Chilean thrashers Critical Defiance have just unleashed their brutal fourth album, "Rivers Of Blood", which was released around the same time as a split album featuring Finnish thrashers DET. (Read review of "Rivers Of Blood" here.) A perfect excuse to fire some questions at Felipe Alvarado about the new album, the band, and the history of Chile. Enjoy the interview, and make sure to check out both the album and the split!

Michael

Hey, how are you doing? I hope you guys are happy with the feedback towards your new album?

We're feeling excited and a little anxious with just one day to go before the trip. We're eager to take what we do best to new places around the world, and that keeps the flame alive. The overall reception of Rivers of Blood has really surprised us and has us enthusiastic. We didn't expect so many people to pay attention to it and identify with this approach, which is a little more explicit than our previous works. It's interesting to see that this progression catches the attention of people who are passionate about fast music and who understand this approach of staying true to the genre's foundations while bringing it into our own historical context. This album represents an important stage in our trajectory, and we're satisfied with what we've achieved. Perhaps that's also part of the reason behind its positive reception. We hope that continues as we get ready to set foot on European soil.

"Rivers Of Blood" isn't the only one release by Critical Defiance in 2026. This month a split with DET followed. Was this planned right from the beginning or is it more or less coincidence?

It wasn't planned from the beginning. The idea came from DET as a way to give a tangible form to the connection between both bands ahead of the European tour. The split also plays an important role during the tour, allowing us to present material together and spread this release through the shows and everything that happens along the way. When the opportunity came up, Rivers of Blood had already been recorded and was being mixed, so we had to work quickly on four new songs to meet the deadlines. More than a coincidence, it's something that takes shape along the way and requires quick decisions, just like the music we make: fast, but well thought out at the same time. That's why we paid special attention to every detail, from the split's artwork and title to our own compositions and lyrics. On our side, it was a brief period in which we had to respond quickly, with professionalism and a strong sense of self-demand, to create material with its own identity in record time.

How did you stumble over the Fins? I must confess that I never heard of them before.

DET are also part of Dying Victims Productions, and the label considered them an excellent band to share this tour with us. The dates worked out, and it seemed like a combination that could work really well. It was the label's decision to take that chance, and we trusted it one hundred percent. At first, we didn't know DET either, but when we listened to their music, we felt they had a very similar approach to intense, aggressive music to what we find in the underground bands around us. I think that connection is important because it shows that, even though we are geographically far apart, we can share the same attitude towards music. There's no doubt that this tour will create an atmosphere filled with genuine underground metal.

Comparing the full-length with the split, I must admit that the sound on the split is rougher so I guess the songs aren't the rest of the recording for "Rivers Of Blood"?

No, the songs on the split are not leftover material from Rivers of Blood. They were composed specifically for this release in a fairly short period of time, after the idea of doing a split with DET came up. We believe the rougher sound also reflects other influences that come through in these compositions. Those who can pick up on those references will probably understand what we're referring to. Everything is built upon the most primitive foundations of the genre, and perhaps that contributes to the rawer, more direct feel of the result. In any case, we never wanted the split to be an extension of Rivers of Blood. They are two releases with different identities, reflecting different approaches and moments in the band's development. In fact, for several of us, the split has even become a bigger personal favorite than the album, haha. That shows we don't see it as a secondary release, but as a record with its own personality, one that we feel particularly attached to.

"Rivers Of Blood" sound quite violent and a song like "Valparaiso" let me suggest that you might deal with the violent past of your country on the album? If I'm not totally wrong the Pinochet dictatorship started in that city….

First of all, we appreciate that you took the time to research our history and political development. These are things that still shape the way we relate to one another and live in Chile, even several decades later. Indeed, the first movements of the coup d'état on September 11, 1973, began in Valparaíso, but it was with the bombing of La Moneda Palace in Santiago, the capital, that the overthrow of Salvador Allende's government reached its culmination. It is quite a striking historical coincidence that both Allende and Augusto Pinochet, who led the coup and subsequently the dictatorship, were born in Valparaíso. This ties the city to a history full of contradictions and episodes of violence that go far beyond that period. That is part of what Rivers of Blood seeks to represent. When we look at how different acts of violence have converged in this territory over time, we can say that the album also finds part of its meaning here. For us, "Valparaíso" represents this violence in a timeless way, as an expression of the history of this territory and the contradictions that run through it. Valparaíso was not even born as a city founded according to a formal urban plan. Its history is marked by pirates, looting, the imposition of Catholicism as a moral and social framework, the devastation of Indigenous peoples, banking interests, political corruption, police abuse, atrocious crimes, bohemian life, alcoholism, drug addiction, and lust, among many other things. It is a port that once became one of the most important in Latin America and is also home to El Mercurio de Valparaíso, the oldest continuously circulating newspaper in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a place full of stories, some well known and others that remain hidden. If the song initially sought to be an offering, a way of showing respect for the place we come from, over time it became a timeless description of what this territory represents to us. It does not aim to tell a story solely in a positive or negative light, nor to idealize the city. It is part of who we are, and we have chosen to show it to the world without filters, in our own language. Not as a tourist invitation to explore Valparaíso, but as a way of conveying how we ourselves experience it.

This track is the most diverse one, almost progressive like Black Sabbath in "Fluff". Do you attach a certain importance to escape the typical thrash stereotypes sometimes?

We don't necessarily think in terms of escaping Thrash Metal stereotypes, because we've never felt that we need to limit ourselves to a particular formula. For us, what matters is that each song has its own identity and that our musical decisions serve what the composition needs, rather than what a Thrash Metal song is supposedly expected to have. Rivers of Blood has speed, violence, and technicality, but we're also interested in working with dynamics, harmonies, and changes in atmosphere. We don't see these elements as something foreign to the genre, but as tools that can enrich it without taking away its aggression or identity. In the case of "Valparaíso," its structure and length reflect the nature of the song. It's a composition that has existed for many years and needed that space to develop. We're not trying to do something progressive simply for the sake of sounding different. If a song calls for a slower passage, a particular harmony, or a less conventional development, we incorporate it as long as it makes sense within the composition. Ultimately, respecting the roots of Thrash Metal doesn't mean repeating a formula. It means understanding where this music comes from and finding our own way of developing it.

