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Jablká Ďaleko Ød Stromu

(Joy Destroys Øur Solitude)

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Jablká Ďaleko Ød Stromu (Joy Destroys Øur Solitude) Saving paper for assholes since MMXX.

#318 Hoaxed // Dark Rock, Heavy Metal // April, Kat, Kim // 21.9.2026


 

 


 


Hello there, can you tell us a bit about yourselves — who you are, what you do, and what’s
keeping you most interested these days?


April: April here, bassist and backing vocalist outside of the band I make art and sing for my other band Soul Grinder. Halloween is approaching, so I can be persuaded into thrifting, walking around the cemetery, watching horror movies, collecting VHS or records, and going out to local shows

Kat: I'm Kat - vox and guitar in Hoaxed. We're working on the new album, so I've been spending a lot of time working on riffs, hooks, and song starts to bring to April + Kim so we can build them into songs together. Outside of that: I just bought a 100+ year old house and I've been pouring myself into the restoration. I feel so connected to this space and it's been really cool to create via rebuilding this home into its former grandeur. It's, unfortunately, not haunted - which is also a first for me. My first living space without a presence.

Kim: I'm Kim, drummer for Hoaxed! I have a small child at home so chasing after him is what preoccupies a lot of my time, but I have found myself exploring the city from his point of view-going on walks, finding outdoor spots to run or swim in, and being a kid again. 





With the first rain arriving after four months of summer heat, I put on my autumn goth-metal playlist — starting with Type O Negative, Unto Others, Neon Nightmare and The 69 Eyes — and suddenly HOAXED came on and immediately caught my attention. Do you feel any affiliation with the gothic rock scene, and do any of these bands mean something special to you?

Hoaxed: Love to hear it! The Unto Others guys are buds. We all go way back, before Hoaxed or Unto Others were even close to existing, and now have practice spaces across the hall from each other. We definitely find belonging in the goth rock scene - Kat especially comes from that background but we all relate a lot to that music.


Your name HOAXED basically means being deceived, fooled or made to believe something that isn't true. So, have you ever been HOAXED yourselves — and if so, by whom or by what?


Hoaxed: Not yet! Fingers crossed…



 

You released Death Knocks earlier this year. What was the main idea behind the new songs and lyrics, and what was different about your creative approach compared to the previous album, Two Shadows?

Hoaxed: We knew we wanted the album to have a theme that united all the songs, but we weren’t really sure what that was when we first set out to make this album. As we wrote the songs, the theme of acceptance / understanding / fear of death because a pretty obvious topic through all the songs. We were conscious that Two Shadows had a lot of imagery of 2 around it - there were two of us, it was our second album, it took us two years to write, etc... Then with this new album, there was imagery of 3 - 3 of us, 3 years to write and our 3rd album... and Death Knocks three times. So it just fit. Check out this short instagram video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DY5FbFytd3l/


April has been part of HOAXED live since the very beginning, but Death Knocks is the first album written and recorded fully as a trio. How did finally bringing the live version of HOAXED into the studio change the chemistry of the band and the way you write songs?

Hoaxed: Having April on this album felt like we've finally got to share what Hoaxed has been the whole time. We've always had April with us, we've never played a show without here. It was great to finally have her write and record these songs with us. Feels like we get to present actual Hoaxed to people on this album! As far as the chemistry of the band, it just feels even more us than the past records. April has always been 1/3 of the band and now we finally get to share that fully with listeners.





How far have you travelled presenting the new album, who have been your biggest supporters among fellow bands, and what have been the most memorable moments from playing the new songs live?

Hoaxed: We have most recently toured the west coast into Canada supporting our album Death Knocks. Other bands that have been stoked supporters are Unto Others & Sorcia. As far as memorable moments go - it's been really great. The songs are landing really well with listeners and reviewers - and they're super fun to play. April's bass got left behind for our final two shows of the last run. That was quite an experience. Fortunately we have an amazing international metal community that stepped up and delivered basses - shout out to DJ of Speed Reaper and Eric from Accused AD & Telomyras and everyone who stepped in!


Listening to HOAXED, I especially like the contrast between the heavy metal instrumentation, the ethereal gothic vocals and those occasional background shrieks. What are the main influences behind this combination?

Hoaxed: It's just who we are. Kat has a more ethereal quality to her vocals and April can go hard. When we started writing together, it just made sense to feature our strengths and the Hoaxed sounds was born!


After interviewing other goth, punk and metal bands from Portland, HOAXED seem to inhabit another borderland between goth, heavy metal, doom, dark rock and occasionally something almost pop. Is this genre promiscuity particularly Portland, or are metalheads and goths finally just admitting they've been secretly listening to each other's records for forty years?

Hoaxed: We listen to all those genres. There's so much crossover between the metal / goth scenes, and for sure in Portland, So yes - that's absolutely what is happening. We're all outcasts, we just express it a bit differently. But we find acceptance in both those scenes and genres.

 




My Portland interviews have produced a contradiction. One argument is that there is no Portland sound because the strength of the city is that everyone sounds different. The other is that Wipers, Dead Moon, working-class culture, endless rain and the Pacific Northwest landscape inevitably leave fingerprints on the music. Where do HOAXED stand? Is there something in your music that couldn't have come from Los Angeles, New York or London?

Hoaxed: We see our location as a huge part of the Hoaxed sound - the misty, spooky, dark forests with all their mystery and foreboding vibes absolutely creeps into our inspiration. It's hard to imagine we could write these same songs on a sunny Californian beach. But, there's also a darkness in us that's attracted to this part of the world. It resonates deeply with each of us.


Looking at Portland from Central Europe, there's a strange contradiction. The Pacific Northwest looks incredibly beautiful - forests, mountains, ocean - yet so much music coming from there seems dark, melancholic, heavy or introspective. Where does all that darkness come from?

Hoaxed: It is beautiful - but it's also incredibly spooky. We spend 6 months of the year in dark, misty rain. And while our biggest inspiration comes from within - there is a very valid argument that the PNW setting greatly contributes to the dark sounds coming out of this region. 

 





I've been interested in how the idealistic American counterculture of the '60s eventually developed a much darker side — cults, manipulation, drugs, violence and people surrendering their individuality to charismatic leaders. Oregon had its own infamous chapter in the '80s with Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and Rajneeshpuram: thousands of followers building a commune in the desert, dozens of Rolls-Royces, armed security, conflicts with the local community and eventually some seriously dark shit. Growing up and living in Oregon, is that history still present in the local consciousness, or has it become something outsiders associate with Oregon more than Oregonians themselves do? And have Rajneeshpuram or other cult stories had any influence on HOAXED's themes and dark aesthetics?


Hoaxed: Those stories specifically haven't influenced our music - but it is a cultural touch point that a lot of people are aware of. It has not left Oregonians' collective memory, it was a huge event. That said: we've had a lot of recent moments that are more top of mind: the BLM protests, ICE presence, etc - there's been a lot of authoritative / government crackdowns in our city recently. The people are standing up to authoritarianism and it's scary - but necessary. Wretched on Death Knocks, is about evil men and their control. And that feeling of everyone just going along with something and feeling like you need to push back.


Do you find real stories like Rajneeshpuram more disturbing than supernatural horror, precisely because everybody involved thought they were doing something rational?


Hoaxed: Absolutely. Mankind is the scariest evil. We hold very little fear of the supernatural and the unknown when compared to the actual terrors humans perpetrate on one another. Supernatural things tend to follow rules, there's a set of guidelines that you must complete in order to unlock things. Ancient rituals and patterns that must be observed. But with humans - there is rhyme or reason for a lot of the horrors they inflict on each other. Besides cults, folk horror is another fascinating topic. 




Here in Central Europe, we grew up with legends of old counts sucking the blood of living creatures and countesses supposedly bathing in virgins' blood to preserve their youth. What's the folk horror of Portland or Oregon? Are there any local legends, creatures or genuinely creepy stories that everybody growing up there knows?


Hoaxed: The Pacific Northwest, in general, is chock full of legends, folklore, and ghost stories. Sasquatch/big foot for sure roams the forest out here. The legendary human trafficking ring of the Shanghai Tunnels in downtown. Jake the Alligator man is a coastal legend, half alligator - half mummified man. And up in Seattle there's Jimothy, but with so many sightings, you can't really deny his existence - that's a genuine raccoon.

Kat tends to be a magnet for ghost encounters - but we all have a few personal stories of brushes with the other side.

We're so intrigued by the vampiric legends you referenced. We actually visited the grave of the last US vampire, Mercy Brown, when we last toured the East Coast. We met an extremely creepy individual in that graveyard... it was a memorable experience that we're happy to have gotten out of unharmed... Actually, that experience is what inspired the mausoleum on the cover of Death Knocks.


Which is darker to you: downtown Portland at 2 AM or an Oregon forest at 2 AM?

Hoaxed: The Oregon forest certainly contains less light pollution, however, downtown Portland at 2am, you can find a darkness of the spirit permeating. But it's a neon playground - You literally can't see the hand in front of your face at 2am in an Oregon Forest.




Do you know any bands from Slovakia or the Czech Republic, and when can we expect HOAXED to play a gig in Central Europe?


Hoaxed: April's a fan of Lykathea Aflame! Hoaxed is coming to Europe in 2027. Keep an eye out for the announcements... We hope to make it to Slovakia or CR on those runs and meet some of the rad bands in those areas!


If you had to spend two years on a desert island, who would you choose - Peter Steele or Ville Valo?

Kim: Peter Steele

April: Peter Steele - definitely Peter Steele

Kat: Either could be fun... but seems like either could be a downer doom partner… can I have Siousxie Sioux instead? I'd gladly sign up for that exile.


Do you think cassettes still matter?

Hoaxed: Oh for sure. We have Hoaxed cassettes for our EP + Two Shadows - we trade cassettes frequently with PNW bands. April collects them - Her van only plays cassettes. Sadly, she lost several to a heatwave when they melted in the dashboard of her van over the summer...





Which music album, music video and book have impressed you the most recently?

April: I've been listening more that watching videos or reading much lately, but I've been rotating Verbolgen by Hulder. Lick the Flesh by Vorlust. No Place of Warmth by Frozen Soul

Kat: I've been deep diving into some vintage guilty pleasures - Fever to Tell by Yeah Yeah Yeahs has been on constant rotation. And I've been editing our new music video (for The Fallen) so I've been super wrapped up in that.

