Interview UNINHIBITED

UNINHIBITED has just released their full-length album "Reign of the Unholy," blending brutal death metal with dark atmospheric elements. We discuss their creative process, influences, and future plans.

1. "Reign of the Unholy" was just released on October 4th, 2024. Can you walk us through the creative process behind the album and what inspired its dark themes?

First of all thanks for having us! It is always a pleasure with you guys!

We started working on “Reign of the Unholy” in December 2023. Basically there are guitar riffs first which I sketch on my computer in order to have some first arrangement of a song. Some ideas work and some I drop, it is trial and error - at least for me. Once I think a certain song would work musically I send it over to Basti, who will figure out lyrics and some vocal lines. Then we are in a loop of listening and adapting. We try to create a certain atmosphere both musically and of course via the lyrics and the message of a song.

I can tell that some songs were finished very quickly like within one day for example the title track “Reign of the Unholy” whereas other songs like “Death Machine” took a bit longer until we were fully satisfied with the results. All tracks were recorded at home and we had Ilarion (Ukraine) who again helped us out with Mixing & Mastering. He really knows what knobs to turn and working with him is just awesome although we are living in different countries.

2. This is your first full-length album after the release of your EP, "Ascend the Plank." How do you feel you've evolved as a band from the EP to "Reign of the Unholy?"

Well, we actually continued with where we started with ”Ascend the Plank”. Since Basti and I are not living in the same city, we need to find ways to work on the stuff individually. I think we even became a better team in terms of how we work and how we adapt to feedback. I would say that we are pretty efficient when it comes to shaping a certain idea!

With respect to the production this time we really wanted to add some own character to how it feels and how it sounds! “Ascend the Plank” already sounded awesome in our opinion but this time we wanted to even make it sound more old-school and brutal! The sound is very dense and thick and we scooped the mids overall which really gives it that old-school vibe!

3. UNINHIBITED blends brutal death metal elements with atmospheric and dark passages. How do you strike the balance between aggression and atmosphere in your music?

We consider ourselves as being a Death Metal band and that’s why aggression comes first. Some parts are really meant to be “in your face” and those are just guitar, bass, drums and vocals without any effects or any additional layers. For other parts we are playing around with some textures like adding delays to certain phrases or we add as we call it “ambient” guitar tracks. Those tiny layers add harmony or rather disharmony to some parts of a song which is a very powerful tool to create a certain atmosphere within a song. The right balance comes with the right amount of contrast between brutal and atmospheric parts. In the end the song will tell you.

4. You mentioned that bands like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, and Entombed have influenced your sound. Can you tell us how these influences shaped specific aspects of "Reign of the Unholy?"

Those bands are just great, they shaped the whole genre and we grew up by listening to their music! Of course, those influences are present during songwriting, but not in a way that we are trying to clone those old masters.

I can give you a few examples: Pete Sandoval from Morbid Angel in my opinion has the best style of playing blast beats. It is exactly that organic but aggressive way of playing that style of music which we take as a benchmark sometimes. In the song “Whisper your Farewell” you get some OBITUARY vibes, which is because of a specific chord shape they are using.

In a song like “Widow Maker” you can hear that rolling groove that we all know and love from BOLT THROWER. Basti (vocals) is a huge fan of older CANNIBAL CORPSE stuff and to my ears sometimes I can hear similarities although I think his voice is pretty unique and complements our music very well. When it comes to the overall sound I would rather describe it american, rather influenced by the whole Florida Death Metal scene from the early 90ies. If you are more into scandinavian style of Death Metal you should use that one famous guitar pedal, which is the BOSS HM-2. But we are not using that pedal 🙂

5. The album dives into the darkest depths of human existence. Can you share more about the lyrical themes and concepts behind some of the standout tracks?

The album explores a range of deeply emotional and existential themes, with each track delving into different facets of the human condition. Some of the standout tracks focus on themes like isolation, inner turmoil, and the struggle to find meaning in a chaotic world.

As an example some tracks may dive into the feeling of being trapped within one’s own mind, grappling with anxiety and self-doubt, using metaphors of darkness and the deep ocean to express that emotional state and pressure. Other tracks tackle the concept of nihilism, confronting the emptiness that can come with modern existence, war and the overwhelming pressure to find purpose.

Overall, the lyrics combine vivid imagery and raw emotion to navigate some of the darkest aspects of human experience, yet there's often a glimmer of hope or resilience subtly woven in.

6. With you both living in different cities, how has the internet helped in shaping the writing and recording process for the album? Was it a challenge, or did it bring unexpected advantages?

You are right! At first there were challenges but nowadays it is very easy to record and release high quality music at home. Being able to already produce high quality demos makes it very easy to explore the right sounds before you start with the final mixing and mastering process. Working like that for sure has the advantage that you are insanely quick when it comes to creating new music. In a home-studio you can focus 100% and you can record any idea right away in order to share it via MP3 with your band. BUT there is of course nothing better than jamming with your band mates in a dirty smelly rehearsal room. It is loud and you really can achieve something great as a team. Sometimes I really miss that high pitch sound in my ears after a good rehearsal session.

7. Your sound is rooted in old-school death metal, but you also incorporate modern and innovative elements. What new or experimental techniques did you try on "Reign of the Unholy?"

Not sure if that is innovative, but I was suffering on a strong fever when I had the idea for the final part of “Invocation of Eternal Suffering”. That part is pure mayhem and probably not suited for the allround Heavy Metal fan, haha! The intro of the song “Death Machine” was done with a “telephone” sound effect and lots of delay. Together with the drums it just sounds so huge before it enters the main parts!.

One of my personal highlights on the record is the last song, which is called “Solace”. It is really dark and sinister from start to end and the idea was to have the verses like a psalm, almost in a spoken words style. I think it turned out very well, check this one out if you haven't yet!

8. Death metal often explores intense, grim themes. How do you personally connect with the darker subject matter, and what message do you hope listeners take away from your music?

Death metal does dive into some intense and grim themes, but for us, it's a way to confront the darker aspects of life head-on. The music allows us to explore emotions and experiences that might otherwise be suppressed - anger, fear, despair - through a creative lens. Personally, we connect with these themes because they reflect real struggles that we all go through in different ways, whether it's personal loss, existential crisis, or just dealing with the harsh realities of the world.

What we hope listeners take away from the music is that darkness doesn't have to be something to shy away from. By facing it, whether in music or in life, we can find strength, resilience and even catharsis. There's a raw honesty in death metal that can be liberating. It’s not about glorifying the darkness but understanding it, processing it, and in a way, finding your own sense of power within it.

9. As a two-man band, how do you approach live performances? Do you plan on touring in support of the new album, and how do you recreate the album's intensity on stage?

We currently have no plans to perform live. Also, or precisely because each of us already has quite a few live shows under our belts from our hardcore days. But hey, never say never! I think it would be incredibly exciting and appealing to try out how the songs would sound in the rehearsal room or live! Since Basti and I shared so many stages in the past I think we could recreate the intensity of UNINHIBITED and bring it on a stage in general. But as I said this is not what we are planning to do at the moment.

10. Finally, what are your future plans for UNINHIBITED? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited to share with your fans?

We are more than happy that “Reign of the Unholy” was finally released and we are so grateful about the positive feedback we got from all over the world! Thanks to all our fans!

There is no standstill, Basti and I are already working on new songs! Probably early next year we will have enough material that we will share with you!

Thanks for that interview, we really appreciate it!

UNINHIBITED | Ascend The Plank – UNINHIBITED | Death Metal (uninhibited-death.com)