Another top UK talent emerging from the cold heart of England is Argesk, who have forged a sound steeped in both grandeur and grimness. Blending the ferocity of traditional black metal with a cinematic sense of melody and atmosphere, the band captures a uniquely British essence while also equally sounding like its own creation entirely. Since their formation, Argesk have carved out a space where aggression meets artistry, crafting music that feels both regal and ruinous, steeped in atmosphere and defiantly alive.
As soon as Invocation begins, you know Argesk’s Moonlight Pyromancy is going to be something a little different. This album is symphonic, melodic, and richly atmospheric, this project follows metaphorically in the footsteps of genre innovators like Cradle of Filth or Children of Bodom, by which I mean they have created a sound that clearly originated in black metal but is now beginning to step out and into new and uncharted territory to create something fresh, exciting, and innovative. Do not let the intro deceive you into thinking you’re about to listen to a Sega-inspired power metal album, for this album will subvert your expectations throughout!
While Moonlight Pyromancy is certainly a melodic black metal record, it’s also full of moments that evoke unexpected echoes, momentary flashes of Saor, Sacramentum, Hakuja, Wintersun, or Dimmu Borgir, yet it never truly sounds like any of them for longer than a brief moment, and that’s part of its power. Argesk weaves familiar influences into a sound that feels entirely their own, and while Realm Of Eternal Night was an excellent melodic black metal album, Moonlight Pyromancy really pushes their sound to the next level and has led to a voice that is both unique and true to themselves. In my opinion, Moonlight Pyromancy is the sound of a band coming fully into their own with a bold, defiant work that refuses to bow to genre conventions.
Today I sit down with Matt & Leth to talk about the band’s formation, the latest album, and what 2026 looks like for a band that has just released a solid album to end 2025 with Moonlight Pyromancy.
I always like to start by asking, in your own words, what is Argesk? Where does the name come from, and how did this project all begin back in 2017?
Matt: Argesk is a melodic, symphonic black metal band formed in Manchester in 2017. The name comes from Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula – named after the Argeș river, in which Elisabeta drowns herself. It was also partially inspired by the Ancient song ‘Sleeping Princess of the Argeș’. The ‘K’ was a mark of distinction suggested by Leth.
The project began when I moved to Manchester in 2017 – I had previously been part of two black metal bands based in Cumbria, and a blackened metal band based in Liverpool. I’ve loved melodic black metal with keyboards for a long time, and had material written in this vein, but hadn’t been able to use it in any of my previous projects. I also wanted to try my hand at starting and running my own band.
I put the call out on social media to look for musicians, and an initial lineup came together of myself, Leth (keyboards), Bob (drums), Dillon (bass) and Graywinter (rhythm guitar). We recorded a demo in late 2017 and became regulars on the Manchester gigging circuit from Spring 2018.
As mentioned in the intro, you guys have just released Moonlight Pyromancy. Outside of my own enthusiasm, how has the reception to it been going? Outside of the UK, which countries have been showing it the most appreciation, and have there been any surprising or exciting responses to the album so far?
Matt: The reception to the album has been phenomenal – reviews have consistently been really positive, and our album launch event at Dark Earth Records was well attended. It seems to have made a splash in black metal communities online! I hope the momentum keeps up and that it leads to plenty of opportunities at home and abroad.
Streaming stats have indicated that the album is particularly popular in the USA, Germany, Finland and Poland. We also have listeners in Mexico, Brazil, Sweden, Canada and more… one of the most surprising responses has been a record store over in Japan buying copies of the album, and stocking it there! We’ve had some amazing compliments about the album (including from yourself, thank you!) – one of them was that the album encapsulates all the best parts of UKBM from the last ten years…
I see the album was recorded and mixed at Noiseboy Studios, how did you find the experience recording there? In my opinion, whoever mixed in the symphonic elements did a fantastic job as if not done correctly can be unbelievably jarring, but the way the keys blend in with the rest of the sounds on this album was really nicely done. It managed to keep the sound of the keys present without ever being overpowering, which I know from experience is a lot harder than people think it is to achieve. So, a hat tip to the engineer and keyboardist there!
