Metalwar: Death concludes the first four-album cycle of Black Reuss. When you started this journey back in 2021, did you already know how the story would ultimately end?
BLACK REUSS: Yes. The tetralogy was conceived as a complete cycle from the very beginning. Metamorphosis, Journey, Arrival, and Death were always intended to represent four stages of the same life flow.
Even the artwork for all four albums was created early on. While the concept itself never changed, the way I approached each chapter evolved as I grew both personally and musically.
Metalwar: The river has always been the central metaphor of Black Reuss. What does the “Death” chapter represent beyond its literal meaning?
BLACK REUSS: The river has always symbolized life itself—constantly moving forward, impossible to stop or reverse.
In Death, the river reaches the sea. It loses its defined form and becomes part of something much larger. That reflects the idea that death is not necessarily an ending, but a transition into something we cannot fully understand. I wanted to present different interpretations rather than provide answers.
Metalwar: Compared to Metamorphosis, Journey, and Arrival, what musical or emotional territory did you want to explore on this album?
BLACK REUSS: The earlier albums were strongly rooted in personal experience. Death was different because I don’t have that experience. That forced me to approach the subject more as an observer than a participant. Musically, I wanted the album to feel calmer and more restrained. The heaviness comes from atmosphere, density, and space rather than aggression.
Metalwar: Songs like “Oblivion”, “Endgame”, “Phoenix”, and “Elysium” deal with transformation rather than simple endings. Was it important for you to present death as a new beginning?
BLACK REUSS: Not necessarily as a new beginning, but as one possible interpretation. The album was never meant to promote one specific understanding of death. Some songs explore oblivion, others judgment, rebirth, continuation, or peace. I wanted listeners to encounter different perspectives and decide for themselves which one resonates.
Metalwar: Black Reuss is largely your personal artistic vision. What are the advantages and challenges of carrying almost every aspect of the project on your own shoulders?
BLACK REUSS: The biggest advantage is consistency. Every decision comes from the same vision, so the music, lyrics, artwork, and overall identity remain coherent. The challenge is that you also carry every responsibility yourself. There is no one else to solve problems or make difficult creative decisions. But for Black Reuss, that independence is an essential part of its identity.
Metalwar: Diego Rapacchietti of Coroner performed the drums on the album. How did this collaboration come about, and what did he bring to the final result?
BLACK REUSS: I’ve known Diego for many years, and we’ve worked together on previous Black Reuss albums. He immediately understood what the music needed. His drumming is powerful without becoming overpowering. He brings precision, dynamics, and a natural sense of space, which fits perfectly with the atmosphere I wanted to create on Death.
Metalwar: Why did you choose to cover Type O Negative’s “Love You To Death”, and how did you approach making it fit naturally within the concept of the album?
BLACK REUSS: Type O Negative has probably been my biggest musical influence, so recording one of their songs always felt like something I wanted to do. Love You To Death also fits surprisingly well within the atmosphere of the album. While it approaches death from a completely different perspective, it shares the same sense of melancholy, intimacy, and emotional depth. I wanted to stay respectful to the original while naturally integrating it into the sonic world of Death.
Metalwar: The production of Death sounds powerful yet very atmospheric. What were your main priorities while shaping its sonic identity?
BLACK REUSS: The atmosphere always came first. I wanted the album to feel immersive rather than overwhelming.
Space is just as important as heaviness. Instead of making everything louder or denser, I focused on creating room for the music to breathe. That balance between powerful guitars, layered melodies, and silence became one of the defining characteristics of the record.
Metalwar: Now that the first conceptual cycle has reached its conclusion, do you already have a vision for the
next chapter of Black Reuss?
BLACK REUSS: Yes, although it’s still developing. Black Reuss will continue, but not through another long conceptual
cycle like the tetralogy. Completing these four albums created freedom. The introspective character of the project will remain, but the next chapter won’t be bound to one overarching narrative anymore.
Metalwar: In today’s music industry, concept albums require listeners to experience the record as a whole.
Do you think audiences still embrace that approach in the streaming era?
BLACK REUSS: Some do, and some don’t—and that’s perfectly fine. I never wrote these albums to fit the way streaming platforms work. I still believe there are listeners who enjoy sitting down and experiencing an album from beginning to end. If someone chooses to do that with Death, they’ll discover much more than listening to individual songs in isolation.
Metalwar: If listeners could take away only one message after experiencing Death from beginning to end, what would you hope that message would be?
BLACK REUSS: I don’t want to leave listeners with an answer. I hope they leave with questions. Death isn’t about
explaining what comes after life. It’s about accepting that some things remain unknown. If the album encourages reflection and allows someone to look at death—or life—from a slightly different perspective, then it has achieved its purpose.
VIDEO
Black Reuss – ENDGAME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSfyokTiPw
Black Reuss – OBLIVION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DMcwWKyRlc
Black Reuss – LONER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfmgHmZyUmg
SΟCIAL MEDIA
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