Hailing from Saint Petersburg, Teufelsdom stands as a dark and uncompromising force in the underground black metal scene. At its core is Drews, guitarist and vocalist of the band, whose vision shapes the project’s haunting identity. From early demos rooted in old-school reverence to the disturbing atmospheres of their recent works, Teufelsdom channels chaos, death, and inner visions into a singular, ritualistic form of expression. In this interview, Drews reflects on the band’s origins, evolution, and the forces behind its creation.
Asmoth: Can you tell us how Teufelsdom was formed in Saint Petersburg, and what initially inspired you to start the band?
Drews: The band was certainly founded here, but many of the ideas had been nurtured for a long time, even when I was living in the Southern Urals. A confluence of circumstances led to my moving to Saint Petersburg, and another set of circumstances led to these ideas being realized. It took a very long time, but I don't regret it, because the materialization of the blasphemous spells happened in due time.
Asmoth: Looking back at your first two demos, what were you aiming to express at that time, and how were they received within the underground scene?
Drews: Let's consider the first demo my tribute to the old bands I like, respect, and still listen to. Incidentally, the first demo includes a song that was written back in 2009 but released much later.
The second demo already represents what Teufelsdom became: a mix of morbid visions, breaking through into our world through the prism of dreams and meditations in frightening and repulsive places, and then materializing in the form of primitive and ornate melodies filled with the stench of evil words.
As for the audience's reaction, there was definitely one. I've only seen two types of feedback: enthusiastic and negative. I think that's a good sign, indicating we're doing everything right.
Asmoth: In what ways did working on those demos help you shape the identity and direction of Teufelsdom before recording your debut album?
Drews: Nothing changed in terms of expression during the first and second demos, nor during the album, and there are no plans for any further changes. It's an internal flame, a fire that comes from without. I'm merely a portal and instrument in these moments, as the author of the material. Fire remains fire, whether it's a match flame or a massive conflagration that devours vast territories in a wildfire.
It's pure creativity. And for me personally, it's not divided into any stages. You see, between the first demos, the split, and the album, there's only that line that allowed them to be created the way they are. They're simply works, complete in time. They may be imperfect or, conversely, somewhat polished in places, but ultimately, it's just one facet of the same thing. At that moment, they could only be what they became.
It ceased to be just a sequence of notes. Everything happened exactly as it was supposed to. Pure chaos, which took shape in an instant and just as quickly vanished.
Asmoth: Your first full-length album Teufelsdom was released in 2025. What was the writing and recording process like, and is there a central concept or theme behind it?
Drews: Visions of Hell. My inner state at the time, as well as a series of events that unfolded over several years, allowed the portal to open. What I saw was given the form of what we can now call the first album.
During the recording of the album, both before and after, we spent a tremendous amount of time with VAASAT at various cemeteries in our region and neighboring ones. It was a veritable necro-pilgrimage. What we observed and experienced greatly influenced the final result, which I think can be described without shame as uncomfortable and unpleasant, but not without its obvious aesthetic appeal.
This is disgusting material. And I think that's a great marker, because Black Metal isn't music first and foremost. It's about that small but important experience. That very crack between worlds. Visions. All of this was done, that's what matters.
Asmoth: What are the main differences between the sound and approach of your early demos and the material presented on Teufelsdom?
Drews: We recorded all the material ourselves. Our recordings evolved as we gained experience from rehearsals and recording sessions. Starting with the second split, we began bringing in a third-party engineer for the major recordings, who could handle the mixing duties. On the first album, it was a colleague from a band we'd previously played in with VAASAT, and on the second, SDST (SS-18, Deathmoor, Misanthropic Art, etc.).
Ultimately, it all comes down to the alchemy of sound. We don't set limits for ourselves, and only time will tell how our sound will transform. A knife is just a tool, and when the time is right, it can be used in different ways.
Asmoth: Saint Petersburg has a strong but often underrated metal scene. How would you describe the local black metal scene there, and how has it influenced your development as a band?
Drews: In my opinion, Saint Petersburg is home to some of the best Black Metal bands in our country. They are all unique and distinct. We certainly maintain contact with other bands. For example, check out bands from: True Ingrian Black Metal Death and Храм Больного Звука circles.
As for sonic influences, I don't think any local bands influenced Teufelsdom. That's what makes the local scene unique. No one tries to imitate each other, but each band has its own unique qualities. However, we respect and listen to old-school music; some of us prefer Judas Iscariot, while others prefer Moonblood. Of course, we also listen to modern Black Metal bands and try to keep up with new releases whenever possible. Everyone's musical background is different. Personally, besides Black Metal, I also love classical music and rock from the 70s and 80s.
Asmoth: How important is the local underground community in Saint Petersburg for emerging bands like yours?
Drews: I have my own small label and interact with people from different countries, and many of them talk about a certain fragmentation in the scene. I think I wouldn't be far off if I said something similar is happening here. We connect with like-minded people, and their opinions and support are certainly important to us. Time will tell how we interact, or don't interact, with others.
Asmoth: What are your plans for the near future following the release of Teufelsdom? Are there live performances, tours, or new material already in progress?
Drews: As always, we have a lot of plans.
We're actively rehearsing and planning to do at least one show this year. At the end of April, we'll be heading to the Middle Urals to support the release of the new full-length album by the Ural Black Metal cult - ВАРХХОРН (Varhorn). The gig is being organized by Ridge ov Dragon, another of our partners from this ancient and mysterious region.
Recently, on March 20th, 2026, we released our second full-length album, Teufelsdom II, on CD and Digital via the South Korean label Fallen-Angels Productions, and it will be released on tapes in Russia in April via Primitive Devil Worship. So, listen and try to get your hands on your own death shard.
The second album, incidentally, is directly related to the theme of death. Like the Bardo Thodol, it is entirely devoted to the theme of dying. A treatise on liberation through listening. Of course, all the lyrics were created through the prism of personal perception, inspired by this collection of essays, and presented in a form understandable to Europeans.
The new album, Teufelsdom II, consists of eight chapters, each of which can be characterized as an existence in a tangled and passionate physical plane, the process of dying, the moment of death and the sense of reality, confusion, and being caught in a cycle of phenomena that ultimately must end in either another reincarnation or liberation. This final moment remains open and is not explored in the lyrics.
And, of course, new material. After the spring show, we plan to continue actively working on new material.
Thanks to everyone who read this far and is interested. See you there!
