The 15-Year Milestone & “Metempsychosis” EP
- Fifteen years is a monumental achievement in extreme music. What has been the single most important factor in Reaping Asmodeia’s longevity and cohesion? Alex~ Summed down to a main factor, I would have to say a shared and very deep love for extreme metal performance. Beyond the music is the live expression that we each individualize, then bring together as a team on stage.
- The EP is titled Metempsychosis, which means the transmigration of a soul into a new body. How does this concept reflect the band’s current state—with a returning bassist, new vocalist, and this 15-year milestone? Alex~ Any group of individuals over this span of time is bound to either grow or stagnate. “Reaping” has ridden the ups and downs. We now feel right where we need to be as a group of comrades, striving to put a piece of ourselves in the world while still having a great time doing it.
- This cover is described as the “final piece” of a year-long singles run. Looking back, what was the strategy behind releasing singles throughout the year to build towards this anniversary EP? Alex~ Writing our music takes time. in 2025 we split our focus between some great tour opportunities, new instruments and writing/recording some of our first material in this present cadre. From the beginning we planned a cover to conclude the EP. Chimaira are a great example of a band putting in the work and defining their place in Metal. The Self-Titled Album also kicks an immense amount of ass and was core listening to most of us in our youth.
The Chimaira Cover: “Nothing Remains”
- You chose “Nothing Remains,” a track from Chimaira’s seminal self-titled album. Beyond its heaviness, what specific element of that song—its structure, its groove, its lyrical theme—made it the perfect vehicle for a Reaping Asmodeia reimagining? Alex~ Have you heard the original? It is so fucking heavy! We could realistically only pick one and it’s the first track.
- Daniel mentioned putting your “own spin” on it. What defines the “Reaping Asmodeia spin” on a New Wave of American Heavy Metal classic? Is it in the technicality, the production, or a darker atmosphere? Alex ~Overall we aimed to stay true to the original. A few tempos were adjusted, and parts slightly held. Diving in, we found deeper layers of the song we didn’t necessarily notice before. It was in recreating these that our creativity was pushed.
- With the original being such a landmark, were there any parts you felt you absolutely could not change, versus parts you felt compelled to overhaul? Alex~ Structurally and lyrically we remained consistent with the orignial release.
Lineup Evolution & New Energy
- Jakub, welcome back. What’s different about the band’s energy and vision now compared to when you were first in the lineup, and what made returning the right move?
Jakub~ The band’s early energy had a sense of newness. When I first joined Reaping Asmodeia I knew Daniel and Alex, but I had not played music with Tim or Matt. So for me it was new friends and personalities. New music to learn and a new flow for the shows and the stage vibe. As we all settled in the newness just turned into pure excitement that we got to make music together and go on our adventures together. When I rejoined I was very nervous about integrating again and not feeling like an outsider or feeling like I can’t keep up. Luckily none of my fears were real. In certain ways it was like I never left. The music flowed easily, the vibe was fun, and the energy was over the top! As for the vision of the band, I don’t actually feel like it has changed all that much. We still want to write heavy music. Music that is fast and pummeling. We want to tour and share our music with people. We want to push ourselves to have an engaging and energetic live performance.
8. Eric, as the new vocalist, how did you approach honoring the visceral delivery of the original “Nothing Remains” while imprinting your own identity on it?
Production & The Minneapolis Sound
- The track was self-produced and engineered by the band with Alex Kelly and Adam Tucker. What was the production goal for this cover? Was it to achieve a modern, brutal clarity, or capture a more raw, live-sounding aggression? Alex~ We knew doing such a monumental song, there would be a lot of ears listening. We did our best to give it justice while maintaining our familiar heavy tone. There were some lessons learned in this particular song that we will take with us into our future releases.
- Reaping Asmodeia is a pillar of the Minneapolis tech-death scene. How has being from that specific Midwestern hub shaped your sound and your DIY ethic over 15 years? Alex~ We are very proud of our provenance. Minneapolis boasts a great scene and there are a lot of supporting bands cheering each other’s accomplishments. We are also older school dudes. We understand our opportunities are initiated in our consistency showing up and showing out.
The Anniversary Shows & Legacy
- The 15-year anniversary show features a stacked local lineup (Maul, The Enmity Offensive, etc.). What does it mean to celebrate this milestone surrounded by peers from the scene you helped build? Alex~ We love hometown shows. Over the years we’ve put friends or other local talent we enjoy on our bills. Included were musicians whom a few of us shared bands within our early careers. The night was filled with affirmation that Midwestern metal is at the top of it’s game and the crowds aren’t scared to show up and have a great time!
- A documentary is premiering about the band’s history. For longtime fans, what’s one story or era you hope the documentary captures that might be lesser-known? Alex~ The documentary has been coming together very nicely. We’ve done well documenting & cataloguing our endeavours over fifteen years. I think our audience is in for something truly special. Alot of great nostalgic media from the early days will surely scratch and Reapers’ itches.
- Looking at your “For Fans Of” list (Despised Icon, The Black Dahlia Murder), you exist at a crossroads of deathcore, tech-death, and melodic death metal. After 15 years, how would you define the Reaping Asmodeia sound? Alex~ Death Metal, I mean Deathcore, I mean Progressicle Technissive Dore Ceath
- With Metempsychosis marking a rebirth, what’s the next mission for Reaping Asmodeia? Is the focus on writing new original material with this lineup, or taking this renewed energy on the road? Alex~ We aim to stay relevant and thus will be on the road in 2026. However, over the next handful of months, we are hunkering down to write the next fresh RA jingle jams 😉
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