Together with the quite blunt album cover that shows a lot of offending violence and song titles like "Innate To Kill" or "Glorify War" one might assume that you want to provoke with the album?

We're not necessarily trying to provoke just for the sake of provoking. For us, it's more about transparency: we don't want to turn a blind eye or pretend that the world is only concerned with trivial matters while violence continues to happen all around us. When we think of albums like Slayer's Reign in Blood or Kreator's Pleasure to Kill, we see examples of bands that dared to approach these themes in an extremely direct way, pushing the boundaries of what could be expressed within Thrash Metal and helping open up space for other bands to take these ideas even further. In a way, we believe the answer is much simpler than it might seem: going back to the most primitive roots of Thrash Metal's heyday. Today, we see many bands talking about introspection, outer space, or paranormal phenomena, while someone is being killed just around the corner. We're not saying those subjects have no value, but sometimes it feels like we lose sight of the very real violence happening in our own surroundings. The artwork and song titles on Rivers of Blood reflect that intention to show things without softening them. It's not about glorifying violence or using explicit imagery just to provoke a reaction. We're interested in addressing human and social contradictions that we often prefer to ignore. If someone feels provoked by the album, we have no problem with that, but it isn't our main objective. We want to express our view of reality honestly, without turning away from uncomfortable truths and without abandoning the rawness that is part of Thrash Metal's identity.

How much does the normal life and its insanity, which becomes more and more every day, influences you in your lyrics? When I think of the announcement of US "War", minister Hegseth who announce the public execution of a prisoner on TV or the latest federal state election results here in Germany for example, I guess mankind is going as low as possible these days.

Everyday life influences us much more than we sometimes realize. We don't need to look for extraordinary situations to find material for our lyrics; we just have to observe what happens around us and how people relate to one another. Violence, indifference, ambition, abuse of power, and how easily certain atrocities become normalized are all part of our reality. On Rivers of Blood, we wanted to approach that reality from different perspectives. It's not only about wars or major political events, but also about the forms of violence that emerge in everyday life, human relationships, and social structures. Sometimes, the most disturbing thing isn't that terrible things happen, but how quickly we get used to them and carry on as if they were an inevitable part of life. We also believe extreme music has a particular ability to express this kind of unease. Not necessarily because it has to provide answers or solutions, but because it can turn frustration, anger, and helplessness into something tangible. For us, writing about these issues doesn't mean pretending we completely understand the world or claiming a moral position superior to everyone else's. We simply try to process what we see and experience through our music. We don't know if humanity is reaching its lowest point, because history is full of periods when people probably felt exactly the same way. What does concern us is that, with so much information constantly circulating, we can end up watching terrible situations as if they were just another form of entertainment. And when violence becomes entertainment or stops provoking any reaction in us, we think there's something deeply wrong with the way we live.

I my review I stated that you have that certain thrash vibe that is lacking on the latest releases by the great role models such as Kreator, Exodus, Destruction. What is the magic ingredient to sound as raw and furious like these bands did back in the 80s?

We don't think there's a magic ingredient. The great bands you mentioned developed their music at a particular time and within a specific context, and perhaps, after so many years and albums, some of them gradually lost that thirst for violence and that desire to tear everything down that drove them in their early days. At some point, the machine may start losing speed, even just to keep itself alive. But that doesn't mean it has lost its ability to express violence; perhaps that same machine, running at a different pace, can convey a level of rawness that we, as Critical Defiance, still wouldn't be able to develop within our own context. We think there's also an element of chance in art: unique personalities coming together at the right time and place, experiences, decisions, and emotions that eventually shape something unrepeatable. That's part of what defines Critical Defiance. We don't want to simply reproduce a formula from the past, even though we have a great deal of respect for the bands that helped shape this music. We want to take the aggression, speed, and rawness that we connect with and push them as far as we can through our own identity and experiences. For us, getting angry is still essential, and knowing how to channel that anger into the music, taking it to the extreme when the moment calls for it, is far more important than trying to sound like a band from another time.

In another review I read about black metal influences that you could hear on "Rivers Of Blood". Impiety and Destroyer666 were mentioned. Would you agree to that, this was something I actually didn't notice while listening to the album.

We didn't specifically have Impiety or Destroyer 666 in mind when composing Rivers of Blood, although we understand that there may be certain points of connection. What this album has is a greater focus on rawness, atmosphere, and melodies that come much closer to the most primitive roots of Black Metal. We do believe these elements are more prominent than on our previous releases, but if you listen closely, tritones, dark atmospheres, and gloomy harmonic patterns have been present in Critical Defiance from the very beginning. Perhaps the difference now lies in the execution and a more conscious intention to convey certain musical states. If I had to mention a specific reference, Snorre's tremolo picking could serve as an example of that connection. Rather than associating our music with specific bands just to justify these influences, we're interested in understanding where these sounds come from and recognizing those who helped develop them. We believe looking back is essential to moving forward, especially when it comes to rediscovering figures and works that have gone relatively unnoticed in the history of the worldwide underground, despite having contributed a great deal to the evolution of these sounds. There's a musical legacy that deserves to be revisited, not to reproduce it, but to understand it and find new ways to express it through our own identity.

In the past years South America has become a cool spot for thrash metal. Which are the most important bands in your opinion?

