Aeternus Prophet, formed in 2010, has carved a unique niche within the Ukrainian Black/Death Metal scene, blending heavy riffs with profound philosophical themes. Founders Dessident (drummer) and Oberon (guitarist) embarked on this musical journey fueled by their desire to explore concepts such as natural selection and the creeping apocalypse through their lyrics. Their commitment to intellectual development and experimentation in sound has not only shaped their music but also resonated deeply with fans, setting them apart in a genre often dominated by brute force. As they prepare for their third studio album, the band reflects on their evolution, the impact of socio-political challenges, and their vision for the future.
Interview with Dessident (Drums) and Oberon (Guitar)
Serial Metalbums: Aeternus Prophet was created in 2010 and since then has established itself on the Ukrainian Black/Death Metal scene. Can you share the story behind the formation of the band? What inspired you to come together and create music under the name "Eternal Prophet"? The name Aeternus Prophet implies a deep, almost philosophical perspective. How does the concept of eternal prophecy relate to your music and lyrical themes?
Aeternus Prophet: Hello, yes, the guitarist and I put together a band - I am the drummer of the band, and to some extent - the founder of this idea - that you need to play heavy metal, yes, Oberon and I thought about a philosophical concept for a long time before creation, this work began in 2008 - it is the philosophy - in 2010 we were able to assemble a band, but from 2010 to 2025 - our band passed there are a lot of problems and trials, at this stage we have understood a lot of things in this world, but not everything... But yes - the idea of our band - Aeternus Prophet - our band wanted to convey with lyrics - the idea of a creeping apocalypse that has been walking around the world since 2010 - until 2025 inclusive!!!
Serial Metalbums: Your songs promote intellectual development and natural selection, concepts that are quite unique to extreme metal. Can you talk about how these ideas influence your lyrics and overall creative direction? Aeternus Prophet combines elements of Black and Death Metal. What artists or genres have had the greatest influence on the formation of your sound?
Aeternus Prophet: We chose this concept so that people read our texts and develop comprehensively, our band with a paper translator translated the texts of the band Rammstien and the band - Dimmu Borgir - this is only at the stage of formation of our band, but then our band listened to even heavier and heavier bands. both in terms of sound and in terms of written texts - well - over time we started listening to bands like Deathspell Omega and experimental black metal, that motivated us to study more and more different philosophies, Oberon was influenced by bands such as Rammstein and Ufomammut, I was influenced as a drummer by Behemoth \ Slipknot\DEATHSPELL OMEGA \ Svartidaudi \ Fleshpress \ Stabat Mater \ Mayhem \ Satyricon \ Totalitarian and many RAW BLACK METAL bands and Depressive black metal bands, but this is purely as a philosophy, nothing more.
Serial Metalbums: Ruthlessness, your debut album, was released in 2012. Thinking back on it now, how do you rate that record and its impact on your career?
Aeternus Prophet: This was our first album, and the first recording in the studio, it was essentially amateur, as we did not know what it was - work in a recording studio, but everything came to a certain development - I am a drummer - I rewrote my parts many times , and it gave us a hardening as musicians, that this is all - recording is not an easy job, as it seems at first glance .....!
Serial Metalbums: Your second album, released in 2016, marked a new chapter for the band. How did it differ from Ruthlessness in terms of themes, production and overall vision?
Aeternus Prophet: Based on the previous experience, we took into account many situations, so the work on the second album was more professional and easier, since we had already recorded it with a certain amount of sound recording, the lyrics became a bit more complicated, and also the sound of the 2016 album, it was the face of that time for the band - we worked at different jobs - and there was no time for the weekend - we went to the studio to record an album, and after the weekend we got back to of everyday work that was not related to music, that sound and lyrics - maximum cruel, how cruel and difficult that time was for us... that year 2016 was quite not easy, but productive for our band....!
Aeternus Prophet: Our first album was recorded by our own forces - and also published by our own forces, Ukrainian labels cited the fact that the music was too heavy, foreign labels then wrote that on the contrary - the music was too light, so our band could not please the labels at the time that well - we decided to release it independently, since the disc was released independently - it did not receive a large advertising campaign, and was heard as a limited release audioria, but it all turned out so in 2021 that our band contacted a label from the USA - and it was reissued in 2022 - at the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and this disc was already heard in the USA and the EU by some metal fans and journalists, and not only in Ukraine, somehow.
Serial Metalbums: Over the years, Aeternus Prophet has performed at several festivals and shows. Are there any performances or events that stand out to you as particularly meaningful or memorable?
Aeternus Prophet: If you look at it this way, for me as a drummer and the founder of the band - all the performances are cool and unique - one of the turning points was the performance at the festival - Metal Man - it was a performance in Kyiv, it was very cool and a damn mega fest , in the sense that there were somewhat complicated conditions - the bands came - and had to draw a ticket - on which the name of the band was written
what is the name written - Cannibal Corpse - the band should play - a cover of Sannibal Corpse, and so on, we got a ticket - COVER METALLICA - NO REMORSE - OUR band played a very heavy - black death metal cover - No REMORSE, and the guitarist Oberon liked it metal fest in Odesa - BLACK SEA METAL FEST - And our first tour in Poland in 2018. - BLACK ABYSS TOUR
Serial Metalbums: In recent years, the Ukrainian metal scene has faced significant challenges. How has the current socio-political climate affected your music, your ability to perform, and the wider metal community in Ukraine? What do you think about the Ukrainian underground scene today? Are there other local bands that you think deserve more recognition?
Aeternus Prophet: Yes, in 2022, at the beginning of the war, our band re-released our 1st studio album on the label in the USA, INVIMA RECORDS - and we thought that our band would be able to do a small tour in the USA, but a full-scale war began, and at first some members joined the ranks Armed Forces of Ukraine, when there were battles in the Kyiv region, everything was very tense, since the Russians were already close to our homes, some participants could not to survive to these days, but with joint efforts the Russians were defeated in the Kyiv region, and life has improved here, but at the moment - one of our active vocalists - Abaddon - is in the Armed Forces, and he was contused, when he was on vacation due to an injury, we were able to do an open rehearsal for a small number of fans - on YouTube - Aeternus Prophet -Session with Abaddon part I, AND AT THIS MOMENT - 3 former participants are in the war in Donbas, and 1 active participant. Many bands that deserve recognition from Ukraine are already abroad and perform in the EU and the USA.
Serial Metalbums: Waiting for your third studio album. Can you tell us about the new material? How does it compare to your previous work in terms of themes, style or experimentation? Are there any specific goals or messages you hope to convey with this upcoming album?
Aeternus Prophet: Ideologically, in terms of text, we write what we see and feel, when the fighting in 2022 in the Kyiv region has stopped, we thought hard about everything that is happening and so we came to the point that we write more thought-provoking and slow riffs, in general the concept goes - the evolution and development, development and degradation of all world processes, if we speak for the texts, and also - the material is very powerful, subscribe to our pages on Instagram and YouTube - you will see updates of our material!!! THANK YOU FOR THE INTERVIEW!!! STAY METAL