Kim: I'm not much of a whole album listener, but I've been getting back into Misfits Famous Monsters- tis the season, right? Haven't seen any impressive music videos lately, but I saw the original movie trailer for Rosemary's Baby recently and found the imagery very inspiring. I just recently started reading "I'm Glad My Mom Died", It's more difficult to read about abuse now that I have a child, but it is written very well and is a wild insight to the disturbing side of Hollywood child stars.


Is there an artist or band you'd like to see interviewed on JDØS?

Kim: I would love to see The Hives interviewed on JDØS, mostly because I think they can be a fun interview.

April: Doro from Warlock!

Kat: Sorcia are recent new buds and they're so fantastic.


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

Kat: Put yourself out there - the world needs more creativity to push back on the AI bullshit.

Kim: Enjoy life, both light and the dark, and enjoy music the best you can, and I hope you like the new album…

April: Keep it heavy, keep it true

 

 

Ahojte, môžete nám na úvod povedať niečo o sebe — kto ste, čo robíte a čo vás v týchto dňoch najviac zaujíma?

April: Tu April, basgitaristka a sprievodná vokalistka. Mimo kapely sa venujem umeniu a spievam vo svojej druhej kapele Soul Grinder. Blíži sa Halloween, takže sa celkom ľahko nechám nahovoriť na potulky po sekáčoch, prechádzky po cintoríne, pozeranie hororov, zbieranie VHS kaziet alebo platní a návštevy koncertov miestnych kapiel.

Kat: Som Kat — v Hoaxed spievam a hrám na gitare. Pracujeme na novom albume, takže trávim veľa času vymýšľaním riffov, chytľavých motívov a základov skladieb, ktoré potom prinesiem April a Kim a spoločne z nich skladáme hotové piesne. Okrem toho som si práve kúpila viac ako storočný dom a úplne som sa ponorila do jeho rekonštrukcie. Cítim s týmto miestom veľmi silné spojenie a je úžasné tvoriť aj týmto spôsobom — obnovovať dom a vracať mu jeho niekdajšiu krásu. Bohužiaľ v ňom nestraší — čo je pre mňa tiež premiéra. Je to prvé miesto, kde bývam bez nejakej nadprirodzenej prítomnosti.

Kim: Som Kim, bubeníčka Hoaxed! Doma mám malé dieťa, takže naháňanie sa za ním mi zaberá veľkú časť času. Zároveň som však vďaka nemu začala objavovať mesto z jeho pohľadu — chodíme na prechádzky, hľadáme miesta vonku, kde sa dá behať alebo plávať, a ja môžem byť zase trochu dieťaťom.



Keď po štyroch mesiacoch letných horúčav prišiel prvý dážď, pustil som si svoj jesenný goth-metalový playlist — začínajúci Type O Negative, Unto Others, Neon Nightmare a The 69 Eyes — a zrazu tam nabehli HOAXED a okamžite upútali moju pozornosť. Cítite nejakú spriaznenosť s gothic rockovou scénou a znamená pre vás niektorá z týchto kapiel niečo výnimočné?

Hoaxed: To radi počujeme! Chalani z Unto Others sú naši kamoši. Poznáme sa už veľmi dlho, ešte z čias, keď Hoaxed ani Unto Others ani zďaleka neexistovali, a dnes máme skúšobne oproti sebe cez chodbu. V gothic rockovej scéne sa určite cítime doma — najmä Kat z tohto prostredia pochádza, ale všetky máme k tejto hudbe veľmi blízko.



Názov HOAXED v podstate znamená byť oklamaný, podvedený alebo prinútený veriť niečomu, čo nie je pravda. Stalo sa teda niekedy, že ste sa samy nechali „HOAXED“ — a ak áno, kým alebo čím?


Hoaxed: Zatiaľ nie! Držte nám palce...



Začiatkom tohto roka ste vydali Death Knocks. Aká bola hlavná myšlienka nových skladieb a textov a v čom bol váš tvorivý prístup odlišný v porovnaní s predchádzajúcim albumom Two Shadows?

Hoaxed: Vedeli sme, že chceme, aby mal album tému, ktorá bude spájať všetky skladby, ale keď sme na ňom začínali pracovať, vlastne sme ešte netušili, čo presne tou témou bude. Ako skladby postupne vznikali, prijatie, pochopenie a strach zo smrti sa začali celkom jasne objavovať ako spoločná téma naprieč celým albumom.

Uvedomovali sme si tiež, že okolo Two Shadows sa neustále objavovala symbolika čísla dva — boli sme dve, bol to náš druhý album, trvalo nám dva roky ho napísať atď. Pri novom albume sa zase začala objavovať trojka — sme tri, písali sme ho tri roky a je to náš tretí album... a Death Knocks trikrát. Takže to do seba jednoducho zapadlo. Pozrite si toto krátke video na Instagrame: https://www.instagram.com/p/DY5FbFytd3l/

 

April je súčasťou koncertnej zostavy HOAXED prakticky od úplného začiatku, ale Death Knocks je prvý album, ktorý ste kompletne napísali a nahrali ako trio. Ako sa zmenila chémia kapely a spôsob skladania, keď sa koncertná podoba HOAXED konečne dostala aj do štúdia?

Hoaxed: Keď sa April zapojila do tohto albumu, mali sme pocit, že konečne môžeme ľuďom ukázať, čím Hoaxed v skutočnosti po celý čas boli. April bola vždy s nami, nikdy sme neodohrali koncert bez nej. Bolo skvelé, že s nami konečne mohla tieto skladby aj písať a nahrávať. Máme pocit, že na tomto albume môžeme ľuďom konečne predstaviť skutočné Hoaxed!

Čo sa týka chémie v kapele, celé to jednoducho pôsobí ešte viac ako „my“ než na predchádzajúcich nahrávkach. April bola vždy jednou tretinou kapely a teraz to konečne môžeme naplno ukázať aj poslucháčom.



Ako ďaleko ste sa s prezentovaním nového albumu dostali, kto bol vaším najväčším podporovateľom spomedzi ostatných kapiel a ktoré momenty z hrania nových skladieb naživo vám najviac utkveli v pamäti?

Hoaxed: Naposledy sme v rámci podpory albumu Death Knocks absolvovali turné po západnom pobreží až do Kanady. Medzi kapely, ktoré nás nadšene podporujú, patria Unto Others a Sorcia.

A čo sa týka nezabudnuteľných momentov — zatiaľ je to celé naozaj skvelé. Skladby majú veľmi dobrú odozvu u poslucháčov aj recenzentov a navyše je obrovská zábava hrať ich naživo. Na posledné dva koncerty nášho posledného turné sa nám však niekde zatúlala Aprilina basa. To bol teda zážitok. Našťastie máme úžasnú medzinárodnú metalovú komunitu, ktorá okamžite zareagovala a zabezpečila nám basgitary — veľká vďaka DJ-ovi zo Speed Reaper, Ericovi z Accused AD a Telomyras a všetkým ostatným, ktorí nám pomohli!

 

Pri počúvaní HOAXED sa mi obzvlášť páči kontrast medzi heavy metalovou inštrumentáciou, éterickými gothic vokálmi a občasnými výkrikmi v pozadí. Aké sú hlavné vplyvy stojace za touto kombináciou?

Hoaxed: Také jednoducho sme. Kat má vo svojom hlase éterickejšiu polohu, zatiaľ čo April to vie poriadne rozbaliť. Keď sme začali skladať spoločne, dávalo jednoducho zmysel využiť naše silné stránky — a tak sa zrodil zvuk Hoaxed!

 

Po rozhovoroch s ďalšími goth, punkovými a metalovými kapelami z Portlandu mám pocit, že HOAXED obývajú ďalšie zaujímavé pohraničie medzi gothom, heavy metalom, doomom, dark rockom a občas dokonca niečím takmer popovým. Je táto žánrová promiskuita typická práve pre Portland, alebo si metalisti a goths konečne priznali, že už štyridsať rokov potajomky počúvajú platne tých druhých?

Hoaxed: Všetky tieto žánre počúvame. Medzi metalovou a goth scénou existuje obrovské množstvo prienikov a v Portlande to platí určite. Takže áno — presne toto sa deje. Všetci sme svojím spôsobom outsideri, iba to každý vyjadruje trochu inak. My však cítime prijatie v oboch týchto scénach aj žánroch.

 

Moje rozhovory s portlandskými kapelami priniesli jeden zaujímavý rozpor. Podľa jedného názoru žiadny „portlandský zvuk“ neexistuje, pretože sila mesta spočíva práve v tom, že každý znie inak. Podľa druhého sa však Wipers, Dead Moon, robotnícka kultúra, nekonečný dážď a krajina pacifického severozápadu nevyhnutne podpisujú na hudbe. Kde v tomto stoja HOAXED? Je vo vašej hudbe niečo, čo by jednoducho nemohlo vzniknúť v Los Angeles, New Yorku alebo Londýne?

Hoaxed: Miesto, kde žijeme, vnímame ako veľmi dôležitú súčasť zvuku Hoaxed — hmlisté, strašidelné, temné lesy so všetkou svojou tajomnosťou a zlovestnou atmosférou sa absolútne vkrádajú do našej inšpirácie. Je ťažké predstaviť si, že by sme dokázali napísať rovnaké skladby niekde na slnečnej kalifornskej pláži.

Zároveň je však aj v nás samotných určitá temnota, ktorú táto časť sveta priťahuje. V každej z nás rezonuje veľmi hlboko.


Keď sa na Portland pozerám zo strednej Európy, vidím v tom zvláštny rozpor. Pacifický severozápad vyzerá neuveriteľne krásne — lesy, hory, oceán — a napriek tomu je toľko hudby, ktorá odtiaľ pochádza, temnej, melancholickej, ťažkej alebo introspektívnej. Odkiaľ pochádza všetka tá temnota?

Hoaxed: Je tam nádherne — ale zároveň je to neskutočne strašidelné miesto. Šesť mesiacov v roku žijeme v tme, hmle a daždi. A hoci naša najväčšia inšpirácia vychádza z nášho vnútra, rozhodne sa dá oprávnene tvrdiť, že prostredie pacifického severozápadu výrazne prispieva k temnému zvuku hudby, ktorá z tohto regiónu vychádza.



