Interview with Kevel

Greek sludge/post-metal four-piece Kevel have released one of strongest and most interesting albums of 2020 titled "Mutatis Mutantis" via I Voidhanger Records, which inexplicably have flown under the radar of various publications. Displaying a stunning combination of monolithic and atmospheric sludge with post black metal grandeur, we strongly believe that "Mutatis Mutantis" is a marvellous album that deserves more recognition so we took the opportunity to ask them a few questions about their music, their influences and their plans for the future.    

I wanted to start with discussing the last record, “Mutatis Mutandis”. It arrives six long years after your debut album “Hz of the Unheard” and it sees you incorporating elements of such diverse styles as ambient and black metal into your sludgy and post-metal sound, what prompted this change in direction? 

 Following the completion of our first DIY album, we realized that we had changed a lot musically and felt the need to experiment with more “extreme” metal elements. We were also intrigued by the idea to create music that would not be easily categorized in a specific metal subgenre. We certainly derived inspiration also from the music we were listening to at that time, mainly bands which have a black metal feel but in a more forward-thinking approach, like Entropia, Mord’a’Stigmata and Bolzer. 

 And how long have you all been working on the material that's on the new album, there's six long years separating the two albums? 

 The new album is a result of four years full of changes, hence the title “Mutatis Mutandis”. Compared to our debut EP, which was an instrumental sludge/post release, “Mutatis Mutandis” explores darker and more extreme metal paths, combining black metal, post meal, progressive, sludge elements and spacey soundscapes, also introducing vocals and synths for the first time. These changes took time to mature and integrate within the band. Apart from the new sound direction, there have been several other time- consuming factors, like the addition of another guitarist, some failed attempts to collaborate with other musicians for vocals and synth duties, the decision to not go DIY this time and seek professional support for recording, mixing, mastering, to pursue a proper release via a record label... and finally Covid-19 came to delay everything even more! 

   

 Talk me through some of the lyrical influences you had for “Mutatis Mutandis”, because the bio refers to the very existence of man and whether humanity will prevail as the dominant species in this world. 

 The lyrical concept of the album focuses on exploration and the changes it brings. It’s about a strange cosmic journey leading the listener to two opposite directions, on one hand to the most distant places of cosmic conquest and on the other, to the deepest truths hidden inside our being. This concept is conveyed through metaphorical images and stories. For instance, in “Cosmic Domination” a Superior Entity is portrayed playing a game of “cosmic billiard”, using the universe as a pool table and planets as billiard balls. In “Arecibo”, humanity is presented as a piece of art/painting at an eternal auction, where bidders (i.e. alien life) are either absent or show no interest in placing a bid (i.e. engage in contact/combat). The title of the song itself, Arecibo, was in reality an actual interstellar radio message carrying basic information about humanity, broadcasted in the 1970’s in an effort to reach extraterrestrials. “Terraforming” focuses on the expansive nature of mankind and its arrogance over nature. “The Apophatic”, Utopia Planitia” and “Of Being” are concerned with more esoteric/existential topics. In “Of being” for example, we borrow the spoken words of Alan Watts, the philosopher well known for popularizing Buddhism and Hinduism to Western audiences. “...The universe is that sort of scheme. It’s a trap. It’s a thing that gives you hope...to keep you going, but then it grinds you up. And then it revives you a little, like a master torturer, keeping a person alive in order to experience pain...”. In the end, the discovery of a deeper meaning within “Mutatis Mutandis” is subject to interpretation by each listener, based on his/her idiosyncrasy, experiences and personal quests. 

 The artwork for “Mutatis Mutandis” is quite compelling. What can you tell me about this design? 

 The artwork is a creation by the magnificent artist Kuba Sokolski, On the cover you can see the portrait of a king/conqueror at his moment of triumph, in a fight over cosmic rule. His power is so enormous, that he is picking up planets off a cosmic pool and implementing them into his own “crown” (the orbs surrounding his head). The whole composition is symbolic and partially inspired by Tibetan and Hindu art, as well as DMT / Alex Grey inspired patterns. 

 I know we are currently in a state of uncertainty due to the pandemic, but what does the future hold for Kevel in the next couple of years? 

 During this period, we try to promote our new album via any available digital means, having also the valuable support by our label, I. Voidhanger Records. As soon as the pandemic restrictions are lifted, our first priority will be to continue rehearsing in order to proceed with live gigs. The future is so uncertain, that there is no point in making long-term plans. There are also some ideas for new material, but as with “Mutatis Mutandis” we believe in the merits of delayed gratification and we are not rushing things!

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