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Origins & Vision
1. Öröklét translates to “Eternity.” What does this concept mean to you personally,
and how did it shape the direction of the album?
The album’s title perfectly captures the message of the new songs. Throughout the record, we
explore themes such as respect for the past and our connection to it – how honoring what came
before us can give knowledge and people a kind of eternal life. On a personal level, this
concept means the same to me. I believe immortality can only be achieved by respecting our
ancestors and passing on the knowledge and values we inherited from them to future
generations.
2. WitcheR has always balanced atmospheric black metal with classical
influences. At what moment in your career did you realize this fusion would
become your signature sound?
It developed largely on an instinctive level. It’s important to know that Karola is a trained
musician with a university degree, who has been playing the piano since childhood and is
deeply familiar with classical music – she listens to it and performs it regularly. When she sits
down to write songs, a classical influence is naturally present in her compositions, and this
has been part of our sound from the very beginning. We already paid conscious attention to
this on our first album, when we adapted one of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s choral works.
3. Your statement describes the album as “a gateway.” What do you hope listeners
will discover on the other side?
A world that stands in complete contrast to the modern one. A place where the spoken word
carried real weight, where ancient knowledge and respect for our ancestors were not
persecuted, and where a person could find peace and solace within the melodies.
Music & Composition
4. The adaptation of Franz Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 2 – Andante con moto is a
standout track. Why Schubert? What made this piece the right one to
reinterpret?
It was Karola’s idea. Just like with our previous classical adaptations, she felt this piece would
be suitable for reinterpretation in a black metal style, in the signature WitcheR sound. I
believe she was absolutely right. The piece already carries an incredible atmosphere on its
own, and on top of that, it fits perfectly as the closing track of the album.
5. When composing, which usually comes first for WitcheR — the orchestral
vision or the black metal foundation?
The first and most important element that emerges is always the central melody. We consider
it crucial that only themes that are memorable and strong on their own make it onto the
album. Once these are established, Karola develops the accompanying arrangements, and only
after that does the black metal foundation come into play.
6. The atmosphere in your music is ritualistic and cinematic. Do you picture specific
landscapes, characters, or stories while composing?
It’s not typical for us, but for Karola, it’s quite common that some melodies are born at night,
even during sleep. She practically dreams them into existence. I believe our surroundings play
an important role in this process. We are surrounded by vast forests, mountains, and valleys,
and nature serves as a huge source of inspiration for us.
Themes & Folklore
7. Witchcraft, Hungarian folklore, and resistance to the modern world are
recurring topics in your lyrics. How does folklore influence your philosophy as a
band?
That’s an interesting question. We live in an environment where witchcraft is still a living
belief system among the older generations. The way these elders live and perceive the world
provides us with enormous inspiration for our lyrics. Sadly, there are very few of them left,
and this gives us a sense of mission to try to keep these traditions alive through our music,
lyrics, and album artwork.
8. Many modern bands embrace technology as an essential tool. Yet your themes
resist modernization. Where is the line drawn between using technology and
rejecting it as a concept?
Our issue isn’t with technology itself or technological progress. Our resistance is more
ideological. We cannot accept the way an increasing part of modern society thinks, how
anything that comes from the past is immediately rejected, even persecuted. I don’t know how
it is in America, but in Europe, if you are proud of your roots and your past, you can quickly
be seen as an enemy by many. We believe this is wrong, and it’s this form of resistance that is
expressed through WitcheR. I also think black metal is the most suitable genre for this, as it
has always been about respect for our ancestors. Just look at the Norwegian black metal bands
of the 1990s.
Sound & Production
9. Öröklét was fully recorded, mixed, and mastered by the band at Vrag’s Forest
Studio. How does complete control of production enhance your artistic
expression?
Over the past few years, we’ve spent a lot of time and money developing our own studio to a
level where we can produce recordings of acceptable quality. This gives us a huge advantage
because we aren’t bound by time constraints. I get very frustrated if I can’t work on my music
at my own pace. If I want, I can make changes even months after the recordings. In a
traditional studio, this wouldn’t be possible – or it would come with significant extra costs.
We can freely experiment with sounds and tempos, whenever we feel like it, not just when
we’re required to. This freedom is invaluable for our creativity.
10. Creating such atmospheric depth requires strong synergy. What is your creative
dynamic as a duo when sculpting these layers of sound?
It’s interesting, we’ve never been asked this question before, even though it’s very important.