South America has always had great Thrash Metal bands, but I think the history of the genre could have been very different if certain circumstances had played out another way. Just imagine what might have happened if Pentagram (Chile) had reached a bigger audience than Sepultura, for example. Perhaps we would be listening to a different kind of Metal today, haha.

I know that you're coming to Germany this fall, are there any other plans for the rest of 26 and the upcoming year?

We plan to work on our next album.

Last one – which 5 albums are essential for you?

Deathrow - Raging Steel

Sax - Zona Strachu

Morbid Angel - Coverant

Yes - Fragile

Beatles - White Album

Thank you very much for answering the questions – hope to see you in Essen!

Thanks for the support! STAY THRASH!

Six Feet Under is finally embarking on its first-ever tour of Brazil, with four shows scheduled between October 30 and November 2. However, vocalist Chris Barnes didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about discussing the tour, the recently released album "Next To Die", or anything else—or, at the very least, he was simply having a terrible day for chatting. The interview you are about to read was supposed to last between twenty minutes and half an hour. It ended in less than ten. Here’s hoping the fans’ experience doesn’t mirror the one this journalist had. Enjoy the—brief—read!

Marcelo Vieira (@marcelovieiramusic)

Six Feet Under will finally embark on its first tour of Brazil, with four shows in Belo Horizonte, Limeira, São Paulo, and Curitiba. What do you know about the Brazilian death metal audience, and what do you expect to discover when you finally stand in front of them?

I don't, I don't know much about it, actually. I know there's an overall great scene in South and Central America from what I've seen, so I mean, I'm looking forward to getting onstage in front of all the fans that like Six Feet Under.

How will the setlist be put together for this first trip to Brazil? Do you intend to build a set that spans the entire history of Six Feet Under, or will you focus primarily on the more recent albums?

It's really the same setlist we've been playing all summer long on our summer tours of Europe and North America. There's really a lot of the classic material there and a couple of new songs from the past two albums.

Brazil has a particularly strong history within death metal. When you think about the Brazilian bands that have been part of that history, which names or albums immediately come to mind?

Oh, I mean, I don't know, you know, Sepultura, that's pretty much the major one. But I mean, I don't really think Sepultura is death metal, but I mean, they're a metal band from Brazil and stuff, you know.

Besides the shows, is there anything specifically Brazilian that you would like to experience while you're in the country — food, music, a particular place, or simply getting to know the culture?

Oh, I really won't have time to experience anything, really, except for going onstage and being prepared to do so. So, I mean, when I go on tour, I'm not someone who's on vacation or thinks that they're on vacation. I'm really working and doing the job that I've been commissioned to do. So I just really concentrate on being prepared and keeping my head in the game.

The new album's title "Next To Die" suggests a very direct reflection on mortality. After more than three decades of writing about death, do you feel that your relationship with that subject has changed?

I don't think that the album is based on a direct relationship with mortality at all. I think, really, in the songs that I've written on the album lyrically, I'm focused on what I usually focus on, and that's where the music takes me as far as storylines and thoughts that I have about different aspects of life. Do I think that I've had a different relationship with death? I mean, not really. I've kind of always had the same ideas about that, so I just, you know, like to explore my thoughts through music.

"Next To Die" is the third album you and Jack have made together since reuniting. Do you feel that, with each record, this partnership is revealing an identity of its own that perhaps didn't exist when you worked together in the past?

No.

How does your creative partnership work these days? After so many years and so many albums, has the songwriting process changed since you started working together again in 2017?

I think that's a kind of dramatic way of looking at things. We just have a good time writing together.

You began writing extremely graphic lyrics with Cannibal Corpse, at a time when that kind of approach was practically a new language within death metal. After more than 30 years, what can still be explored in that territory without simply repeating imagery that the genre has used thousands of times?

I don't really think of it that way. I just take it one song at a time.

Some of the lyrics on "Next To Die" seem to draw less from fictional horror and more from real feelings or experiences related to death, pain, and loss. What made you bring these two worlds closer together?

Again, I don't think of things like that. I mean, if that's what someone pulls from my writing and my, you know, lyrics and stuff, you know, that's how they experience it, but that's not how I experience it. I've always written every song from subject matter as far as life and death.

Is there a difference between the way you step into a fictional character and the way you write about something that has genuinely affected you?

That's really a dramatic way of kind of perceiving things. I just, I just write what I'm interested in.

Is there a song on the new album whose lyrics you consider particularly personal or revealing, even if that isn't necessarily obvious to the listener?

I mean, I just, if people experience it the way they're going to experience it, I don't want to, like, put any boundaries on that. So I don't, I don't really care how people experience my lyrics. If it interests them in the way they want it to interest them, then that's fine with me.

When you look back at these more than 30 years of Six Feet Under, what has changed the most: the music you want to make, the way you see death metal, or the way you see yourself within it?

What's changed the most over the years in Six Feet Under? Probably the lineup, the musicians that I've been able to work with.

"Haunted", "Warpath", and "Maximum Violence" remain inevitable references when discussing the band's early identity. How do you listen to those albums today?

Oh, I don't really listen to my music, so I don't listen to those albums today unless I'm rehearsing them. So, I mean, that's, that's, again, how other people view things, if they're regarded as references or whatnot. I don't really — every song I've written, every album I've done over the past 38 years, it's all one album to me. So I don't really look at it as, like, sectioned off into albums. It's just one giant work.

Do they still serve as creative references, or do they belong to a period that you prefer to leave in the past?

Again, I don't look at things like that. I look at each song as part of my history and a part of myself.

What does "being extreme" mean to you today?

(interrupting) I'm not extreme.

MUSICALLY extreme. Is it a matter of speed and brutality, or can music be equally extreme through atmosphere, groove, dynamics, and tension?

I don't think any of that's important. I mean, I think what's important is doing what you enjoy yourself.

