Abscence Interview

 

1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Abscence is a symphonic black/gothic metal band born in the shadows of Yorkshire. At our core, we’re storytellers we take the grand emotional palette of gothic romanticism and fuse it with the frostbitten atmosphere of black metal. The band consists of Gawain, who shapes the orchestral and compositional backbone; Morrigan, whose bass work and dual vocal style (haunting cleans and fierce growls) define our emotional range; Aethra on guitars, bringing both aggression and melody; and Glen Veldman, whose drumming provides precision, brutality, and ritualistic pulse.

Our music is drenched in atmosphere. We treat every album, every song, as a world. With Enigma, our debut, we introduced listeners to our cinematic approach dark, raw, symphonic and we’ve been expanding that universe ever since under Wormholedeath Records.

2. You recently released a new album—what musical direction did you aim for with Enigma?

Enigma was our declaration of identity. We didn’t want a hyper-polished modern metal record. Instead, we wanted something that felt alive fragile in the right places, feral in others.

The musical style lies at the crossroads of symphonic black metal, gothic metal, and classical influences. Gawain’s orchestral arrangements shaped the atmospheric backbone; the keyboards behave like another narrative voice. Morrigan’s vocals became the emotional flashpoint her clean passages carry sorrow, while her brutal vocals tear through the more intense climaxes.

Aethra’s guitars are sharp, melancholic, and dynamic, and Glan’s drumming pushed the album into harsher territory: relentless blasts, cinematic swells, and ritualistic rhythms.

We aimed for drama, emotion, and honesty and we didn’t shy away from keeping small imperfections that preserved the human touch of the record.

3. The lyrics form a concept album—what story does Enigma tell?

Enigma is a romantic tragedy wrapped in vampiric myth. It follows two immortal women, bound by a love that transcends centuries yet is constantly threatened by time, betrayal, and darkness. Their devotion is both salvation and curse.

The album follows their journey:

– their first meeting in secrecy

– their transformation

– their vows under moonlit skies

– their descent into obsession

– the sacrifices they make to remain together

– and the haunting stillness of eternity that follows them

It’s a story about how love can become monstrous, beautiful, and eternal all at once. Every track is a piece of their emotional landscape.

4. What inspired the name Abscence?

The name represents the emotional void inside every human being—the hollow ache left by lost love, grief, or longing. We selected the altered spelling deliberately. Abscence feels slightly “wrong” to the eye, like a forgotten term from worn-out folklore or an inscription found in a ruined chapel.

It symbolizes our musical philosophy: beautiful imperfection, emotional honesty, and the spaces between light and shadow.

5. Tell us about the artwork for Enigma.

The artwork embodies the core theme of the album: eternal love forged in darkness.

The imagery of spectral figures, crimson hues, and symbolic patterns encapsulates the delicate balance between beauty and torment. The artwork isn’t just aesthetic it’s part of the narrative. The cover looks like a moment frozen in time from the vampires’ story, capturing their tragic devotion.

We wanted something that could stand both as folklore and as a cinematic still.

6. Your stage names are inspired by Arthurian legends and Celtic Mythology. Can you explain your connection to these themes?

We’ve always gravitated toward mythologies steeped in tragedy, prophecy, and mysticism. Arthurian legends and Celtic lore contain all the elements we channel into our music: doomed heroes, witches, forbidden love, sacrifice, and magic.

Our chosen names Gawain, Morrigan, and Aethra reflect archetypes we align with artistically. They’re not costumes; they’re spiritual representations of the energies we bring into Abscence. We don’t just write songs we inhabit the mythic world we’re creating.

7. What have been your most memorable shows so far, and how would you describe your performance style?

Some of our most unforgettable shows have been intimate ones where every element lights, fog, volume, silence came together perfectly. We don’t simply play songs; we immerse the audience in the world of Enigma.

Onstage we are theatrical, emotional, and intense.

– Morrigan balances ethereal serenity with monstrous ferocity.

– Aethra delivers a combination of elegance and aggression.

– Gawain’s presence behind the keys adds ceremonial depth.

– Glan’s drumming drives everything forward with technical precision.

A live Abscence performance is meant to feel like watching a dark romantic tragedy unfold.

8. Do you have touring or show plans for the new releases?

Yes. We are planning selective UK and European shows to support Enigma and our upcoming releases. As we approach the next album cycle, we will expand into festivals and atmospheric venues that fit the storytelling nature of our performances. We prefer quality over quantity shows that feel like rituals.

9. How has the global reaction been among fans of symphonic black and gothic metal?

The response has been phenomenal. Listeners from around the world have connected deeply with the emotional and narrative approach of our music. Many have said it reminds them of the classic era when gothic and black metal were both raw and romantic, yet feels undeniably modern in spirit. This mixture of nostalgia and freshness seems to resonate strongly.

10. Where do you see the band heading musically in the future?

We’re entering a new creative era.

Before the next full album drops, we are releasing an EP titled:

“Each Fervent Kiss”

This EP acts as a bridge between Enigma and our upcoming album Where We Carved Our Stone.

It expands the vampire lovers’ saga with additional chapters more intimate, more violent, and more emotionally vulnerable.

Musically, it leans deeper into atmosphere, romantic sorrow, and haunting vocal interplay between Morrigan and Aethra.

Then comes the next full album:

“Where We Carved Our Stone”

This album will be grander, heavier, more symphonic, and more intense than anything we’ve done.

Expect:

– larger orchestral arrangements

– darker guitar landscapes

– more of Morrigan’s romantic cleans

– deeper storytelling

– guest vocalists

– a more cinematic experience from beginning to end

It is the next chapter of our mythology, carved literally and metaphorically.

11. What bands and styles have influenced you, and what are you listening to today?

We take inspiration from Emperor, Theatre of Tragedy, old Cradle of Filth, Paradise Lost, Limbonic Art,and classical composers like Vivaldi,Handel. But we also draw from dark folk, ambient soundtracks, Celtic traditions, and film score composers even vocal trance from Netherlands.

Recently we’ve been listening to everything from atmospheric black metal to contemporary classical pianists like Hélène Grimaud. We try not to limit our influences emotion guides the sound more than genre.

12. Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share?

We want to thank everyone who entered the world of Enigma and embraced our dark romantic vision. With the upcoming EP Each Fervent Kiss and the album Where We Carved Our Stone, we will dive even deeper into sorrow, passion, and myth.

This is just the beginning of our story.

Walk with us into the shadows there is much more to come.

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