Už dlhšie ma zaujíma, ako si idealistická americká kontrakultúra 60. rokov postupne vytvorila aj svoju oveľa temnejšiu stránku — kulty, manipuláciu, drogy, násilie a ľudí odovzdávajúcich svoju individualitu charizmatickým vodcom. Oregon mal svoju vlastnú neslávne známu kapitolu v 80. rokoch s Bhagwanom Shree Rajneeshom a Rajneeshpuramom: tisíce nasledovníkov budujúcich komunitu v púšti, desiatky Rolls-Royceov, ozbrojená ochranka, konflikty s miestnymi obyvateľmi a napokon aj poriadne temné sračky. Keďže ste vyrastali a žijete v Oregone, je táto história stále prítomná v miestnom povedomí, alebo je dnes Rajneeshpuram skôr niečím, čo si s Oregonom spájajú ľudia zvonku než samotní obyvatelia štátu? A ovplyvnil Rajneeshpuram alebo iné príbehy kultov témy a temnú estetiku HOAXED?


Hoaxed: Konkrétne tieto príbehy našu hudbu neovplyvnili, ale je to súčasť miestnej kultúrnej pamäti, o ktorej vie veľa ľudí. Z kolektívnej pamäti obyvateľov Oregonu to rozhodne nezmizlo — bola to obrovská udalosť.

Zároveň sme však v poslednom období zažili množstvo udalostí, ktoré máme v mysliach oveľa čerstvejšie: protesty BLM, prítomnosť ICE a podobne. V poslednom čase sme v našom meste zažili množstvo tvrdých zásahov zo strany štátnych a vládnych autorít. Ľudia sa stavajú proti autoritárstvu a je to desivé — ale nevyhnutné. Wretched z albumu Death Knocks je o zlých ľuďoch a ich potrebe ovládať ostatných. A tiež o tom pocite, keď vidíš, ako sa všetci jednoducho nechávajú unášať tým, čo sa deje, a cítiš potrebu postaviť sa proti tomu.


Sú pre vás skutočné príbehy ako Rajneeshpuram desivejšie než nadprirodzený horor práve preto, že všetci zúčastnení boli presvedčení, že konajú racionálne?

Hoaxed: Jednoznačne. Najdesivejším zlom je samotné ľudstvo. Z nadprirodzena a neznáma máme len veľmi malý strach v porovnaní so skutočnými hrôzami, ktoré si ľudia navzájom spôsobujú.

Nadprirodzené veci sa zvyknú riadiť určitými pravidlami. Existuje súbor podmienok, ktoré musíš splniť, aby si niečo odomkol. Starodávne rituály a vzorce, ktoré treba dodržať. Ale pri ľuďoch často neexistuje žiadna logika ani dôvod pre množstvo hrôz, ktoré si navzájom spôsobujú.



Okrem kultov je ďalšou fascinujúcou témou folk horror. Tu v strednej Európe sme vyrastali na legendách o starých grófoch sajúcich krv živým tvorom a grófkach, ktoré sa údajne kúpali v krvi panien, aby si zachovali mladosť. Aký je folk horror Portlandu alebo Oregonu? Existujú nejaké miestne legendy, bytosti alebo skutočne desivé príbehy, ktoré pozná každý, kto tam vyrastal?


Hoaxed: Pacifický severozápad je vo všeobecnosti preplnený legendami, folklórom a príbehmi o duchoch. Sasquatch/Bigfoot sa tu, samozrejme, potuluje po lesoch. Máme legendárny príbeh o sieti obchodníkov s ľuďmi v Shanghai Tunnels v centre Portlandu. Jake the Alligator Man je zase legenda z pobrežia — napoly aligátor, napoly mumifikovaný človek. A hore v Seattli majú Jimothyho, ale vzhľadom na množstvo pozorovaní už jeho existenciu vlastne ani nemožno popierať — to je skutočný medvedík čistotný.

Kat má tendenciu priťahovať stretnutia s duchmi, ale každá z nás má zopár osobných príbehov o stretnutiach s druhou stranou.

Veľmi nás fascinujú aj upírske legendy, ktoré si spomínal. Keď sme naposledy koncertovali na východnom pobreží, navštívili sme dokonca hrob Mercy Brown, poslednej americkej upírky. Na tom cintoríne sme stretli mimoriadne desivého človeka... Bol to nezabudnuteľný zážitok a sme rady, že sme odtiaľ odišli bez ujmy... Vlastne práve tento zážitok inšpiroval mauzóleum na obale Death Knocks.



Čo je podľa vás temnejšie: centrum Portlandu o druhej ráno alebo oregonský les o druhej ráno?

Hoaxed: V oregonskom lese je určite menej svetelného smogu, ale v centre Portlandu o druhej ráno môžeš cítiť temnotu, ktorá preniká až do ľudskej duše. Zároveň je to však neónové ihrisko. V oregonskom lese o druhej ráno doslova nevidíš ani vlastnú ruku pred tvárou.


Poznáte nejaké kapely zo Slovenska alebo Českej republiky a kedy môžeme očakávať koncert HOAXED v strednej Európe?

Hoaxed: April je fanúšičkou Lykathea Aflame! Hoaxed sa v roku 2027 chystajú do Európy. Sledujte naše oznámenia... Dúfame, že sa počas týchto koncertných šnúr dostaneme aj na Slovensko alebo do Česka a spoznáme niektoré zo skvelých kapiel z týchto končín!



Keby ste mali stráviť dva roky na opustenom ostrove, koho by ste si vybrali — Petra Steela alebo Villeho Vala?

Kim: Peter Steele.

April: Peter Steele — jednoznačne Peter Steele.

Kat: S oboma by mohla byť zábava... ale zároveň mám pocit, že obaja by mohli byť na opustenom ostrove trochu depresívni doomoví parťáci... Nemohla by som si namiesto nich vybrať Siouxsie Sioux? Do takého exilu by som sa s radosťou prihlásila.



Myslíte si, že kazety majú stále význam?

Hoaxed: Jasné, určite. Máme kazetové vydania EP Hoaxed aj Two Shadows a s kapelami z pacifického severozápadu si kazety často vymieňame. April ich zbiera — v jej dodávke sa dokonca dajú prehrávať iba kazety. Bohužiaľ, počas leta o niekoľko z nich prišla, keď sa jej počas vlny horúčav roztopili na palubnej doske dodávky...



Ktorý hudobný album, videoklip a kniha vás v poslednom čase najviac zaujali?

April: V poslednom čase viac počúvam hudbu, než pozerám videá alebo čítam, ale pravidelne si púšťam Verbolgen od Hulder, Lick the Flesh od Vorlust a No Place of Warmth od Frozen Soul.

Kat: V poslednom čase som sa poriadne ponorila do niekoľkých starších guilty pleasures — Fever to Tell od Yeah Yeah Yeahs mi hrá prakticky neustále. A zároveň strihám náš nový videoklip k The Fallen, takže momentálne žijem hlavne tým.

Kim: Nie som veľmi typ človeka, ktorý počúva celé albumy, ale znovu som sa vrátila k Famous Monsters od Misfits — veď je na to ideálne obdobie, nie? V poslednom čase som nevidela žiadny videoklip, ktorý by ma nejako výrazne zaujal, ale nedávno som videla pôvodný trailer k filmu Rosemary's Baby a jeho vizuálna stránka ma veľmi inšpirovala. Nedávno som tiež začala čítať I'm Glad My Mom Died. O zneužívaní sa mi teraz, keď mám vlastné dieťa, číta oveľa ťažšie, ale je to veľmi dobre napísaná kniha a zároveň divoký pohľad na znepokojivú stránku života detských hollywoodskych hviezd.



Je nejaký interpret alebo kapela, s ktorými by ste si radi prečítali rozhovor na JDØS?

Kim: Veľmi rada by som si na JDØS prečítala rozhovor s The Hives, hlavne preto, že si myslím, že by s nimi mohol byť zábavný rozhovor.

April: Doro z Warlock!

Kat: Sorcia sú naši noví kamoši a sú úplne fantastickí.



Akú poslednú radu alebo odkaz by ste chceli nechať našim čitateľom?


Kat: Nebojte sa ukázať svetu, čo robíte — svet potrebuje viac kreativity, ktorá sa postaví proti tým AI sračkám.

Kim: Užívajte si život, jeho svetlé aj temné stránky, a užívajte si hudbu najlepšie, ako viete. A dúfam, že sa vám bude páčiť nový album...

April: Nech je to stále heavy a nech je to stále úprimné.


#202 Flork! Reviews: Aetere - Théogonie (2026)



Aetere - Théogonie (2026)
By Flork!


Théogonie, the latest release from the Bordeaux doom-metal duo Aetere, causes a strange effect in my head that is difficult to describe. It’s like walking out of a hypnotist’s office and later discovering that they had forgotten to snap you out of the trance. You wake-up only later, miles away from the city, driving your car backwards into a stone wall on an abandoned road, somewhere deep in the middle of the night. 

Formed in 2017 by Alice Ronzini and Johan Sebenne, the band occupy the above-described sensation with their ambient and echoic sounds, where doom, ambient music, shoegaze, even sludge cease to be separate genres and become one enormous, slowly moving mass. Théogonie is doom metal and haunting as all hell, but there is far more going on beneath the weight. Ronzini, handling guitar, bass and vocals, brings a spectral quality to the proceedings, while Sebenne’s synths, machines and bass add layers of atmosphere that make these six compositions feel like unexpected places you have somehow wandered into. Théogonie opens with Tenebrisme, which is an entirely instrumental, cinematic piece built from a dull, distant hi-hat and an almost funereal drumbeat. The synths shadow the rhythm and give everything an eerie echo, while the guitars arrive with a heaviness that feels tangible. It is a wonderfully patient introduction with the absence of rushes, and where the darkness simply gathers.



 

Galea follows and is where Ronzini’s voice emerges, and its presence immediately changes the landscape. Her vocals are haunting and undoubtedly beautiful without ever becoming theatrical. There is an ambient quality to the whole track, with the guitars and electronics creating a foreboding uncertainty around her. It feels as though something is approaching, though I can’t tell what it might be. Cilice follows and, for me, this is where Aetere‘s particular magic becomes impossible to resist. The track begins with a bit of guitar feedback before gradually revving into something much heavier. There is more reverb here, as well as synth, with its components bleeding into one another to form a gestalt of beauty in sound. Ronzini‘s voice is the perfect counterweight, with her layered harmonies floating through an echo chamber like the interior of a cathedral in a city in a distant, forgotten land. The collision of that enormous, reverberating heaviness with her spectral vocals is blissful. It is doom music, certainly, but doom viewed through a kaleidoscope rather than a single shade of black.