You have lived through several generational changes within metal. What surprises you most about the way a death metal band is received by listeners who were born decades after its earliest albums?

I think it's really amazing that the style of music has kept going all these years.

After such a long career, what still needs to happen during a Six Feet Under show for you to walk offstage thinking, "This is why we still do this"?

Uh, just seeing people have a good time.

What's your message for the Brazilian fans?

See you soon, and, uh, it'll be a good time. So get your tickets early, because I don't think we're going to be back for quite a long, long time after that. If you want to see the band, uh, now's the time.

Sardonic Witchery is a band that is deeply rooted in the underground scene. The guys have just released a compilation of old songs, as well as a brand-new album called "Hell's Thorns Attack" (read the review here). I had the pleasure of talking to mastermind King Demogorgon, although some technical issues made the interview a little more difficult than expected. Nevertheless, we managed to get everything together and, despite the problems, it was quite fun talking to him. Enjoy reading, and check out the new album – it's a killer one!

Michael

Hails, King Demogorgon! How are you doing?

Good, haha!!

Before we start talking about Sardonic Witchery in more detail, maybe you can introduce your band a little bit more to us?

Well, I started Sardonic Witchery in 2012 by myself after I disbanded the band I had been in for 11 years, called Infernal Kingdom. In that band, I was just a musician and the other member was the singer. So we did that for 11 years, and after that we divorced and said that neither of us would continue with the band, so I started a new band by myself. That was Sardonic Witchery in 2012.

I tried to find a new singer. I wrote the lyrics and, after all, I had some auditions with some guys, but I decided to do it by myself (laughs). So I did the first demo in 2012, Hidden Shadows, on cassette, with a guitar pedal and distortion on the vocals. I liked it, so I decided to stay as the singer. That was the first time in my life I had ever done that. I had never thought about doing vocals; I had always just been a musician.

It must have been quite a busy year for you, having released a compilation called "Under the Sign of the Trident", the upcoming album "Hell's Thorns Attack", plus playing a lot of live gigs with a new and stable band member who has to be trained, right?

This year was crazy. Two years ago, when we released the fourth album, Barbaric Evil Power, my intention was just to be a studio band at that time. I didn't have any intention of playing live anymore. The last show I did before the album was at Mass Destruction Fest in Atlanta in 2022 with some great fucking bands. Gabriel Luis Ruina was already there as the live guitar player.

After that, I did the album, and Gabriel said that we could play some other shows because that one had been so amazing. I said okay, but we decided to do just one more. But more and more offers were coming, so we did them, including Under the Black Sun 2025 in Germany.

Luis said that we could take the musicians from his band because it was easier to work with them. They learn fast, and because I live in Texas and Gabriel lives in Washington, D.C., it made things easier. I met another guitarist living in Texas, but I don't know why, maybe he had problems playing live or whatever, so Luis offered to record the solos and also, because he is a producer, to record the album. Barbaric Evil Power already had some participation from Luis.

After we had been working with him for almost three years and he was so dedicated to the project, I decided that this guy was the right one to work with and that he could improve the band and bring some extra elements to it. I don't want to put somebody into the band just because he is a friend or a nice guy, but I decided to go ahead as a duo now.

I gave him the offer after Under the Black Sun to do the next album together and have him as a permanent member, and he was very enthusiastic about that. So we did the album, which was ready in December 2025, and we decided to do a compilation, Under the Sign of the Trident, just to buy some time to find better labels than the ones I had worked with before because we think that this album is really very good.

We also wanted to have something to play and represent the band at Maryland Deathfest and Darkness Over Cumbria in England. So we re-recorded old songs for that compilation, and Luis already put his own touch into them and made some changes to the songs.

I guess the main focus was the release of the upcoming album, though. What makes the difference compared to your previous releases, would you say?

The previous releases were done completely by myself. Everything was written and recorded by myself; just the guitar solos on the first recordings were done by some other guys. So I did everything else – drums, guitar, I composed everything.

On this album, Luis wrote about 90% of the riffs because he is a lot better guitar player than me (laughs). He's a master on the guitar. I just tell him what I want, and he does the stuff I cannot do.

I heard a lot of old thrash influences on "Hell's Thorns Attack", mainly Slayer from their first two albums. Was this a major inspiration for you?

Of course! That was the idea. I'm really into metal, and my influences come from Slayer, Pantera, Sepultura, Judas Priest. Everything for me started when I was a kid, and later I started getting into more extreme metal.

I cannot remember what the first album was, whether it was Immortal or Dark Funeral, when I started listening to black metal, but I love a lot of metal. I like glam, thrash, black metal, and the idea is to do something like my favourite bands.

These are Maniac Butcher, Destroyer 666, Gospel of the Horns, Nocturnal, Nifelheim – all this black/thrash is what I want to do. So when we talk about thrash, you need to have some more skills on the guitar because you need to have some hell-fucking riffs, which, unfortunately, I don't have. I tried my best on the last album, so I told Luis to do whatever he wanted to.

When I put my lyrics on it, it will sound like Sardonic Witchery. But I never liked to copy a band, just to sound like Slayer. I don't think that it sounds 100% like Slayer. Sometimes it is a little bit Testament. The last album was something in between Manowar and Maniac Butcher – two completely different styles.

On this album, I tried not to sound like Sargeist, Darkthrone, or Satanic Warmaster, but I wanted to experiment a little bit and do some fucking metal with the true Satanic power of steel. It's the spirit of true metal, and I wanted to give that to the maniacs who listen to Sardonic Witchery.

What has changed in a remarkable way is the cover artwork. It is much more detailed and more mature than the previous ones. Who created it?

We worked with Jenglot Hitam from Indonesia. Before that, we worked with Leonard Selzer from Texas for the previous albums. He is a good artist, but for the new one he was very late, so I contacted Jenglot this time because I like his work.

