The Texan Underworld never ceases to amaze me! EISIGE VENEN might not sound very familiar to many, but I assure you that their debut album Ghosts of Yesterday will take you by surprise. I couldn’t believe my ears when I dug into those depressing and frozen landscapes, carefully tangled with Doomy and Blackish metal constructions as the prefect backgrounds to accompany the view. The Austin three-piece continues to work and already has a new recording ready to be spread out, but let’s read what guitarist and keyboardist Marc Williams has to say about this.

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How’s the band doing on these winter days? Is this the perfect weather to write music for EISIGE VENEN? “… Everyone is doing great! It hasn't gotten quite that cold yet but I'm ready for it for sure! EISIGE VENEN's music has mostly been written in colder months, however; the new EP The Mourning Frost was written in the hotter months. I think it will show with the overall mood of the album…”

What’s behind the band’s moniker meaning and how does it fit your music? “… EISIGE VENEN is German for Icy Veins. World of Warcraft players will be familiar with this. I wanted to pay homage to my long days spent playing that game as well as the time I spent living in Germany when I was a soldier. I believe it captures the cold sound of sadness that our music conveys…”

When and why did you realize or come to the agreement that this one-man project needed to become a full member band? “… I was getting writer's block and also became tired of doing the vocals myself. I asked Curtis Fitzpatrick to join and lay down some vocals for the project. I had previously worked with him in BA'ALZAMON dating back to the late 90's. I knew he was capable, and I wanted to hear him in my songs. Chris Brandon had interviewed me for his YouTube channel Heavy Metal 101 and asked if I needed a bass player. I was hesitant at first but upon hearing what he could do, I gladly accepted his offer. His basslines are crucial to more than a couple EISIGE VENEN songs…”

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Congrats on the debut album Ghosts of Yesterday and for signing with Rotting Sun Records! How did this come to reality? “… We're part of a larger group of bands on Facebook and I met Josh through that. We clicked and we decided to work together for the release of Ghosts of Yesterday. We both have realistic expectations and Josh is a good dude. I'm thrilled to be a part of the Rotting Sun family…”

Was it the debut album recorded as a one-man piece or were all the current members also a part of it? “… Ghosts of Yesterday features all members. We had to redo some older recordings to get everyone's parts added but they're all there. Previously I had only released four songs as a one-man project…”

Is the new single Tenebris Intus defining an experimental hunger or new path for the band? “… I believe it is closer to how I envisioned EISIGE VENEN. I like things to be a bit more epic and I think it was something that was waiting to come out post-Ghosts of Yesterday. The new EP The Mourning Frost will further make moves towards a more melodic direction for the band…”

The band’s music is very interesting and unusual for the Texan panorama. How has it been received by metalheads and media? “… So far, it's been pretty good considering how few people have heard it overall. We got a couple 8/10's from some online magazines as well. We've been rejected a couple times as well but it’s no big thing. Even the rejections have been polite. We get that not everyone will like it anyway…”

It seems that a new recording is in the works, could you be a spoiler and tell us something about it? “… The songs are a bit on the more epic side in my opinion. There are new styles of guitar and it’s only scattered with a few Black metal riffs. I think it’s a new direction and we hope people enjoy it. The first single is called “The Eternal Parade” and was released on Dec. 4th. We have another untitled single coming out on Jan. 4th and the EP will be out on Feb. 10th, 2024…”

How do you picture the day when the night comes eternally? “… I feel like I would finally be in my element. I'm not against the daytime but I've always been a nighttime person…”

If you had the chance to organize your own tour, what bands and what countries or places would you head to? “… I would head to the EU first and foremost. Germany would be awesome to return to and play at. I think I would take INSOMNIUM, THROES OF DAWN (playing Binding of the Spirit in its entirety), LUSTRE, ROTTING CHRIST and SONATA ARCTICA. That would be a killer show…”

What’s the band working on nowadays and what’s on your mind for the upcoming months? “… Beside the EP coming out, there aren't any current plans. I think we did a lot this year and all need a small break for a few months to wind down. I'm going to still play guitar and write music but it most likely wouldn't even be released until 2025. With the extra time I hope to help out with Rotting Sun Records more as Josh continues to grow. I also may release some one-man Black metal from my other project LIKE SORROW…”

Could you address those who are new to the band and to the Scriptorium readers? “…Thank you all for checking out Scriptorium and for reading this interview! If you like a more blackened melodic extreme metal, then you should check us out when you get a chance...”