First of all.. We would like to thank Vision Of Mara for doing this interview with us!
Also, we want to shout out to Imperial Darkness Records,  Noose,  and Hailstorm of the USBMS for helping us to put this one together..

And of course.. We thank Khel-Nath of the ECBMA for his dedication and trust..



Raging out of Denver, Colorado; Vision Of Mara's soul-blistering debut EP "The Fortress Of Misery" released in 2008 was an all out assault upon the senses, and their myspace  playlist was rotating constantly on our stereo as we put this site together a few months ago.  After undergoing some key line-up changes, they have continued that assault with renewed energy, fire, and well.. Intensity!

With the release of their latest EP "Cold Brutal Light" coming very soon, and heading up the "Assault Upon the Holy Tour (USBMS)" along with Kult Of Thorn and Hordes of Hate; the 'Vision' of this bands future is very promising indeed.

Submitted by AfterMath and HATE of the ECBMA West Coast Chapter


1) For those who are unfamiliar with VOM; Please list the current band members, and the instruments that they play..

Korpshamer - Vocals

Rev. Draakus - Guitars

Azkoroth - Guitars

Dahthar - Keyboards

Kvol - Drums

2) Who, and when did VOM start playing together?  How long have the current members been playing with VOM?

Vision of Mara started in early 2007 as a four piece band.  Two of the four members in question (Rev. Draakus and Dahthar) still remain.  Azkoroth became our second guitarist in mid 2008.  Our former drummer (Kohdysyus) had to move out of state for personal reasons in late 2008 and we had to let our old vocalist (Disgrace) go in 2009 due to lack of dedication and differences in style.  We picked up Kvol and Korpshamer early last year to take their places.


3) Explain, as best that you can, what is involved in your song writing process?   Is it a team - effort, or is there designated songwriter(s) within the band?

It varies.  Sometimes just a member or two will write all of the melodies before adding rhythm and vocals and sometimes we'll write it as a collective group.  Either way we all have say in the end as to what melodies we want to play and tweak the songs accordingly.

4) Were you satisfied artistically with the results of "The Fortress Of Misery", and how do you feel about how "Cold Brutal Light" compares to the earlier EP?

We were satisfied with "The Fortress of Misery" until the vocal tracks were recorded.  At that time we had already started having problems with Disgrace's timing, memorization skills and lyrical content.  We had talked at the time of recording about kicking him out then and there but we decided to give him another chance to see whether or not he would improve.  Consequently we decided to cut the LP the way it was for better or for worse.  "Cold Brutal Light", on the other hand, was an amazing experience both in the writing process and in the studio.  We are enormously proud of the EP because it is more of what the band had envisioned from the very beginning.


5) Describe as best that you can how, or if the new members have changed the dynamics and / or attitudes of the band members now compared to the old line-up?

Korpshamer is an extremely talented vocalist who is also very poetic in his lyricism.  His rhythmic vocal patterns accentuate the music, summoning an undeniable ominous energy.  Kvol's complex rhythms are diverse and raw.  The speed variations frame up the collective artistic vision of the band.  Although we still have our occasional conflicts, the band is now more of a brotherhood than it ever was in the past.  We all feed off of one another's energy to create music that we personally would want to listen to.


6) Did you bring in an outside producer to help with the recording of "Cold Brutal Light"? Or did you do all of that yourselves?  Private pro-studio, or personal home studio?

Both "The Fortress of Misery" and "Cold Brutal Light" were recorded and mixed at Dirty D. Studios by Dave Sanchez (from the thrash band Havok).


7) Overall, was the recording experience for "Cold Brutal Light" a positive one?

Dave is an amazing producer who is also very easy to work with.  Being a metal musician himself, he is very patient and receptive to our ideas.  This is why we returned to him to record the EP.


8) On your MySpace page, where it lists 'genre' ; It reads "Black Metal / Other". Can you explain what the "Other" is referring to?

We aren't quite experimental Black Metal but we're also not, by any means, ordinary.  The classification "Other" simply signifies our ambition to try something new with our music without having to worry about whether or not the masses consider us "trve kvlt".


9) Any thoughts or opinions that you can (or are willing to) share regarding bands that refer to themselves as "Christian Black Metal"?

We find those bands absolutely ridiculous.  Leave it to the Christians to make bastardized bullshit out of everything.  They probably just do it to piss us off.  Besides, what are they going to list as their influences?  Dark Funeral, Burzum, Mayhem?  Hahahaha!


10) Where do you stand on the issue of file sharing?

If there is a form of media out there, people will find a way to get it for free.  I'm sure we're just as guilty as everybody else when it comes to this.


11) Influences..? Musical and non--musical..real or imagined..?

(Dahthar) Black Metal and Industrial music of all kinds, dystopian literature, horror, hatred of established religions
(Korpshamer) Violence and instability
(Draakus) Ulver, Aura Noir, and Judas Priest
(Azkoroth) Life experiences, some dreams, B movies
(Kvol) Fucking hate man, that's what I like


12) Are you happy just playing music, or do you have other ambitions above and beyond the underground scene?

We do this for the love of the music and for the life experience of playing the shows.  Meeting like-minded individuals is also another thing we enjoy.  Our main ambition is to tour Europe someday.


13) Some would say that Black Metal from the US isn't legit or "pure" enough.. What are your thoughts on that?

Location has noting to do with legitimacy.  Bands such as Nachtmystium, Agalloch and Wolves in the Throne Room are just a few American acts that hold their own just as well as many others.


14) Whats the funniest thing you have ever seen playing live? Most fucked up?

The most fucked up thing that happened that comes to mind is right after we had finished playing in Denver one night a couple of years ago.  We were loading our gear after playing a set and there were some guys chasing this other guy.  When they finally caught him behind the venue he got stabbed and the rest of the show had to be canceled.


15) Black Metal is an art form that includes both music and aspects of theater. How do you bring that unseen aspect to your studio recorded offerings?

We try to incorporate a feeling of haunting grimness and desolation in the recordings and when you hear it it speaks for itself.


16) What would you want to say about yourself and / or music that you feel has been misunderstood, unsaid, or misinterpreted?

The first recording wasn't exactly what Dahthar and Rev. Draakus had in mind so they made the necessary lineup changes to ensure a better future for the band.

17) How can fans contact you to buy CDs / Merch and / or just get ahold of you guys?

We can be reached at (myspace.com/visionofmara), our CDs and shirts can be ordered through Imperial Darkness Records at (myspace.com/imperialdarknessrecords).


18) Anything at all you want to talk about that hasn't been covered here or anywhere else?

We want to thank USBMS, ECBMA and the underground BM scene.