Let’s be honest, the start of the year can feel like shit. January and February are often spent dreaming of warmer days and planning for when the weather finally breaks. However, 2025 has already delivered some musical salvation, and one album that’s truly grabbed my attention is “Nitscence” by Dødskamp. Six years after their debut, “Hope”, this one-man instrumental assault returns with a blistering eight-track offering that’s guaranteed to raise heads and leave a lasting impression.
Hailing from Switzerland, Dødskamp’s unique style of instrumental black metal is the perfect antidote / or accompaniment to the winter blues (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere). While “Nitscence” echoes elements of “Hope”, it represents a significant evolution, coming together with a richer, more complete sound and a more direct, unflinching exploration of the darker corners of the human psyche. This isn’t an album that can be passively consumed; it demands attention. With each listen, new nuances emerge, hidden hooks, and the intricate layers of the music become more apparent. Every track on Nitscence has been crafted with a palpable sense of purpose and meticulous thought. The carefully curated track order guides the listener on a deliberate and pointed journey, a narrative arc woven through sound. The album explodes into existence with the intense opening of “Renaissance,” immediately establishing that Nitscence is not an album to be taken lightly. It’s a statement of intent, a declaration that Dødskamp is back, and they’re here to confront and find comfort in the shadows.
Dødskamp Interview (by Zero)
I best start by saying thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Dødskamp is some really exciting music and i’m glad to have this opportunity to discuss some of the background to it. Lets start at the beginning, can you explain Dødskamp in your own words? What was the driving force and what influenced this project? You were playing with Tyrmfar for a few years, what was it about this idea that meant it had to be its own entity?
Thank you for your interest in my album and my music in general! It’s with great pleasure that I’ll try to answer your questions as best as I can.
Dødskamp is a solo project in which I wanted to integrate my compositions that were the closest to my musical influences on the black metal side. As for Tyrmfar, my compositions were more in the melodic death style.
I really like the idea of working in a group to create something, but also the fact of being alone and choosing everything from A to Z.
One of the first things i think everyone will notice with Dødskamp is the lack of vocals. What was it that made you go down this route? At what point in the creation of Dodskamp did you decide that the work would be stronger without vocals?
So it’s mainly because I can’t sing that the music is instrumental(laughs). Plus, I love adding several lead guitars for more melody and to make up for the lack of lyrics.
I want to congratulate you on Nitescence. This is a brilliant album it’s been on pretty constantly since release. (As i’m writing this it’s only been out for 4 days but even still, it’s been on constantly) We can obviously hear the influences of some more traditional black metal but there’s some really interesting layers to this. What was the influence and the writing process behind this album? At what point did you know that it was done and ready for release? And what made you go with the title Nitescence? How has the initial reception of this been?
My influences come mainly from bands I listen to very regularly, such as Sadness, Woods Of Desolation, Mgla, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Harakiri For The Sky, Mare Cognitum, etc. As for the creative process, I never force myself to create or record. I only do it when I feel like it and the feeling is there. I know everything is ready for release when, after many, many listens, I have nothing to add (I have a habit of adding guitar lines right up to the last second). For the names of the songs, I wanted a theme on the evolution of a soul, keeping a spirit and a link with the album cover. I was very pleased with the initial feedback I received after the release of Nitescence. It’s even more motivating for what’s to come!
Despite the time frame, we can hear a lot of connections to the previous album, Hope. This new album has a very different atmosphere to what we had before. Hope felt more mournful and maybe closer to a depressive sound. Nitescence feels more complete, more driven, more defiant. Thinking back to 2019, how was that reception of Hope? Were you happy with what you had created there? Obviously, quite some time has passed since your last album, when did the writing process for Nitescence start?
