"Torchbearers" marks your second EP since forming in 2024. How does this new material represent the growth of the band since "Ophidic Gnosis," and how has the writing dynamic evolved now that you operate as a full four-piece lineup?
Writing pretty much continued right after finishing the work for the first EP. On the second EP we have more two voiced guitar parts and it is a bit more ritualistic overall I think. Also production evolved a bit in comparison to the first EP. The lineup didn’t change since the start. Normally I write songs and we take a look together, maybe slightly changing some parts. After that Tenebris is refining drums and Somnifer is creating the bass lines.
The title "Torchbearers" carries a strong connotation of bringing light or fire to the darkness. What is the central lyrical concept behind this release, and how does it connect to the spiritual awakening mentioned in your ideological foundation?
It's not really bringing light to darkness but rather a push or invitation to raise the torch of the black flame, as the spark or fuelling of the black flame is one of our main intentions. I think as always there needs to be a balance between light and dark, however for the spiritual side and especially the ideological concept of the band the darkness plays a bigger role as this is something more complex and harder to explore but a necessity for spiritual awakening and consciousness.
The transition from a studio duo to a complete line-up with Malphas and Somnifer must have altered your sonic power. How did the new members influence the specific arrangements and the overall violence of the tracking process?
As mentioned we had the full lineup from the official beginning of the band. For the first songs written they were not in the band but they joined before the release of the first EP. So in terms of songwriting the only change is that Somnifer has taken over the writing of the bass.
Satanism is the core theme of Verba Serpentis. In a world currently dominated by geopolitical decay, technological enslavement, and moral hypocrisy, how does your devotion to the serpent’s philosophy manifest through your music in 2026?
Yes, occultism is the main theme although a number of things influence the bands topics. I think people are still slaves in the modern world, however the enslavement is not only coming from religion but other things as well. Core themes like liberation, illumination, self development, rebellion and so on have gained importance these days. Also discipline and getting yourself in uncomfortable situations that are necessary for looking into a deeper self and exploring darkness are more important than ever.
Can you share some details regarding the production choices for "Torchbearers"? Where was the material tracked, and what kind of sonic atmosphere were you chasing during the mixing and mastering stages?
We track the instrumentals ourselves and they are later reamped. For mixing and mastering we chose to work with Soundtempel Studios again. For the sound we were looking for a good production that still is not too clean or sterile. So to kind of catch some atmosphere while it´s still clean enough to hear the single elements.
"I think people are still slaves in the modern world, however the enslavement is not only coming from religion but other things as well."
The EP has a strong melodic black metal spirit. Which bands, books, films or darker sources helped shape the atmosphere behind this release?
Band wise we have a lot of different influences like Dissection, MGLA, Horna... and many more. Other influences range from things like Luciferanism, the Anti-Cosmic to writers like Carl Jung or Julius Evola to personal experiences and rituals.
Austria has a rich history of extreme, uncompromising black metal art. Do you feel aligned with the current Austrian underground?
Yes, as all of us are also active in other bands and we know a lot of people from the Austrian scene.
"Ophidic Gnosis" introduced the band in 2024. What lessons from that EP helped shape the way "Torchbearers" was written and recorded?
Writing was a fluid transition from the first to the second EP as it never really stopped. However after the first songs were written and we then got the complete lineup I started to write more two voiced guitar parts. The recording itself was very similar to the first EP.
With "Torchbearers" being made available on Cassette, CD, and Digital formats, how crucial is the physical media underground culture to the band, especially in an era where digital streaming dominates the industry?
Physical releases are cool as you can kinda hold this piece of art you made in your hands. Besides that there are people collecting CDs and cassettes so making the release physical just seem like a logical thing.
"Torchbearers" comes as an independent release. What are the advantages and problems of keeping full control at this stage?
The advantage is that you can put timelines as you like. The disadvantage is that you need to invest quite a lot of money, it is an insane amount of work and you need to take care of the advertisement yourself.
After this EP, where does Verba Serpentis go next sonically and musically? Are there any immediate future plans regarding live rituals to bring these hymns on stage?
I can´t tell what the next release will sound like but I already have a few ideas and drafts. Yes we have a few live shows coming up this year and already a few for next year. In the near future you can join our live rituals at Eresia Metal Fest, Kaltenbach Open Air and at Black Sun Fest Prague.
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