Interview with death metal band from Poland - SPHERE.
Answered Th0rn (drums) and V (vocalist), thank you!
Recenze/review - SPHERE - Inferno (2025):
Ave SPHERE! Greetings to the Polish underground and beautiful Warsaw. I hope everything is okay with you. It should be, you have the fifth long-playing great album of your career this year. I have to admit that it literally put me up against the wall. It's dark, it's energetic, it cuts with a knife edge. You can hear a lot that you've done a great job, and a great deal of talent too. How do you feel about the new record in relation to your previous work? Where did you want to go and how do you think the recordings are different?
Th0rn: Hi! Yes, everything is going great—we just finished our last rehearsals before the start of the summer festivals and we’re about to head off to the Nice to Eat You Fest in the Czech Republic and Mystic Festival in Gdańsk.
As for the new material, yes, it did take quite a bit of work. Unfortunately, a series of events meant that we had to prepare the entire material in a relatively short amount of time to make the studio and recording deadlines. So the entire Inferno material was essentially created in just three months.
We’re excited to be able to present it more broadly to the audience—especially since the singles were very well received. Inferno is a development and continuation of Blood Era. I think it’s a bit faster and denser than before. The songs are more complex, but whether it’s a more advanced piece of work than the last one—that we leave up to you, listeners.
"Inferno" contains all the attributes of good death metal. For me personally, it is a record that I love to come back to. How was it made? How did SPHERE compose the new material?
T: Actually, the concept of the album and what it was going to be about, I had already figured out at the beginning of 2024. Then we had a major problem because in May 2024, our rehearsal room got flooded, and we were basically without a place to rehearse until August. Only then could I move into a new room to start recording drums for the demo tracks. We entered the studio to record on November 4th. So, as you can see, there was relatively little time for everything.
Additionally, in June 2024, we parted ways with our then-guitarist, and it wasn’t until after the album recordings, in January 2025, that Machete joined us. He had two weeks to come up with and record the solos for the new album. He managed to pull it off, and I’m really grateful to him for that! It was a very intense time, and there was a lot of pressure to get everything done on time.
I have to confirm that I like the production of the album. It still makes me turn up the volume on the hi-fi tower. Who made you a sound that is harsh, raw and dark and animalistic at the same time. How did you work with him and why him? What studio did you record in and how did it all work?
T: Just like last time, the album was produced by Paweł 'Janos' Grabowski at JNS Studio. We also worked with him on Blood Era. Janos has great ideas, a fantastic ear, and most importantly, once he gets to know the material, he has a clear vision of how it should all come together. That’s why working with him is always fun and enjoyable. Certainly, if we record new material, we’ll sit down with Paweł again to talk about working together.
The album has an interesting cover. Who is the author? How did you choose the theme and how does it relate to the music on the album? The motif seems to me like an image from the Old Testament.
V: The cover was created by Michał “Perversor” Kaczkowski and is inspired by the nine circles of Hell from Dante’s Divine Comedy. That concept actually forms the backbone of the whole album. We wanted the artwork to reflect the dark, epic journey the listener goes on - both visually and musically. And you’re right about that Old Testament feel - there’s definitely that fire-and-brimstone, judgment-day energy running through the visuals. It adds a layer of intensity that connects really well with the atmosphere of the music.
What are the lyrics on the new album about and where did you get the inspiration for them?
V: We’d been thinking about doing a full concept album for a while. We kind of teased the idea on Blood Era, especially with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse theme. The title track on that record, if you look at the lyrics, actually became the spark for what would eventually turn into Inferno. This time, we decided to fully commit and build the new album as a journey through Dante’s vision of Hell - each track representing one of the nine circles. The lyrics follow that path too, exploring different types of sin and punishment. They’re rooted in Dante’s work but also influenced by modern interpretations of morality, guilt, and human nature.
I've been wandering around the underworld for over thirty years and I come to Poland to get music for sure. I think we have similar mood and taste when it comes to metal. I like your bands a lot and follow your scene very closely. Maybe I'm even a bit envious, we only have a few death metal bands in our country that are worth it. What do you explain that death metal is so successful in your country? How do you perceive your scene, fans, labels?
T: It’s true, the Polish scene is quite large and vibrant. But you also have some bands that attract attention! Definitely Altars Ablaze, Elysium, Hypnos, and Cutterred Flesh! Honestly, I’m not sure what the essence is behind what you’re asking. Poland has always had a strong metal scene, and maybe that’s where it comes from. In the '80s and '90s, there was a huge demand for this kind of music, and I think it snowballed from there. Then came better times, better equipment, and a lot of bands started popping up. I think that’s one of the factors.
You play death metal influenced by the old school. Nowadays a band can't really avoid comparisons, but I would like to know how the idea to start SPHERE came about, who was and is your role model and where you want to take your band? Are you tempted by big festivals abroad, for example, are you willing to go on tour with a more famous pack?
T: The band was formed in 2002 over beer and clouds of cigarette smoke in one of the pubs in Warsaw, where pretty much the entire local metal scene used to hang out. Together with a friend, we decided to try our hand at the Polish metal scene. From the very beginning, we knew it would be death metal. We had always listened to bands like Iron Maiden, Slayer, and Death. Later came Deicide, Vital Remains, and Obituary. Material for the first album started taking shape, musicians came and went. Once the lineup stabilized, we entered the studio to record our debut album. That was in 2007.
