Six years have passed since the band's formation. Five since their debut demo. Three years since their brilliant EP. In those six years, the Warsaw-based Clairvoyance haven't buried their rubble (sic!) in the ashes. The time has come for a full-length album. "Chasm Of Immurement", released on July 18th, 2025, by Carbonized Records, confirms what many of us have long suspected – Clairvoyance is one of the most powerful and interesting bands in contemporary death metal, not only in Poland but across the entire continent. The sound? Crushing. The live show? Concrete. The vision? Coherent and non-negotiable. They don't succumb to trends, they don't dilute their message – they play death metal. Authentic. Heavy. Immersive. I spoke with guitarists Denis and Kacper, and drummer Adrian, about the recording process, the lyrics, their collaborations with labels, and their plans for the future.

Levi

"Chasm Of Immurement" is a title that sounds like an executioner's verdict. Where did the idea for this title come from, and how does it fit into your vision for Clairvoyance's entire catalog? Is it a record of a moment, a new chapter, or a continuation of a long-chosen path?

Adrian: On the one hand, we're continuing where we started five years ago – playing death metal with a more old-school approach, but to avoid being just another re-creation band, we're adding our own ideas and flavors. On the other hand, it's hard not to notice – especially from our perspective – the evolution between releases. Let's say it's another chapter, but in the same book. We'll see what the next one brings. As for the album title – we all feel walled up in some way, trapped, overwhelmed. Whether it's everyday life, internal problems, or the surrounding hopelessness. If you're looking for a deeper meaning in this title, that's the key.

Your debut is a very cohesive yet multi-dimensional material. What was the process like for creating this album? Was it all a painstaking process, or did you know right away what you wanted to achieve?

Denis: We had ideas and concepts for a new album right after the EP's release in 2022, but as often happens, life intervened, and for various reasons, finishing "Chasm Of Immurement" took almost two years. As the band's lead songwriter, I try to write new songs on the fly, from start to finish, and then make adjustments, taking into account the ideas and feedback from the rest of the band. I believe this way we maintain fluidity and consistency in the song structure, which is very important given our approach to making music. We focus more on progression in riffs and song structure than on a classic writing style with choruses and verses. That's where this multidimensionality comes from, because yes, there's a lot going on, and I think that sets us apart from similar bands on the Polish scene.

Adrian: Two songs from this album were written over a year ago, and we also played them at several shows. Later, we gradually wrote more. It took a while, but it's hard to say the album was born in pain, because even though it was a lot of work, it still brings us joy. As long as there's passion and desire, it won't hurt. The album's sound is its greatest strength – dense, inhuman, yet clear. Where and with whom did you record the album? We know how it is with death metal, but how important was control over the final production?

Kacper: We recorded the tracks at our friendly studio, Dobra 12, in Białystok. I handled the entire recording and production process myself. After the recordings were finished, we began working on the final mix, which we ultimately completed together with Piotr Polak at the same studio, also handling the mastering. Bringing in an outsider turned out to be a great decision, as it brought a lot of freshness and a new perspective. I suggested Piotrek because I knew we would get along well and that there wouldn't be any technical difficulties taking over the project, as we'd collaborated on other recordings before. Even before the sessions began, we talked extensively about how we wanted the final material to sound and what exactly we wanted to achieve. Ultimately, we're very happy. We had a lot of freedom and complete control over the entire process, from the first sound to the final mastering. We're even more thrilled that the reviews are paying attention to the sound, as it's a sign that we've done a really good job.

After two successful and well-received releases, including one for the highly respected Blood Harvest, you decided to work with Carbonized Records. How did you first contact this label, and what convinced you to change labels?

Adrian: We'd been in touch with Chad from Carbonized Records for a while now. We spoke again once we had the material ready. We sent him a listening session, and he immediately suggested a quick release date. We also talked to other labels in the death metal scene, but ultimately, we chose Carbonized. And so far, we're very happy. It seems like a great decision. As for Blood Harvest, I don't want to slam the label, because the EP release process itself went well. However, we decided a long time ago that we wanted to release the LP elsewhere.

Do you think your development—from demo, to EP, to full-length album—has been natural? Overall, the core of the band has remained the same from the beginning… Have you had moments of doubt or stagnation?

Denis: Sure. We've had our ups and downs, and even moments of stagnation, especially in 2022. When we started the band, we didn't really have any long-term plans, and the main goal was just to have fun. That's probably why there are differences in sound, songwriting, and approach to writing lyrics between the demo and the LP. Over the past five years, we've gone through a (sometimes quite bumpy) development process and decided to take it a bit more seriously, while still keeping in mind that it's still just a hobby. We all work full-time and unfortunately don't have the time or financial resources to focus solely on music.

Kacper: Absolutely. The weaker moments were most often caused not by musical conflicts but rather by our personal issues and challenges, which inevitably affected the atmosphere within the group. However, we strive to cultivate relationships outside the context of the band, as we believe that good music is born not only from professionalism but also from genuine connections between people.

Your music lacks unnecessary embellishments – it's classic death metal, but with character. Where do you draw your inspiration from? Are they specific bands, or is it more of a state of mind?

