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neděle 11. června 2023

A few questions - interview with black metal band from Finland - SARVEKAS.


A few questions - interview with black metal band from Finland - SARVEKAS.

Recenze/review - SARVEKAS - Woven Dark Paths (2023):
https://www.deadlystormzine.com/2023/06/recenzereview-sarvekas-woven-dark-paths.html

Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?

Hails. We are Sarvekas, a two-man black metal band from Finland. The band started in late 2018. The style we play is melodic and epic, yet crushing and unforgiving. The songs are pretty straightforward and the atmosphere ranges from harsh, dark, and desolate feelings to moments of pure fury.


Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?

"Woven Dark Paths" was recorded at studio Raja-Audio Salo. Kari Laaksonen handled the soundcheck, mixing, and mastering.

Tomas Haapanen handled the recording of drums and A.A. handled the recording of guitars, bass, and vocals for J.L. in the same studio.

How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?

Well, you can ask that from our label. Both our EP ”Of Atavistic Fury & Visions” and the latest full-length album ”Woven Dark Paths” are released digitally, on vinyl and digipack CD. They can be ordered via our label’s band camp site and other sources or straight from us via social media or email.


Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?

A.A. is the author of the lyrics. In ”Woven Dark Paths” the lyrics deal with dark ancient rites, philosophy through ancient Nordic beliefs, and especially the dark side of their spirituality. All in all the lyrics generally have been inspired by Scandinavian Mythology, Finnish Mythology, and our history, but also some anti-christian and satanic themes.

Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?

The logo was created by Helgorth of Babylon Graphics. He did the layout and some graphics for our earlier EP also, but this time on ”Woven Dark Paths” the cover art and all the other graphics & layout were done by Roni Ärling. We do not have a website, but we are on social media. It is important for promotion and contacts of course, but we are there mostly because of the band business otherwise personally we don’t care about much of it.


Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takés care about you?

We have been signed to Soulseller Records since 2020. They were one of the labels that contacted us when we were promoting our EP by ourselves. We saw that they fit the best for us and the co-operation has been going pretty smoothly. They take good care of the promotion also so we can focus on delving into the depths of our visions and making this music.

Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?

Black metal has so many forms that it is hard to say. Overall we are inspired by mostly 90’s Scandinavian black metal and it can be heard clearly, but also other music like Nordic folk music and many other forms of art as long as it is dark and profound. We’ve been interested in our history and Scandinavian Mythology. Thus heathenry and of course Finnish Mythology, besides Germanic paganism etc. since we were young. So it came naturally to include these themes in our art. Nature and especially its dark essence also inspires us a lot and it is reflected in our music very well.


Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?

As we said in the earlier question we promoted our first EP by ourselves back in 2020 and we were signed to Soulseller Records. Can’t remember the other labels where we sent the promo package back then but there were about 10 different labels we contacted. The response was mostly good from the ones that contacted back.

How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?

None. But we, of course, have experience of playing live since we’ve made music since the days of our youth. We are currently making the live performance possible by renovating and soundproofing a new rehearsal place. We are soon ready to bring our black heathen steel to the venues. About the gigs we prefer, playing at clubs is, of course, a more intimate experience but when playing in the open air it should be at least in the evening or at night since it fits best for this kind of music.

What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?

The short-term goals are making live performance possible and the long-term goals are to start making new music and there is already some new material in the forge. We of course want to bring our art to the stages asap but we proceed on the pace depending on our private lives and other things. We’ll see what the future reveals for us.

How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?

We can be contacted via social media (Facebook, Instagram) or via email sarvekasofficial@gmail.com

Thanx for the interview.

Thanks! Listen to the album and delve into its profound and dark depths and buy it!

Recenze/review - SARVEKAS - Woven Dark Paths (2023):

Recenze/review - SARVEKAS - Of Atavistic Fury & Visions (2020):





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středa 7. června 2023

Recenze/review - SARVEKAS - Woven Dark Paths (2023)


SARVEKAS - Woven Dark Paths
CD 2023, Soulseller Records

for english please scroll down

Na konci každé cesty je smrt. Záleží jenom na okolnostech. Narodíme se, abychom čekali a doufali, že nebude moc bolestivá. Svůj čas si můžeme ukrátit hudbou, která nás postupně připraví na odchod do věčnosti. Osobně to mám nastavené tak, že vyhledávám a podporuji kapely, které mě nějakým způsobem osloví. Finští black metaloví mágové SARVEKAS mě zaujali již svým prvním EP z roku 2020 ("Of Atavistic Fury & Visions" - odkaz na recenzi je dole pod článkem). Jedná se o kapelu, která je věrná klasickému černému kovu z devadesátých let. 