You asked whether we’re tempted by playing at festivals abroad or touring with someone—fests, absolutely, we’re playing them, and in fact in this week we’ll be at your Nice to Eat You Fest :) As for touring across Europe with a big name? Why not. I’m open to offers!
When I started my site seven years ago, I had a vision of trying to support bands that I felt weren't as visible. Let the world know about them. I think I've been pretty successful, at least by the response. How do you approach promotion? Do you leave it up to the label or do you send out CDs yourself for various reviews? I buy albums that I really enjoy, for example. How are you? Are you also a fan who likes to support your colleagues often? Do you go to concerts? Do you party?
T: As the saying goes, if you want something done the way you envision it—do it yourself. Besides, we had a clear agreement with our label about who would handle what. We try to do as much of the promotion ourselves because it’s simply easier to keep control that way.
As for keeping up with the scene and everything... honestly, I personally don’t have much time for that. Of course, I try to go to shows that interest me and my wife or where close friends are playing. But to go regularly and passionately? Not really. In my older years, I’ve become more of a homebody. And on top of that, I haven’t been drinking alcohol for a few years now, so I’m not the best party companion anymore - haha.
Can you please reminisce for us what it was like when you started with death metal? Why did you choose this style? Who was your role model? Do you have any musical education or are you self-taught?
T: I think it all started when I was about 15. At first, I listened to Iron Maiden, Slayer. Then it got heavier - Deicide, Death, Vital Remains, Emperor, Dark Funeral. Later came more modern stuff like Dying Fetus, Origin, or Aborted. Honestly, I listened to a lot of different things. Sphere is a mix of death and black metal. We create the kind of music that’s currently in our heads—of course, grounded in the album’s theme, lyrics, and atmosphere.
As for me, I’m self-taught. In primary school I played keyboards, then a bit of guitar. Finally, at age 20, I started playing drums - and stuck with it. I’ve taken inspiration from many drummers, so I won’t even try to name them all! :)
I have visited Warsaw several times, I even went to a concert there a few years ago. Is death metal doing well in your country? Could you recommend a club, a pub where you meet? Where is good music in Warsaw?
T: I don’t really go to pubs, so it’s hard for me to recommend any. But there are definitely a few clubs where you can catch a metal concert: Progresja Club, Voodoo Club, Hydrozagadka, Proxima, Potok, and Chmury. These are the places where you’ll most often run into the metal crowd and hear music flying the banner of the horned one!
In your email you mentioned that SPHERE are planning a death metal offensive in the form of concerts. Where can we see you? What do concerts mean to you, how do you perceive them as a musician? Do you prefer to play in a club or at a big festival? And do you go to support bands as a fan?
T: As I mentioned, we’re kicking off this summer with an offensive at Nice to Eat You Fest in the Czech Republic, followed by Mystic Festival in Gdańsk. Then, on June 21st, we’ll be at Antitrend Metalfest in the Czech Republic, and in August, at Gothoom Fest in Slovakia. The tour promoting Inferno starts in September and will include 10 shows across Poland. The full schedule is available on our official website: www.damnedsphere.pl
On the one hand, a band starting out today has a lot of opportunities to make their presence known, but on the other hand, there are a huge number of bands and fans get lost in them. A lot of people just download mp3s from the internet and instead of going to a gig they prefer to spit venomous spittle on Facebook. How does modern technology affect you as SPHERE? What do you think about downloading music, google metal, streaming music etc.?
T: Technology definitely helps and hurts at the same time. On one hand, it supports promotion and makes many things easier for bands like ours. On the other hand, platforms like YouTube - with full live concerts - make people less inclined to attend shows because they’d rather just watch them online. That really hurts, because it directly affects bands. A lack of people at gigs is a nail in the coffin for bands. Costs become too high if there’s no way to cover the venue, the van, or the fuel. It’s a domino effect - one thing leads to another...
I like to ask musicians what death metal means to them. How would they define it, is it more of a philosophy and lifestyle for them or "just" relaxation. What does it mean to you? How do you perceive and experience it?
T: For me personally, it’s a way of life - a form of escape from everyday routine. But on the other hand, it’s been with me for so long that it has become a part of my everyday life. I can’t imagine cutting that umbilical cord now :) Sometimes I come home, put on my headphones, blast some death metal - and I disappear. I’m gone to the world!
Finally, a classic but important question. What are SPHERE planning in the coming months? Where can we see you in concert and when will you visit the Czech Republic? If you have something to say to fans, labels, promoters, here is the space...
T: All our visits south of Poland were basically mentioned two questions earlier. Check out our official website and Facebook page - there you’ll find all the dates, info, and current news. I strongly encourage you, and I hope to see you at the festivals in the coming weeks!
To all promoters - if you’d like to see Sphere in your area, feel free to contact me directly or email us at: damnedsphere@gmail.com. We’ll definitely be able to work something out!
Thank you very much for the interview. I wish not only the new album a lot of success and may the ranks of your fans expand as much as possible. I'll look forward to seeing you live somewhere and may you do well both musically and on a personal level. I'm gonna go shove "Inferno" in my head again!
T: Thanks a lot for the opportunity to talk! Greetings to all listeners - we encourage everyone to check out Inferno! See you at the shows - and beyond!
Best regards,
The Sphere Team!
Recenze/review - SPHERE - Inferno (2025):
Recenze/review - SPHERE – Mindless Mass (2015):
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