Thanatos, meanwhile, gives the guitars their moment in the foreground. This track is slightly longer and more riff-driven, with lingering higher notes hanging over distorted bar chords. The effect is monolithic, as though the guitars are slowly chiselling away at some ancient stone monument. Yet the one track that threatens to swallow the entire album whole is the penultimate Innocence. At nearly 10 minutes long, it has the space to develop patiently, and Aetere make use of every second. A restrained drumbeat keeps the composition grounded at first, almost making you wonder whether you are listening to a programmed rhythm. Then, around the two-minute mark, the whole thing begins to crush. The percussion grows more forceful, the layers multiply, and that earlier assumption about the drums being a drum machine suddenly seems wrong. The sound continues to expand while Ronzini‘s voice cuts through it with an eerie beauty. Eudaimonia concludes the 6-track album and feels like the album‘s catharsis—after crashing your car backwards through a wall in the middle of the night, you are lifted high into the night sky to a celestial space. This time though, it all feels comfortable and magically familiar.

And the Flork‘s prognosis? Théogonie is a fascinating and genuinely haunting piece of work that is rich in ambience and atmosphere. Aetere understand that heaviness does not always have to mean volume or aggression, but rather the weight of atmosphere, repetition, silence and anticipation is what matters most.  And so, the album creeps rather than attacks, and its slow-burning compositions leave plenty of room for the imagination to fill in the shadows. With All Souls‘ Day approaching, the boundary between the living world and whatever lies beyond, seems, if only for a moment, a little thinner. Théogonie is music for that threshold - slow, smoky, spectral and heavy enough to make the darkness feel alive.

#317 Void Odyssey // Stoner Doom // Nemo, Tibor, Tom // 14.9.2026






1. Kto si, čo robíš a čo ťa najviac zaujíma práve v týchto dňoch?

Nemo: Volám sa Martin, volajú ma aj Nemo alebo Peter Marcin. V kapele sa snažím hrať na bicie a mimo kapely sa snažím nejak sa z tohto všetkého nezblázniť.

Tibor: Aktuálne sa starám o malých potomkov a snažím sa o nejaký ten balanc. Baví ma nájsť “nové” albumy z minulosti / posledných rokov, ktoré mi unikli.

Tom: Pivo a Whisky


2. Void Odyssey je na scéne od roku 2017 a na konte má jedno EP z roku 2022. Vyzerá to na doomovú päťročnú frekvenciu, čo pripravujete na rok 2027? 

Snažíme sa skladať, vymýšlať nové veci, ktoré sa síce pomaly ale isto zbierajú. Hneď ako budeme cítiť, že to už dáva ako tak hlavu a pätu, tak to pôjdeme nahrať. Je dosť možné, že to bude práve budúci rok, ale nič nie je ešte na 100% isté.


3. Kto tvoril Void Odyssey v roku 2017 a kto je v kapele dnes?

V podstate sa základná zostava vôbec nezmenila, stále je tu Nemo na bicích, Tibor na base a Tomáš na gitare. Podarilo sa k nám pribrať Alžbetu, ktorá hrá na podladené husle. Na tom sa snažíme stavať novú tvorbu.





4. Ako ste sa dostali k stoner doomu a čo predchádzalo vzniku kapely - poznali sa členovia pred založením kapely?

Tom: Poznali sme sa dlho pred založením Void Odyssey. Hrali sme predtým také garážové covery. Ale nič čo by stálo za zmienku.

Nemo: S Tomom sa poznáme dlhé roky a v určitom momente sme si povedali, ze si nájdeme nejaký priestor, kde by sme si mohli občasne zahrať nejaký cover pre radosť. Do toho nám priplachtil Tibor a nejak sa to prirodzene vyvinulo až sem.

Tibor: Jo, ja som vlastne nehral na nič než sme sa stretli, ale vždy som mal rád dobré spodky - basové linky tak som sa toho chytil.


5. Keď sa obzriete za takmer desiatimi rokmi Void Odyssey, v čom je dnešná kapela úplne iná než tá z roku 2017 a čo sa naopak vôbec nezmenilo?

Tom: Už sme tak nejako z časti hudobne dospelejší, to sa potom odzrkadľuje aj na našej tvorbe, počúvame viac iné žánre. Taktiež sme trošku viac sebakritickí, než by bolo treba. To je aj jeden z dôvodov prečo sa veci v kapele hýbu pomalšie.

Nemo: Čo sa určite nezmenilo je naša schopnosť prekecať celú skúšku… To bude tiež dôvod pomalej tvorby heh.




6. Ako vznikali prvé riffy a skladby - mali ste predstavu, ku ktorej ste sa chceli priblížiť a ako dlho vám trvalo nájsť svoj zvuk?


Na začiatku sme si išli hlavne Black Sabbath to bol náš hlavný zdroj inšpirácie, neskôr sme sa viac začali približovať modernejšiemu doomu, typu Belzebong, Monolord... Mám pocit, že hľadanie zvuku je u nás nekonečný proces. Stále objavujeme a skúšame nové veci.


7. Debut z roku 2022 je postavený na masívnych riffoch, ale zároveň má psychedelickejšie až rituálne pasáže. V akom momente ste spokojní s novým riffom a ako s ním pracujete ďalej?


Najlepší riff je ten, ku ktorému človeku hneď napadnú dalšie pasáže. Vždy to zatial bolo o hladaní takého riffu. Keď ho nájdeš, zvyšok už príde sám.


8. Prečo ste sa rozhodli fungovať bez vokálu? Bol to zámer, alebo ste nenašli hlas, ktorý by vašej hudbe dal niečo viac?

Ešte počas coveroveho obdobia sme skúsili niekoľko spevákov, ale nikdy nám to spolu nevyšlo. Tak sme si nakoniec povedali, že vlastne, načo spev.


9. Vzhľadom na to, že nemáte vokály - aké vizuálne a pocitové asociácie máte pri hraní vašich skladieb?

Nemo: Je to v tomto žánri trošku už cliché, ale keďže nemáme spev tak sme sa pokúsili jeho absenciu nahradiť, respektíve vykompenzovať, kadejakými nahrávkami z filmov, seriálov či rádiových hier. Mne osobne sa počas hrania a počúvania v hlave prehrávajú jednotlivé scény z ktorých určitý sample v danom songu je.

Tibor: Mám to ako pri počúvaní hudby všeobecne. Dostane to človeka do nejakej nálady, čo je zintenzívnené tým, že priamo aj hrám. Plus keď to šlape ako celok je to bomba. A potom výplach mozgu keď príde masif riff hehe.


10. Ktoré fuzz pedály používate a ako ste sa k nim dostali? Čo okrem fuzzu tvorí základ vášho zvuku?

Tom: Ja som dlho fungoval so silikonovym fuzzom od Minotaur Sonic Terrors, dokým sa nepokazil a teraz mám Sunn Life Pedal V3 od Earthquaker Devices

Tibor: Obdoby Green Muff. Občas skúšam niečo iné, ale to väčšinou neopustí skúšobňu a vrátim sa naspäť k tomu čo funguje. Takže momentálne Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff, čo dobre vyplňuje moj poloprázdny basácky pedalboard.





11. Ako je podľa vás slovenská stoner/doom scéna vnímaná za hranicami? Je kapela zo Slovenska stále exotika, alebo je dnes už jednoduché dostať sa na medzinárodnú scénu so všetkým čo k tomu patrí - pozvánky na festivaly, ponuky od zahraničných labelov, atď?


Tak k tomuto sa žial vyjadriť nevieme. Zatiaľ sme hrali len doma, aj keby sme si veľmi radi zahrali v podstate hocikde (ak to číta niekto kto by nás chcel na akcii, píšte, hráme aj za pivo :D) 


12. Podarilo sa vám hrať s niekoľkými výraznými menami svetovej stoner-doom scény. Čo vám tieto účinkovania dali a podarilo sa vám vďaka nim exportovať váš zvuk von?

Vždy sa tešíme keď môžeme s takými kapelami hrať. Málokedy sa stane, že taký koncert pritiahne nejakých nových fanúšikov, to skôr ale dávam za vinu tomu, že sme strašne slabí na sociálne siete.


13. Kto okrem vás tvorí bratislavskú, ale aj slovenskú stoner-doom scénu a sú kapely navzájom v kontakte?


Tu môžem znova odkázať na našu alergiu na prácu so sociálnymi sieťami. To bude stáť asi aj za tým, že nie sme v kontakte v podstate s nikým zo scény.


14. Má dnes Slovensko dostatok kapiel a publika na samostatný stoner/doom festival, alebo by na druhý ročník prišlo tých istých 25 ľudí ako na prvý?

Ja si myslím, že kapiel je tu už dosť a určite by sa taká akcia mohla uchytiť.



15. Pre nahrávanie vášho debutu ste si vybrali štúdio PULP - prečo práve oni a ako ste boli spokojní s výsledným zvukom?

Hľadali sme štúdio kde sa dalo nahrávať naraz celá kapela, nech to ma taký "vintage" feel. Pulp bol vtedy pre to asi najlepšia voľba. Zvuk je super a s celým procesom aj so zvukom sme nad mieru spokojní. 


16. Ako prebiehalo nahrávanie a tvorba finálneho zvuku - bola to stávka na istotu cez osvedčené stoner nastavenia, alebo ste šli svojou cestou?


Už prvotná nahrávka bola veľmi obstojná následne sme si všetci spolu sadli a doladili detaily.


17. Pri stoner/doome sa veľká časť výsledku rodí až pri nahrávaní, mixe a masteringu. Uvažovali ste pri novej nahrávke aj nad štúdiom alebo producentom mimo Slovenska, ktorý má s podobným zvukom skúsenosti?


Tým, že ani jeden z nás nemal absolútne žiadne skúsenosti s nahrávaním, sme nad ničím podobným vtedy neuvažovali.


18. Cover na vašom debute pochádza od vychyteného talianskeho ilustrátora MontDooma - ako ste sa k nemu dostali, a ako ste boli spokojní s tým ako vystihol feeling albumu?

Našli sme ho na Instagrame myslím a vedeli sme, že pri ňom to bude stávka na istotu. Cover sa mu určite podaril a vystihol v ňom všetko čo sme chceli.




19. Aj touto cestou vám chcem poďakovať za spoluprácu na kazetovom benefičnom splitku s Bongsilisk, kde ste venovali finančné prostriedky na liečbu pre Michala zo Zmyrny - ako ste spokojní s kazetou a výberom oboch kapiel pre toto vydanie?