In life, Karola and I are complete opposites, yet creatively we have an incredible synergy.
This doesn’t mean we don’t have minor disagreements while writing songs, but we share the
same vision for the final result. We work together very efficiently, and Karola helps me a lot
since she’s a trained musician, whereas I play music by ear.
Influences & Evolution
11. Summoning, early Dimmu Borgir, and Wolves in the Throne Room are credited
as inspirations. Today, do you feel WitcheR influences its own creative direction
more than outside bands?
I believe so. Summoning and early Dimmu Borgir have certainly been very important
influences, but over time, I think we’ve managed to develop a unique atmosphere that makes
WitcheR immediately recognizable. This wasn’t a conscious decision on our part – it’s more
the result of our ongoing evolution.
12. Since forming in 2010, how has your understanding of darkness, melancholy, and
atmosphere evolved?
Fifteen years is a long time, so in many ways, I think it’s natural that we’ve grown in every
aspect. Yet one thing hasn’t changed: our approach. Even today, creation remains our primary
focus: writing better songs and leaving something lasting behind. Over these fifteen years,
we’ve developed a lot as musicians, as people, and in terms of recording quality. These
changes have shaped us to some extent, but anyone listening to our first demo and our latest
album can still clearly feel the connection. This stubborn persistence is something that is very
important to us in life as well.
Artwork & Aesthetic
13. The artwork by Grafit & Hamu Artworks visually mirrors the album’s mystical
themes. What role does visual art play in enhancing your music’s message?
A strong album cover plays a huge role in a record’s success. This is especially important
today, and for us, it was crucial that it wasn’t an AI-generated image, but a piece created by a
real artist. This artwork was made by Balázs Pénzes (Grafit & Hamu Artworks), an incredibly
talented Hungarian artist, and I think he did a fantastic job. In terms of both the message and
the atmosphere, he managed to elevate the album to a higher level. This is the fourth time
we’ve worked with Balázs, and we’re so on the same wavelength that he’s delivered his best
work for us every single time. In the future, we want to work only with him!
14. If Öröklét could be experienced beyond audio — as a film, poem, or ritual — how
would it manifest?
Azt hiszem erre tökéletes választ szolgáltunk a két videoklippel, ami készült a lemezhez. A
két klip érdekessége, hogy együtt alkotnak egy nagy egészet, mint egy kisfilm, ami a hangulat
szempontjából szerintem nagyszerűen aláfesti a dalokat. Ezeket is teljes egészében önerőből,
külső segítség nélkül készítettük, és pontosan olyan hatást értünk el vele, amit megálmodtunk.
Ajánlom őket az olvasók figyelmébe:
WitcheR – Örökség (Official Music Video):
WitcheR – Szélhozó (Official Music Video):
Legacy & Future
15. Since Öröklét is framed as a record dealing with eternity, how do you see
WitcheR’s place in the future of atmospheric black metal?
This is a difficult question to answer for several reasons. First, even within the atmospheric
black metal genre, WitcheR appeals to a niche audience. We’re not complaining, we have a
lot of loyal fans and have received incredible support, but if we, for example, wrote faster,
shorter songs, we could definitely reach more people. However, then it wouldn’t be WitcheR.
In the future, we will continue working persistently to reach as many people as possible, but
nowadays, for a band that doesn’t perform live, this is particularly challenging. We trust that
we’ve already managed to create something lasting within the genre, and we’re grateful to our
fans for supporting us over the years.
16. The vinyl edition arrives soon. Will there be exclusive material, unique artwork,
or collector elements tied to the release?
That’s correct, the vinyls have already been produced and will soon arrive at the label. By the
time this interview is published, they may even be available for purchase. There won’t be any
extras with the standard vinyl release, although there was a limited run of 50 copies that came
with a patch and extra sticker, but those have already sold out in pre-orders.
17. Your music feels timeless and intentionally disconnected from trends. Do you
think black metal fans today are seeking a return to mystery, ritual, and depth?
I really hope so, because we belong to the generation for whom this meant a great deal, and
still does today. We loved the time when we could only see bands on album covers, in
fanzines, or perhaps live on stage. In the world of social media, however, we now even know
what some of our former heroes had for lunch. That’s not something that fits with our
approach. We are active on social media, but we only share posts related to the band and our
universe. Of course, I know that if we gave more insight into our personal lives, we could
reach more people, but that’s not our plan. This is how we try to preserve the mystique!