Matt: We had a great experience recording at Noiseboy. Chris Taylor and Jake Boughton are total professionals, and Chris’s expertise in recording and mixing black metal, as well as other styles, was invaluable. Chris’s broad knowledge definitely complemented the eclectic nature of our music!
We spent long hours in the studio, getting the best takes we could, with Chris making suggestions here and there – eg some of the layered low and high vocals were Chris’s idea. The album would be a different beast without him!
Chris T was the one who mixed the album (including the many layers of synth and orchestration provided by Leth), and the mastering was done by Chris Fielding. Myself and the rest of the band are really pleased with how the final mixes and masters came out – it is difficult music to produce due to all of the different elements, so I agree that Chris T, Chris F and Jake all deserve recognition for their contributions.
I always like to know the equipment everyone is using. What equipment did you guys use to record Moonlight Pyromancy? And is there any equipment you’d still like to add to the band’s arsenal moving forward?
Matt: I recorded the distorted guitar parts using a Jackson Dinky guitar through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier head and a 4×12 cab. I used Tube Screamer and noise suppressor pedals to get that icy black metal sound. For the clean guitar sections, I borrowed Chris’s Fender Strat and played it through a Fender combo amp to get a really glassy clean tone – I wanted something reminiscent of Agalloch.
I’ve recently upgraded my guitar to a Schecter Demon – it has active pickups, which mean it sounds much more precise and has more of a ‘growl’ to it than the Jackson did. I used it live on Saturday and it came through in the mix much more clearly than my previous guitar did. The Blackstar pedal amp that I’m using live now also helps with that – through whatever cabs are available at the venue.
To me, it sounds like Argesk’s musical influences are taken from all over the place. Though it’s clear that there are no hard rules to limit your creativity as you’re taking influence from multiple sounds and styles. So I wanted to ask, in your own words, who or what would you say have been some of your influences or inspirations behind creating this project in the beginning? Have these influences changed over time?
Matt: Great question. The main influences for me from the start of Argesk have been early Cradle of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Emperor, Dissection and Ancient. The Finnish melodic black metal scene has also influenced my riff writing, and I think you can hear that quite clearly in our material.
My influences have changed over time – I listen to a lot more post punk and synthwave now, so some of that sensibility has seeped into my songwriting. I’ve also got into newer bands such as Saidan, Vampirska and Trhä, all of which now influence my riff writing.
Vocally, I would say my two biggest influences are Jon Kennedy (RIP – the vocalist for Hecate Enthroned’s early material) – and 90s Dani Filth. Other influences include Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquillity, and Corpsegrinder, though I feel at this point I’ve found my own voice and style.
Leth: I’m a major Mortiis fanboy – all of his stuff. The industrial stuff, the darkwave synth stuff, the dungeon synth, Vond, Fata Morgana, “Some Kind of Heroin” remixes, all of it. I think you can hear a lot of it over our pair of albums.
Other than him I have a lot of synthy influences that don’t fit into metal and yet I shoehorn them in anyway.
I genuinely think a gig with Argesk, Moonlight Sorcery, and something like Dimmu Borgir playing Enthroned Darkness Triumphant would be immense. Which left me thinking, why not ask, if you could organise your own perfect gig, which two or three other bands would be joining you that night?
We would love to play with Dimmu Borgir and Moonlight Sorcery! That would be an incredible gig to be a part of.
For me, personally, if I had to pick two bands to join us on a bill, it would be Emperor playing In the Nightside Eclipse in full, and Cradle of Filth playing Dusk and Her Embrace in full. Other potential acts could include Dissection (if they were still around) playing Storm of the Light’s Bane, Ancient (with Lord Kaiaphas on vocals) playing The Cainian Chronicle or Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends, Mutiilation playing Vampires of Black Imperial Blood… there are loads. Dark Tranquillity playing The Gallery would be an amazing one outside of black metal.
