Triumph & Flames - Fire Magic Interview

A brief conversation with black metal two-piece Fire Magic about their debut demo. Originally to be published in Flail ov Venom Issue #4.

All that is known about Fire Magic is the name, artwork and music. The song titles and even the compositions invoke a certain imagery of creation by fire. Can you expand on this and how important is your anonymity?
The name came to us early in the writing process. Given our approach, we felt it was important to have a name that conjured mystic, powerful imagery. The song titles were chosen for the same reasons. As to your second question, our anonymity is very deliberate.

The first track on the demo “Howling Winds of Victory” introduces the band's mission statement of raw but triumphant black metal. To me, this sound is what I strive for in the genre. What were your intentions for the music when you began writing?
We had no intentions beyond creating, as you say, raw and triumphant black metal. Additionally, we have no aspirations beyond that either. Our motivations are purely internal. 

What literature or film, if any, has helped you craft your music?
Nothing specifically. The great battles and heroic deeds of antiquity serve as a constant source of inspiration, but only as a locus of channeling.

Back to the demo, “Tribulations Upon Their Flesh”, can you shed some more light on what this song concerns thematically?
The song titles explain as much as we care to share about the lyrics. The listener must take from the material what they are able to without our explanations or guidance.  

How do you see your next release? It seems the demo format is the perfect medium for your style.
There are two songs that were recorded prior to Burning Gold that will see a release next. I imagine they will be released in a similar fashion as our debut. After that we are unsure, but at the time of this interview we have several new songs finished. 

The trudging nature of the title track is the standout for me. Is it important for you to write a memorable song or riff? This is what separates this release for me, each song while raw stands out on the pillars of their individual compositions.
Yes, this is very deliberate. There is no shortage of lazy, meandering “black metal” in the world and it does not fit our character to contribute to this. While we only act as a conduit for the material to express itself through, arranging those sessions are very important to us. As such, great care is taken to construct our songs in a certain fashion. 

What was the recording process for the demo? I enjoy the DIY, cavernous sound.
Yes, we record everything ourselves. This decision was made early on. We set out to create black metal on our terms and given that we have the equipment to do so, we saw no need to include anyone else. The recording process itself is kept very simple. We do not spend much time on guitar tone or drum sound. This allows us to truly capture the essence of the songs. Whatever the microphone picks up is what we release and then we move on.

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