There are two things that one can't deny about Finnish black metal, first is that it's one of the strongest ongoing black metal scenes in the world, and second is the fact that the cult band Horna is still in the league without a shadow of a doubt, proudly carrying their everlasting flame that burns as high as ever before. The band has remained in their prime over the last 30 years of existence, and what better way to celebrate their 3 decade legacy than with the release of their upcoming twelfth album "Nyx (Hymnejä Yölle)". Not long after I had heard the new album, I got in touch with the band's guitarist and songwriter Shatraug, where we talked about the work on "Nyx (Hymnejä Yölle)", as well as other subjects such as celebrating Horna's 30th anniversary, and what keeps the band still going after all these years of hard work and dedication. Please join me on this hellish journey to dive deep into the abyss of Horna.

Vladimir

Greetings Shatraug! Heartwarming welcome to you on behalf of Metalbite. How are you doing?

Hail hail! All things normal and waiting for the autumnal live reaping to begin next month. Finally returning to Spain since 2002 with Horna, it's been a long while coming!

I recently got the pleasure of checking out your new album "Nyx - Hymnejä Yölle", and I personally really enjoyed it all the way through. It truly is a raw and nocturnal piece of work that the fans will appreciate. Considering that Horna has been around for 30 years, I think this album wonderfully marks the band's everlasting 3-decade legacy. What is your opinion on this? Do you think that this new album is a great testament to Horna's 30 years of existence?

Nyx is another facet to the ever-varied expression that is Horna. The most conscious thing I have in mind when writing music is never to do the exact same thing twice and instead aim for the unexpected, even if in the case of Nyx we are not new or unfamiliar to epics. The album is unmistakably Horna yet incorporating much more than the usual elements.

What can you tell me about the overall work on the new album, regarding the songwriting process and the direction that you guys were going? Is there a background behind this album being split into multiple chapters?

Nyx is entirely based on and inspired by the poem "Hymnen an die Nacht" by Novalis with a lyric translated and adapted by myself. I had read the official Finnish translation of it and did not feel connected to many parts and thus did the work from scratch. The reason for the album also being divided into chapters is that the lyrics are one, an epic poem dedicated to the Night. Musically speaking this has been the album I took most time in writing over a span of several years and in fact I had begun working on it nearly two years before Kuoleman Kirjo. The aim was always to compose something timeless and nocturnal, with each song chapter enveloping the essence of Night's majesty and desolation.

One track that stood out for me was 'Hymni III' for its well-thought-out songwriting which has these incredibly catchy mid-tempo black 'n' roll moments that smoothly switch into this aggressive and hateful blasting black metal. What experience did you guys have while working on this song in particular?

To be honest there isn't much difference in the working process for any song in particular.
Everything we do follows the same pattern - I make demo versions, our drummer does his magic and the rest is built upon it. We almost never have any lyrics set or arranged into songs before the final form of music is present either. Nyx undeniably has a much broader source of inspiration than usual for Horna yet still with all the characteristics that we are known for.

The epic conclusion to this album was presented with the reimagined version of 'Kuoleva Lupaus' from "Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne", which features your former bassist Hex Inferi performing the entire track in a dark neofolk style. What is the story behind the work on this reinterpretation of 'Kuoleva Lupaus'?

That is fairly simple - Hex Inferi had been inspired to make this version of the song and presented it to us as a surprise while giving us the freedom to use it as we saw fit. When I got his vision expressed as it can be heard I knew instantly it would make a perfect ending for Nyx.

One of my personal highlights about this album is that it truly feels like a story progressing from start to finish, which I experienced as a journey through the dark that gradually builds up with every next song on the album. I usually say that Horna's music feels like you're descending further down the abyss, and the deeper you go the darker it gets, especially on this album because it's got such an intense atmosphere. Was this exactly the kind of goal that you wanted to achieve with your new album?

The album follows the progression of the poem and it's form, as it begins with love and devotion for the night, deepening by every moment and chapter to the point where one comes to terms with the nocturnal truth that eventually we are all joining the Night with our final breath, and with it comes the liberation unburdening one from all the mundane and the earthly. Unlike most work in our history Nyx is an album of love instead of hatred, although one can not truly love without amplifying the whole span of emotions.

What's always been significant about the works of Horna is the fact that you guys have always stayed heavily focused and even remained faithful to your roots, which is one of the reasons why you still have your well-deserved status in the Finnish black metal community, as well as the worldwide black metal community. I usually believe that the love and support from the fans is what fuels the everlasting engine of Horna, especially since you have years of experience with the kind of music that you create. Do you think this is the case or do you think it's something else entirely?

I'd say it has everything to do with being driven by the same vision and devotion since the beginning. For me that has never changed, rather say only grown stronger from the foundations laid in 1994. Built up with stern roots and with unending resolve, it becomes stronger than the passing time with no passion to falter. Obviously it falls to the fanbase whether we have remained relevant or not yet I would still not change a thing and keep on driving the whip with a thousand bloody lashes.

I'd like to say that this album wonderfully encompasses everything that the band has done for the last 30 years and it shows how Horna has developed in terms of songwriting and performance, while still managing to stay strong all the way through. Do you have your own personal highlights about this album and how do you think this album compares to some of your other notable works from the past years?

As mentioned earlier my sole point of vision in regard to song writing is never to duplicate an album I already did. Instead on many an occasion I have been envisioning how to fill in the gaps I felt were missing from past work and create what fits the whole. Nyx however stands on it's own and as an epic it required it's dramatic arch to be built and thus challenge every soul to pay more attention than a usual metal album may do. Nyx is not meant to be taken as individual songs but one body of work solemnly standing as homage to the Night.

Last question I'd like to ask you is: What is next after this album has been released? Are there any talks of doing future tours to promote "Nyx - Hymnejä Yölle" and celebrate 30 years of Horna's existence?

Our official 30th year celebration has already been done at Steelfest with the three nights for three eras special but we will continue to perform old and new as always. There will for sure be something off Nyx in the forthcoming live set as well.

Thank you so much for doing this interview, Shatraug. I am highly looking forward to the release of "Nyx - Hymnejä Yölle" and I have no doubt that the fans of Horna will enjoy it as much as I did. Are there any final words?

The Night is coming, embrace it.