The Total Sound Of The Undergound

Lelahel Metal

Prepare for the revelation! Serpents Oath unveils the journey from initiation to adept in their third album, 'Revelation.' Explore the thematic intricacies, the fusion of black metal elements, and the visual storytelling shaping their transformative vision. The upcoming release promises a sonic journey of haunting melodies, intricate riffs, and blistering drumming. Join Serpents Oath in their unique blend of fresh and classic black metal, as they discuss their evolution, live performances, and the significance of the album's various formats. Don't miss the insight into 'Pandaemonium' and the band's unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional black metal.


1. Congratulations on the upcoming release of 'Revelation,' your third album. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the title and what listeners can expect from this latest release?

The album describes the journey from initiate to adept divided into 3 chapters, split by the 3 intros “Invocatio Genesis” “Invocatio Apocalypsis” and “Invocatio Resurrectio”.

It all starts with the first step on your own path, symbolized by the Genesis chapter. In order to progress however, one has to break down the taught barriers and go through a process of de-identification, symbolized by the Apocalypse chapter. Only then can one be reborn, symbolized by the Resurrection chapter.

The three chapters thus look at a similar subject from different angles. If we look at fire, from a genesis perspective, we see it as the spark of life or the spark of an idea. From an apocalypse perspective, it is the all consuming fire devouring everything in its path. From a resurrection perspective, it is the inner flame, the Black Flame of spiritual enlightenment when one finds the Source within oneself. In summary it shows the transition of first nurturing your Inner Flame to eventually deploy it in order to devour everything that stands in your way with an all consuming inferno.

The title “Revelation” on the one hand refers to us revealing a new and improved version of ourselves. As the word itself comes from the Greek “apokalypsis”, which means unveiling or revealing. Hence in this context it speaks about some of the lyrical content as the revealing of divine mysteries.

2. Serpents Oath is known for blending fresh and classic black metal elements. How did you approach the songwriting and musical composition for 'Revelation' to maintain this distinctive fusion?

When working on these songs in particular, we had a live environment in mind. That was also a result of being able to play it “live” with 5 members in the rehearsal room. We could test out what worked for us and what didn’t. This was a great filtering process and actually meant we brought the songs to a new level. The end goal was to make songs that would take you by the scruff of your neck and wouldn’t let go.



3. The videos for 'Blood Covenant' and 'Purification Through Fire' showcased brilliant visuals. How important is the visual aspect in conveying the essence of your music, especially with the upcoming release 'Pandaemonium'?

As we launched our debut album in the full lock down pandemic period, we only had videos to share our vision with the World. They were instantly picked up with great interest. From that point forward we have been building on that, release by release, to also use that avenue as a way to spread our message. Just like we pay a lot of care to the art that accompanies a release, just as much dedication goes into creating a visual representation of the song. This is all then taken to a higher level by working together with great visual artist who bring their expertise to each video. Visions realized by truly dedicated people in their own field that make the difference.

4. Can you provide some insights into the thematic elements of 'Pandaemonium' and how it fits into the overarching narrative of 'Revelation'?

The vision behind the band is one of transformation. This shines through first and foremost in the lyrics and is carried through in the cover art and other visuals. The transformation is that of an individual striving to become transhuman with the ultimate goal of beating even Death. This is the ultimate rebellion as even Death is not accepted as a given.

Lyrically, the 3 albums represent 3 steps:

-          The initial spark, the inner flame that leads to action

-          The second step where you destroy your old self

-          The final stage where you are reborn into something new, having connected with the inner Serpent

Musically they also share a clear connection and each new part is a new evolution. Just like the Serpent that sheds its skin, and a new version emerges, so have we evolved and that evolution you can hear on the new album.

5. 'Pandaemonium' is described as a combination of unrelenting rage and dramatic parts, resulting in an epic hymn. How did you balance these contrasting elements during the creative process?

When we first starting jamming, we immediately recognized that there was an instant connection and a unified vision of what we wanted to deliver. Since then the internal fire has only been burning brighter which pushes us to constantly grow. On a practical level, Daenum and Bealus, our guitarists bring the music to the table. Together with Draghul on drums, Mørkald on bass and myself on vocals, we shape these into the songs you hear on the album. The fact that we live in the vicinity of each other and get together several times per week to play music and discuss a variety of topics has had a major influence as well. It has meant that we have established a unique bond as we have become more than the sum of our parts. It also meant that musically we got aligned very quickly and could test out new ideas immediately and keep new music flowing.  Spending that much time together not only means that you get attuned to each other but also that you keep pushing each other to constantly improve. Our vision of transformation also applies to that: tomorrow you should be a better version of yourself than today.

