Black Altar is set to bring their ritualistic black metal to Underground for the Masses II, with a lineup that reflects their uncompromising dedication to the Draconian Path.
The official logo of the band
© Black Altar
Shadow, the mastermind behind the band, opens up about the long journey from their early days, the importance of splits, and what attendees can expect from their upcoming performance at the festival.
Shadow
© Arthur Tarczewski
Hails! Thanks for taking the time for this interview. Let’s start at the beginning—1996 saw the band’s inception. How did it all take shape, both ideologically and musically?
Shadow: Hail! Thank you for having me here.
Well, as a teenager and black metal fanatic, I was dreaming about having my own band, however I didn’t have any musical skills yet. Finally, I bought a bass guitar, which is the easiest instrument to play, and I started composing my first riffs and songs which were later released on a debut demo entitled “Na Uroczysku“. I’m not particularly happy with that demo; I didn’t have much of an idea how to properly compose songs, but that material was full of passion, and I still have a sentiment for it.
It was my first studio experience, my sound engineer was Doc, the deceased drummer of Vader. I recorded the demo during evening sessions, while Behemoth was in the same studio during the day, working on their “Pandemonic Incantations” album. It was more like dark metal. The next material, the mini album “Wrath ov the Gods”, followed a proper black metal style.
What was the vision behind Black Altar when you first started?
Shadow: My vision was to create the most extreme black metal band I could, both musically and ideologically.
Do you feel that your vision has changed over time, or does the same fire burn within you?
Shadow: It didn’t change too much over the years. Maybe I don’t want to be extreme just for the sake of being extreme. Everything is more balanced.
What were the biggest challenges in the band’s early years?
Shadow: For sure, a proper lineup. It was hard to find people in my city who were truly devoted to black metal, but I finally found them. Unfortunately, after releasing the debut album, I had to dismiss them due to a lack of ambition, and for many, many years, Black Altar became a one-man studio project—until I moved to England.
So… relocating from Poland to the UK was a significant step.
Shadow: Yes. It influenced the band in the sense that I finally have a new lineup after so many years, and this lineup also contributes to songwriting. Overall, everything is easier here in London, where I live.
Black Altar
© NecrosHorns
What are your thoughts on the evolution of black metal since the late 90s?
Shadow: Black metal has evolved in many different directions and merged with other metal subgenres. I believe this has been beneficial and strengthened the scene—if thousands of bands played music exactly like Darkthrone or Mayhem, black metal would end up consuming itself and slowly fading away. Today, the genre offers a wide range of styles, ensuring that everyone can find something compelling within it.
Many bands claim to create “ritualistic” music, but only a few truly achieve it. In your view, what separates the authentic from the superficial?
Shadow: Members—or at least the leader—of the band should not only feel this atmosphere on stage but live and breathe it daily. They should have some knowledge of occultism and understand the meaning behind what they sing.
This level of depth is evident in your own work. That being said, let’s dive deeper into your discography. Your debut full-length in 2004 carried the band’s name—Black Altar. What was the creative process behind that album?
Shadow: On this album, the rest of the musicians also composed songs that had a significant influence on the style of Black Altar. They were highly skilled black metal fanatics who preferred more technical black metal, like Thorns and Satyricon‘s “Rebel Extravaganza“, while my songs were simpler and more climatic. Together, it created an interesting mixture that set the Black Altar style for years to come. We practiced those songs and polished them during rehearsals for about two years before entering the studio well prepared. It was the last time I worked like that; when I later dismissed the other members, everything was done remotely, and there were no more rehearsals. I’m still happy with the debut album, and I think it has stood the test of time.
What about “Death Fanaticism”? How do you view your second album now, 15 years after its release?
Shadow: The second album was a continuation of the style that began with the debut. I’m still happy with how it turned out. Once again, it was a mix of simpler, more climatic songs alongside more technical ones. So far, it’s been the last full-length album from Black Altar, but after 17 years, we’ve finally started recording a new one.
Many of your early releases were splits—how did you select the bands to collaborate with?
Shadow: There are several reasons why I like splits. The most important is that it’s easier to compose and release a split than a full album. You don’t have to wait for years to compose an entire album, and you can promote it the same way as a full album.
Secondly, splits allow you to include more experimental music, which can differ slightly from what’s on regular albums.
Furthermore, splits help you expand your discography, and Black Altar’s isn’t that extensive.
The cover artwork for “Via Draconis”
© Arthur Tarczewski and Black Altar
I try to choose bands of high quality with a distinctive sound, as well as musicians I’ve known for years and have a lot of mutual respect for.