He didn't have to create anything because he already had that one that I love (laughs). It had already been for sale for five or six years, and nobody had taken it. It's crazy.

I saw you for the first time at Under the Black Sun last year. Do you think you have gained some more popularity in Europe since that gig?

I think it was a very good opportunity to show ourselves in Europe. We had already played in many European countries in 2018, and now we came back for shows in Germany, Portugal, and Spain.

This time, most of the people didn't know us, and it was a good show, although it was not 666% of what we can really do. But we worked and improved with the other live shows, and I think we will be doing great at the upcoming shows.

We try to get on as many festivals as we can, but of course it is very hard to get opportunities because there are so many bands.

And coming back to Under the Black Sun, it was fantastic. Not just because we could play there, but also because of the amazing line-up that year. The people there were so nice. Everybody was friendly, and we definitely want to come back!

Coming back to your upcoming album, it is full of blasphemous song titles such as "Unholy Conqueror" or "Cult of a Thousand Horns." How important is the evil, satanic image for Sardonic Witchery?

It's about being a fucking crusher of shit religions, and this album is an old vision of thrash/black metal, a vision of darkness and blasphemy.

All the songs particularly talk about the same things: rebellion, freedom, power, the end of the world. I've been doing this for almost 30 years, and I don't want to do anything new, just take the old spirit of Satanic metal. I don't want anybody to tell me what to do or what my politics are or any shit like that. I think that's what metal means to me.

How is it possible to purchase your albums, and where will fans be able to buy the new album?

Well, we have always done things very underground. Sardonic Witchery already has more than 20 physical releases, including all five full-length albums, demos, splits, and other releases, all released through different underground labels from different territories.

For the new album, Hell's Thorns Attack, we are working with two labels in two different territories. In Europe, the CD and vinyl are being released through Firecum Records from Portugal. In North America, the CD, vinyl, and cassette are being released through Jems Label LLC.

The digital version is being released directly by the band through Ditto Music and will be available on all major streaming and digital platforms.

There are no exclusive agreements for these releases, which gives me the freedom to reissue the album wherever and whenever I want. I already have offers from other underground labels interested in releasing it in South America, Mexico, and Asia.

We also have physical releases available directly through our Bandcamp, so fans can always support the band directly there.

What about promoting the album live? Are there any touring plans for the rest of the year?

You actually asked this at the right moment because we were supposed to start a U.S. tour with Besatt in just two weeks. Unfortunately, we decided to cancel our participation.

With only two weeks left before the tour, our flights still hadn't been purchased, and the communication had become very poor. At that point, we simply couldn't continue relying on promises without having the basic arrangements confirmed, so we decided it was better for us to step away from the tour.

We will still be playing two dates in Mexico in October – Mexico City and León, Guanajuato – and after those shows, our live activity for 2026 will be finished.

Right now, we are already working on our plans and scheduling festivals for 2027. So if any festival promoters are interested in having Sardonic Witchery on their 2027 line-up, they can contact us directly at sardonicwitchery@hotmail.com.

Alright, last one – the five essential albums you would take with you to a deserted island?

Five wouldn't be enough, and honestly, I'd probably need a lot more than five albums to survive!

If I absolutely had to choose, my list would probably look something like this:

SLAYER — Show No Mercy / Hell Awaits / Reign in Blood
CELTIC FROST — Emperor's Return
JUDAS PRIEST — Painkiller
MANIAC BUTCHER — Barbarians / Lucan-Antichrist / Krvestreb / Černá Krev
DARKTHRONE — Soulside Journey
AZAGHAL — Mustamaa
GOSPEL OF THE HORNS — Realm of the Damned
SARDONIC WITCHERY — all five albums, because I really love listening to my own music!

The final words belong to you!

Thank you very much, Michael, for your support and for giving me the opportunity to talk about Sardonic Witchery with the readers of Metalbite Magazine. I really appreciate it, and I hope I can see you again soon so we can have some beers together!

To all the Metalbite Magazine readers: keep supporting the true underground metal bands. Buy physical releases, go to shows, discover new bands, and, most importantly, keep the underground alive!

Check out our new album, Hell's Thorns Attack, and keep supporting Sardonic Witchery!

Let's keep fighting for the underground!

AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!

Greetings, MetalBite legion!

It's always great to welcome a new voice to MetalBite Magazine, and this time around we're very happy to introduce Matt Quiggins, who joins us as a new contributor. Matt is no stranger to the world of music interviews, having been behind the microphone for his own podcast, drumquigpodcast, where he regularly sits down with drummers to talk about their music, careers, influences, experiences, and everything that comes with being behind the kit.

We're always looking for people who bring something different to MetalBite, and Matt's experience and passion for music make him a great addition to our crew. His focus on drummers also gives us the chance to hear from some of the people who are often quite literally keeping the whole thing together!

To kick things off, Matt sat down with Cierra White (@cierradrums), the powerhouse drummer of Emasculator, for a conversation covering her work with the band, her approach to drumming, recording, her other musical projects, and plenty more. Cierra is involved in a number of different projects, so there was certainly no shortage of things for Matt to ask her about.

So, without further ado, welcome aboard, Matt — and let's get into his first MetalBite interview!

We're glad to have you with us, and we're looking forward to seeing where this takes you.

Better late than never: Sanctuary is finally set to make its debut on Brazilian stages. Could—or should—this have happened sooner, back when vocalist Warrel Dane was still alive? Yes, of course. But his replacement, the incredibly versatile Joseph Michael, helps stave off inevitable comparisons as the band looks to the future, with a new album on the horizon and a preview of it already included in their live set. A month after speaking with Joseph , I had the opportunity to have the conversation you are about to read with none other than Lenny Rutledge—guitarist, founding member, and (despite his humility and approachability leading him to reject the label) a true legend of American metal.