Kazeta sa podarila na jednotku a sme radi, že sme mohli svojou troškou aspoň trochu pomôcť.


20. Na benefičnom splite sa objavil materiál z debutu. Kde je teda nový Void Odyssey? Máte už hotové riffy alebo celé skladby a bude nový materiál pokračovaním debutu, alebo sa za tie roky zmenila aj vaša predstava o tom, ako má kapela znieť?

Na nových veciach sa pomaly pracuje, na koncertoch už pravidelne znejú niektoré nové skladby aj s husľami. Hneď ako bude dosť materiálu s ktorým budeme spokojní, ideme nahrávať. Tvorba sa samozrejme za tu dobu trošku zmenila, čerpáme inšpirácie z iných kapiel. Pevne veríme, že nové veci budú rovnako alebo ešte zaujímavejšie.



21. Majú pre doomový feeling lepšie prednastavenie metalisti alebo punkeri?

Asi skôr metalisti. Minimálne tak to na koncertoch vyzerá.


22. Bol Jiří Schelinger prvý československý stoner-doomový interpret? Keď si človek pustí Kartágo alebo Lupič Willy, miestami tam počuje riffy, za ktoré by sa nemusela hanbiť ani kapela o štyridsať rokov neskôr. Kde by ste hľadali pravek československého doomu?

Pravdupovediac, o týchto skladbách počujem prvý krát. Vždy sme ho mali len za horšieho coveráka.


23. Do akej miery je podľa vás marihuana ešte autentickou súčasťou stoner kultúry a do akej miery už iba žánrovou rekvizitou – niečo ako corpsepaint v black metale? Dá sa vôbec robiť stoner bez reeferu? Platí, ako hovoria naši severní bratia, že je 'Zajebiście palić liście'?

Tom: Hudba je to ako stvorená pre trip, takže nás vždy poteší, keď sa niekto tak dobre cíti, že si na našom koncerte dá. Určite sa tá hudba robiť dá, pozrite na nás. Ja som voči efektom imúnny, je to len strata peňazí. Basáka zasa po jednom šluku odpáli až na Saturn a bubeník má z toho úzkosť. 
Takže sme prestali úplne.

Nemo: Sme už len starí pózeri…


24. Čo počúvate, pozeráte a čítate v týchto dňoch?

Tom: Od Russian Circles cez Stinga až po King Crimson.

Nemo: V týchto dňoch som po dlhšej dobe celkom tlačil do hlavy Nine Inch Nails. Okrem toho nový album Sleep (to je smutné sklamanie), českých P/\ST či Russian Circles. Aby som to pomixoval tak sa ešte nechávam unášať šťavnatými groovmi Donnyho Benéta (12.9.2026 Kácečko, tešíme sa).

Tibor: Posledné dní Torche, Ulcerate a zhodou okolnosté nejake staré dedkóry. Jeseň trochu pomení žánre. Čítam skôr staršie knihy (viac neprečítaných ks z antikvariátov mi postáva v knižnici). Nové veci radšej na odporúčanie. Momentálne Stendhal.


25. Je niekto, s kým by ste si radi prečítali rozhovor na JDØS?

Tom: Ethereal Pandemonium :D

Nemo: Taký nezaujímavý fun fact je, že náš úplne prvý koncert sme odohrali v 2018 s Besnou. Odvtedy som ich veľký fanboy a hoci sú to dnes už celebrity, rozhovor na JDØS by som si určite rád prečítal.


26. Motto alebo odkaz na záver. 

Na Black Sabbath

 


1. Who are you, what do you do, and what are you most interested in these days?

Nemo: My name is Martin, but people also call me Nemo or Peter Marcin. In the band, I try to play drums, and outside the band, I try somehow not to lose my mind because of all this.

Tibor: At the moment, I'm taking care of my little offspring and trying to find some kind of balance. I enjoy discovering “new” albums from the past or from recent years that somehow slipped under my radar.

Tom: Beer and whisky.

VOID ODYSSEY BAND CHANGES AND HISTORY


2. Void Odyssey have been around since 2017 and have one EP from 2022 under their belt. That looks like a proper five-year doom cycle, so what are you preparing for 2027?

We're trying to write and come up with new things, which are slowly but surely piling up. As soon as we feel that it all more or less makes sense and holds together, we'll go and record it. It's quite possible that it'll happen next year, but nothing is 100% certain yet.

3. Who made up Void Odyssey in 2017, and who's in the band today?

Basically, the core line-up hasn't changed at all. There's still Nemo on drums, Tibor on bass and Tomáš on guitar. We've also managed to bring Alžbeta into the band, who plays downtuned violin. That's something we're trying to build our new material around.

4. How did you get into stoner doom, and what came before Void Odyssey? Did you guys know each other before forming the band?


Tom: We knew each other long before starting Void Odyssey. Before that, we played some garage-style covers together, but nothing really worth mentioning.

Nemo: Tom and I have known each other for many years, and at some point we said we'd find ourselves a place where we could occasionally get together and play some covers just for fun. Then Tibor drifted our way, and somehow it all naturally developed into what we have today.

Tibor: Yeah, I actually didn't play anything before we got together, but I'd always loved a good low end — basslines and that sort of thing — so I picked up the bass.

5. Looking back at almost ten years of Void Odyssey, in what ways is the band today completely different from the one you started in 2017, and what hasn't changed at all?

Tom: We've somehow become a bit more musically mature, and that naturally shows in the music we make. We also listen to a wider range of genres these days. We're probably a little more self-critical than we need to be as well. That's one of the reasons why things tend to move more slowly in the band.

Nemo: One thing that definitely hasn't changed is our ability to spend the entire rehearsal just talking shit instead of rehearsing... That's probably another reason why we write so slowly, heh.

RIFF / FUZZ AND NO VOCALS


6. How did the first riffs and songs come together? Did you have a particular sound you wanted to get close to, and how long did it take you to find your own?

In the beginning, we were mainly into Black Sabbath — that was our primary source of inspiration. Later, we started moving closer to more modern doom, bands like Belzebong, Monolord... I feel like searching for our sound is an endless process. We're constantly discovering and trying new things.

7. Your 2022 debut is built around massive riffs, but it also features more psychedelic, almost ritualistic passages. At what point are you satisfied with a new riff, and how do you develop it from there?

The best riff is one that immediately makes you think of other passages that could go with it. So far, it's always been about finding that kind of riff for us. Once you find it, the rest just comes naturally.

8. Why did you decide to remain instrumental? Was it intentional, or did you simply never find a voice that could add something more to your music?

Back when we were still playing covers, we tried a few different vocalists, but it never really worked out between us. Eventually, we just thought: actually, why do we need vocals at all?

9. Considering you don't have vocals, what kind of visual or emotional associations do you have while playing your songs?


Nemo: It's a bit of a cliché in this genre, but since we don't have vocals, we've tried to replace — or rather compensate for — their absence with various samples from films, TV shows and radio plays. Personally, when I'm playing or listening to the songs, the individual scenes that a particular sample comes from start playing in my head.

Tibor: It's similar to how I experience listening to music in general. It puts you in a certain mood, except that feeling is intensified because I'm actually playing the music myself. Plus, when the whole thing really locks together, it's fucking great. And then comes the brain-melting moment when a massive riff kicks in, hehe.

10. Which fuzz pedals do you use, and how did you end up with them? What else besides fuzz forms the foundation of your sound?

Tom: For a long time, I used a silicon fuzz from Minotaur Sonic Terrors, until it broke. Now I've got a Sunn Life Pedal V3 from EarthQuaker Devices.

Tibor: Various versions of the Green Muff. Occasionally, I try something different, but it usually doesn't make it out of the rehearsal room and I go back to what works. So right now, it's a Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff, which nicely fills out my half-empty bass pedalboard.

THE BRATISLAVA / SLOVAK DOOM MICRO-SCENE


11. How do you think the Slovak stoner/doom scene is perceived abroad? Is a band from Slovakia still something exotic, or is it relatively easy these days to break into the international scene, with everything that comes with it — festival invitations, offers from foreign labels, etc.?

Unfortunately, we can't really comment on that. So far, we've only played at home, although we'd be more than happy to play pretty much anywhere. If anyone reading this wants us at their event, get in touch — we'll even play for beer.

12. You've managed to share the stage with several prominent names from the international stoner-doom scene. What did those shows give you, and did they help you get your sound out beyond Slovakia?

We're always happy when we get the chance to play with bands like that. It rarely results in us gaining any new fans, though. But I'd mostly blame that on the fact that we're absolutely terrible at social media.

13. Who else besides you makes up the Bratislava and wider Slovak stoner-doom scene, and are the bands in contact with one another?


Once again, I can point to our allergy to social media. That's probably also one of the reasons why we're basically not in touch with anyone else from the scene.

14. Does Slovakia have enough bands and enough of an audience today to support its own stoner/doom festival, or would the second edition just attract the same 25 people who came to the first one?

I think there are enough bands here by now, and an event like that could definitely catch on.

RECORDING, PULP AND THE COVER ART


15. You chose PULP Studio to record your debut — why them, and how satisfied were you with the final sound?

We were looking for a studio where the whole band could record live together, to give it that kind of “vintage” feel. PULP was probably the best option for that at the time. The sound is great, and we're more than satisfied with both the whole process and the final result.

16. How did the recording process and creation of the final sound work? Did you play it safe with tried-and-tested stoner settings, or did you go your own way?


Even the initial recording sounded pretty decent. Afterwards, we all sat down together and fine-tuned the details.

17. With stoner/doom, a large part of the final result often takes shape during recording, mixing and mastering. For the new recording, have you considered using a studio or producer outside Slovakia with experience in this kind of sound?

Since none of us had absolutely any recording experience at the time, we didn't really consider anything like that back then.

18. The cover of your debut comes from the acclaimed Italian illustrator MontDoom — how did you find him, and how satisfied were you with the way he captured the feeling of the album?

I think we found him on Instagram, and we knew he'd be a safe bet. The cover definitely turned out great, and he captured everything we wanted from it.

BENEFIT FOR MICHAL CETERA AND NEW MATERIAL


19. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank you for collaborating on the benefit cassette split with Bongsilisk, where you donated the proceeds towards the treatment of Michal from Zmyrna. How satisfied are you with the cassette and with the pairing of the two bands for this release?

The cassette turned out great, and we're happy that we could do our small part and help, at least a little.

