#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. 

 

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Links:

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

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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.