Marcelo Vieira (@marcelovieiramusic)

Sanctuary will finally play in Brazil for the first time on August 30, 2026, after four decades of history. How does it feel to finally reach a country where the band's music has had such a long-lasting underground following?

Lenny: Yeah, we're really excited about it. We know there are a lot of passionate fans down there in Brazil. And, of course, we have a lot of connections there because Warrel was down there a lot. I would always talk to him when he was there, and he had his solo band down there and everything. So, yeah, we've heard a lot of great stories about Brazil and the people there.

This will actually be your first visit not only to Brazil but to South America. What have you heard about the Brazilian and South American metal audiences over the years, and what are you expecting to discover for yourself?

Lenny: That they're very passionate and really, really into metal. They really get into it, so we're looking forward to it.

Would you rather approach the Brazilian show as a celebration of the band's history or as the beginning of a relationship with a completely new audience?

Lenny: Definitely both. You know, there's obviously a lot of music that we want to celebrate and share with everybody, from the past and the future. Honestly, we're only going to be playing one song while we're down there, but I know it's a different configuration of the band. There's a lot of stuff that we're going to be playing that we haven't played in a long time, and there were some things that were a little more of a struggle to play. But you're going to hear a ton of old stuff from Refuge Denied and Into the Mirror Black. The bulk of the set is going to be that. You're also going to hear three songs from The Year the Sun Died and one new song from the upcoming release.

Twelve years have passed since "The Year the Sun Died". What made 2026 the right moment for Sanctuary to finally feel that there was a strong artistic reason to return to the studio?

Lenny: Well, we're getting closer. You know, sometimes it takes us a while to finish everything that we've been working on. And so we're getting a whole lot closer to the end. We're actually going to finish it up this year, and it's going to be released toward the beginning of next year. There's a possibility that it's going to be called Transmutation; that's the working title.

"Not Of The Living" is being presented as the first step into a new chapter. What does this song represent to you personally within Sanctuary's history?

Lenny: Well, I mean, it's some growth. Obviously, there are some differences there, too, but we try to do that with every album. We try to show a little bit of growth, from Refuge Denied to Into the Mirror Black to The Year the Sun Died. And I think we're headed down that path with this new record as well. I mean, obviously, the main difference is that Joseph is singing on it instead of Warrel. But we're still trying to retain the legacy of Sanctuary as well.

Joseph Michael has described "Not Of The Living" as one of the more straightforward songs among the new material. Why did you feel this was the right song to introduce this new incarnation of Sanctuary to the world?

Lenny: Well, I don't know. It just resonated with us, and we felt like it was a good song for that. A lot of times, when you have a batch of songs, some of them stick out. We recorded some of this record in sections, and in the first section we did three songs. That song kind of stood out as one of the first songs we'd like people to hear. We felt like it was a strong song and kind of showed where we were going.

This is the first new Sanctuary material since Warrel Dane's death. How do you find the balance between acknowledging his enormous importance to the band and avoiding turning every new step into a comparison with the past?

Lenny: Yeah, it's hard. It's hard to do. I think that, depending upon the person or the listener, there are always going to be comparisons. I'm probably guilty of it myself. But, you know, we're just trying to live up to what we feel is music that we enjoy, and hopefully we can make it so that other people enjoy it as well. That's the first thing for us: we just try to make music that we really like.

At the same time, like I said, we're trying to retain the legacy of Sanctuary. We don't want to go too far out and change the band into anything bizarre or anything. We know that we have parameters that we're going to stick within, for the most part.

Joseph Michael obviously isn't trying to "be" Warrel. What has he brought to Sanctuary that you didn't realize the band needed until you heard him singing these songs?

Lenny: Well, I mean, one good thing is that he has a lot of different vocal qualities. We have some stuff that we're working on that's not as clean vocally. Sanctuary has always had a lot of clean vocals, but we're actually experimenting with some stuff that's not so clean—not a whole lot, but a little bit—just because we think some of that stuff is cool, and we like it.

And we like the fact that Joseph can span the ranges, from all the way back to Refuge Denied to some of the lower stuff on The Year the Sun Died. So we appreciate all the range that we have there.

The enormous gaps between Sanctuary albums are part of the band's history. Does that affect your relationship with songwriting?

Lenny: It probably does, because from 1990, when Into the Mirror Black came out, to 2014 and The Year the Sun Died, obviously some things changed. I was telling somebody this story the other day: from 1999 to 2009, I didn't play electric guitar at all. I only played acoustic guitar for ten years. So a lot of that changed the way I think about things and the way I play as well.

When Sanctuary got back together, I had a different way of looking at things, and I think that kind of shaped the way I wrote after that period. It made me look at things differently. I feel riffs a little differently because of that ten-year break I took, but it was a little bit of work to get back to that point.

Do you feel a greater sense of freedom because you have never been a band that had to constantly produce new records?

Lenny: Yeah, I don't know. I guess we're just a little bit slower. One of the reasons why it took us so long to put out The Year the Sun Died is that we broke up for 20 years. There's that. But this time, we've just taken a long time. There have been some things that have happened along the way—family, COVID, other things, and Warrel passing away. Sometimes life gets in the way, and sometimes those things are a little bit more important. I mean, music and metal are important, but sometimes you have to lean into those other things, I guess.

Is there something specific about the way Warrel wrote, sang, or approached a song that still influences your decisions?

Lenny: Yeah. I mean, he was a bit of an enigma. That was the thing: I was always trying to figure out what he was writing about. A lot of times, he really wouldn't talk about it. Sometimes he would, but there were definitely things that he would explain, especially when they were about a specific topic.

We had a few songs—at least one—that were about a book or a movie, you know, that type of thing. You don't always know that when you listen to them. For instance, "Soldiers of Steel" is actually a song about a book and a movie called The Keep, by F. Paul Wilson. It's a really good movie and a really good book. So, if people are interested in knowing what "Soldiers of Steel" is about, that's it.