Líbí se mi způsob, jakým k hudbě přistupují. Mají skvělý zvuk (Kari Laaksonen - Engineering, Mixing, Mastering, obal (Roni Ärling), po formální stránce je vše v absolutním pořádku. Navíc jejich songy smrdí sírou, takovou tou starou patinou, jestli mi rozumíte. Jakoby přede mnou při poslechu ožívaly dávné legendy plné příšer, tmy a nenávisti.


Poslouchám "Woven Dark Paths" stále dokola a najednou nejsem ve svém pokoji, ale toulám se někde na severu, hluboko v lesích, kdy je každý stín ozvěnou. Nakonec vždy dojdu na kdysi opuštěné pohřebiště. Sednu si k obětnímu stolu a přemýšlím nad věčností. Obřad může začít! Pánové se volně inspirovali u kapel jako DARK FUNERAL, MARDUK, DARKTHRONE, WATAIN, SATYRICON, DISSECTION, MAYHEM, JUDAS ISCARIOT. Riffy jsou jako nářek větru ve stromech, bicí duní jako ozvěna ze záhrobí a obdivuji i jedovatý vokál, který mi připomíná řev padlého kněze. Mám rád, když ve mě hudba probudí fantazii, když se moje myšlenky rozlétnou do temnoty. A SARVEKAS mě spoutali pavučinami, zavřeli do studené kobky. Je vám doufám jasné, kdo bude další oběť. Finové ctí tradice a dělají to velmi zkušeně a inteligentně. Přečtěte si i texty, které jsou také velmi zajímavé. Mrazí mě v kostech, přesto musím jít dál. Je už dávno tma a právě v těchto chvílích vynikne album nejvíce. Je určeno pro všechny, kteří uctívají norskou i švédskou metalovou školu, pro všechny prokleté i pro nemrtvé. Líbí se mi, jakým způsobem na mě nová deska působí, jak si mě pomalu podmaňuje, jak ji vnímám všemi kousky svého těla. V tomto stylu si hodně vybírám, jsem starý pes, který zvedá hlavu už jen, když jej něco zaujme a musím napsat, že "Woven Dark Paths" je nahrávkou, která se povedla po všech stránkách. Vznešený, ledový, temný black metalový vichr!  Mytologický rituál plný zmrzlé krve!


Asphyx says:

At the end of every journey is death. It just depends on the circumstances. We're born to wait and hope it's not too painful. We can pass the time with music that gradually prepares us for our departure into eternity. Personally, I have it set up so that I seek out and support bands that appeal to me in some way. Finnish black metal magicians SARVEKAS have already caught my attention with their first EP from 2020 ("Of Atavistic Fury & Visions" - the link to the review is below the article). This is a band that is true to the classic black metal of the 90s.

I like the way they approach their music. They have a great sound (Kari Laaksonen - Engineering, Mixing, Mastering, cover artwork (Roni Ärling)), formally everything is absolutely fine. Moreover, their songs smell of sulphur, that old patina, if you know what I mean. It's as if ancient legends full of monsters, darkness and hatred came to life in front of me while listening to them.


I listen to "Woven Dark Paths" over and over and suddenly I'm not in my room, but wandering somewhere up north, deep in the woods, where every shadow is an echo. Eventually, I always come to a once-abandoned burial ground. I sit at the offering table and contemplate eternity. The ceremony can begin! The gentlemen are loosely inspired by bands such as DARK FUNERAL, MARDUK, DARKTHRONE, WATAIN, SATYRICON, DISSECTION, MAYHEM, JUDAS ISCARIOT. The riffs are like the wail of the wind in the trees, the drums rumble like an echo from beyond the grave, and I even admire the venomous vocals that remind me of the roar of a fallen priest. I love it when music awakens my imagination, when my thoughts fly off into the darkness. And SARVEKAS have bound me in cobwebs, locked me in a cold dungeon. I hope you can see who the next victim will be. The Finns honor tradition and do it with great skill and intelligence. Read the lyrics, which are also very interesting. It chills me to the bone, yet I must move on. It's long past dark and it's in these moments that the album stands out the most. It is for all those who worship the Norwegian and Swedish school of metal, for the damned and the undead. I like the way the new album affects me, the way it slowly conquers me, the way I feel it with every fiber of my being. I pick and choose a lot in this style, I'm an old dog who only raises his head when something catches his attention and I have to write that "Woven Dark Paths" is a record that succeeds in every aspect. A sublime, icy, dark black metal whirlwind! Mythological ritual full of frozen blood!


Recenze/review - SARVEKAS - Of Atavistic Fury & Visions (2020):
https://www.deadlystormzine.com/2021/02/recenzereview-sarvekas-of-atavistic.html


Track listing:
1. Rite of Transcendence2:03
2. The Scryer of Bones5:44
3. Of Bloodlust & Nightside Sorceries4:54
4. Embers of Pagan Fire5:27
5. Woven Dark Paths5:21
6. The Austerity of the Northern Lands4:38
7. Soaring Over the Battlefields5:23
8. The Great Winter6:59



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