The Host, a Brazilian extreme metal band formed in 2004, has navigated the tumultuous waters of the Black and Death Metal genres with a commitment to exploring themes of darkness and rebellion. After a hiatus that allowed them to refine their musical vision, they returned in 2022 with renewed energy, ready to unveil their debut full-length album, "Ars Tenebrarum." Founding member W.A.R. reflects on their journey from the raw intensity of their early EP "War, Chaos and Blasphemies..." to the more polished sound of their upcoming work, which promises to challenge listeners with its exploration of chaos and resistance against dogmatic control.
Serial Metalbums: The Host has been active for quite some time, releasing your debut EP “War, Chaos and Blasphemies...” back in 2006. Could you share with us the story of how the band was formed and how it has evolved over the years?
W.A.R.: The Host was formed in 2004 within the realms of Black Metal, gradually incorporating Death Metal elements into our music. This evolution happened naturally, as we have always been drawn to both Black Metal and Death Metal genres. Combining them allowed us to create a style that reflects our favorite musical aspects. The band was born from a shared desire to explore themes of darkness, chaos, and rebellion through music, blending raw intensity with well placed melodic and atmospheric touches.
The early months were marked by intense songwriting and rehearsals, leading to the release of our first demo yet in 2004, followed by a second demo in 2005, and culminating in the EP “War, Chaos and Blasphemies...” in 2006, which was re released in 2009 by a brazilian label. However, in 2010, we faced a significant setback with the departure of our drummer, forcing the band to go on hold. During this hiatus, each member pursued separate endeavors outside the band. After a long break, we reunited in 2022 with renewed energy and vision.
From our hiatus to our return, we evolved both musically and conceptually, refining our ideas while staying true to the essence of the band: delivering a powerful mix of aggression, speed, and dark atmospheres. Between mid-2022 and 2024, we focused on composing and recording our debut full-length album, “Ars Tenebrarum”, re-recording tracks from “War, Chaos and Blasphemies...” to give them new life, and creating and recording additional tracks for a future release.
In September 2024, we unveiled the first single from “Ars Tenebrarum”, “Blasphemare MMXXIII”, followed by the second single, “The Origin Through the Void”, in December. A third single is planned for February 2025, with the full album scheduled for release in the second half of 2025. Over the years, we’ve faced lineup changes and personal challenges, but our dedication to our art and the themes we explore has only grown stronger. The passion that fueled us in the beginning has evolved into a more mature form of expression today, yet remains just as visceral.
Serial Metalbums: How would you describe the essence of The Host to someone discovering your music for the first time? What sets you apart in the Black/Death Metal scene? Brazil has a rich history of extreme metal. How has the local scene influenced your sound and shaped your identity as a band?
W.A.R.: We don’t follow a set formula. We draw from the essence of the genres of metal that influence us, but without being confined to specific definitions. We use these influences as a foundation while crafting something that feels uniquely ours. We need direction when creating our music, and this is our usual approach, which is common among all bands within the genre. Within that framework, we blend our own essence, aiming to explore melody and ferocity in an integrated way, creating an atmosphere that is as intense as it is thought-provoking. We don’t claim to be revolutionary in our music proposal, but we aim to offer a unique interpretation within the genres we explore. Listeners might be the best judges of that. What we can highlight is our commitment to conveying sensations of chaos, weight, aggression, speed, and dark atmospheres in our music. We strive to keep our art driven by the desire to explore our influences, always with themes that reflect the dark reality around us. The Brazilian metal scene has definitely shaped our identity, not only musically but also in how we approach our lyrics. There’s a profound sense of rebellion and challenge in Brazil’s extreme metal scene, and we are deeply influenced by this spirit of resistance.
Serial Metalbums: After the release of your EP in 2006, the band remained relatively quiet for some time. Could you talk about the journey and challenges during that period leading up to your return with new material?