What does the composition process look like for you guys? Is there a main songwriter or is it more of a collaborative effort from the off? And has your approach to songwriting changed between Realm Of Eternal Night and Moonlight Pyromancy? To me, it sounds like Realm Of Eternal Night was more rooted in classic melodic black metal but I feel on Moonlight Pyromancy you guys have really opened yourselves up to allow in more influences, so I was curious if anything had changed in how you go about the process?
Matt: There are exceptions – ‘Invocation’ and ‘Tempest’ are both based around keyboard riffs that Leth came up with, but we jammed them in a similar way. ‘Black Castle Waltz’ sprung from a riff that Roscoe brought which evolved over time, and we extrapolated that into a full song. Now that we have Aidan with us, he’s taking a very active role in songwriting, bringing riffs to practice which we’re jamming with a view to using them on the next release.
Leth: I rehearse live with the band to get a good feel for each piece but every single song has been massively mutated by the recording process such that I need to rethink it through from the ground up. Not only melodies but chord structures and (in one case) a time signature changed compared to what I’d planned.
Other than the synth guide tracks for Invocation and Tempest, my contribution came after everyone else was done.
For MP, I locked myself in my studio with the studio-recorded guitar tracks, ample full-bodied shiraz, significant sleep debt and a concerned partner the other side of the door for the best part of 20 hours per track until I got something that was loosely inspired by my rehearsal performance but that I was ultimately satisfied with. I don’t do things by halves.
It wasn’t an especially healthy way to do it and the band got numerous silly-AM demos, but I am very happy with the outcome.
Let’s talk about the lyrics on Moonlight Pyromancy, was there anything in particular that inspired the lyrics on this one? From what I can make out, it’s a little bit occult-y, a little bit Satanic, what got you inspired when writing these?
Matt: You’re right that they’re very inspired by the occult, and somewhat inspired by Satanism. Hermeticism runs through the core of the lyrics, with references there for those who know how to look for them. Much of the inspiration for the lyrics came through my own meditative practice. The imagery used throughout came to me within meditative visions while listening to the music, conjuring vistas reminiscent of the artwork that adorns the front and back covers.
A combination of magick, meditation, a love of the gothic aesthetic, nature and my own journey of self discovery came together auspiciously to produce the lyrics that you see and hear within.
Leth: If you include my short lyrical contributions, they’re essentially a commentary on a character in Shakespeare’s Tempest and a response to Aurora’s ‘The Seed’. These are both very different forms of artwork that I have found to have moved me in one way or another.’
Following from that, we like the arcane, the esoteric, the ancient, and the occult, over here at Mithraic Magazine. With those keywords in mind, is there any literature you could recommend? Either for your fans to learn more about the themes behind your music, or just for our fans because you find it interesting.
Matt: Definitely, though they may seem foundational to the initiated. The Kybalion by Three Initiates is essential reading for anyone fascinated by Hermeticism and its principles. I have also taken influence from Crowley’s Lesser Key of Solomon (particularly in Servant of Fire) and LaVey’s Satanic Bible. Another recommendation is The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P Hall – Though a bit dry at times, this is a very comprehensive work of arcane knowledge, drawing from a vast array of traditions and cultures. Not necessarily one to read cover to cover!
I also cannot overstate the importance of personal meditation and self-discovery. While reading is important, practice is the only way to discover oneself and one’s own power.
Excluding anything already mentioned, what else does Argesk recommend we check out?
Matt: I very much enjoyed the most recent Nosferatu, by Robert Eggers. It absolutely nails the gothic atmosphere in a way that I have rarely seen in modern films. In a world where film is increasingly corporatised, with many large blockbusters seemingly made by committee, this was a piece of art.
In terms of books, I’ve been reading ‘You Are a Badass’ by Jen Sincero, a very playfully written self help book with excellent advice and, at times, a spiritual bent to it.