I love that kind of thing about Warrel. He always had these really deep subjects. They were very thoughtful and very deep.

There is a fine line between honoring the past and becoming trapped by it. How do you recognize when a new idea is genuinely moving Sanctuary forward rather than simply reproducing a formula that worked decades ago?

Lenny: Good question. I don't know. I'm sure there's a little bit of both. Being the main riff writer, I'm sure there's stuff that I probably inadvertently regurgitate. A lot of times, we go through a process where we'll check ourselves, and somebody in the band will say, "You know, that sounds a little bit too much like this or that." So we do that. In fact, that comes up a lot.

A lot of times, you find out that you may be plagiarizing one of your own riffs. We definitely don't want to plagiarize somebody else's riff, but sometimes you don't even realize it. We've actually had pieces that we've removed from our songs just because they sounded too much like one of our own riffs from earlier in our career.

But there's also the other side of it. You have AC/DC—AC/DC sounds like AC/DC. A lot of their songs sound the same, right? I mean, they do have a brand. So I feel like Sanctuary has a brand as well, and a lot of bands do. You're going to end up having things that sound similar within a certain vein, I guess. So I hope I answered the question.

"Refuge Denied" and "Into the Mirror Black" have become landmarks of American metal. When you write today, can you actually forget those records, or are they inevitably sitting on your shoulder?

Lenny: I love the energy of Refuge Denied. So there are times when I try to replicate that. It's really easy for me to write dark, slow, almost Sabbath-y type of stuff. I could do that all day long. So there are times when I have to remind myself that we wrote Refuge Denied and that we need that energy.

It's the same with Into the Mirror Black. Mirror was a little darker and a little different, with maybe a little less energy but more intensity. So I do think about that at times, yes.

The new album will inevitably be heard in the shadow of "Refuge Denied", "Into the Mirror Black", "The Year the Sun Died", and, of course, Warrel's legacy. What do you want listeners to understand first when they hear the complete new record?

Lenny: All I can say to everybody is: give it a chance. Give it a listen. I always say, give it a couple of listens, because I can't tell you how many times somebody has come up to me and said, "Hey, I heard 'Not Of The Living' and I wasn't sure about it. Then I heard it three or four times, and now I love it."

Sanctuary is celebrating its 40th anniversary at a very particular moment in the band's history. When you look back at this entire journey, what do you still feel Sanctuary has to prove—to yourselves rather than to the audience?

Lenny: Oh, well, I mean, that we can do it. That we can still do it and that we can still survive, still go out there, and make great music. We'll probably do it as long as people come to our shows and continue to support us.

I mean, that's really a lot of it. To go out there and share the music with fans who love it, and to see that happening—that's the magic right there.

Is there any Sanctuary song that you now hear differently because of everything that has happened since Warrel's passing?

Lenny: That I hear differently? I don't know. There are definitely songs that we play that sort of bring up emotions for us when we play them. There are certain songs that Warrel would, you know—we play "Epitaph" right now, and it's a song that we didn't play a lot for many years. We've been playing it, and we're going to bring it down with us to South America, along with "Veil of Disguise."

"Epitaph" kind of brings up some emotions for me because Warrel and I's dads—each of our fathers—passed away when we were younger, and that's kind of what that song is about.

The one-man heavy metal project Razör Forge has recently returned with a solid two-track EP "Nightfall Hunter" which is currently available on 7" vinyl and digital streaming, and the way I see things, this presented itself as a great opportunity to do an interview with its founding and only member Jørgen Sven Kirby, also known as Nattskog. Apart from his recent work with Razör Forge, his other four-piece project Dungeon Shaker also released its first demo at the start of this year, and since he was already interviewed here on MetalBite regarding his death metal project Garden Of Eyes, I thought it would be great to bring him back to talk about his other two projects, while also discussing various subjects along the way such as his recent trip to see Destroyer 666 concert in Prague, Czechia, his massive album collection and also his own Nattskog webzine. If you happen to be a longtime follower of Nattskog's frequent activities, I am very pleased that you have tuned in to this conversation, but in case you are not familiar with his works, then I hope you will still enjoy this journey, and be sure to check out Nattskog and his various projects. 

Vladimir

Greetings Jørgen, welcome back to another interview for MetalBite. Wow are you doing, brother?

I'm doing great, mate! Blasting Vulcano's essential "Bloody Vengeance" LP as I respond to this interview!

I saw that you recently went to Prague to see Deströyer 666. How was the whole experience? Have they included some interesting surprises on their setlist?

Indeed, I flew to Prague although I actually went on to Pisek (a small town in the Czech Republic) for Thrash Nightmare festival. Sadly Exciter had some last-minute cancellations but Deströyer 666 managed to make it in time to replace them! Their set ruled! A lot of earlier material from the first two records and they fit right onto the bill alongside Morbid Saint, Protector, Blood Feast, Witching Hour, Cruel Force, and many more rabid bands!

So far, which concert or festival that you attended this year would you regard as your personal favorite?

I think for festivals I would say: Keep It True (Germany), Metal Magic (Denmark), Thrash Nightmare (Czech Republic) and Killtown Deathfest (UK). As for shows: Adorior/Imperator/Masacre/Vircolac was a really ferocious one! Diocletian / Blood Feast was another! Plus some amazing sets throughout the year from: Coscradh, Death Worship, Deicide, Hirax, Exodus, Ulthar, Power From Hell, and Hyperdontia.

You've finally released a first independent release for your project Razör Forge, the two-track EP "Nightfall Hunter" which is currently available for pre-order sales on AHPN Records. Considering that the band officially debuted on the split with the Greek blackened/speed thrashers Chaoshorde, how come you haven't released any material before that and why did it take so long to release the new EP?

