one that stands out unfortunately. 


15. Anton Newcombe or Liam Gallagher — who’s your pick for a two-week vacation on a desert island? 

Oh god… I think I’d rather set my hair on fire than hang out with either of those guys for two weeks!


16. Do you know of any decent doomsday cults you'd recommend to our readers to join?

No, ha!

17. What’s the easiest way to connect with aliens?

Some good weed, Parliament Funkadelic and some good intuitional powers, I suppose?


18. Is there someone on the scene with whom you’d like to read an interview on Jablká ďaleko od stromu?

Yes! Spirit Mother. 

============================================================================ 

Links:

https://www.hippiedeathcultband.com/epk

https://www.instagram.com/hippiedeathcultband/ 

https://www.facebook.com/hippiedeathcultband/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcDKgW8llmhDuD3MaEHs1Q

https://hippiedeathcult.bandcamp.com/ 

============================================================================

 

1. Kto si, čo robíš a čo ťa v poslednom čase najviac zaujíma?

Som Eddie Brnabic, gitarista skupiny Hippie Death Cult (a ďalších projektov). V poslednej dobe sa veľmi sústredím na kapelu – pracujeme na novom materiáli a zároveň neúnavne koncertujeme. Keď sa práve nevenujem tomu, pomáham iným kapelám s produkciou albumov, fotením a natáčaním videí. Medzi tým všetkým a starostlivosťou o osobný život mám program viac než plný.


2. Môžeš našim čitateľom predstaviť Hippie Death Cult? Odkiaľ ste a kto tvorí kapelu?

Pochádzame z Portlandu v Oregone a kapelu tvoria: ja na gitare, Laura Phillips na speve a basgitare a Harry Silver na bicích.


3. Rok a pol po vydaní albumu Helichrysum ste dostali množstvo pozitívnych ohlasov. Čo sa odvtedy pre kapelu zmenilo a ako ste využili čas po vydaní?

Od vydania sme odohrali približne 200 koncertov po celých USA, Kanade, Európe a Spojenom kráľovstve. Takže sme boli neustále na cestách. Ťažko povedať, čo sa zmenilo v očiach iných, keďže sme stále zahltení prácou, no my sami vnímame, že na koncerty chodí čoraz viac ľudí a spätná väzba je veľmi pozitívna a povzbudivá.

                                                         photo: Eddie Brnabic
 

4. Môžeš opísať váš skladateľský proces? Ako vaše piesne zvyčajne vznikajú – začína sa to gitarovým riffom, basovým základom, alebo dokonca bicími? A koľko z vašej hudby vzniká improvizáciou?

Naše piesne vznikajú rôznymi spôsobmi. Mám obrovský archív nápadov – v mobile aj v počítači – do ktorého môžem kedykoľvek siahnuť. Niektoré sú len kostry nápadov, iné sú už celé rozpracované skladby. Väčšina našich skladieb vznikla práve z týchto záznamov. Taktiež veľa jamujeme počas skúšok a niekedy z toho vzídu celé skladby. Nezáleží na tom, ako skladba začína – vždy ju najprv dokončíme ako kapela po inštrumentálnej stránke, a potom ju Laura obohatí o text a spevové linky.


5. Ak sa nemýlim, Hippie Death Cult má korene v heavy psychedelii a hard rocku. Odkiaľ prichádzajú rýchle riffy a občasné growly – sú to vplyvy z iných žánrov alebo vznikajú spontánne počas tvorby?

Nepovedal by som, že sme niekedy zámerne napísali skladbu pod vplyvom nejakej konkrétnej inšpirácie. Skôr ide o niečo podvedomé a spontánne, než vypočítané. Vždy tvrdím, že každý dobrý nápad, ktorý mám, mi bol "daný", nepochádza z vedomého úsilia – čo je dosť bežné medzi umelcami. Každý z nás má v sebe unikátny filter, vytvorený podvedomým programovaním počas života.

Mojich hudobných vplyvov je veľa – od klasického rock’n’rollu ako Little Richard a BB King, cez soul ako James Brown, Funkadelic či Sly, až po metalových priekopníkov ako Black Sabbath a Led Zeppelin. Veľký vplyv na mňa mala aj thrash scéna – rané albumy Megadeth a Metallica. Spoločným menovateľom pre mňa vždy boli originálne osobnosti, skutoční umelci. Dosť ma rozčuľuje množstvo "na jedno kopyto" kapiel, ktoré len napodobňujú iných. Takáto hudba mi absolútne nič nehovorí. My sa vždy snažíme vytvárať si vlastný zvuk, náladu a pohľad na rock’n’roll – dúfajme, že máme svoje miesto v jeho vývoji.

 

6. Máte v sebe silnú zmes psychedélie a hard rocku – ako náročné bolo získať uznanie v scéne, ktorá sa primárne identifikuje ako doom metalová, a ako dlho to trvalo?

