interview by: Roberto Martinelli

Lykathea Aflame has shaken up quite a few of us in and around the Maelstrom camp. How could a band be so brutal and beautiful at the same time? How can one’s band be technical death metal yet have new wave elements and lyrics about love and acceptance and still be successful? How could no one else know about this? (Have you read our review of this band’s album, Elvenefris, yet?)

Well, we found out. Here’s an email chat with Petr of Lykathea Aflame, the best death metal band that's too underground for its own good.

Maelstrom: Hi, Lykathea Aflame! All I can say is, "wow!" Elvenefris is so monumentally brilliant, and so courageously adventurous, where can I begin? Well, I would imagine that describing your music by the sum of its parts would probably instantly turn off most death metal fans. I hear technical death, Middle Eastern influences, but then you have this new age music element in there, too. Could you comment on what on Earth lead you to mix all this stuff together?

Petr: Many greetings to all of you from the Czech land. What seems to be a difficult question has a very simple answer. Each element of the music on Elvenefris is a part of me. So the only thing I did was express some parts of me. I promise that by our next coming CD (that we are working on at the time) you will be surprised much, much more.

Maelstrom: Let's talk about another super remarkable thing about Elvenefris, the lyrics. They deal with spiritual enlightenment, giving to others, tolerance, loving birds…basically the polar opposite of what death metal is accepted to be. While I can't say I would like to see many other bands adapt your style to themselves, I love what you have done. Where many bands' lyrics seem to be really labored - either done at the last minute or being total nonsense disguised as something that was meant to be poetic - you seem to have a lot to say from your hearts. Could you please talk about your lyrical ideas, your personal philosophies, and how you even thought about putting this all together in a technical death metal album? Why have uplifting themes sung in a guttural style?

Petr: Lyrics are another form how to express what wants to be expressed. So as music speaks for its composer the same way lyrics (if written in a genuine and sincere way) say so much about the writer. And during the time when we spawned Elvenefris I felt it that way and chose this form of vocal expression. Our lucky fate is inevitable and the only hell is not knowing it. Each of us has his own path and the best leader on it is a voice from the heart. Listen to it and it will lead you home safely and straight. None of us is better than whoever else, we all are one so whatever you do to others you do to yourself. Ideas for my lyrics are : wisdom, will to grow, light, love, tenderness, sophisticated and sublime spirit, freedom, knowledge, Beauty of being…

Maelstrom: Speaking of which, what do you think about extreme metal?

Petr: A kind of expression in music. As long as there is someone who listens to it and someone who plays it….it has a sense.

Maelstrom: Speaking of music and lyrics, I hear a lot of influence from Cryptopsy and Orphaned Land (because of the ethnic influences; Lyrically you remind me of Orphaned Land a great deal as well). But wait, you guys are from the Czech Republic. What are Middle Eastern melodies doing on your record?

Petr: Yes, we´ve been influenced by Cryptopsy. Orphaned Land I´ve never heard of. Does it mean that by the fact that I´m from Czech Rep. I can´t use middle eastern melodies? :o) I like´em very much and will use them of course in the future. They simply sound in my heart.

Maelstrom: I can't believe how much of a dead ringer your drummer, Tom Corn, is for Cryptopsy's Flo Mounier. Tom must be a jazz drummer. How else could he play snare with one hand like that? I'm a drummer and I'm dumbfounded and energized every time I hear someone like him. Could you please talk about Tom's musical development?

Petr: Thanks from him, I´ll tell him. He´s not a jazz drummer, he´s self taught. His drum set changes very often and as far as I know he´s going to have a DW drums and he uses Istanbul cymbals.

Maelstrom: What kind of name is Tom Corn?

Petr: It is his official name. Tomas Corn.

Maelstrom: The last track is a 12-minute keyboard piece with a jungle full of trilling birds. It's so moving it makes me want to cry. Again, it's so out of place for this genre. Please talk about the idea behind this track and how it fits into the album.

Petr: This is a song my brother did. There is a lot from his and my heart and I wanted to share the beauty with everyone who could be touched. There is a certain kind of energy that flows through all the album and from a spiritual point of view this song has a clear place on Elvenefris. This song is for everyone who has a beautiful and tender heart.

Maelstrom: I was in the Czech Republic this past summer. Somehow I managed to stay about two days ahead of the floods. How did you fare? Were you hit hard?

Petr: None of us ( the band ) were hit but there were many sad people. The consequences can still be seen to these days.

Maelstrom: How long have you been a band? Any other albums?

Petr: Formerly we were known under the name Appalling Spawn from 1996 to 1999. Under this name we have demo and one CD.

Maelstrom: What's the cover art on the Elvenefris album? It's beautiful and reminds me somewhat of Egyptian art (especially the lapis lazuli-like stuff). I see that you do have ankhs on the album as well.

Petr: The cover on album is a multi-cultural synthesis and is meant to symbolize the connection with the past of all mankind as one. During the time I was creating Elvenefris, I was fascinated by Ancient Egypt, so that´s why there are certain fragments of that culture (the fascination of Ancient Egypt I got especially by the books of Christian Jacq - Ramses and many others). I gave the lyrics to our friend who is an artist (Jane Šouflová, whose work you can see at http://home.internet.cz/maffet) and quite spiritual woman and discussed with her the concept of the cover. Then she drew it…

Maelstrom: So, who are you guys? How did meet up and decide to play this kind of music? How did you personally get into this style?

Petr: From the line up that recorded Elvenefris, only two of us remain, me and Tom Corn. I always wanted to connect two different but basic elements in my music : tenderness and strength. I always did it and I´m doing it now and I´m improving the way I create the music.

Maelstrom: Why haven't we heard much about you?

Petr: I don´t know :o). Our gig activity is not big and that’s probably why you haven´t heard much about us. Also, we are focusing on our daily lives and try to make them beautiful. We are not into the underground scene and stuff around it.

Maelstrom: Please tell us about some bands (of course from any genre) that you have loved.

Petr: Wow, so many ….. Bal-Sagoth, Enya, Amorphis, latest Arcturus (The Sham Mirrors) - Garm ...wauu..don´t have words. He is the one that I´d love to have as a singer in Lykathea. Really. His voice really fascinates me that much - Secret Garden, Emperor, Anorexia Nervosa, Dead Can Dance, classical music, Septic Flesh, Adiemus, Vader, pop music (Sandra, Falco, A-HA….nowadays pop music as well), Opeth, Madder Mortem, latest Novembre ( I think they are from your country ), folk music …. And many, many others.

Maelstrom: What's the new record called and when is it coming out?

Petr: I do not know now what I will name the CD. We are working on it and we don´t know when it will be out, either. I wonder whether we will make it even this year....

Maelstrom: What's next for Lykathea Aflame?

Petr: The very next thing is to create a wonderful and amazing new CD. The most important thing for Lykathea aflame.

Maelstrom: Mockrát dekuji, Lykathea Aflame, You have provided us with an album to give us joy in our hearts. You have energized us with your music and spirit. We wish you all the best and hope to hear from you again.

Petr: If we really did as you write, I feel a big gratitude in my heart because that is beautiful appreciation that gives me power to go on. Thank you very much and to all of you I wish to succeed in creating such life as your hearts want to have it.

Back to top