1. AM: Greetings! How are you? Tell us about your duo.
Isivred: Isivred is a black metal duo from Malaysia, formed in 2024 by
Ariffxorcist and Herryskins. Both of us handle guitars and songwriting, shaping
the core of our sound. Currently, we collaborate with Ariff from Modar as our
session drummer, whose haunting beats complete the atmosphere we aim to create.
2. AM: What does the name Isivred mean?
What meaning do you put into this name?
Isivred: Honestly, Isivred doesn’t have a specific
meaning. It has a vague origin, but nothing remarkable. We just wanted
something different, a name with no clear definition but that carries a certain
mystique, almost like it could be Nordic or ancient in nature. Sometimes, the
best names are the ones that ruin your expectations, leave you questioning
their meaning, your life, and whether the band did drugs. Spoiler: we didn’t,
but hey, the existential dread is real. Haha!
3. AM: How would you describe your
music in a few words?
Isivred: A surge of pure hatred, drowning in evil, and
rising through screams of pain and rage.
4. AM: The music sounds great. How long
did it take to materialize Isivred? Did you have any musical experience before
this band?
Isivred: It took about three months to bring Isivred to
life. Ariffxorcist has played with some Malaysian local Bands as sessionist
(AJAL and SIAL), has formed a Melodic Black Metal Band in 2007 but the band
meets their ends on the same year they’re formed. As for Herryskins, he previously played in a
skinhead band called Street Soldiers, so we both have some background in
different subgenres. One Band that inspired us to formed this Band is Order
from Norway. Thank you so much to you and your zine for digging our band, and
thanks for your compliment. It's an honour.
5. AM: Reading your lyrics, I couldn’t
help but think – have you ever thought about writing lyrics in Malay?
Isivred: Yes, we’ve already considered it and have
plans to incorporate more Malay lyrics in our future material. It’s something
we want to explore further, and our next release might feature a significant
amount of tracks in Malay.
6. AM: Have you already managed to give
live performances? Or is the band planning to exist in a studio version?
Isivred: Initially,
we planned to keep Isivred as a studio band. However, live performances are
necessary for some promotion, so we’ve started preparing for shows. We’ll be
playing in Penang towards the end of the year and have another show lined up in
Kuala Lumpur in February 2025.
7. AM: What are your plans for the
future? What is the goal of Isivred?
Isivred: Our future plans are still quite
uncertain... or dark, haha! But for now, our goal is simple: to keep creating
music and sharing it with black metal enthusiasts. We’re not aiming for
something grand just yet. For now, we’re focusing on building a solid foundation
and seeing how the audience responds to our work.
8. AM: Tell us about the Malaysian
black metal underground. I haven’t had a chance to visit your region yet, and
it would be interesting to know some facts.
Isivred: The Malaysian black metal scene is relatively small and often overlaps with the broader metal underground. It’s rare to have shows dedicated exclusively to black metal. Usually, the shows are mixed with various subgenres. The scene is tight-knit, and everyone supports one another because we can’t afford to be too isolated or individualistic. Growth here is a collective effort, with the entire underground metal scene working together.
9. AM: Thanks to your band, I learned
about the SMIXX label, which released your debut work. Tell us about your
collaboration.
Isivred: Our collaboration with Dino, the
driving force behind SMIXX, has been great. He’s been active in promoting our
music. So far, we’ve sold around 70 CDs across two pressings—the first from
SMIXX and the second a collaboration between SMIXX and MTD Production.
Additionally, we released 16 cassette tapes, all of which have already sold
out.
10. AM: Which local band often plays in
your player?
Isivred: For black metal, Neftaraka, As-Sahar,
Goatlusting Chaos, Abdi and Filsufatia. Oi! music are frequent listens. For
death metal, we’re into bands like Langsuyr and Sil Khannaz. These bands have
left a significant mark on the Malaysian metal scene.
11. AM: Thanks for the interview. Any
final words to the readers?
Isivred: Thank you for reading and showing interest in Isivred. Keep supporting the Black Metal scene, and remember-keep politics out of music. Music is meant to be free, raw, and untainted. Stay relentless.
