Spectral Knight – Polish Menace

Poland and Black Metal are well known for their close relationship. Forget about Behemoth, this is Black Metal, and dangerous as it should be. We are all well aware of how this sounds, and how the Poles create their sound. Enwrapped in controversy, the genre keeps on existing, and it still "stirs the boat", in a way… Spectral Knight, from Żory, Silesia, Poland.

Welcome to this humble amateur publication. It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk to the mind behind Spectral Knight. Can you start by giving me a description of how you developed the idea that came to culminate in Spectral Knight?

Hello, my first thought of starting a raw Black Metal project appeared when I was visiting an old graveyard in the winter of 2020. I wanted to recreate this very specific atmosphere on a Black Metal demo, so I took all the experience from my previous bands and projects and when the opportunity arose, I did it.

What is the concept behind, not only Spectral Knight, but also your Art? Does your connection with the genre go beyond the musical aspect?
 
It kind of does, I think Black Metal is some kind of lifestyle, you know - no compromises, no trends, just pure darkness and evil. I want to, with my so-called "art", show a big middle finger to the whole universe and create an atmosphere that will be drilling your skull until death. In addition, I want to evoke an old Black Metal spirit, which is a little forgotten these days.
 
How, and when, did the process that originated in this Demo take place? Given that you released it in 2021, we can assume that the pandemic was not an impediment to creation.
 
Pandemic situation ruined my New Year's Eve plans and I was not able to go anywhere, so I was drinking alone at my apartment. The next day, angry and on a giant hangover, I took my guitar and started composing riffs for the demo. Most of the stuff was basically composed on the first day of January, only the last track was composed a few days later. When I had some free time in February I recorded everything in my home studio but I was still missing the vocals, so I recorded them on a first take in March. At this point, I can say that instead of being an impediment, it actually helped me with making of this demo
 
We can consider Spectral Knight a one-man band, right? Why did you come up with the idea Have you not ever considered moving from this format to a band with more elements?
 
Exactly, Spectral Knight is nobody else, but me and there surely won't be any other members, guests maybe... but not anytime soon. I want to keep this project as a one-man band because I also play (I am a bassist in a band called Death By Mace) and I was playing in a lot of bands and know how hard it is to use all the ideas from band members.
 
The Polish scene is known to have given us names – and albums – which are still seen today as relevant in the development of the genre, especially in the East. Nevertheless, with them, they brought topics that provoke discussions a little everywhere. Does politics and religion have a place in Black Metal, or should the gender stay away from these?
 
I think politics, and especially religion, has always been a part of a Black Metal scene. All those occult/pagan symbols, and others, are not put on thousands of covers accidentally...
 
Do you think the Past must have weight in the way you look at the artistic work of a band? In a way: is the Past still alive or have the works of the "ancients" lost relevance?
 
It surely has an impact. I am still listening to Black Metal bands and albums from the 80s and 90s. I think that most of the more known bands released their best albums then, most of my inspiration comes mainly from these.

How do you see the current panorama of Black Metal? Do you think the genre remains true to what was structured by those who created it, in a way?
 
It depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, a lot of great bands and projects have started in recent years, on the other hand, when you compare these to old Black Metal, you will see how this genre is different nowadays.
 
We have talked about the concept of the project, but I have not asked you yet about the artistic, natural, human, and more realities that influence you to create the music you create with Spectral Knight.
 
My main inspiration comes from old Black Metal and generally music that I am listening to. Beside this, some of the ideas came just after a good walk. Seriously, nature can inspire a lot... Some “good stuff” is also important.
 
Your vocals, just to focus a little bit on your musical structure, are quite distinct. Was it something natural or did you adapt them to present something different?
 
I wanted them to sound a little like vocals from "It's Not Too Late To Say 'Yes' To H '' demo by Heroin Makes Happy but I honestly was not satisfied by the results initially and wanted to re-record them, because, as you can hear, they sound different. But after some discussion with Isaiah from Regnat Infernum (my friend from the local underground scene), I decided to leave it as it is and use it on demo. In addition, I will be probably using this angry Donald Duck like vocal style for future Spectral Knight releases.
 
How has the feedback been to this Demo from the specialized press and Black Metal fans? I personally like it a lot, and they really stand out, in a positive way.
 
If the feedback would not be good enough, I probably would not be giving an interview right now. However, I do not really care that much about it. This is music only for a selected group.
 
How do you see the future, especially after this pandemic and everything that came with it? Will Humanity salvage herself, or even this "test" will not change our behaviors? Has this somehow changed your stance on artistic creation, for example?
 
It is hard to say... I do not know honestly...
 
I appreciate the opportunity, once again. I am curious to see what the future holds, for your work, and I look forward to another opportunity to talk. Cheers, mate! See you next time.
 
Thanks for inviting me to your interview.

Spectral Knight Official Bandcamp