W.A.R.: In fact, to be more precise, the hiatus began after the release of the "Blasphemare" demo in the second half of 2009. After our initial releases, we experienced the mentioned hiatus and had to take a step back. However, this time allowed us to focus on other personal, musical, and professional projects. It also became an important period for refining our approach to creating music, allowing many ideas to take shape during that time and later be used. For quite some time, we had an interest in reviving The Host, but we were living in different cities and had other priorities before 2022. Both the hiatus and the return were unplanned, which is why, for several years, we had the sense that something had been left unfinished, even though there were no clear reasons for it to have been interrupted. The Host always remained alive within us, like a creature lying dormant, waiting to resurface.
In 2022, with all the core members of the band living in the same city again, and with more technological resources at our disposal that made music production faster and more efficient, we seized the opportunity to revive the band. Our goal was to release new material that felt relevant and powerful and to see where it would lead. Things started happening quickly, especially encouraged by the audience's positive reception.
Serial Metalbums: The single from your upcoming album, “Blasphemare MMXXIII”, has already started generating attention. Can you tell us more about the themes and concepts behind the album?
W.A.R.: The single "Blasphemare MMXXIII" lyrically explores themes of subversion and resistance against the imposition of Christian doctrine. It portrays an inverted Catholic mass where pagan beliefs, historically distorted by Christianity, are given voice, challenging the imposed religion and reclaiming their cultural and spiritual significance. There is a clear message of defiance against the dogmas that, throughout history, have sought to suppress humanity's deeper convictions. The song aims to evoke chaos, rebellion, and a visceral force against the enslaving morality of Christianity. It serves both as a critique of dogmatic control and a reflection on the resilience and cultural importance of ancient beliefs that, despite being overshadowed by historical shifts, continue to inspire and provoke thought.
"Ars Tenebrarum" won’t follow a single conceptual thread but will retain many of the themes previously explored by The Host, with greater lyrical refinement. The album delves into the tensions between the sacred and the profane, the inner chaos of the individual, and existential chaos. It also addresses the conflict against religious imposition and its moral fallacies. Furthermore, the album critically examines certain historical aspects that may have been misinterpreted or even manipulated, resulting in beliefs based on questionable foundations. In short, the album is diverse in themes and creates a narrative where the line between reverence and rebellion becomes blurred.
Serial Metalbums: Your latest single, “The Origin Through the Void”, comes with a music video. How did you approach creating the visuals, and how does it complement the song’s message?
W.A.R.: The concept behind the lyrics of “The Origin Through the Void” is highly intricate and challenging to approach visually. It could have been represented through a deeply abstract or cinematic style, but that would have been both difficult to execute and beyond our budget or technical capacity at the time. Ideally, the visuals would juxtapose striking imagery: the creation of the cosmos, its vastness, and the inevitable cycle of birth, destruction, and chaos. We envisioned scenes blending the cosmic creation process with the life cycle of living beings; from embryo to decay and culminating in skeletal remains. This would include imagery of desolation, the passage of time, and the eternal cycle of life and death.; elements that would amplify the oppressive and nihilistic atmosphere the song conveys.
With these limitations in mind, we opted for a simpler and more direct approach, focusing on the studio process instead. This felt natural and unpretentious for everyone involved. The video features me as the primary narrator of the song, representing its philosophical aspect, which complements and expresses one of the central points of the song’s message, with my face obscured, a visual motif that will become a recurring feature in our future works. Even before this video, I had already embraced this imagery, and for those who explore the lyrics, they'll find a deeper explanation for the concept behind this decision, inviting interpretation and reflection
Serial Metalbums: The two singles showcase a powerful blend of aggression and atmosphere. Are these tracks representative of the overall sound and mood of the upcoming album?
W.A.R.: Yes, these singles are a true representation of the overall direction of the album. The album strikes a balance between aggression, atmospheric depth, and intensity, with these tracks specifically chosen to highlight the tension that runs through the entire work. The aggression in the riffs and the atmospheric elements in the background blend to create an immersive listening experience. The album will feature songs composed at different points in the band's history, alongside new compositions, totaling 13 songs, plus an intro and outro. The tracks represent all the material The Host has preserved since our hiatus in 2010, never released before, complemented by new songs and the reinterpretation of Blasphemare you are already familiar with. They vary in style, with some closer to black metal and others influenced more by death metal, reflecting the different eras in which they were composed.