6. The song speaks of the Final Harvest and the Undead Gods. What inspired this particular theme, and how does it contribute to the overall atmosphere of 'Revelation'?

The song indeed speaks about the time of the Final Harvest. Here, once again, the Undead Gods step forth from the shadows to reign in resplendent glory and reap the Lifeforce of humans, establishing Open Rule over all creation. They cull a vast majority of the population and use that lifeforce to openly rise to power once again. This is inspired by the prophecy set forth in the writings of the Temple of the Dragon. This particular theme not only fits perfectly to title of the album “Revelation”, as the Undead God reveal themselves, but also is the perfect ending, as al of the themes before it have led to this conclusion.

7. With the release date shifted to January, fans are eagerly awaiting 'Revelation.' Can you share the significance of the album's various formats, such as the Wooden Box and Die Hard LPs?

Since the release of our first album we were in contact with Shadow of Odium Records. From the beginning it was obvious that we shared the same vision on what Black Metal should be, so when it became time to look for the right label for our third release, it was clear to us to switch to Odium. We are honored to team up with an elite underground label that has released material from bands like Ofermod, Beastcraft, Acherontas, Varathron or Black Altar.

The most important aspect was that they put quality before everything else. This attitude is carried forward in the products themselves and this for example has led to the release of the limited edition wooden box set. It brings together a package that is only found in this set, with its unique T-shirt, amulet and embroidered patch.


8. As a Belgian black metal band, how does the local culture or environment influence the music of Serpents Oath?

Even if we are a small country, we understand like no other the importance of delivering something exceptional. It doesn’t matter if it is chocolate, beer or metal. As long as you deliver something that makes a difference, people will pick it up, no matter where you’re from. That has always been our starting point anyway, as in the end the geographical origin of the band is secondary to us. A band has to deliver music that leaves a mark, no matter what its origin is. That is the essence which will capture the attention of the listener rather than where the band lives. For us as well, it was never about carving out a spot in Belgian Black Metal, rather than establishing Serpents Oath in Black Metal in general.

9. In the realm of black metal, Serpents Oath is recognized for its unique twist on the genre. How do you see the band's evolution and growth reflected in 'Revelation'?

As this is the third record, we realized we had to challenge ourselves. Not only did we switch labels, but we also went to a different studio. The goal was to capture the energy that our live performances have and combine that with a pulverizing sound. At Project Zero Studio we achieved exactly that goal. We had already worked together with Yarne on the video clips from our previous releases and that always was a great cooperation. When he then opened up his new studio, we deiced to pay him a visit. During that visit it became clear that he understood what we were trying to deliver and convinced us that he would be the right guy to achieve the result. Now we are very glad we took that chance as Yarne pushed us to our limits when recording and then assured the mixing and mastering delivered that skull crushing result.

10. The album promises a sonic journey filled with haunting melodies, intricate riffs, and blistering drumming. How do these musical elements contribute to the overall atmosphere and storytelling of 'Revelation'?

For us these musical elements perfectly underline the themes and atmosphere. In general, only Black Metal could be the vessel for the vision that we are delivering with Serpents Oath, there is no alternative. We needed it to be primal and bursting with intent. And that is what we are delivering. Right from the start we just played the music that we wanted to play and have a strong connection to. The source of that is probably situated in 90’s Black Metal since we experienced it first hand in that period. So although we aren’t directly influenced by any particular bands, the fact that we create music that harks back to that same era, probably means that it is bound to be fast. It isn’t just about speed however, we always look for intensity in the song, even if the tempo is slower. In the end it needs to be pure and deliver a punch in the face.


11. How do you envision Serpents Oath's live performances, especially with the atmospheric and intense nature of your music?

Bringing our vision to life on stage has always been our aim. Every time we play, we give our all. We also make the venue we play our own Temple and invite the listeners/viewers to take part in the desecration that is Serpents Oath. Hence all of our performances bring different memories with them, connected with the audience that were there that night. The energy that we receive from the audience is immense. It is what keeps you pushing for more and as such becomes part of that transformative process. In the end that is what the aim of extreme music is, to be played live with an audience that loses themselves, as that is what lifts you to another plane. Nothing compares to that. Take all the live streams that you want, they cannot capture that energy on film. You have to be present in order to experience it. How else can you smell the incense, taste the blood in the air and feel the warmth of the flame on your skin? Only in a live environment does this music truly come alive.

12. Looking beyond 'Revelation,' what's next for Serpents Oath? Are there any upcoming projects or developments that fans can anticipate?

You can expect that we will remain dedicated to bring inspiring Black Metal with true intent that will leave its mark, both on record and in our live performances. Come and join us!

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