20. The benefit split featured material from your debut. So where is the new Void Odyssey? Do you already have finished riffs or complete songs, and will the new material continue where the debut left off, or has your idea of what the band should sound like changed over the years as well?

We're slowly working on new material, and we're already regularly playing some of the new songs with violin at our shows. As soon as we have enough material that we're happy with, we'll go and record it. Naturally, our songwriting has changed a little over the years, and we're drawing inspiration from different bands now. We firmly believe the new material will be just as interesting — or hopefully even more so.

JDØS FINALE


21. Who has a better natural predisposition for the doom feeling — metalheads or punks?

Probably metalheads. At least that's what it looks like at the shows.

22. Was Jiří Schelinger the first Czechoslovak stoner-doom artist? When you listen to Kartágo or Lupič Willy, there are moments where you hear riffs that even a band forty years later wouldn't be ashamed of. Where would you look for the prehistoric roots of Czechoslovak doom?


To be honest, this is the first time I've heard of those songs. We always just thought of him as an inferior cover artist.

23. To what extent do you think marijuana is still an authentic part of stoner culture, and to what extent has it become just another genre prop — something like corpsepaint in black metal? Is it even possible to make stoner without reefer? Or, as our northern brothers say, is it true that “Zajebiście palić liście”?

Tom: The music is practically made for tripping, so we're always happy when someone is feeling good enough to light one up at our show. You can definitely make this kind of music without it — just look at us. I'm immune to the effects, so for me it's just a waste of money. One puff sends our bass player all the way to Saturn, while our drummer just gets anxious from it.

So we've stopped completely.

Nemo: We're just old posers now...

24. What are you listening to, watching and reading these days?

Tom: Everything from Russian Circles through Sting to King Crimson.

Nemo: These days, after quite a long break, I've been feeding my head a fair amount of Nine Inch Nails. Besides that, the new Sleep album (sadly, a disappointment), Czech band P/\ST, and Russian Circles. And just to mix things up a little, I've also been letting myself get carried away by the juicy grooves of Donny Benét (12 September 2026 at Kácečko — we're looking forward to that).

Tibor: Over the last few days, Torche, Ulcerate, and, coincidentally, some old-school deathcore. Autumn will probably change the genres around a bit. I tend to read older books — I've got quite a few unread second-hand finds sitting on my shelves. With new stuff, I prefer recommendations. At the moment, Stendhal.

25. Is there anyone you'd like to read an interview with on JDØS?


Tom: Ethereal Pandemonium.

Nemo: A not particularly interesting fun fact is that we played our very first show in 2018 with Besna. I've been a huge fanboy ever since, and even though they're basically celebrities these days, I'd definitely like to read an interview with them on JDØS.

26. A motto or final message?

To Black Sabbath!

#316 JIG-AI // Grindcore // Jarda a JIG-AI // 31.8.2026

 

 


photos: www.truemetal.it - Davide Sciaky

 


 

JIG-AI BAND INTRO

1. Za dve desaťročia ste prešli od anime goregrindu k pomerne vážnemu konceptu o japonskom pekle. Dozrel žáner, alebo skôr vy ako jeho autori?

Určitě je to souhra vícero faktorů, ne jen jeden jediný. Ten posun je jednoznačně způsoben naším vývojem jako kapely, což je přirozený proces, který se děje kdekoli. A nepochybně se na tom podepsaly i personální změny uvnitř kapely. Japonsko jako téma nám zůstává blízké, jen se na něj teď díváme z úplně jiného úhlu.


2. Väčšina ľudí považuje pig squeal, alebo 'tenor' ako ste ho nazývali v dobách minulých, za vrchol extrému. Na novom albume ste sa rozhodli od neho ustúpiť. Prečo je to tak a akým typom vokálu dnes dopĺňate 'bass'?
 

V určitém období byla metalová scéna prostě ‚přepigsquealovaná‘. Je zajímavé, že tuhle techniku zmiňuješ jako vrchol extrému – nám už to tak rozhodně nepřijde. :-) Přijde nám to už spíš absurdně nadužívané, a tím to v našich uších ztratilo tu původní razanci. Dnes sázíme na jiné polohy, které nám k současnému zvuku sedí víc.




3. Predposledný album Entrails Tsunami vznikol tesne pred covidom a v starej zostave? Do akej miery vám covid rozosral plány a zapričinil sa o nový line-up?


Řekněme, že covid nám plány pořádně naboural :D. Kašpy po nahrání desky kapelu opustil a chvíli trvalo, než jsme našli náhradu. Když už pak Jarda naskočil do sestavy a nadrtili jsme celý playlist, abychom mohli vyrazit na domluvené japonské turné s Pig Destroyer a Brujerií, přišel zákaz cestování. Takže Jardův první koncert s JIG-AI byl sice ve městě, jehož jméno začíná na T, ale Tokio to nebylo – skončili jsme v Trutnově :D. Nutno ale dodat, že tenhle ‚malý Obscene‘, kde byla backstage vlastně přímo na stage, byl super zážitek.


4. Do novej zostavy ste priniesli ostrieľaných borcov z death metalovej scény - sú oni príčinou väčšej temnoty zamerania nového albumu na úkor tradičných hentai komiksových gore tém? Ako sa prejavuje deathmetalová temnota v grinde? 

To je zajímavý úhel pohledu a určitě na tom něco bude. Jarda i Rob mají za sebou zkušenosti z kapel, které mají death-grindové kořeny – Rob teď hraje v Taedifer, Jarda zase v Perferii a Noises. Oba ale do JIG-AI přišli s tím, že respektují zvuk a identitu kapely. Nejde tedy o revoluci, ale o přirozenou evoluci. Zajímavostí je, že poslední desku Jigoku nám pochválil i původní bubeník Štefy s tím, že je to podle něj nejpovedenější nahrávka JIG-AI, což nás hodně potěšilo. :-) Určitě je ale potřeba zmínit i Buráka, který jako zakládající člen vždy směřoval kapelu k old-school goregrindu – tedy k té verzi žánru, která vznikla jako evoluce grindcoru v nekompromisní, hutnou a brutální muziku. Tenhle mix všech vlivů se na výsledku zkrátka podepsal.


5. Info pre gear nerdov - na čom sa vyrába zvuk Jig-Ai? Zmenili ste nástroje a aparatúru alebo sa držíte osvedčených nastavení? 

S tím zvukem nejvíc laboruje Rob – řeší zesilovače, efekty, kytary a propojení dvou aparátů. Burák pak vyžaduje nekompromisně ‚bagrující‘ brutální basu a Jarda se zase snaží, aby z těch bicích za tou stěnou aparátů aspoň něco zbylo. :D Ve výsledku bychom ale řekli, že jsme v tomhle ohledu spíš tradicionalisté – držíme se osvědčených postupů, které nám prostě sedí.





NEW ALBUM MYTHOLOGY

6. Ako som už spomínal, Jigoku vnímam ako posun od hentai gore k folk-horrorovej démonologickej támatike. Ako súvisia príbehy Injectatora Kruta s Yōkai, ktorí sa objavujú na novom albume a kde je Kruto-san dnes?

Přímou linii nebo nějaké příběhové propojení v tom úplně nehledej. Je to prostě nová sestava, nová deska a s tím spojený i úplně nový pohled na naši japonskou inspiraci. Nové album JIGOKU se netočí kolem Kruta, ale plně se soustředí na démony ONI a samotné japonské peklo – Jigoku. Deska má celkem 20 songů a každý z nich vypráví svůj vlastní minipříběh. Všechny tyhle příběhy jsou zmíněné už v klasickém obalu CD, ale ve speciální 'long box' verzi CD je navíc ke každému příběhu i samostatný obrázek. Úplně stejně to pak bude vizuálně zpracované i u chystaného vinylu. Celé album je zkrátka koncipované jako komplexní, naprosto samostatné dílo. Není to link na naši předchozí historii, je to zbrusu nová kapitola. ;-)


7. Aké parametre museli spĺňať a čím sa kvalifikovali jednotliví démoni na album Jigoku?

Byla to kombinace ukrutnosti a řekněme jisté výstřednosti. Všem silně doporučujeme se aspoň trochu ponořit do japonské mytologie – je to bezedná studnice divnosti a zvrácenosti, kde narazíte na postavy jako je děsivý Aka Manto, přízrak v červeném plášti, který se objevuje na toaletách a dává lidem na výběr mezi smrtí červeným nebo modrým papírem. Setkáte se tu i s Enmou, mocným králem a soudcem podsvětí, který podle japonské tradice rozhoduje o osudu duší a jejich dalším znovuzrození v pekle Jigoku. A samozřejmě nechybí ani Tanuki, šibalský psík mývalovitý, který je v japonském folklóru proslulý svou schopností měnit podobu a dělat si z lidí blázny – v tradičních zobrazeních je totiž známý tím, že ke svým magickým kejklím a trikům kreativně využíval i svá obří varlata. Všechny tyto příběhy rezonují se všemi pozitivy i špatnostmi lidské nátury. Takže si projděte tracklist našeho posledního alba a schválně si ty jednotlivé démony zkuste trochu zavyhledávat. ;-)


 

8. Keby Enma naozaj otvoril brány pekla dnes, koho alebo čo by podľa vás démoni poslali späť dole ako prvé?

Hele, těch adeptů je tolik, že by to byl nekonečný seznam. Defacto by tam letěla většina politiků, sebestřední narcisté, glorifikátoři moderní doby a všichni ti, co jedou ten tupý, konzumní pohled na svět. Prostě by to byl pořádný humbuk, kdyby se to začalo třídit..


9. Jigoku je japonské peklo, ktoré ale nie je večné - len dočasné, kde po vykonaní trestu môže nasledovať reinkarnácia. Nie sú v udeľovaní trestov kresťania trochu viac dôslednejší a existuje v japonskom folklóre koncept väčného zatratenia?


Tohle je trochu matoucí pohled na věc ;-) Zapomněl jsi totiž na jeden podstatný detail: do Jigoku se v podstatě můžeš vracet donekonečna. Takže se nabízí otázka – co je vlastně horší? Jedno kontinuální, věčné peklo, nebo nekonečný řetězec utrpení, kde sice teoreticky existuje naděje, že to může skončit, ale v praxi se v tom kolečku točíš pořád dokola? Hmmm… Pokud jde o víru, ta je jako taková v pohodě, ale církve a institucionalizované náboženství, to je pro nás naprosté manipulační peklo.