Was “Drakonian Elitism”, your latest split from 2023, a similar situation?
Shadow: Indeed. As I said, I mostly do splits with bands I’ve known for some time, often for a very long time, and with whom we have mutual respect. I’ve known Acherontas since the 90s. I was also a member and manager of Ofermod. All three bands have supported each other for a long time and are devoted to the Draconian Path, so it was a natural step for us to do a split together.
All 10 compositions from the three bands are new and were composed specifically for this split. The main song of Black Altar was composed by me, and it’s the longest in the band’s history. There are beautiful Latin choirs sung by Lars Broddesson (ex-Marduk, Funeral Mist). Two other songs were composed by the other musicians, and the outro was done by the old devil–Ludo Evil Lejeune.
Regarding the ideological side, this split is dedicated to the Draconian current. Me and Belfagor, the leader of Ofermod, are both very interested in this topic. He has been studying and practicing it for years and is a close friend of Thomas Karlsson. I know him quite well too, and I’m also friends with Asenath Mason, founder of the Temple of Ascending Flame. These two are probably the biggest authorities in the Draconian Path environment. Of course, the lyrics of Black Altar and Ofermod are also related to it. I wrote my lyrics together with Asenath Mason and another well-known occultist, Edgar Kerval.
Do you approach songwriting differently now compared to your early years?
Shadow: Not really. I just pick up a guitar and jam. If I come up with an interesting riff, I try to add another one to it until the whole song is composed.
Let’s delve into the topic of festivals, as well. When preparing for a live ritual, what matters most—precision, atmosphere, or raw aggression?
Shadow: All three factors are very important. Fortunately, Black Altar has songs that include both aggressive moments with blasts and slower, atmospheric parts. Of course, good preparation for gigs is also crucial to playing without major mistakes. When the songs are well-practiced, we can focus on aggression and atmosphere.
Black Altar on stage
© Arcane Visions
You are set to perform at Underground for the Masses II. What does playing at this festival mean to you?
Shadow: It’s an amazing and unique festival. I saw the lineup of the first edition and really wanted to play at Underground for the Masses. This year’s lineup is even better, so we’re really happy and honored to have the opportunity to play alongside such great bands. The organization is outstanding and very professional. I can recommend this festival to everyone.
What should the audience expect from Black Altar on that stage?
Shadow: The audience can expect a ritualistic experience—sonic terror mixed with some catchy choruses. I’ve heard that our shows are visually and musically appealing to black metal die-hard fans, so I hope the audience at Underground for the Masses won’t be disappointed either.
Black Altar at Underground for the Masses II
© Nexion Arts and Anca Kivart
Of all the performances you’ve done, is there one that stands out as particularly significant?
Shadow: I think our show at Polish Metal Mine Festival last year was really great. It was our first concert in Poland, and we played directly before Watain. The stage was huge, there were plenty of people, and we played well without any major mistakes.
The audience really liked us, and overall, it was a very good experience. Our show in Bogotá at Ace Spades Club was also great, with wild fans creating an intense atmosphere.
With a vast discography behind you, what’s next for Black Altar? A new album, another split, or something else?
Shadow: We are currently recording three releases at once—a split with a big band, a long mini-album that will promote the full-length album, and finally, our first full album in 17 years. The album will be released next year.
Do you plan to explore new themes or concepts in your future works?
Shadow: The album is about necromancy, while the other one will be more atmospheric, with some abyssic, cosmic, depressive elements.
Are there any bands you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Shadow: For sure, there are plenty of amazing, cult bands we would like to cooperate with in the future—too many to mention. However, I think we will focus more on our own material moving forward. We’ve done too many splits already, but from time to time, every few years, we will do a split with a worthy band.
Speaking of musical groups… Are there any recent bands you find interesting or worth mentioning?
Shadow: Hmm, I think the new Polish band Black Witchcraft and Swedish-Polish Trucizna, who just released their new material, are worth mentioning.
Beyond studio work, are there any upcoming tours or special performances in the works?
Shadow: On May 1, 2025 we’re going on tour to Mexico for almost two weeks. It was supposed to be a South American tour on our way back, but due to some complications, it’s been postponed until next year. We just finished our UK/Ireland tour with Carpathian Forest last week, and there are some plans for both bands in the future as well.
The last words are yours—what message do you have for those who follow your work?
Shadow: Thank you for the interesting interview, and I’d like to thank all our supporters. We’re very happy to play at Underground for the Masses, and I hope we’ll meet many of you there. Hail!
