Interview: TERRAVOID

Terravoid is a newly project in the scene, founded by Phidion’s vocalist Oliver Palmquist.
Terravoid is a progressive metal project, where debuted in March with a first EP called Ectogenesis. To find out more about this new progressive project, I had a recent chat with Oliver who’ve answered some of my questions.

Thank you for accepting talking with me. Besides Phidion, you’ve founded a progressive band called Terravoid. First, tell us a bit about the begining of Terravoid.
Hi there! And thank you for having me. Terravoid is an idea I have had for many years now. I started writing songs on my own, more than ten years ago and have wanted to create a new project with them. Now I felt ready for it and the time was right to realize this idea.

Ooh, 10 years, that’s a lot. Did the other band keep you busy that you couldn’t get Terravoid on feet earlier?
Not really. It had more to do with my own developement as a singer and producer. It took years of experimenting before I got the results I wanted.

As a begining, Terravoid debuted last month with Ectogenesis, an EP containing 4 tracks. Going through the EP, I realised that there are a few elements that we can talk about: some industrial, heavy and dark elements. Do you agree with it?
Absolutely. The core of the music is rather intense progressive metal and I like to experiment with industrial and ambient passages as well to give the music a rather dark and eerie vibe. It brings something more to the overall experience.

More, Terravoid music has a tendency and a mix of bands such as Threshold, Cynic, even Borknagar, Arcturus here and there. Can you mention other bands that you take them are the influence?
Nice choice of comparable bands there. My biggest personal influences are mainly bands like Nevermore and Strapping Young Lad. Also Arcturus and Borknagar as you mentioned. I think ICS Vortex has created some of the best vocal melodies in the metal scene.

ICS Vortex is one of my favorite metal vocalists and yeah, always listening to his voice, especially on Arturus and Dimmu Borgir albums, gives me the goosebumps! I’d add here band Code too…
Same here! The vocal melodies he did on Evacuation Code Deciphered are absolutely amazing. I use to sing first half of that song at parties just to confuse people haha. Oh yeah, I was just about to mention Code. Augur Nox completely blew me away. That’s another singer who delivers some absolutely amazing vocal melodies. I’m really looking forward to their new album.

What are the themes behind the lyrics?
Mainly various dystopian Sci-Fi-topics. The title track for example is inspired by some real experiments on artificial birth that some scientists have started developing over the past few years and how they have started manipulating DNA and such things. Quite similar to the movie ”Gattaca”. It’s really facinating how science and technology have developed so far over the last decade that most science fiction movies and books are starting to become reality to some extent. I saw a documentary about robots used in wars and where they have started arguing if the robots should be able to fire at its own will and impulses or not. Maybe we will have ”Terminator 2” playing out on our streets in the near future haha.

Mainly, Terravoid is only you, for now. For the EP, who else was involved in the writing process or guest musician?
I have written everything myself. Then I hired an old friend of mine called Nino Vukovik who played all the guitars on it. Everything else is done by me, so it’s more or less a solo project. I can highly recommend Ninos main band Immaculate if you’re into some really intense technical speed metal.

So far, what feedback has the EP gotten from the media, the people have discovered the band and the music?
Nothing yet. I have just started putting it out to various media outlets so it’s a little too early to say. Some friends of mine thinks the EP is a bit too weird for their taste so that’s a positive sign at least haha.

Are you planning a full lenght album?
Certainly. I have material done for at least two full length albums. Hopefully I can start working on the first one sometime this winter or the beginning of next year.

What can you tell me about Phidion? Will be a new album with that too, soon?
Things are running really slow with Phidion at the moment. We have material for another album, but both our guitarists are really busy with kids and their family lives at the moment, so it will take time before you’ll hear from us again. But who knows what happens in the future. In the meantime I keep myself busy with Terravoid.

How do you see the current situation caused by covid19 and the struggle bands are facing, not being able yet to tour and promote their new music?
I believe it might be quite a struggle for the professional bands that live on touring. For me personally thou it has just been positive from a music perspective. I didn’t play live that much with Phidion before Covid so it hasn’t really changed that much. Also, now musicians seems to have much more free time when they are not out playing, so I have had the opportunity to do some collabs with some friends of mine over the past months. I have been more productive this spring than I was the previous three years. Also, speaking as a metal fan I’m quite enjoying it. Sure it sucks not to go to concerts anymore but instead bands are putting out new albums and other cool merch stuff. There was a lot of great albums coming out last year.

Thanks a lot again Ollie, for this interview. It was my pleasure. Skål!
Thanks to you as well for the support and taking your time. This was a really fun interview! Keep up the great work!

https://www.facebook.com/Terravoidband