10. V japonskej kultúre ma fascinujú tzv. jisei - básne písané odsúdenými krátko pred popravou, alebo rituálnou sebevraždou. Predstavte si, že máte 5 minút do popravy - aký jisei vás napadne? 

Safra to není pro nás uplně jednoduché zadání :-) co třeba toto?

Zavírá se backstage a pódium mlčí,
naše cesta krví a řevem je u konce.
Nelitujeme konce a nehledáme ticho.
Slyšíme, jak se z hlubin zvedá bouře
mohutná hradba podladěného bahna,
nekonečný blastbeat a absolutní hluk.
My mizíme v temnotě,
ale ten zvuk tu bude hřmít věčně.



GOREGRIND HISTORY and EVOLUTION

11. Čechy majú už dekády kvalitnú grindovú scénu. Pamätáte si začiatky? Kto boli pionieri scény a ako sa vyvinul a zmenil žáner od jej počiatkov?

Tohle je otázka, která by sama o sobě vydala na celý rozhovor. Důležité je vnímat, jaká to tehdy byla doba – před třiceti a více lety se na nějaké škatulkování moc nehrálo. Kdybych měl někoho vypíchnout, vystřelím jména jako Pathologist, rané nahrávky Malignant Tumor, prapůvod Cerebral Turbulency nebo Ingrowing, kteří to tak pěkně ‚chlívovatěli‘. Do toho další jako Deaf and Dumb, Contrastic nebo Agony Conscience... Určitě jsme na spoustu dalších zapomněli, ale musíme zabrousit i za hranice k naprostým základům, jako jsou Carcass nebo Dead Infection. Je toho prostě mraky.


12. Aký rozdiel je v dnešnej dobe medzi punkovým a metalovým vnímaním a prístupu ku grindu a v čom sa oba prístupy stretávajú? 

Tady se musíme opět vrátit k té době, kdy jsme jako muzikanti i fanoušci začínali. Tehdy se na nějaké škatulkování moc nehrálo, nebo se to všechno míchalo takovým způsobem, že pokoušet se o exaktní odpověď je vlastně nesmysl. Pro nás to nikdy nebylo o tom, jestli jsme víc punk nebo metal – šlo o ten samotný přístup a energii, která se v tom všem potkávala.


13. Čo okrem blastbeatov a krátkych skladieb definuje esenciu grindcore? Ak by ste mali niekomu vysvetliť grindcore bez toho, aby ste pustili jedinú skladbu, čo by ste povedali?
 

Tady hrozně záleží na tom, jestli to vysvětlujeme někomu, kdo má aspoň trochu přehled a tuší, že existují i tvrdší verze metalu než Nothing Else Matters, nebo někomu, kdo je úplně mimo... Pokud ale hledáš tu nejuniverzálnější odpověď? Grindcore je prostě čistá, neředěná a agresivní energie.

 


JIG-AI WORLDWIDE ExPERIENCES and PLANS

14. Jig-Ai za dvadsať rokov existencie precestoval kus sveta - koľko času ste strávili na cestách a do akej najväčšej exotiky sa vám podarilo dostať?

To už dneska asi nikdo přesně nespočítá – a to ani za JIG-AI jako celek. Na cestách jsme strávili neuvěřitelné množství času. A ta největší exotika? Amerika, Mexiko, Japonsko nebo Austrálie... vybrat jedno místo je skoro nemožné. Tempo ale rozhodně nepolevuje – teď o víkendu letíme do Španělska, zrovna jsme se vrátili z Itálie a před námi je Německo, Normandie, Švédsko nebo Belgie.


15. V akej krajine má Jig-Ai najväčší fan base?

Bez debat je to Mexiko a další země Jižní Ameriky, pak samozřejmě Japonsko a v neposlední řadě Česká republika.


16. Ktorý extrémny zážitok z ciest vás napadne ako prvý? 

Takhle to bohužel nefunguje :D Nelze vybrat jen jednu věc. Jakmile se na to zeptáš, okamžitě vylítne jedna vzpomínka za druhou. Je to prostě nekonečná koláž šíleností. Máme samozřejmě i plno historek, které jsou nejlepší na vyprávění v backstage nebo u piva, ale úplně je nechceme pálit tady do éteru. Některé z těch ‚publikovatelných‘ kousků se ale objevují v našich vlozích na YouTube, Facebooku nebo Instagramu – stačí nás sledovat a ono se to k vám dřív nebo později nějak dostane. ;-)





17. S ktorými kapelami radi zdielate pódium a ktoré kluby alebo festivaly máte najradšej?

To je zase hrozně široké téma, které nás trochu nutí generalizovat. Jsou kapely, které nás třeba hudebně úplně neoslovují, ale jsou to skvělí lidi. Pak jsou ty, které nás baví hudebně a ještě si s nimi perfektně sedneme lidsky – a stejně to funguje i s kluby a festivaly. Když máme ale vypíchnout jednu konkrétní věc, tak je to italský Frantic Fest. Úžasná atmosféra, skvělí lidé, od backstage až po návštěvníky, a perfektní festivalová crew. Jediný lehčí škraloup jsme tam zažili, když se zvučilo a zvukař tehdy vystupujících Igorrr si stěžoval, že jsme moc nahlas a že náš ‚chlív‘ ruší jejich vystoupení :D :D :D. Tak jsme chvíli počkali, až se jejich veličenstva dohrála, a pak jsme se do toho pustili my. Jsou to zkrátka úžasní lidé a úžasné akce. Někdy je to sice trochu slabší, ale pořád je to dar – můžeme takhle jezdit po světě, hrát, potkávat tuny fajn lidí a mít nezapomenutelné zážitky.


18. Kde uvidíme Jig-Ai najbližšie a aké plány má kapela v 2026?

Jelikož se ptáš na 2026, tak ten máme z hlediska bookingu už prakticky uzavřený – máme odehráno a soustředíme se na to, co přijde v roce 2027. Naší hlavní prioritou bude samozřejmě propagace aktuální desky. Po klasickém CD a limitované edici Long Boxu teď chystáme kazetu a vinyl, který bude zase vizuálně vymazlený. Rozdělaný máme i další klip, takže se fanoušci mají na co těšit. K tomu plánujeme i nový, speciální merch. Co se týče živého hraní, máme v jednání jedno nebo dvě tour a hromadu dalších koncertů. A v neposlední řadě si v kapele říkáme, že je čas začít skládat další materiál, takže nudit se rozhodně nebudeme. Je toho zkrátka hodně, co máme v plánu!


JDØS FINALE

19. Minule sa mi priznal známy, že jeho "guilty pleasure" je Keep the Faith od Bon Jovi. Na to som mu v mobile ukázal svoj 90s dance floorový playlist a on pochopil že peklo nemá len jedno poschodie a pojem hanba je relatívny. Čo sú vaše guilty pleasures za ktoré vás Enma pošle do najhlbšej priepasti Jigoku?

Ten dance floor playlist, to je slušná fajnšmekrovina :D A Keep The Faith je mimochodem super song! :-) Já poslouchám hrozně široké spektrum muziky. Kdybych měl za sebe vybrat něco, co by se od goregrindera úplně nečekalo, tak je to asi záliba v českém rapu nebo trapu. :-) Ve všem se dá najít zalíbení – někdy je ten ‚cringe level‘ takový, že je to vlastně nechutná kokotina, ale nějak tě to magnetizuje a prostě si to musíš pustit. Každý to má jinak – a jak to máš ty? 





20. Čo počúvate, pozeráte a čítate v týchto dňoch?

Aktuálně jedu staré britské a francouzské černobílé detektivky. I když občas projedu novinky na streamovacích platformách, čím jsem starší, tím víc mě táhne stará kinematografie. Ty filmy totiž nejsou tak polopatické, najdeš v nich skvělé detaily a mají mnohem větší hloubku. A čtení? Mám pár knížek odložených stranou, ale ty si nechávám až na dlouhé podzimní a zimní večery.


21. Je niekto s kým by ste si radi prečítali rozhovor na JDØS?

Určitě by bylo zajímavé dát prostor pořadatelům koncertů, provozním nebo dramaturgům hudebních akcí. Zajímavé osobnosti jsou ale i výrobci merche, designéři, kteří dělají obaly k muzice, kterou všichni posloucháme, nebo tvůrci videoklipů. U undergroundové hudby je skvělé, že ti lidé, na které by ses ptal, většinou dělají víc věcí najednou – a právě tyhle ‚propojky‘ a zákulisní vazby jsou ultra zajímavé.


22. Motto alebo odkaz na záver.

Díky moc za příležitost se “vypovídat” ;-) a Motto? Mějte vlastní hlavu, ověřujte si zdroje informací, poslouchejte muziku, podporujte kapely, choďte na koncerty. Žijte životy mimo obrazovky. Žijte životy! Dík Jarda a JIG-AI





JIG-AI BAND INTRO

1. Over the course of two decades, you've gone from anime goregrind to a fairly serious concept about Japanese hell. Has the genre matured, or have you matured as its creators?


It’s definitely a combination of multiple factors, not just a single one. This shift is clearly caused by our evolution as a band, which is a natural process that happens anywhere. And undoubtedly, the line-up changes within the band played a role as well. Japan as a theme remains close to us, we just look at it from a completely different angle now.

2. Most people consider pig squeals – or "tenor," as you used to call it back in the day – the ultimate extreme vocal technique. On the new album, you've decided to move away from it. Why, and what kind of vocals do you use alongside the "bass" these days?

At a certain point, the metal scene was simply 'over-pig-squealed'. It’s interesting that you mention this technique as the peak of extreme – we definitely don’t see it that way anymore. :-) To us, it feels absurdly overused, and because of that, it lost its original punch in our ears. Today, we bet on different vocal ranges that fit our current sound much better.

3. Your previous album, Entrails Tsunami, was recorded just before Covid and with the old line-up, right? How badly did Covid fuck up your plans, and how much did it contribute to the new line-up?


Let’s just say covid really messed up our plans :D. Kašpy left the band after recording the album, and it took a while before we found a replacement. When Jarda finally jumped into the line-up and we grinded the whole playlist so we could go on a booked Japanese tour with Pig Destroyer and Brujeria, the travel ban hit. So Jarda’s first gig with JIG-AI was indeed in a city starting with a 'T', but it wasn't Tokyo – we ended up in Trutnov :D. But we have to add that this 'little Obscene [Extreme]', where the backstage was literally right on the stage, was a great experience.

