Formed in 2021 by Alec (guitar) and Marc (vocals), Widertod has quickly established itself in the German black metal scene. Their debut album, Anemoia, received critical acclaim for its haunting atmosphere and diverse sound. The band is now gearing up for a new chapter with a solidified lineup and a forthcoming album that promises to delve into the depths of life, death, and the abyss of humanity. The band explores German colonial era with friends for their new Album.
Serial Metalbums: Can you tell us the story of how Widertod was formed? What inspired the creation of the band, and how did the original lineup come together?
Marc and Alec: We, the two founding members Alec (guitar) and Marc (vocals), have known each other since our school days and have always madei music together and in different constellations. We grew up with metal and gradually fell in love with black metal, and so our project WIDERTOD was born in 2021. We recorded three songs in our own small basement studio at the time and released a self-titled EP in 2022.
Serial Metalbums: Widertod has announced a new lineup. Could you introduce the current members and tell us how this change has shaped the band’s vision and dynamic? Did it influence the way you approach music or collaboration?
Marc and Alec: We really wanted to bring the music to the stage, but it was important to us not just to have a line-up for situational gigs, but to find guys who enjoy the music and want to identify with the band in the long term. After a long search, we were lucky and found three amazing guys who are not only musically outstanding, but also fit perfectly on a personal level. WIDERTOD now consists of:
Simon (drums)
Stefan (guitar)
Alec (guitar) and
Marc (vocals)
We are currently focusing primarily on playing live, but we are also writing songs for a new album in parallel. We are looking forward to the individual influence of our members. So far, the bass has been played by Alec and the drums have been programmed and then recorded by a studio drummer. We are hoping for a more dedicated and sophisticated sound together as a unit this time.
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Yannik, Simon, Marc, Stefan, Alec |
Marc and Alec: The response to our EP was overwhelming and, to be honest, unexpected. We are more than grateful to have been offered the opportunity to release a full-length album with VENDETTA Records. The album followed on seamlessly from that and received a lot of positive feedback. Overall, we think that Anemoia gives listeners a good opportunity to experience the musical range of Widertod. We wanted to cover different styles that we personally love to listen to, combined with a unique WIDERTOD sound.
Serial Metalbums: The themes and atmosphere of Anemoiaare hauntingly immersive. Can you walk us through the creative process behind this album, from concept to execution?
Marc and Alec: We spent about a year writing Anemoia. The album is meant to be a journey through a collection of stories that, on the one hand, seem far away but at the same time feel very intimate and familiar. Speaking for us, some of the songs have very personal backgrounds.
During the album recording, one of our beloved friends, who was substantially involved in the songwriting, sadly and suddenly passed away, which greatly intensified the emotional connection to the songs. He was, for example, significantly involved in the lyrics for Apollo and Anemoia.
Regarding the process, we usually start with the melodies and a rough structure and let the vibe of the song take effect on us. This is how a theme and a concept emerge, which we then develop. In the end, we had a collection of short stories that we wanted to illustrate with the feeling of “Anemoia – Nostalgia for a time or a place one has never known”.
Serial Metalbums: With a new album on the horizon, how has the creative process evolved compared toAnemoia? Does the new lineup bring fresh ideas or perspectives? Can you share any early insights into the direction of this new record? Are there specific themes, sounds, or concepts you are exploring?
Marc and Alec: We are sticking to our general approach, but we are pleased with the influence of our bandmembers and friends. In the background, we worked together with incredible musicians (e.g. Fabian - Tagmata) for a long time and enjoy various influences.
The new album will probably deal with life and death and everything in between. Alec is currently experimenting a lot with classical Spanish music, since our music always had a major Spanish influence. So you will probably hear more of that. And now, we have a bassist, a drummer and another guitarist who can contribute both their skills and their own ideas.
Serial Metalbums: Germany has a strong black metal scene with a rich history. How does Widertod fit into this landscape, and what do you hope to contribute to the genre? Are there any particular challenges or advantages you’ve experienced being part of the German extreme metal community?
Marc and Alec: We wanted to make our own attempt to pay tribute to the genre and not necessarily stick to one particular style. We love many different German metal bands and enjoy the diversity. We simply make the music we want to listen to ourselves, and if others like it, it's a win for everyone.
A challenge in this genre are definitely the political vibrations. We clearly distance ourselves from the right-wing and are happy to have found a home in the VENDETTA family, which includes a rich musical diversity and many great people.
Serial Metalbums: Black metal often draws from philosophical, cultural, or even historical influences. Are there specific aspects of German culture or history that inspire Widertod’s work?
Marc and Alec: There is actually a song inspired by the German colonial era, but we brought in our friends from the Dutch band “Walg” for this, because this is a dark chapter in the history of both our countries. But in the end, it doesn't matter if it's German culture or history or from anywhere else in the world or even from a time that has not yet been written... we let ourselves be driven by the abysses of humanity, life and death and the philosophical and scientific to express our spirit of black metal.
Serial Metalbums: As musicians, what motivates you to continue creating in such an intense and demanding genre as black metal? Outside of music, what influences you creatively? Are there books, art, or life experiences that find their way into Widertod’s sound?
Marc and Alec: First and foremost, we make music because we love music. If there are people in the world who share this passion for our music with us, that's motivation enough to keep going. We are all involved in other music genres as well and are generally artistically inclined.
We could now list books, films or artists, that inspired us. But ultimately the current world events show us that the most macabre, shocking and disgusting things are happening right before our eyes and we are experiencing them as we speak.
Serial Metalbums: Finally, what would you like to say to your fans, myself included?
Marc and Alec: We would like to thank all of you very much for your incredible feedback and support. We read and appreciate every single comment or contribution. We are currently preparing to plan shows and perform the music live for you, as well as writing new material. You can be excited, we are too.