I’m not really much of a gamer, but I’ve been playing 2017’s Star Wars Battlefront 2 on Steam – I’m a sucker for that universe, and there’s something about slaying enemies as Darth Maul, while Duel of the Fates plays over the speakers, that I can’t get enough of!
In terms of events and festivals, I can recommend The Woods Fest at Fell Foot Wood next year. We will make an appearance here, and Fell Foot Wood is a very unique venue for black metal – a wood situated on a hill next to Windermere in the Lake District. Truly a beautiful natural setting which encapsulates the wild desolation of black metal music.
In addition, I can also recommend Fortress Festival in Scarborough – this provides some of the finest black metal lineups I have seen in the UK. Gallowbraid, Old Man’s Child, Vinterland, Akercocke and Black Cilice are playing next year, to name but a few.
I always like to ask, who are some of the more obscure or underground bands you recommend we check out? Additionally, is there anyone specifically from the UK you also recommend we listen to in addition to Argesk?
Matt: There are too many to name… some recommendations include Hecate Enthroned, Old Corpse Road, Cairns, Burial, Wolfbastard,Ninkharsag, Andracca, Abduction, Necronautical, Blood Countess, Hiraeth, Ba’al and Defod. The UK black metal scene is thriving at the moment, with an abundance of great bands – the ones I mentioned here barely scratches the surface.
Leth: I am still deeply embedded in synth music, despite my contributions to black metal. Whilst recording Moonlight Pyromancy I was mostly looping the album “Creatures” by Ari Mason, an underground USA-based synthpop artist. “Empires” would be the song I suggest to listen to if you want to hear some of my riff influences but beware, it’s a long way from metal.
What does the end of 2025 look like for Argesk, any shows to end the year or celebrate the album? What about 2026, what does next year’s campaign look like now you’ve just cemented your presence with Moonlight Pyromancy?
We have just played a headline show at Aatma, where we showcased material from our new album alongside reworked, twin-guitar interpretations of material from ‘Realm of Eternal Night’. The venue was packed out, with pits and chants throughout our set… we were blown away by the response and hope for more of the same next year. Hopefully on bigger and bigger stages!
In 2026, we hope to bring Moonlight Pyromancy as far and wide as we can. We wish to perform across the UK in new and varied places as well as revisiting our old haunts – a number of shows are booked already, as-yet-unannounced. Playing overseas is also an ambition of ours, as well as at more festivals.
We are also working on new material, with Aidan taking a very active role in the writing process. We don’t yet know what form this will take. EP, album, split? Who knows…
Finally, before I let you go today, is there anything you’d like to add or say before we finish?
Thank you for taking the time to interview us. To our fans, we appreciate the hell out of all of you, eternal gratitude for your unwavering support! There is much, much more to come…
Appreciate your time today!
HTBLOF.
If you’ve not been tempted to check out one of the many links on this page by now, I highly recommend you do so now. While not a traditional black metal album, if you like a more melodic and atmospheric flare to accompany your blastbeats then this album could be what you’re looking for.
Again, I wouldn’t say Argesk musically sounds like Cradle of Filth, Wintersun, or Children of Bodom specifically, but I do think they are a good metaphor for the musical bravery Argesk have taken with their latest release. Like those now legendary bands back in the beginning, Argesk have just released something that is equal parts different, defiant, and difficult to digest if you’re a die-hard genre purist, and do you know what that has typically led to looking back throughout the history of the genre? Success.
So if you don’t know the name Argesk already, I strongly suspect you will do as we move into the future if they continue releasing albums like this. Argesk takes the best of all the genres it borrows from stylistically and packages those wide range of influences into something that is energetic, atmospheric, unique to themselves, and most importantly, enjoyable to listen to.
Give it a listen if you’ve not already. And remember, if you like it and can afford to do so – you should definitely buy it!
Mithraic Magazine 
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