Serial Metalbums: With “Blasphemare MMXXIII”, what do you hope to convey to your audience, both musically and lyrically? Are there any particular songs on the album that hold a special significance for you or the band as a whole?
W.A.R.: With “Blasphemare MMXXIII”, we aim to convey resistance and rejection of religious control in a powerful and visceral way, lyrically and musically. The lyrics serve as a manifesto against Christian dogmas, reflecting on the historical imposition of this religion and its forced silencing and distortion over pagan beliefs.
As for the song with special meaning to the band, “Blasphemare MMXXIII” is undoubtedly the most significant. It marks a turning point in our sound, representing the evolution of The Host. This track captures the aggression and intensity in the same way as the rebellion described in the lyrics, signaling our shift toward a heavier sound with an emphasis on a more death metal-oriented approach, and from this point, we fully embraced the 'blackened death metal' style. The song symbolizes this transition, blending the aggression of death metal with the atmospheric elements of black metal, which now define our current identity.
Serial Metalbums: Looking back at your EP “War, Chaos and Blasphemies...”, what are your thoughts on its place in your discography? Do you still feel connected to the material? And how do you see your musical evolution from the raw energy of the EP to the more polished and mature sound of your current work?
W.A.R.: With each release, we progressively shaped our sound. Our first demo was raw, heavily influenced by the early 90’s black metal scene, while already showing traces of death metal. On the second release, we introduced more melodic sections, incorporated keyboards in some parts, and adopted a more evident cadence in the song structures, creating a more ominous atmosphere but still hinting at death metal influences. “War, Chaos and Blasphemies...” was another significant turning point in our compositions, bringing a more distinct change in our approach and elevating the quality of our sound. With the addition of a drummer who brought greater technicality to the band, we were able to explore blast beats and other death metal elements more freely, which allowed us more creative freedom.
We still feel connected to the energy of that EP. In fact, we’ve re-recorded it and will be re-releasing it soon with a more modern production. It was intense and unapologetic. Our sound has always evolved naturally, as we grew as musicians, and gradually infused more death metal characteristics into our black metal foundation. For example, Blasphemare, that came afterwards “War, Chaos and Blasphemies...”, already leaned much more towards death metal than the songs on the EP.
We’ve now reached a point where we’ve fully realized the vision we always had for our music. This allows us to move beyond the constraints of a single style, blending the genres we’re passionate about with greater freedom. Our current work reflects a more thoughtful and deliberate approach to composition. In the early days, we were driven by the raw energy of the moment, but now we’ve learned to channel that energy into more intricate and carefully crafted songs.
Serial Metalbums: Brazil is home to some legendary extreme metal acts such as Sarcófago, Krisiun... Are there any local bands or musicians that have inspired or supported you throughout your journey?
W.A.R.: The extreme metal scene in Brazil has always been a fundamental part of our influences, for sure. Bands like Sarcófago, Sepultura, Krisiun, and many others set a high standard of intensity and authenticity which we strive to honor and incorporate into our own sound. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to receive support from several local musicians, either through collaborations or the camaraderie that defines the Brazilian underground metal scene. Their contributions have been invaluable in shaping our journey.
Serial Metalbums: Finally, what would you like to say to your fans, both those who have supported you since War, Chaos and Blasphemies... and those discovering you through “Blasphemare MMXXIII”?
W.A.R.: To those who’ve been with us since the early days, thank you for being part of this journey and witnessing our evolution. Your unwavering support has fueled our fire throughout the years. And to those discovering us now, a fiery welcome; we hope our music speaks to you as we push boundaries and evolve with every release. There’s more darkness to come, and we’re grateful to have you by our side as we continue to forge our path.
A massive thanks to Serial Metalbums and your incredible team for the opportunity and the space you’ve given us. Follow us on all social media, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and spread the chaos; your support is what drives us forward. Stay fierce and defiant!