Mám pocit, že doom metalová komunita nás prijala od prvého dňa. Alebo aspoň veľká časť tejto komunity. Keď sme zverejnili našu úplne prvú skladbu na YouTube, okamžite sa rozšírila a získali sme istý stupeň popularity. V čase vydania nášho debutového albumu sa zdalo, že je očakávaný, a niekoľko verzií vinylu sa okamžite vypredalo. Album sa tiež umiestnil na prvom mieste Doom Charts hneď po vydaní, čo nám tiež pomohlo dostať sa do povedomia mnohých ľudí. Myslím, že pre tých, ktorí boli otvorení sviežemu pohľadu na tento žáner, sme boli zaujímaví. Ale zdá sa, že existuje aj časť publika, ktorá si najviac užíva ten istý starý známy štýl – kapely, ktoré používajú rovnaké zvuky, riffy, motívy a obraznosť – a takým sme možno nesadli. Neviem. A úplne v poriadku.


7. Ste z Portlandu v štáte Oregon — mesta medzi Seattlom, známym svojou grunge scénou, a San Franciscom, ktorý má bohatú metalovú históriu. Existuje niečo ako „typický portlandský zvuk“? Čo podľa teba robí hudobnú scénu v Portlande výnimočnou v porovnaní s ostatnými mestami západného pobrežia?

Nepovedal by som, že existuje nejaký jeden typický zvuk. Portland je miesto, ktoré podporuje výnimočnosť a autenticitu. Takže tu nájdeš širokú škálu umeleckého vyjadrenia a každý týždeň tu hrá množstvo skvelých kapiel v rôznych žánroch. Je tu veľmi podporujúca komunita — nielen medzi hudobníkmi, ale aj medzi návštevníkmi koncertov. Ak by som mal povedať, čo robí Portland výnimočným, možno je to tým, že je menej prehnane „umelecký“ a povýšenecký ako niektoré iné mestá a scény… niekedy. Ale jasné, aj tu máme hipsterov, takže… neviem.

photo: Liss Ulenherz

 

8. V nedávnom rozhovore Andres z oaklandskej kapely False Figure reagoval na príbeh Joela Giona, ktorý sa presťahoval zo San Francisca do Portlandu, slovami: „Vieme, Portland nám kradne ľudí.“ Súhlasíš s tým, že Portland priťahuje množstvo hudobníkov z iných miest? Čo si myslíš, že na ňom láka napríklad ľudí z Bay Area?

Nemyslím si, že je to úplne pravda. Portland bol vždy sám sebou. Oakland má síce v niečom podobnú atmosféru, ale nemyslím, že to je zámerné. Jedným z hlavných dôvodov, prečo sa sem mnoho umelcov presťahovalo z Bay Area, bola nižšia cena bývania – v Kalifornii sa jednoducho mnohí ľudia už nedokázali udržať. Ale dnes už je aj Portland oveľa drahší a ten rozdiel sa pomaly zmenšuje, hoci stále existuje.


9. Názov Hippie Death Cult okamžite evokuje temnejšiu stránku kontrakultúry 60. rokov – napríklad Mansonovu rodinu. Bola to zámerná referencia? Ovplyvnili vás nejako príbehy tzv. „satanistických hippie kultov“ z tej éry? Myslíš si, že sa medzi „flower-power“ generáciou skutočne rozšírili temnejšie vyznávania a cítiť ich ozveny dodnes?

Nie, nemali sme v úmysle sa akokoľvek spájať s Mansonovcami. Naopak – naše témy a motívy často odrážajú protikultovú filozofiu, čo je možno ironické vzhľadom na názov. Takže áno, tie staré kultové kontrakultúrne hnutia nás ovplyvnili a fascinujú nás, ale rozhodne to neberieme vážne – a skôr ľudí pred kultmi varujeme, ako napríklad v skladbe Arise. Kult vždy skončí rovnako – nech sa tvári akokoľvek duchovne alebo spirituálne – v jadre vždy ide o moc, peniaze alebo sex, a takmer vždy ide o odporné situácie. Vzdať sa svojej individuality, inteligencie a schopnosti kriticky myslieť v prospech niekoho iného je cesta do pekla. Mnohé príbehy, ktoré som o kultoch čítal, ma zároveň fascinovali aj znechutili – a ešte som nenašiel jediný, ktorý by si zaslúžil skutočný rešpekt.

Pre nás je názov viac ironický, tak trochu na odľahčenie. Je to proste názov kapely. Môžeme sa s tým hrať, vymýšľať si vlastné mytológie – tak ako to robia kultisti, ale bez toho, aby sme niekomu ubližovali. Téma smrti sa dá chápať aj pozitívne – ako symbol konca ega, ako prijatie vlastných chýb, ako duchovný rast, alebo ako uctenie pamiatky zosnulých. My chápeme našu estetiku skôr ako poctu smrti, nie ako vyzdvihovanie temnoty.

