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I really love bands that come back here, and this time we’ve outdone ourselves by bringing you From Ashes Reborn. In this interview, we spoke with the band’s drummer, Thomas, about their debut album and their musical and personal growth, the songwriting and production process, as well as Scandinavian melodic death metal, social commentary, the search for a utopia, and the role of emotion in the album’s atmosphere.
Seven years have passed since you last talked to us. Could you tell us how much your lives have changed and how your approach to music has evolved?
THOMAS: Seven years can feel like a lifetime. We are not the same musicians — and not the same people — we were in 2018. Life leaves scars. It leaves questions. It leaves doubts. And all of that flows into the music. Back then, Existence Exiled was an eruption of energy. Today, Chasing Utopia is deeper, darker, more reflective. We’ve grown more patient, more deliberate. The riffs now carry more intention, the melodies have more weight. This album is not just aggression — it is emotion carved into sound.
How was the process of composing and producing “Chasing Utopia” at Klangschmiede Studio E with Markus Stock again, and how has your songwriting evolved since “Existence Exiled”?
THOMAS: This time, everything was in our own hands. Unlike our debut, which was recorded in a studio environment, Chasing Utopia was completely self-recorded, produced and mixed by us. That changed everything. There was no external filter. No compromise. Just us, refining every detail. It was intense, obsessive at times — but also liberating. The songwriting became more epic, more atmospheric. We didn’t just write songs. We built a concept, where every track shows a different side of the musical ambition.
What influences from bands like Amon Amarth, Insomnium, or Gates of Ishtar shaped the epic and melodic sound of the new album?
THOMAS: For us, it’s less about copying specific bands and more about absorbing a philosophy of songwriting. The Scandinavian scene of the 90s taught an essential lesson: melody can be as powerful as brutality. That idea is deeply rooted in our DNA. The epic feeling on Chasing Utopia doesn’t come from orchestration or artificial bombast — it comes from harmony. Riffs that breathe instead of constantly attacking. We consciously worked with dynamics: tension and release, fragility and eruption.
You might hear echoes of classic Gothenburg sharpness or northern melancholy, but what truly shaped this album was the desire to create contrast. A crushing blastbeat only feels massive if it rises from silence. A melodic hook only hits if it grows out of darkness.
The epic dimension of the album is emotional, not theatrical. It’s about atmosphere, not decoration. And that balance between aggression and introspection defines the sound more than any single influence ever could.
Do the themes of “Chasing Utopia,” such as the relentless pursuit of utopia amid chaos, reflect the personal experiences of the members or current social criticism? I think about it a lot because, more than ever, we live in a world increasingly destroyed by extreme ideologies, especially those that exclude people, and I would really like a utopia to become reality.
THOMAS: It’s impossible to ignore the world we live in. We see societies splitting apart. We see truth becoming a weapon. We see people clinging to ideologies that exclude instead of unite. We increasingly live in a world, where meaning becomes currency and truth is manipulated — and that is not fiction. That is reality. But this album is not about preaching. It is about confronting. Chasing Utopia asks a painful question: What if the perfect world we dream of becomes another illusion? The search for utopia can inspire hope — but it can also destroy. That tension lives in every track.
Are you planning live shows to promote “Chasing Utopia,” perhaps tours in Europe or festivals, and do you dream of playing in Brazil for the headbanger audience here?
THOMAS: From Ashes Reborn has always been a studio-focused project. Our energy goes entirely into crafting the sound, the atmosphere, the production. At this moment, there are no live shows planned. But we have immense respect for the Brazilian metal audience. The passion, the intensity, the loyalty of Brazilian headbangers is legendary. If one day the right moment comes, Brazil would be a dream.
In 2026, with strong streaming and Bandcamp, how do you see the future of underground melodic death metal, and what do you expect for merch and labels after positive reviews like those from Metal Temple? I hope that someday the genre will become more prominent again, because I feel that most melodic death metal bands have gone either for a heavier metal approach or into new metal/metalcore.
THOMAS: Melodic Death Metal has never been about trends. It was born from emotion, from darkness, from the need to express something real. And as long as people feel anger, longing, loss and hope — this genre will survive.
Yes, many bands moved towards heavier, more modern, metalcore-influenced directions. Others polished their sound to fit playlists. That’s fine. Evolution is natural. But we believe there will always be a place for bands that stay true to the melodic core — the harmony-driven guitars, the melancholic undertones, the epic atmosphere.
Streaming changed the environment for bands drastically. It gives exposure, but it also turns music into disposable content. Underground metal survives because fans still care. They buy physical copies. They support Bandcamp. They read liner notes. They feel albums as journeys.
Who knows, if Melodic Death Metal will remain main stream or not. However, we expect it to endure. And endurance is stronger than hype.
Thank you very much for the interview, so now it’s time to leave a message for our readers. Rock on.
THOMAS: Thank you for giving independent music your time and your attention. If you appreciate strong melodies, thoughtful structures and a balance between aggression and emotion, we hope this album resonates with you. Stay loud!
Related Links
https://thesplendidpath.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thesplendidpath/
https://www.instagram.com/fromashesreborn/