At the time, I’d also had some good feedback on “Hope”, which motivated me to release other albums. It’s true that a lot of time passed between these two albums. I wanted to perfect the sound and overall quality of my music by changing my recording equipment and getting interested in mixing techniques. All the same, I was very happy with what I’d put out at the time with the means at my disposal. The process of creating Nitescence began at the end of 2022, around the time of my departure from the band Tyrmfar, of which I was co-founder and co-composer.
I can’t skip over the fact that your band name is taken from the title of an Edvard Munch painting (or possibly a 1349 track, that is taken from an Edvard Munch painting) Is art important to you as a musician? We can’t deny that a lot of black and extreme metal is influenced by the art world. Was there anything about this specific painting or even the title of this painting that really got your attention? What made you decide on the name Dødskamp? Do you think that the links between art and this sort of expressive music are important? Are there any other artists or movements in the art world that inspire your work?
I must confess that I chose the Dødskamp nickname when I was looking for something that sounded good for an online video game. After that, I decided to keep it for music. There’s no doubt that art in general conveys certain messages and emotions to its audience. Many people are inspired to create. Personally, I think I’m mostly influenced by listening to the aforementioned bands, among others, and by my mood at the time of composition.
I think it’s often overlooked on the global scene but there’s some amazing music coming from Switzerland. How do you find the Swiss scene at the moment? Locally and as a nation? How does Dødskamp fit into the scene and how has the reception of this project been through the years?
I think the Swiss scene has nothing to envy of foreign scenes and is doing quite well. There’s a great diversity of bands emerging here and there and playing in various Swiss venues. I don’t think Dødskamp weighs enough in the milieu to claim a place and see its impact. Still, I hope this will change in the future 🙂
Switzerland boasts a rich musical legacy, and today’s extreme metal scene is arguably one of the most compelling. From Aara and Darkspace, to Ungfell and yourself, the scene is bursting with unique voices. Swiss bands often seem to build upon the foundations of black metal, yet consistently add layers of complexity that defy easy categorisation. Even the legends of the scene like Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Samael and even Paysage D’Hiver took existing trends and forged their own distinct sound. What do you think it is about Switzerland, its people, or its culture that cultivates this kind of innovative and often boundary-pushing extreme metal? How do you see Swiss metal’s place within the broader history of the genre?
I don’t know why there are bands like this in Switzerland, but maybe it’s the lifestyle, the landscape, the mentality that makes these bands emerge. I’m quite proud to say that these bands come from the country where I live.
Where do the influences come from when it’s time to write? Are there any specific ideas or themes you try to incorporate into your work? Was there anything specific that you tried to do with Nitescence and do you think you’ve got it right?
The influence comes mainly from my daily listening. There’s no general theme I’d like to tackle when writing, for the moment at least. I just write what comes into my head and if I like it, I keep it. Then I tried to have a common thread for the names of the songs and “Nitescence” means “glow, clarity, radiance” in French in reference to the album cover.
As I mentioned before, this new album has been out for less than a week, and this might be slightly premature. But once the dust has settled, what’s next for Dødskamp? Are there plans for any physical release or any ideas to take the music live? What else have you got planned?
I’d like to continue promoting this album as best I can and then, when the inspiration is there, start work on the next album. At the moment I don’t really have the funds to physically release the album. I’d really like to make a vinyl and why not some merch (t-shirt, sweatshirt, etc…). For the moment, there are no plans to play live, but who knows, maybe one day that will change.
And lastly, something i put to everyone i speak to as this is how our community grows. What are some of the books, movies, bands, artists that we should be looking at? What’s caught your attention? What deserves to get the space to be advertised?
Like many I imagine, on the books and films side it would be the Lord of the Rings. I’ll never tire of them. As for the bands, I’ll take the ones listed above (Sadness, Woods Of Desolation, Mgla, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Harakiri For The Sky, Mare Cognitum) and add Sargeist, Lustre, Alcest, Sworn, Svrm, Leipa, Sühnopfer, Austere, Non Est Deus, Akhlys, Selbst.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions.
Thank you so much for the review and interview!
Mithraic Magazine 
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