4. You've brought some battle-hardened guys from the death metal scene into the new line-up. Are they partly responsible for the darker direction of the new album at the expense of the traditional hentai/comic-book gore themes? How does death metal darkness translate into grind?


That’s an interesting perspective, and there’s definitely some truth to it. Both Jarda and Rob have backgrounds in bands with death-grind roots – Rob currently plays in Taedifer, and Jarda in Perferia and Noises. However, both joined JIG-AI respecting the band's sound and identity. So it's not a revolution, but a natural evolution. An interesting fact is that our original drummer, Štefy, praised the latest Jigoku record, saying it's the best JIG-AI release in his opinion, which really pleased us. :-) But we definitely have to mention Burák, who as a founding member always steered the band towards old-school goregrind – meaning the version of the genre that evolved from grindcore into uncompromising, dense, and brutal music. This mix of all influences simply left its mark on the final result.

5. Some info for the gear nerds – what do you use to create the JIG-AI sound? Have you changed your instruments and amps over the years, or do you stick with tried-and-tested setups? 

Rob experiments the most with the sound – he deals with amps, effects, guitars, and linking two rigs. Burák strictly demands a brutal, 'bulldozing' bass tone, and Jarda just tries to make sure at least something from the drums survives behind that wall of amps. :D But ultimately, we'd say we're more traditionalists in this regard – we stick to proven methods that simply work for us.



NEW ALBUM MYTHOLOGY

6. As I mentioned earlier, I see Jigoku as a shift from hentai gore towards folk-horror and demonological themes. How are the stories of Injector Kruto connected to the Yōkai appearing on the new album, and where is Kruto-san today?
 

Don't look for a direct line or any story connection there. It’s simply a new line-up, a new record, and with that comes a completely new perspective on our Japanese inspiration. The new album JIGOKU doesn't revolve around Kruto, but fully focuses on the ONI demons and the Japanese hell itself – Jigoku. The record has 20 songs in total, and each tells its own mini-story. All of these stories are already included in the standard CD booklet, but the special "long box" CD edition also has a separate illustration for each story. The upcoming vinyl will be presented visually in exactly the same way. The whole album is simply designed as a complex, completely standalone piece of work. It’s not a link to our previous history; it’s a brand new chapter. ;-)

7. What criteria did the individual demons have to meet to qualify for a place on Jigoku?

It was a combination of cruelty and, let's say, a certain eccentricity. We strongly recommend everyone to dive at least a little into Japanese mythology – it’s a bottomless well of weirdness and perversion, where you'll come across characters such as the terrifying Aka Manto, a ghost in a red cloak who appears in toilets and gives people the choice between death by red or blue paper. You'll also encounter Enma, the mighty king and judge of the underworld, who according to Japanese tradition decides the fate of souls and their subsequent rebirth in hell – Jigoku. And of course there's Tanuki, the mischievous raccoon dog famous in Japanese folklore for its ability to shapeshift and play tricks on people. In traditional depictions, it's also known for creatively using its enormous testicles in its magical tricks and mischief. All of these stories resonate with both the good and bad sides of human nature. So go through the tracklist of our latest album and try searching for those individual demons yourself. ;-)

8. If Enma really opened the gates of hell today, who or what do you think the demons would send straight back down first?

Look, there are so many candidates it would be an endless list. Basically, most politicians, self-centered narcissists, glorifiers of modern times, and all those pushing that ignorant, consumerist view of the world would fly right in. It would be a massive uproar if they started sorting them out..

9. Jigoku is Japanese hell, but it isn't eternal – it's only temporary, and after serving your punishment you can be reincarnated. Aren't Christians a little more thorough when it comes to punishment? And is there any concept of eternal damnation in Japanese folklore?

This is a somewhat confusing way to look at it ;-) You forgot one crucial detail: you can basically return to Jigoku infinitely. So that raises the question – which is actually worse? One continuous, eternal hell, or an endless cycle of suffering where, theoretically, there's always hope that it might eventually end, but in practice you just keep going around and around in the same circle? Hmmm... As for faith, that's fine in itself, but churches and institutionalized religion, to us, that's absolute manipulative hell.

10. One thing that fascinates me about Japanese culture is the so-called jisei – death poems written shortly before execution or ritual suicide. Imagine you've got five minutes left before your execution. What jisei comes to mind? 

Damn, that's not exactly an easy task for us :-) how about this?

The backstage closes and the stage is silent,
our path of blood and roaring comes to an end.
We don't regret the end and we don't seek silence.
We hear a storm rising from the depths
a massive wall of downtuned sludge,
an endless blastbeat and absolute noise.
We fade into the darkness,
but that sound will thunder here forever.



GOREGRIND HISTORY AND EVOLUTION

11. The Czech scene has had a strong grind scene for decades. Do you remember the early days? Who were the pioneers, and how has the genre evolved and changed since its beginnings?
 

This is a question that could take up a whole interview by itself. It’s important to realize what times those were – thirty or more years ago, people didn’t really care about putting things into boxes. If I had to pick a few names, I'd immediately mention Pathologist, the early recordings of Malignant Tumor, the very beginnings of Cerebral Turbulency, or Ingrowing, who were getting nicely filthy and disgusting with it. Then there were others like Deaf and Dumb, Contrastic and Agony Conscience... We surely forgot a lot of others, but we also have to go beyond the borders to the absolute foundations, like Carcass or Dead Infection. There are just tons of it.

12. What's the difference today between the punk and metal approaches to grind, and where do the two meet?


Here we have to go back again to the time when we started as musicians and fans. Back then, no one really cared about categorization, or it all mixed in such a way that trying to give an exact answer is actually nonsense. For us, it was never about whether we were more punk or metal – it was about the approach itself and the energy that converged in all of it.

13. Apart from blast beats and short songs, what defines the essence of grindcore? If you had to explain grindcore to somebody without playing them a single song, what would you say? 

This heavily depends on whether we are explaining it to someone who has at least some overview and suspects there are harder versions of metal than Nothing Else Matters, or to someone completely clueless... But if you're looking for the most universal answer? Grindcore is simply pure, undiluted, and aggressive energy.



JIG-AI WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCES AND PLANS

14. Over the course of twenty years, JIG-AI have travelled a good part of the world – how much time have you actually spent on the road, and what's the most exotic place you've managed to reach?
 

Nobody can probably count that exactly today – not even for JIG-AI as a whole. We have spent an incredible amount of time on the road. And the most exotic? America, Mexico, Japan, or Australia... picking just one place is almost impossible. The pace definitely isn't slowing down though – we're flying to Spain this weekend, we just got back from Italy, and ahead of us are Germany, Normandy, Sweden, and Belgium.

15. Which country has the biggest JIG-AI fanbase?

Without a doubt, it’s Mexico and other South American countries, then of course Japan, and last but not least, the Czech Republic.

16. What's the first extreme experience from your travels that comes to mind?

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that :D You can't just pick one thing. As soon as you ask, one memory after another instantly pops up. It's just an endless collage of madness. We obviously have plenty of stories that are best told in the backstage or over a beer, but we don't really want to burn them here on air. Some of the 'publishable' bits do appear in our vlogs on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram though – just follow us and it will reach you sooner or later somehow. ;-)

17. Which bands do you enjoy sharing the stage with, and which clubs or festivals are your favourites?

That is again a hugely broad topic that forces us to generalize a bit. There are bands that might not completely appeal to us musically, but they are great people. Then there are those we enjoy musically and also vibe with perfectly on a human level – and it works exactly the same with clubs and festivals. But if we have to highlight one specific thing, it's the Italian Frantic Fest. Amazing atmosphere, great people – from backstage to the audience – and a fantastic festival crew. The only minor stain we experienced there was during soundcheck, when the sound guy for Igorrr (who were performing at the time) complained that we were too loud and that our 'noise' was disrupting their show :D :D :D. So we waited a bit for their majesties to finish playing, and then we went for it. Simply put, these are amazing people and amazing events. Sometimes it's a bit weaker, but it's still a gift – we can travel the world like this, play, meet tons of nice people, and have unforgettable experiences.

18. Where can we see JIG-AI next, and what plans does the band have for 2026?

Since you're asking about 2026, that year is already practically closed for us in terms of booking – we are done booking and are focusing on what's coming in 2027. Our main priority will, of course, be promoting the current record. After the classic CD and the limited Long Box edition, we are now preparing a cassette and a vinyl, which will again be visually pristine. We also have another music video in the works, so the fans have a lot to look forward to. Along with that, we're planning new, special merch. As for playing live, we have one or two tours in negotiation and a bunch of other gigs. And last but not least, we're telling ourselves in the band that it's time to start writing new material, so we definitely won't be bored. There's just a lot we have planned!

 

JDØS FINALE

19. A friend recently confessed to me that his "guilty pleasure" is Bon Jovi's Keep the Faith. In response, I showed him my 90s dancefloor playlist on my phone, and he realised that hell has more than one level and that shame is relative. What are your guilty pleasures that would make Enma send you straight to the deepest pit of Jigoku?


That dance floor playlist is quite the connoisseur choice :D And Keep The Faith is a super song, by the way! :-) I listen to a huge spectrum of music. If I had to pick something for myself that wouldn't exactly be expected from a goregrinder, it’s probably a fondness for Czech rap or trap. :-) You can find something to like in everything – sometimes the 'cringe level' is so high that it's actually disgusting bullshit, but somehow it magnetizes you and you just have to play it. Everyone has it differently – how about you?

20. What are you listening to, watching and reading these days?

Currently, I'm binging old British and French black-and-white detective movies. Even though I occasionally check out new releases on streaming platforms, the older I get, the more I'm drawn to old cinematography. Those movies aren't so spoon-fed; you find great details in them and they have much more depth. And reading? I have a few books set aside, but I'm saving those for the long autumn and winter evenings.

21. Is there anyone you'd like to see interviewed on JDØS? 

It would definitely be interesting to give space to concert promoters, venue managers, or dramaturgs of music events. But merch manufacturers, designers who create album covers for the music we all listen to, or music video creators are also fascinating personalities. The great thing about underground music is that the people you'd be asking usually do multiple things at once – and exactly these 'connections' and backstage ties are ultra interesting.

22. A motto or final message? 

Thanks a lot for the opportunity to “speak our minds” ;-) And a motto? Have a mind of your own, verify your sources of information, listen to music, support bands, go to gigs. Live lives off the screens. Live your lives! Thanks, Jarda and JIG-AI.