Denis: More of a state of mind. We obviously have our influences, but we also try to avoid mindless copying. On the other hand, we have absolutely no problem saying that Clairvoyance's music isn't unique or innovative. In my opinion, death metal was completely shut down long ago. Of course, interesting albums continue to come out, like the latest Blood Incantation or the latest releases by Worm, Bedsore, or Horrendous, but the truth is that we're not reinventing the wheel, so we simply try to do what we do well. And not overcomplicate things when it's not necessary.

Adrian: We all listen to a lot of different music, so it's hard to pinpoint specific bands that inspire us. It's more of a mix of everything we hear. When it comes to death metal, and especially drumming, I definitely prefer the old-school approach—both in terms of the parts I play, but also in terms of the "live" sound. And as Denis says, we won't reinvent the wheel. But is there even a need for someone to do that?

As far as I'm concerned, definitely not! Okay, let's move on to your concerts, which are getting great reviews – many consider you a well-oiled machine. How important are live performances to you, and what do you try to convey to the audience, blasted from the low registers by a wave of noise?

D: Concerts were something we focused on from the very beginning. Playing live is like a separate medium, conveying completely different emotions than those you can experience by listening to the music itself. This year's Black Curse concert comes to mind, where I felt like I was in a trance, resonating with the dense atmosphere of their fucked-up music. For me, this is the benchmark of live performance, and it's what we strive for as a band. That's why we try to rehearse regularly and work on so-called stage presence, which, in my opinion, is often lacking in young bands, especially in the death metal scene.

A: Yes, concerts are key. We want to play as much as possible and also travel further afield with our music. Recording in the studio and releasing an album is great and an interesting experience, but it's playing live that gives me the greatest satisfaction. On stage, you can disconnect from everything else, meet friends and unknown enthusiasts at concerts, and also—it's a huge privilege—to share a stage with bands we listen to, that inspire us in some way, and meet other musicians.

In death metal, words are often lost under the weight of sound – what role do lyrics play for you? Are they a conscious narrative layer, a vehicle for ideas, or rather an element that builds atmosphere, on par with vocals treated as an instrument? Where do you draw the line between narrative and abstraction? Do you treat lyrics as a separate channel of communication, or as a ritual of words subordinated to the mood of the music? What do you think about "Chasm Of Immurement"?

D: We treat vocals as another instrument whose role is to build atmosphere. However, we haven't placed any limitations or boundaries on our vocalist, Maciek, when it comes to the content of the lyrics. So, in Clairvoyance, vocals are still a vehicle for the emotions, ideas, and concepts (often quite abstract) residing in his head.

In retrospect, what do you consider the most important step or success in Clairvoyance's history so far?

D: For me, the greatest success is the release of the LP. After releasing the EP in 2022, I felt dissatisfied and frustrated because I think (for many different reasons) it didn't quite turn out the way we wanted. And "Chasm Of Immurement" was a great opportunity to show what we're truly capable of as a band.

K: For me, the greatest success was that we managed to compose and record the album despite many challenges along the way. In my case, the recording coincided with some difficult personal experiences, and I'm glad that despite that, I managed to create something that now gives me a lot of satisfaction and something I'm proud of.

A: There's no denying that the most important step is our latest album, which—we can already see—is resonating much better than anything else we've done so far. My greatest success is that in 2021, we managed to play three shows on the same stage with a legend—KAT—meet Roman and exchange a few words with him. It was a great experience for me, and his death less than a year later made me even more sad.

The Polish death metal scene has had a well-established brand and global reputation for many years. Do you see yourselves as part of it? Or are you more interested in being outsiders and preferring to sit a bit on the sidelines?

D: We're very proud of what the Polish extreme metal scene currently offers, and I think it will only get better, considering how many people are involved and how many new bands are emerging across the country. We play in Poland, but we also have our own ambitions, and we don't want to just languish in our hometown, playing in the same clubs, often for the same crowd, but rather expand into the world. Because why not?

A: Of course, we're part of the Polish scene. We don't want to disassociate ourselves from it in any way or stand aside. But that doesn't change the fact that, in addition to touring in Poland, we've always wanted to play abroad, both near and far. It's great that we managed to release the album on Carbonized Records; it's already paying off, and maybe it will open some doors for us.

What are your expectations for "Chasm Of Immument"? After all, it's a long-awaited debut – are you hoping for a significant response, tours, and a wider reach?

D: We're already seeing that the reception is exceeding our expectations (largely thanks to the reach of Carbonized Records), so for now, we're just going with the flow and seeing what happens.

A: I think that with this LP, we can solidify our position and get some people looking forward to the next album and coming to shows. And what am I hoping for? To play a good tour, maybe a few festivals next year, and raise the money to record another album.

Death metal is an extreme and niche genre these days, but a loyal fanbase can be priceless. What do you think keeps people drawn to such an extreme form of music in 2025?

A: I have the impression that every metal genre has always attracted maniacs who, once they're into something, stick with it 100% and stay with it. Death metal still has a lot to offer. The scene has been very vibrant for the past few years, with no signs of stagnation. Great albums are being released, and more and more people are listening. Not to mention all the classics from the '90s. A lifetime really isn't enough to hear and be amazed by everything.