Wormgod is gearing up to storm the stage at the upcoming Spears of Wallachia Festival, where they’ll deliver their aggressive black metal live for the first time. In anticipation of their debut performance, we had the chance to sit down with Vladimir Toma, and explore their journey since forming in 2009, their creative process behind the haunting “Where Old Curses Rest“, and what fans can expect from their live show.
Vladimir
© Wormgod
Well met! It’s such a pleasure to have you here today. Thank you for taking the time for this interview. To kick things off, can you tell us about the origins of Wormgod and what motivated you to form the band back in 2009?
Vladimir: Hello and thank you for the interview! In late 2009, I grouped with Phi (Terror Sickness) to create the band, as we both wanted to write extreme music. While the collaboration with Phi didn’t last, we did manage to write most of the songs from our debut album during our first two years of existence and release an eponymous demo in 2010.
What’s the story behind the name of the band?
Vladimir: Looking for a band name that symbolizes repulsiveness and degradation, Phi visualised the concept of a noxious god of worms. We decided that it was a fit name for the atmosphere we were trying to create with our early songs.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound over the years?
Vladimir: A lot and none in particular. Our early days were heavily influenced by the Norwegian black metal scene, but nowadays, we try to move past that musical period and consume any new underground extreme album we can get our hands on.
Wormgod’s logo was designed by Christophe Szpajdel, a renowned graphic designer known for his unique style. What was the motivation behind choosing him for your logo, and how do you feel his design reflects the essence of your band?
Vladimir: This was all Octav’s bidding. He suggested CS for his renowned skill and portfolio, and I think he created a visual representation that converges with the musical atmosphere created by Wormgod.
Wormgod
© Christophe Szpajdel
For the artwork of “Where Old Curses Rest”, you collaborated with the artist Costin Chioreanu. What influenced your decision to work with him?
Vladimir: Costin is one of the titans when it comes to metal artwork. We knew he would create something exceptional and stand out, and that’s precisely what he did. If you look at most black metal album covers, they are in a similar, nearly cliché style. Costin’s work, however, does not fall into this category. It’s designed in a unique style which stands out.
The front cover for “Where Old Curses Rest”
© Costin Chioreanu
The atmosphere of your music is influenced by the urban landscapes of Bucharest. What specific parts of the city do you find most evocative for your music?
Vladimir: It’s not necessarily a specific part of the city, but rather the day and the season. I found Bucharest, in the gloom of a cold day, to be extremely lugubrious, acting as an inspiration for writing this type of music.
You have released “Where Old Curses Rest” in 2022. How did the recording process for this album differ from your previous projects?
Vladimir: The recording process wasn’t much more different than our early works, with the exception being how we recorded the vocals tracks. Octav recorded them in a professional setting, at Osimetric Production Studios, the studio owned by the album’s producer, Andrei “Oase” Spătaru. It was an impressive process, he managed to record all nine tracks in one session, in only one day.
This is definetely something unique! Which song do you feel encapsulates the essence of the album, and why?
Vladimir: I think it’s hard to choose a quintessential song, probably “Blossom of Fear” is the one that comes closest, as it includes all of the elements that define the Wormgod atmosphere: both melodic and aggressive parts.
What’s something you’ve learned during the creation of this album that you’ll take with you moving forward?
Vladimir: I think that when it comes to art, it’s best to work long and hard hours on your tracks, and only release them once you are completely satisfied with the result. Before publishing the album, I used this as a theoretical principle. Having released the album, I’ve confirmed to myself that the principle stands.
Creating the “Icon of Sin” video in a DIY manner is commendable. What led you to take this approach, and what were some highlights from the filming process?
Vladimir: Octav and I planned a DIY approach as a first try. We asked Mihai Moga, a common friend to help us with filming, which was not at his first experience of filming and producing music videos. His gear, recording and editing skills are the reason for the video’s high quality.
“Failure’s Reign” from “Where Old Curses Rest” is an impactful track. What inspired the creation of this song?
Vladimir: With “Failure’s Reign“, I started with the aim of creating the most aggressive track for the album, and the first part delivers on that promise, influenced by Mayhem’s “Grand Declaration of War“.
I noticed that you have a cover of “Black Spell of Destruction” by Burzum. Are there any plans to cover more songs in the future?
Vladimir: It’s unlikely. We will solely focus in the next period to write new, original music.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Vladimir: I do have a few artists which I highly admire, such as Ihsahn or Paul Gilbert – they’re exceptional songwriters and instrumentalists. Regarding collaborations, I think it would be interesting to collaborate with artists that are not necessarily known for extreme metal, as their sound would be a novel element.
Your live debut at Spears of Wallachia Festival is just around the corner. How are you feeling about performing in this formula?
Vladimir: We’ve assembled a great lineup and we’re looking forward to playing the tracks from “Where Old Curses Rest” live for the first time.
Spears of Wallachia Festival
© Cavalleria Events
What do you hope audiences take away from a Wormgod live performance?
Vladimir: A more personal way of experiencing our music in a live setting where 5 of us will perform these songs.
Which songs are you most eager to perform at the festival?
Vladimir: Again, “Blossom of Fear” is one of each member’s favourites. For me, I’m eager to play “Icon of Sin“, “Failure’s Reign” and the first song that we’ve ever written: “PostSelf Apocalypse“.
How do you engage with your fans, both online and in person?
Vladimir: So far, we had a ghostly presence, mostly due to the fact there was quite a gap between releases, but we became more present with the release of our first album. We always engage directly.
Have any interactions stood out to you?
Vladimir: I guess most if not all. We were surprised every time people wrote to us about our first album. It seems it was quite well received.
What’s next for the band, any upcoming projects or shows we should look forward to?
Vladimir: Aside from performing on the 9th of November, we plan to start working as a band on new material, with plans to write and record a new full-length album soon.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to up-and-coming bands in the scene today?
Vladimir: Making music, unfortunately, is a laborious process, and you can’t take shortcuts. One piece of advice that I would give to any starting band today would be to spend countless hours rehearsing and writing music, putting in a lot of sweat if you want to create music.
Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans and supporters before we wrap up?
Vladimir: Thank you for the support, we know it’s been a long wait to hear Wormgod playing live, and we sure as hell won’t disappoint. See you at Spears of Wallachia Festival!
