In the contemporary extreme metal landscape, few projects manage to balance tradition and experimentation as uniquely as Ozark Shaman. Led by Brad Nailling, the project dives into dense atmospheres where raw black metal intertwines with unexpected elements such as synths, folk, and even Scruggs-style banjo. The new album A Traitor Is Worse Than An Enemy emerges as an ambitious work, exploring themes of betrayal, history, spirituality, and the human condition, while further expanding the project’s sonic identity.

By Sandra Pinto

In this interview, Nailling reveals the ideas behind the record, his solitary creative process, and the artistic evolution shaping the path of Ozark Shaman.

What themes or ideas does the album explore, and how do they connect throughout the record?
It explores various themes that I wanted to experiment with while bringing different influences together. I like to mix unusual things to keep it from being too one-dimensional. With regard to the visual aspect: After deciding on the album title, I looked to historical references for inspiration for the art and thought it would be interesting to have two Romans on the cover because of how rampant betrayal was in the Roman Empire.

Is the album inspired by historical events, philosophical ideas, or personal reflections?
The inspirations are multifaceted. I would say all the above. I try to go for what best serves the feel of the song.

Do you see this record as a concept album, or more as a collection of connected stories?
It’s a mix of both.

Ozark Shaman is a one-man project. How does handling all instruments and production affect the creative process?
It keeps things focused. Bouncing ideas off of others is fun, but this way things never get lost in translation.

When writing new material, do the musical ideas usually come first, or do you start from a lyrical or conceptual idea?
The musical ideas come first, but sometimes a lyrical idea will come simultaneously.

What were some of the biggest challenges while creating this album?
Several years’ worth of challenges which involved moving / relocating, but learning recording and production was ultimately the biggest hurdle. It was all downhill after that.

Your music blends raw black metal with electronic synths, folk elements, and even banjo. How did this unique combination develop?
This record was written over a span of 10 years so it had a lot of time to ferment and blend different ideas together musically. So I’m thankful for all the setbacks that allowed this to happen. But it mostly comes out of love for a lot of different styles of music that get filtered through this.

The banjo played in Scruggs-style picking is a very unusual element in black metal. What inspired you to bring that sound into this genre?
The Scruggs style fascinates me because of its ability to hit so many notes at a fast pace. I also thought the banjo had a huge potential to sound melancholy, which I don’t hear very often in the Scruggs style.

How do you balance the aggressive aspects of black metal with the atmospheric and folk textures in your music?
I tried to use the folk aspect sparingly, so that it flows with the aggressive elements without sounding too forced.

What artists, genres, or traditions have influenced the sound of Ozark Shaman the most?
Vreid, Windir, Death, Summoning, Taake, Fjorsvartnir, Woods of Ypres, Cor Scorpii, Marduk, early Finsterforst, Thyrfing, Mithotyn, Satyricon, Ensiferum, Wintersun, Dissection, Immortal, Myrkgrav, Emperor were some early influences. So Ozark Shaman is mainly influenced by black metal at the core, but with death and thrash metal as well. Bluegrass and electronic music are additional inspirations. A lot of my favorite artists are Norwegian, and the guys from Vreid and Cor Scorpii have been very encouraging. Lars from Myrkgrav had given me some useful advice early on as well. Paul Ray “Dunk” Farris (banjo player for D Ray White) shared wisdom with me around the time I started playing banjo.

Your wife Madeleine Nailling contributes viola to the project. How did that collaboration shape the atmosphere of the album?
She was the missing element that it needed. Viola balances out the banjo and complements it during solos. She hits everything on the first try and can play anything I put in front of her. It makes things go more smoothly whenever it takes me 1000 takes.

What does the viola bring to the music that other instruments might not?
It’s a beautiful instrument that makes you think of the lonely vacuum of space, and enables you to imagine floating through it. It will be featured more on the next release to take advantage of that.

Your lyrics touch on spirituality, cosmicism, war, history, and human struggle. Why are these themes important for you to explore?
I live in a pretty isolated area and I have a lot of time to study different things so it inspires the music.

Do you see Ozark Shaman as a project that reflects personal beliefs or more as a storytelling medium?
I try not to make things too personal or self-important, I just want to explore things that everybody endures and can relate to. At the end of the day, I just want to make some good music and offer something a little different.

Being based in the Ozarks, does the landscape or culture of Missouri influence the mood of the music?
The majestic landscape has a big impact on things. I’ve always lived pretty far from any cities and close to the wilderness, even before moving here. So I’d like to think being grounded in nature affects the music.

The name Ozark Shaman suggests mysticism and nature. How does that concept relate to the sound and vision of the project?
There has always been a fascination with the paranormal and it translates to the music. That’s something that will be explored more on the next album.

How do you feel this album represents the evolution of Ozark Shaman compared to your previous work?
It’s coming closer to the true vision of what it was originally intended to be. But I’m still figuring things out. I’m not as happy with the first record. I wish I had the tools then that I do now so I didn’t have to hire session musicians, but I learned a lot. Now it has moved closer to a darker more atmospheric sound and will keep moving that way.

What do you hope listeners experience when they hear A Traitor Is Worse Than An Enemy for the first time?
I hope they’re open to something a bit different. It pulls different types of crowds and scenes together under the same umbrella.

What are the future plans for Ozark Shaman after this release?
I’m working on the third album now and it’s headed towards a more atmospheric / synth-heavy direction with most of the album already loosely written. Keeping the banjo in the mix while experimenting with the tuning to make it darker. Lyrically, I want to explore the relationship that ancient man and ancient civilizations had with the stars and the universe, and play on the wisdom that druids and shamans may have known. The next release and so on won’t take so much time since I’ve just become confident enough to release productions on my own. But I still have a lot to learn.