Interview with MORTGRIM
Welcome the the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about MORTGRIM (Members, Starting Year etc).
Mortgrim is a one-man project that I started in 2025, encouraged by a friend with whom I had previously worked on several musical projects. Before this, I mainly wrote electronic music for around 15 years. Combining atmospheric darkness with doom-laden elements, the project forges immersive and somber soundscapes through a deeply personal vision. The lyrics delve into spiritual and philosophical themes.
You have recently released your album ''Blasphemy''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
The audience or at least those who heard it received it well, and I got a lot of positive comments, except regarding the cover artwork. A bit of criticism here and there is perfectly fine; you can’t please everyone. Black metal websites and online magazines also wrote positive reviews about it, giving it ratings around 7/10 to 8/10, which I personally consider a good result for a first release.
The cover artwork has a dark atmosphere! Tell us a few things about it.
Unfortunately, the album artwork was made using AI, and I don’t think I’ll ever make that mistake again considering how much backlash I received because of it. That said, I do think it reflects the atmosphere well but still, it’s AI.
And what about the lyrics?
I believe there isn’t just one single truth, as some religions claim. Light and darkness are complementary forces that cannot truly exist without one another. Personally, I feel more comfortable within darker energies and experiences, but without light there would be no balance. That’s also why I chose the title Blasphemy. If we call things by their name, Christianity recognizes only its own truth, and anything outside of that is considered blasphemy. As a Hungarian growing up in a European Christian cultural environment, I think my worldview easily fits what the majority would define as blasphemous. In Nomine Satanae is essentially a hymn of praise. Its original title was Hymns of the Fallen, but I wanted to move away from the framework of church dogma. Lucifer, as a figure, has played a central role in my life since childhood, which is why Lucifer Lux Aeterna was written “for him”. Personally, it’s my favorite track on the EP. Since Blasphemy is my first release, I haven’t really had the chance yet to explore a wider range of lyrical themes in my music. This EP serves more as a kind of compass an introduction that shows the main direction I want to take, both thematically and atmospherically. At the same time, I’m already working on an album that’s currently in the demo stage, and with this project I plan to dive much deeper and approach certain topics in a more intense and uncompromising way. I’m particularly drawn to the subject of institutionalized religion, as well as the historical suppression of ancient religions and cultures. These ideas will come through in a much more direct, raw, and aggressive form on my upcoming first LP. But for now, I’d rather not reveal too much let this remain my little secret for the time being.
Are you in searching for a record label? What do you prefer, Label or DIY and why?
“Blasphemy” was released independently in digital format, and it is already available as a DIY CD edition through Ars Occulta Prods in Brazil. It will also be distributed soon through American and Greek distros as well. The cassette edition is expected sometime in the fall with Ritual Noise Tape. All formats will be available in limited quantities. I think that also answers the question of what I prefer naturally, I value both digital and physical releases equally. My upcoming 9-track LP, arriving on October 31st, will already be released in collaboration with Fetzner Death Records. The digital version will still come out independently, while the physical editions CD and cassette will be handled by Fetzner Death Records. In the future, I definitely want to be signed to a bigger label. It’s no secret that one of my goals is to work with Season of Mist someday.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
At the moment, I’m not planning any live shows. It would be difficult to do alone, and realistically I could only take on the frontman role myself. However, if things continue to develop in the right direction, it’s not impossible that the live aspect will become a reality in the future. I think writing these songs and recording the vocal tracks as a complete newcomer to vocals were among the most significant moments for me.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I appreciate both physical formats and digital releases alike. I believe that in today’s world of streaming and online platforms, a digital release is absolutely essential. At the same time, I feel that physical formats should still remain an integral part of the music industry, even though I know they are in significant decline. Personally, I collect vinyl records, as that is the format I feel the strongest connection to. But when it comes to my own releases, if the budget, connections, and circumstances allow it, I would definitely want to release them on every possible physical format as well.
Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
If we’re talking about me as a person, I would definitely highlight Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath, and Tool as major influences. But if we’re speaking specifically about black Metal in relation to Mortgrim, then first and foremost I would mention Burzum, Darkthrone, and Gorgoroth with Gaahl, as well as the bands of the second wave. Beyond that, Deathspell Omega and Celtic Frost were also important inspirations, and I would certainly include Mayhem and Tormentor as well. Attila Csihar, as one of the greatest pioneers of the genre, is extremely inspiring to me and someone I deeply respect. Because Mortgrim is a one-man project, Burzum is probably the closest reference point, both structurally and atmospherically. Varg’s musical work had a huge impact on me already when I was around 16 years old.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
I’ve been involved with music for the past 15 years, ever since my high school days, and for a long time I worked alongside it as well. If you do it seriously, it consumes a huge amount of money, time, energy practically everything. And that’s true regardless of the genre. There are plenty of sacrifices involved too. Sometimes you have to miss family events or other important moments in your life, because you end up putting music above everything else. When things start becoming more serious and you can no longer balance work with a musical career, you may have to leave behind something stable for something uncertain although, in reality, nothing in life is truly certain. I’ve had to make decisions like that myself before not because of Mortgrim specifically, but there have definitely been times in the past when I made sacrifices for music more than once.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
I don’t think I need to think too much about this one. For me, it would definitely be Gorgoroth’s 2004 “Black Mass” performance in Kraków, or God Seed’s 2008 concert at Wacken Open Air. I’ve never experienced anything like that on stage before, but I hope that one day I’ll have the chance to be part of something similar.
What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?
It’s honestly frustrating how AI can even have a place in music, and how low people’s standards have become many don’t really have an ear for it and will accept anything as long as it’s easy to consume. I don’t think this is the AI’s fault, but rather a matter of people’s lack of taste and standards. At the same time, I realize I was part of that too when it came to the AI-generated cover artwork, since it was the fastest and simplest option.
What attributes do you think that a new Black Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
It should definitely not be a copy of anything. Of course, everyone is influenced by the music they listen to, but as long as we keep getting albums that are written, mixed, and mastered to sound the same, without any original ideas or a personal vision, I don’t think it’s possible to stand out. The greatest black metal pioneers bands like Darkthrone, Burzum, Emperor, Mayhem, Gorgoroth, and others already created what needed to be created, in the way it needed to be done. Anyone looking for that kind of sound will go to them, not to copies of copies of copies. That’s what I believe, at least, and I’m not being hypocritical about it I genuinely hope this approach pays off in the long run.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Black Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
Yes, I definitely think so. If someone is not just writing music for themselves, they can take advantage of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, or even Facebook. On streaming platforms, everything is instantly accessible to anyone, so you can promote yourself immediately if you put in the necessary time and effort. The audience will build up naturally if the material connects with people. However, I’m almost certain that without connections, it’s still very difficult to achieve anything truly significant in this area as well.
From your experience in the music industry, what would you tell to a new Black Metal band to avoid or what to do?
Patience, carefulness, and persistent work. And they should definitely avoid fake managers. That said, I don’t think it would be very elegant for someone still relatively new to the black metal scene to tell anyone else exactly what to do and how to do it. One thing I’m sure of, though, is that presence is the most important factor. It was no different in the past either.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Hungary (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
To be honest, I’m not deeply involved in the Hungarian metal scene. Somehow, neither the scene not the general Hungarian public taste not really fits my taste. I often feel the same limitations within metal as I do in many other genres here. That said, there are still some truly outstanding bands, such as Thy Catafalque and Searing Bliss. I also have great respect for Lazarvs. We have a lot of excellent online metal-focused websites in Hungary, such as Nuskull, Fémforgács, Kronos Mortus, Metal.hu, Heavy Hungary, and Shock Magazin, among others. Fekete Terror is a truly outstanding fanzine, and we also have great venues like Dürer, Robot, S8 Underground, KVLT, and Blue Hell.
What does Metal means to you? And give us 10 metal albums that run in your veins.
I’ve always been drawn to dark atmospheres, whether in music, painting, or any form of art. In metal, that often comes through as heaviness combined with occasional melancholy. My top 10 list, if we’re talking metal, would look like this:
1. Tool – Lateralus
2. Alice In Chains – Dirt
3. Tool – 10,000 Days
4. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
5. Gorgoroth – Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
6. Burzum – Burzum
7. Celtic Frost – Monotheist
8. Deathspell Omega – Paracletus
9. Burzum – Filosofem
10. Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
I’m not that familiar with the Hellenic metal scene. I listen to Rotting Christ a lot they have many great songs and if I don’t count Mayhem, then Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy could easily fit into the 10th place on my list. Besides that, I know and occasionally listen to Varathron, Necromantia, and Lemegethon.
What are your future plans?
My plans for the future primarily are to continue writing music in a relaxed way, driven by passion and love for it. The release of my first LP is set for October 31, 2026, so the preparation and background work will begin soon. I hope it reaches as many people as possible and is received well. I’ve also already started brainstorming and developing the sound for the third release. It would be great if, by that point, I could sign with one of the labels I personally admire.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
MORTGRIM CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/mortgrim.music
https://www.instagram.com/mortgrim_
https://mortgrim.bandcamp.com/album/blasphemy