The split with our friends Chaoshorde was essentially a demo. I did everything myself for our side and it's very raw, primitive, and necrotic sounding! It was a healthy first step (albeit with the Greeks taking a more professional approach to their side) and working with Vicious Witch Records was a pleasure. I still have a good relationship with Nik and even sent some copies of the new EP to his distro! The length of time was due to us being in 3 different countries, me moving cities and also the length of time vinyl manufacturing takes. But I believe it to be worth the wait!

The EP features two guest musicians, vocalist Jan Hirtz of Witching Hour, and drummer Oskari Räsänen of Iron Griffin, with whom you also worked on your other project Dungeon Shaker. What can you tell me about the decision behind including them on this EP? Are there any plans to have them featured in future works of Razör Forge?

Oskari is a phenomenal drummer and a good friend! I was honored he accepted my invitation to drum on the record. Jan fronts Witching Hour, whose last album is probably my favorite record to come out in my lifetime. When I asked him to guest on the song, I was not sure what to expect, only that if he did it would be the ultimate evil metallic song in existence. I have no idea about the future, but I would certainly be proud to work with either / both again!

I personally think that this EP gives a nice glimpse at a much broader horizon for Razör Forge which will hopefully be explored even further as time goes on. Are you currently working on a full-length album or are you focusing on other projects at the moment?

Thanks man, it's basically what I've wanted to create as a musician for many years and through trial and error have finally achieved. I do not know what form the next release will be, currently, I am working hard on getting this flowing through the veins of the global underground so maniacs can get it on their turntables around the world! Sätaniak is also demanding a lot of my attention, though I won't say too much prematurely haha!

Speaking of other projects, this year you also released the first demo for Dungeon Shaker, the "Cruel And Wicked Heavy Metal" four-piece international project that features the aforementioned Oskari Räsänen on drums, Josh Stormwind on vocals, and Kyla Jean Morgan on bass. What can you tell me about the formation of this project? What is the story behind Dungeon Shaker?

Dungeon Shaker is the brainchild of Josh Stormwind! He asked me to write and record 3 songs on guitar that he had written lyrics for as he wanted to try making music for the first time. Gladly I obliged and Oskari and Kyla got involved on the rhythm sections. It's rough, rockin', and mystical heavy metal influenced by Witchfinder General, Pagan Altar, and Witchslayer!

Were there any talks of doing live shows for either Razör Forge or Dungeon Shaker, or do you prefer to focus on all of them solely as musical projects?

Probably not for either! Sätaniak is the only band I have a genuine plan to do shows with for now! But never say never!

Since you also own the label AHPN Records, were there any particular physical media formats that were in high demand from bands that you've worked with? 

I don't really pay too much attention to demand (I'm a terrible businessman but a dedicated collector). For me a 7" was essential but also the most illogical in terms of finance. They are expensive, not very profitable, and not as sought after as LPs or tapes. BUT that's why they are the most cult format. Only real die-hards collect ‘em, it sorta gatekeeps the music to real fanatics which is my target audience. Don't get me wrong, I love all physical music, but many of my favorite releases are NWOBHM, death metal, and speed metal 7" from before the band's first albums. So that's the path I chose to go down! AHPN Records is not so much a proper label as just a place where I can keep everything in one spot for sale for my various endeavors…

I know you also have a massive collection of physical media from CDs to cassette tapes and vinyl, and I must say that I feel a bit envious because you own so much great stuff that I've seen you post on social media, or even showcase on your Nattskog YouTube channel on either the "Relic Raiser" or "10 Metal Bands You Haven't Heard But Should" episode. I really must ask, how and when did your passion for collecting physical music start?

I've been collecting music physically since I was like 11/12 I'd say. If I love some music, I want to have it. I don't mean some files, but a relic I can hold, examine, and interact with. While vinyl is my favorite, CD and tape releases (especially the latter for demos) have a place in my heart too. I'll get more into this topic in the next question! Moreover, I never feel like I've properly engaged with a release 'til it's physically done. Thanks for the nice words on my collection too, I'm a lot younger than many friends but I like to think I've curated some cool stuff in my time!

While on this topic, could you also tell me which physical media format (CDs, vinyl, and cassettes) you like to collect the most and for what reason?

I guess I semi-answered that, but to give more detail: yeah vinyl I adore most. I love a good 7" especially (please don't take that outta context). Demos on tape, and CDs for albums and compilations that are too hard to find on vinyl / out of print / expensive! Seeing all of the artistic, lyrical, and of course most importantly musical detail as the stylus drags through a groove or tapes spool across is a ritual that cannot be replaced by mere binary code.

The last thing I want to say is that I personally admire your work and your passion for heavy metal music, especially since I see that you go to concerts and festivals very frequently, constantly collecting new physical media and you also take time to work on new music, write album reviews for your Nattskog webzine and occasionally do video content for your YouTube channel. With all these things said, I am curious to know how you manage to keep your sanity intact because you really seem like someone who's got his life well-balanced and everything in control.

I need heavy metal TO keep my sanity mate! It's my lifeblood, passion, work, and leisure. I will take this music in every form I can consume it 'til I am buried in a coffin made of j-cards and zines. If I like something I want to put my own mark on it, that's why the projects and fanzine and site, etc. I need to consume, but also to give it my best from every angle. Heavy metal is the law!

Thank you so much for this interview Jørgen. Best of luck to you on all your future work brother, and keep on delivering the goods! Are there any final words?

Thank you for taking the time to reach out mate! My final words:

Keep supporting true heavy metal, the underground, and going to shows/buying records/writing doing whatever it takes to pump the metallic furore in your veins! Everyone reading, check out the 7" and my other projects or zine, I am sure you'll find something to like if you're a real maniac (like me) and keep rockin' the night away!