A k tej druhej časti otázky – myslím, že príklon k vyznávaniu temnoty v tej „flower-power“ generácii bol (a stále je) možno rozšírenejší než tie pozitívne. Ľudia majú tendenciu inklinovať k temnote. Sporná morálka, zneužívanie drog, kultová mentalita – to všetko dnes stále pretrváva a má korene práve v pôvodnej kontrakultúre.


 

10. Čo podľa teba robí Portland taký „čudný“? Je podľa teba čudnejší ako New York… alebo Bratislava?

Ha! Neviem. Možno je to tým, že tu ľudia žijú veľmi liberálne a otvorene, čo vytvára kultúru, kde si každý môže dať voľný priechod svojej „čudnosti“ bez strachu z odsúdenia. Či je to dobré alebo zlé… to netuším. Neviem to porovnať s inými mestami – každý je predsa čudný pre niekoho iného. 


11. Minulé leto ste odohrali koncert v neslávne známom bratislavskom UG priestore Garáže pod prístavným mostom. Máš na to nejaké spomienky? Ako táto príležitosť vznikla — bolo to súčasťou väčšieho turné? Kde turné začalo a skončilo a aké momenty z neho ti najviac utkveli v pamäti?

Ha! Áno, ten koncert si pamätám veľmi dobre! Pamätám si, ako sme prišli na miesto a rozmýšľali, či sme určite na správnom mieste a čo to, do pekla, vlastne je. O tom mieste a jeho histórii sme predtým nič nevedeli. Napokon sa však z toho stalo jedno z najväčších prekvapení celého turné a s ľuďmi v Bratislave sme si to maximálne užili. Bola to unikátna situácia — hrať pred starou garážou na parkovisku, obklopení davom ľudí všade naokolo. Bolo to skvelé a mali sme nádherný večer.

Áno, bol to súčasťou mesačného európskeho turné. Tých pamätných momentov bolo veľa — napríklad koncert na pláži na Sardínii v rámci DunaJam alebo vystúpenie pred viac než 5000 ľuďmi na Das Fest v Karlsruhe.


12. Zdá sa, že Hippie Death Cult je kapela, ktorá veľa koncertuje. Ste zvyknutí na život na cestách? Aké sú tvoje najpamätnejšie zážitky z turné?

Milujeme turné! Sme na život na cestách zvyknutí a všetci na to máme tú správnu povahu. Výborne si spolu vychádzame a sme vždy pripravení na dobrodružstvo. Spomienok je toľko, že je veľmi ťažké vybrať len pár... Nie je nič ako to prepojenie, ktoré vznikne medzi nami a publikom, keď sa dostaneme do „flow stavu“ a všetko začne lietať. Tých silných momentov je naozaj priveľa na vymenovanie… nedá sa to len tak zredukovať na pár najvýraznejších.

                                                         photo: Dick Smith
 

13. Aké máte plány na zvyšok roku 2025 a čo môžeme od Hippie Death Cult čakať v blízkej budúcnosti?

Nedávno sme ukončili ďalšie európske turné a niekoľko domácich koncertov, po tom ako sme v máji vydali živý album. Neskôr v tomto roku máme pripravených ešte pár prekvapení, ale naším hlavným zameraním teraz je stiahnuť sa do úzadia a dokončiť nový album, ktorý vyjde niekedy budúci rok.


14. Ktorý album, obal albumu a hudobné video ťa v poslednom čase najviac zaujali?

Spojím odpoveď na album a hudobné video do jednej skúsenosti — keď som nedávno videl Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats naživo v Portlande. Odohrali svoj najnovší album Nell’ Ora Blue v celku a bolo to veľmi zaujímavé a výnimočné predstavenie. Vďaka živému vystúpeniu som si album omnoho viac vážil — najmä vďaka ďalším inštrumentálnym prvkom a úžasnej vizuálnej show od Mothpowder Light Show. Z hosťujúcich hudobníkov ma veľmi zaujal výkon Rachel Burnett, ktorá hrala na synťákoch, saxofóne a pridávala vokály. Bolo cítiť, že do tej produkcie vložili množstvo práce, a myslím, že to bol veľmi odvážny a pôsobivý krok od tejto kapely v tejto fáze ich kariéry.

Snažím sa spomenúť si na nejaký obal albumu, ktorý ma nedávno zaujal… ale úprimne, nič výrazné mi momentálne nenapadá.


15. Anton Newcombe alebo Liam Gallagher — koho by si si vybral na dvojtýždňovú dovolenku na opustenom ostrove?

Bože môj… myslím, že by som si radšej zapálil vlasy, než trávil dva týždne s ktorýmkoľvek z týchto dvoch.


16. Poznáš nejaký decentný doomsday cult, ktorý by si odporučil našim čitateľom, aby sa k nemu pridali?

Nie, ha!

 

17. Aký je najjednoduchší spôsob, ako sa spojiť s mimozemšťanmi?

Trochu kvalitnej trávy, Parliament Funkadelic a dobrá dávka intuície, predpokladám?


18. Je niekto zo scény, s kým by si rád videl rozhovor na Jablká ďaleko od stromu?

Áno! Spirit Mother.