Swarm Effect's new album Cotard's Syndrome explores dark existential themes, shaped by war and distance. In this interview, the band reflects on their creative journey.
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1. Swarm
Effect has been through quite a journey since its founding in 2016. What
motivated you to revive the band after such a long hiatus, and what challenges
did you face working together while living in different countries?
Band
revival was based on an idea to finish this album, the recording was started
much earlier, and it was something like a not-finished deal you must do. Much
work was done before, and we didn't want to lose this material. The only way
was to reload this band as a studio project.
The main
issue due to living in different countries was the recording process, each
member must record his parts by themselves. Sometimes already recorded takes
should be recorded again, due to its not perfectly fit for the song. When you
are recording in one room it can take a few hours, to solve all issues with a
particular take, at a distance it can take weeks.
2. Your
latest album Cotard's Syndrome is described as a concept album exploring dark
states of the human soul. Could you elaborate on the album's overarching theme
and what inspired you to delve into these deep, existential topics?
If we come
back to the period when the band was based, the lyrics was more social. But the
last period and circumstances in our native country, I mean russian invasion
affected the perception of the world. War is horrible, and you may see this
terrible thing not on TV, it is in front of your house. This fact drops you
into the dark.
3. The
recording process for Cotard's Syndrome took about a year, with some tracks
dating back to 2016. How did the time and distance between writing and
recording impact the music and lyrics on this album?
in general,
all this time gave more dark mood to the music and lyrics.
4. You
collaborated with Krzysztof Klingbein, a session drummer who has worked with
bands like Belphegor, Vader, and Hate. How did his involvement shape the sound
of Cotard's Syndrome, and what was it like working with such an experienced
musician?
A highly
experienced drummer is an important part of any extreme metal band. With Krzysztof,
we were able to implement all our ideas. Drum parts were programmed before,
when Krzysztof analyzed it, he made some minor changes to make it fit the
songs. In general, it was easy to work with him, so we got the result we
wanted.
5. The tracklist for Cotard's Syndrome
explores a variety of dark themes, from inner demons to societal power
structures. Can you walk us through the lyrical meaning behind some of the key
tracks, such as “Personal Hell,” “Lilith,” and “Echoes of Eternity”?
From the
first track (Personal hell) the listener is submerged in an endless internal
hell that hides in the mind of every individual. The battle with one’s demons
becomes a never-ending war, where there are no winners — only losses.
The second
track (Lilith) continues exploring the destructive aspects of human nature,
plunging the listener into the dark world of addictions that consume a person,
turning them into a shadow of their former self.
The album
concludes with a track
(Echoes of Eternity) dedicated
to memories of long-gone times. It evokes nostalgia for something that will
never return, yet preserves the warmth of a dream that, perhaps, will one day
come true.
6. The album artwork, created by Kateryna
Shlapachuk, features a demonic woman’s face in profile, symbolizing internal
decay and the fragility of reality. How did this visual concept come to life,
and how does it connect with the album’s themes?
The artwork
reflects the themes of disintegration and inner turmoil. The shattered-glass
effect symbolizes broken reality, while the woman’s demonic profile represents
the duality within us all—the human and the monster, the light and the dark.
It’s a visual metaphor for the emotional and psychological fractures we explore
throughout the album.
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7. Since Swarm Effect is now primarily a
studio project, how do you approach songwriting and recording? Do you find the
distance between band members presents unique opportunities or limitations in
your creative process?
Mostly it
is a restriction for the songwriting process. But you can work on your parts
individually, as much as needed.
8. With the modern world often feeling like
it’s teetering on the edge, Cotard's Syndrome presents an almost prophetic
reflection of societal collapse. What message or emotions do you hope listeners
will take away from this album?
It's a
reminder that even in the face of inevitable destruction, there’s still chance
and place for life. There is a call to live life to the fullest, even if it is
difficult.
9. You’ve maintained a close connection to
your roots in Kropyvnytskyi, despite the physical distance. How does your
Ukrainian heritage and the changes in your personal lives influence the music
and direction of Swarm Effect?
This
question is more appropriate to our vocalist Illia Shapovalov, who now lives in
Portugal :
«The war and distance have undoubtedly influenced our approach to songwriting and the mood of our tracks. Since many of my friends and relatives are still in Kropyvnytskyi and Ukraine, and I myself lived there during the war in the eastern part of the country that began in 2014, this experience is deeply reflected in the music. You can feel the suppressed state of the human soul in the songs, a sense of despair that seems inescapable, but from which there is always a way out. There is also a call to fight these feelings so they don't consume you completely.In some of the songs, there's a recurring theme about how illusory freedom truly is and how quickly that illusion, constructed by the government, can crumble when things go wrong—the war showed us all this very clearly. At the same time, living in another country has provided the opportunity to see the world beyond the borders of Ukraine, giving new ideas and inspirations for how we approach creating our songs».
10. What’s next for Swarm Effect? Do you have
any plans for future releases, or perhaps even live performances despite the
logistical challenges of living in different countries?
After the
album, we are going to drop a few singles. We are a studio project so far, but
we hope one day to get finally to the stage. This is a complicated issue and
depends on the war in Ukraine and the ability to cross the board.
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