STORMKEEP Interview (1/2)

In this two-part interview, we talk with Otheyn Vermithrax about the second album, “The Nocturnes of Iswylm,” with which Stormkeep takes us into their own fantasy world.

Orkus: How did you go about creating this world, and what inspired you in the process?
Otheyn Vermithrax: The world of Elda has steadily evolved and grown over time. Ever since the first EP, “Galdrum,” it has been very important to me to set all the lyrics and themes within a single world. This world revealed itself to me during the writing process. So it quickly became clear that all of Stormkeep’s releases would take place in this other place—a place where magic, legends, and myths live on. It’s hard to explain where it comes from. I simply believe that it had been slumbering beneath our world the whole time, until I finally discovered it.

O: How did you come up with the name Iswylm?
OV: In a way, the name can be translated as “Ice World.” Many of the names in Elda are derived from extinct languages.

O: Why did you ultimately choose “The Nocturnes of Iswylm” as the album title?
OV: There were a few other ideas on the table, but none of them really felt interesting or exciting. Often, you can’t force the right idea—it has to come about naturally. “Nocturnes,” or night songs, seemed to fit the album’s themes very well. Furthermore, Iswylm is the place where the Dragon Queen slept for many ages and built her castle. The Nathaarians, too, live most fully in the icy wastelands of this island.

O: The album gets off to a very powerful start with “The Taste of Immortal Blood.” Is there a story behind this song?
OV: That was the first song written for the album. Before that, we’d already had a few ideas and songs, but they didn’t feel like they would take the band in a new direction. When “The Taste of Immortal Blood” finally took shape, it set the tone for the rest of the album.

O: Is there a central theme or a common thread that runs through “The Nocturnes of Iswylm”?
OV: I’d say that at its core, “Nocturnes” explores humanity’s relationship to consumption, sexuality, nature, and our own mortality. As the saying goes: In the end, it all comes down to “sex and death.” We use the world of Elda to tell the story of a man—the Seer—who is trying to make amends for the mistakes of his past. By using the concept of vampirism as a metaphor, we can explore these ideas on a deeper level.

Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg

We’ll continue our conversation shortly

Lineup:
Otheyn Vermithrax – vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums
Apokteino – guitar
Nebula Husk – bass
Lord Dahthar – keyboards

Listen to the album on Spotify: