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Grima is a duo formed in 2014 by Velhelm and Morbius, two Russians who live in cold Siberia. With 10 years of experience, Siberian atmospheric black metal legion Grima will release their sixth album and debut on Napalm Records, «Nightside», on February 28, 2025. Regarding this launch, we spoke with the two twin brothers.

By Sandra Pinto

Morbius and Vilhelm, you are twin brothers, so I have to start by asking: how and when did this project come about?
V: We created Grima in 2014 as a studio project. We wanted to compose and record all the music ourselves, just the two of us, to grow as composers and musicians together. On the first album, you can hear that we lacked experience, but on the following records, you can
clearly see our growth as musicians and performers.
M: We released the first Grima album in 2014. That’s when our long collaboration with Naturmacht Productions began, with whom we released five albums. This band was created so that we could fully realize our creative ideas in the black metal genre. We have another band, Ultar, where we come up with music as a group. In Grima, creating music is a more intimate process for us.

Did the fact that you are twin brothers influence the growth of the project?
V: We share the same goal and vision for the band. The special connection between us manifests itself in the musical dialogue during the creation of new compositions. We dedicate a lot of time to the band; it’s hard work, and you need to be surrounded by people who want the same thing. Our unity helps us.
M: We’ve been doing this together our whole lives. We were raised the same way, and we share the same interests. Since we were 10, we’ve been into heavy music, and at 13, we started learning to play the electric guitar together. We understand each other perfectly.
What could be better than doing what you love with your brother?

You come from Siberia, a geographical territory little known to the Portuguese. How would you describe your land to us?
M: Siberia is very beautiful. We are surrounded by dense forests and red mountains. In winter, the temperature drops below -30°C, and in summer, it can get quite hot. Our climate is very unstable, and the weather changes quickly. Our local nature inspires our creativity. Through our music, we convey our sensitive perception of the Siberian forest.

You arrive from the deep forests of Siberia: What influence did the geography and temperature of Siberia have on your sound?
V: We are inspired by the nature around our hometown, Krasnoyarsk. Winter envelops our region for four months every year, and the icy sound and atmosphere of cold are expressive tools that suit us; it has become part of our style. The giant mountains and mighty rivers are
places of power for us, and you can see them in our music videos.
M: Imagine freezing in a snowdrift, surrounded by nothing but snow and forest, with no people around. You hear the sound of the wind, the crunch of falling snow, and the howls of wild animals. These are the sensations we convey in our music. We create beautiful and cold music with its own unique atmosphere. The cold and beautiful nature create vivid musical imagery.

Why did you choose black metal as your sound?
V: It’s a deeply artistic genre. The dark concept of mystical meaning in music, its ritualistic feel, and the abundance of dark symbolism create a unique aesthetic with a wide variety of lyrical themes. Moreover, black metal harmonizes well with other metal genres, allowing for unique combinations.
M: Black metal is our favorite music. It’s the most interesting genre of metal music for us. There’s a special inner drive to create music with mystical elements that are inherent in this genre.

What are your main influences?
M: As musicians, we were influenced by metal bands from the 90s, like Cradle of Filth, Immortal, and King Diamond. Horror movies from that era and earlier also had a strong impact on our vision of the visual component of bands that play extreme metal with conceptual elements. I’ve always liked bands with a strong visual identity and unique imagery.

What does GRIMA mean? Is it the name of some supreme deity of the forest?
M: Grima is a character we created to embody the grandeur of Siberian nature. It’s the spirit of the forest, an ancient deity that protects it. This spirit is hostile to the outside world. We appear as forest ghosts who carry out its will, conducting ceremonies in the name of the
great guardian of the Siberian taiga. Through Grima, we celebrate our love for nature and art. Every show we do is a ritual in the name of the great forest power.

What message do you want to convey with your lyrics?
V: We want to bring back the primal fear of nature, to let people return back in time, to when people were scared of the dark

You act with a mask: why this option and what do you want to convey with it?
M: We visually present the idea of our creativity. It’s easier for the listener to immerse themselves in thematic music when there’s a corresponding image that reinforces the theme and ideology of the band.

You use folk and traditional sounds and instruments from your region. Do you think this helps you achieve greater purity in your sound and mission as a band?
M: We use acoustic guitar and bayan (a type of accordion). We use them as additional sonic textures to expand the melodic range. The bayan sounds very expressive, and its tone fits our music perfectly.

You will release the album Nightside at the end of February via Napalm Records. How did this partnership with the label come about?
M: At the beginning of 2024, Napalm Records reached out to us and offered to release our new album with them. I think this happened thanks to our continuous work. Every two years, we try to release a new album and go on tour. Over the past few years, we’ve played about a
hundred concerts in Europe. The band has become noticeable to labels, concert organizers, and festivals. We’ve always wanted to sign with a major label. It’s very important for us to have a wide distribution network for our albums and merchandise, which becomes possible
with the support of a label. We hope to promote this album as widely as possible. We’ve signed a multi-album deal, and we have many plans ahead.

How many songs are on the album?
M: The new album has 10 songs. This time, we included more short tracks, but we didn’t forget about the longer, epic ones.
V: I’d like to add that Nightside is a conceptual album, and it’s best listened to in its entirety.

How did the album creation process go?
V: The whole process felt really relaxed. After our European tour, we were fired up and ready to create new music. We still write all our songs together, but when it comes to recording the final versions and some special parts, we like to bring in some guests to the studio. This time, our guest list includes our live musicians, Vlad and Serpentum, along with our go-to studio collaborators, Valentina Astashova and Sergey Pastukh.

How did the album creation process occur?
M: We kicked off songwriting in early summer 2023, right after our second European tour. We were brimming with inspiration from the concerts and dove into making our new album with a lot of excitement. It was really important for us to create an album that showcases our
strongest qualities, especially in terms of songwriting and sound. Each song tells a story and takes us into the beautiful, dark Siberian forest. Some of the songs were fine-tuned at our cabin in the woods, which is about an hour’s drive from the city, where we usually record our acoustic instruments. By the time we got to the studio, we had a clear vision of how we wanted the new album to sound. The recording process flowed smoothly, and we genuinely enjoyed our time in the studio.

Vilhelm, you are responsible for the vocals. Do you also write the lyrics? What is this process like?
V: Most of the lyrics are written by me. I always write them after the music is fully composed because it’s essential that the words align with the notes and harmony, reflecting the mood and carrying forward the essence of the music. For me, working with vocals is no different
than working with guitars or any other instrument. It’s about finding the right part, using the voice to amplify the music’s mood and giving it the meaning it deserves. Occasionally, we collaborate with other writers who have a deep understanding of Grima’s lore. On Nightside in particular, there are a few song lyrics written by Savely Nevzorov, who also contributed his clean vocals on several tracks.

As a vocalist and writer, who are your biggest influences (in music, literature, etc.)?
V: It’s hard to pinpoint specific works. It’s more about the accumulated experience of listening to various music and watching films. I like to think of Grima as an ever-evolving world, rich with mysticism.

When did you start singing?
V: I started experimenting with extreme vocals when I was about 12. My approach was purely intuitive; there wasn’t much information about this kind of vocal style back then, just recordings of bands with very extreme sound. As a kid, I was fully immersed in the world of growling and screaming. I’ve always been drawn to vocalists who could sound unique, who had a whole range of techniques and could seamlessly switch between low and high vocals.

How careful are you with your voice these days?
V: I sing all the time; maintaining good vocal form is a part of my daily routine. It comes from constant practice, rehearsals, and recording my voice. Understanding your own timbre is key to making sure your vocals cut through the distorted guitars and loud drums. I don’t feel any negative effects after intense touring or long studio days, but I don’t have any special rituals to keep my voice in shape either. I just do what works for me.

Do you have a favorite singer?
V: King Diamond, Jonathan Davis, Dani Filth. Their music has been in my playlist since I was nine, and it’s still with me. These are vocalists worth paying tribute to.

Morbius, when did you first become interested in the guitar?
M: When I first saw metal music videos at around 8 or 9 years old, I was instantly captivated by the sound of the guitar. The musicians looked so cool and full of energy. It left a huge impression on me.

Did you take lessons? Or did you both take lessons (as is often the case with twin brothers)?
V: We both took guitar lessons from a tutor who played in a heavy metal band. For us, it was exactly what we needed—a great start to learning the guitar with genre-specific technical nuances. We practiced together, which helped develop our style further.

Can we say that Andy La Rocque, the guitarist from KING DIAMOND, is one of your favorite guitarists? If yes, why? And outside of this genre, is there any musician or band that inspires you?
V: We’ve been listening to him since we were kids. He’s not only a great guitarist but also an amazing music producer. His studio work with Shining really impresses us. If we dig deeper, music from horror movies has a strong influence on us. One of our favorite composers is Fabio Frizzi.

You released two videos: “Skull Gatherers” and “Flight of the Silver Storm.” Why did you choose these two themes to promote the album?
V: We thought about what we wanted to shoot and how it would look. The songs were chosen based on the visual concept. We didn’t want to work with the longer songs from the album because they’re harder to shoot videos for. The visual aspect demanded these songs, and they also have a nice timing.

Will we have the opportunity to see more videos for other songs?
V: We’ve prepared three videos; the last one will be released a few days before the album’s release.

You come from Russia’s atmospheric black metal scene. What is your opinion on the Russian black metal scene?
V: We have some great bands with their own recognizable sound. I’d like to mention Elderwind, Eoront, and Morokh. There are quite a few bands in our country recording albums, but many of them lack the taste and technical experience to create interesting music.

You have given concerts in Europe. What has this experience been like?
V: Every time when we come to play in Europe we’re brimming with joy. We haven’t faced any serious problems during our tours. Our organizers and fans are great people, and we genuinely enjoy their company. Every time we finish a European tour we cannot wait to return for another one.

Are there plans to come to Portugal?
V: Unfortunately, our current tour route doesn’t include Portugal. We were there for the first time last year, and we have great memories. We’ll definitely return to you in the future.