Metalwar: Welcome to Metalwar! Your new album “Revelations In Black” is leaving excellent impressions. What is the central idea behind this record, and how would you describe it musically and lyrically?
Caelestia: Thank you very much for your kind words first of all!! “Revelations In Black” is an album with many “faces,” both musically and lyrically. It does not revolve around a single central theme. The dark atmosphere is present everywhere in its lyrical themes (dark horror and fantasy literature –C.R. Jacobi, H.P. Lovecraft–, dark internal mental and psychological states, and dark historical periods -WWI, WWII, Japan’s Sengoku period- etc.). Musically, it moves at various tempos (slow, mid-tempo, and fast), marrying technical death metal with melodies, atmospheric black metal passages, and complex arrangements. The album is the band’s most complete work to date, and it reflects our drive for creation and evolution (both as individual members and as a team).

Metalwar: How long did the recording and production process last, and what were the biggest challenges you faced in the studio?
Caelestia: Some of the songs on the album had already been written as demos back during the COVID-19 quarantine period, while others were written later, up until the autumn of 2023. Once the pre-selection of the tracks for the album was made, we started pre-production, and the recordings lasted from late 2023 until roughly the beginning of 2025 (the lyrics were written after the recording of the basic musical backbone of the tracks was completed). The biggest challenges were properly rendering the dark atmosphere of the album and bringing out the distinct personality of each member (as a musician) within the parts they recorded.

Metalwar: We notice that on “Revelations In Black,” the symphonic elements have been scaled back compared to the past. Was this a decision to experiment, or a natural evolution of your sound?
Caelestia: Not exactly experimentation. Simply, from the era of the “Infernalia” EP onwards, due to the lineup change and the choice to now have exclusively male growl vocals, the sound shifted toward “guitar-driven” extreme metal, and the symphonic elements were scaled back. They remained only as intros or interludes that provide atmosphere or release the tension between parts of the songs. Also, on “Revelations In Black,” symphonic parts still exist even in instrumental tracks, such as “Five Unicorns And A Pearl.” Without claiming a leading role anymore, as they did in the band’s previous works, the symphonic elements are still there, fulfilling a targeted purpose (color, atmosphere, etc.).

Metalwar: For the production of the album, you collaborated with Zack Ohren. How did this collaboration come about, and how did it affect the final sonic result?
Caelestia: The production of our album was done by the American producer Zack Ohren (Castle Ultimate Studios, Oakland USA), known for his work with major names in the scene such as Machine Head, Immolation, Forbidden, etc., who naturally handled both the mixing and mastering. Under his guidance, the tracking of the instruments took place in Athens by the band’s sound engineer (Michalis Meleteas, Bombtrack Studios) with great care, ensuring that the “natural” sound of each instrument was recorded properly. Zack listened to our pre-production very carefully and understood exactly how our music needed to be rendered. The final result completely justifies us because his production is crystal clear, powerful, and wide in the stereo field. The vocals and every single instrument can be heard with absolute clarity; nothing gets buried or over-compressed, which is essential for our music to be heard correctly.

Metalwar: The album cover is extremely atmospheric. Who is behind the artwork, and how does it connect visually with the themes of the tracks?
Caelestia: Behind the highly meaningful and dark artwork of our album is the talented and multi-faceted Elena Vasilaki. The forest shown in the painting represents the branching, dark lyricism of all the tracks on the album. From “Buried” to “Revelations In Black” (both of which draw from the vampire fantasy of Carl Jacobi) and “Dead Eternal,” it captures the inescapable finality, which is death and decay. One instantly understands that this is textbook death metal imagery.

Metalwar: If you had to pick just one track that defines the new era of Caelestia, which would it be and why?
Caelestia: The track on the album that represents the new direction of the band and gathers all the elements that characterize us right now would be the title track, namely “Revelations In Black.” Disarmingly fast tempos, dark atmospheres, melodic lines, and key changes, but also slow and crushing groove right where it’s needed. This track contains all the elements of the band’s new style (extreme, death, black, groove, progressive). We don’t accidentally consider it the most difficult track on the record, and naturally, the most difficult one to perform live when the time comes.

Metalwar: Would you like to analyze the lyrics of the tracks a bit more for us? We see references ranging from Carl Richard Jacobi to “Dead” of Mayhem and historical events.
Caelestia: The title of the album, “Revelations In Black,” is inspired by the work of the modern American horror story writer Carl Richard Jacobi, and shares the title of his first collection of horror and fantasy stories, published in 1947 in the USA. Inspiration for the lyrics of “Revelations In Black” and “Buried” was drawn from the work of the aforementioned author. The lyrics for “Jutland,” “Wolves,” “The Slopes Of Tenmokuzan,” and “Fall Of The Demon King” refer to real historical events (World War I, World War II, and medieval Japanese history, respectively), while “Reflection Of The Beast” deals with internal mental / psychological states. Finally, “Dead Eternal” is a tribute to Per Yngve Pelle “Dead” Ohlin of Mayhem, and specifically to an unseen side of his character—one more idealistic and dreamlike than what was projected by the media of that era.

Metalwar: Your name, Caelestia (Heavenly Bodies), stands in stark contrast to the darkness and aggression of your music. How does this contradiction work for you?
Caelestia: Naturally, there is a strong contrast/contradiction between the Latin name “Caelestia,” which means “heavenly bodies,” and the dark direction of our lyrical themes, as well as the aggressive music we produce. That is the “beauty” of the contrast, after all. This was also the purpose behind choosing the name for the band back in 2013. This contradiction encompasses all opposing poles, such as “good / evil,” “heaven / hell,” “light / darkness,” and fits perfectly with everything we want to express through our music and lyrics.

Metalwar: Looking back, what do you consider to be the most pivotal moments in the history of Caelestia so far?
Caelestia: There have been several pivotal moments in the history of Caelestia. The first most significant one is, first, the European tour titled “Strange Rain Tour” that we took part in back in 2019, alongside 3 Norwegian bands (Vulture Industries, Helheim, Madder Mortem). That was a definitive and demanding experience, for sure. The second most important moment for the band was its “rebirth” after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic when—following the departure of several older members—it was decided to change our musical direction. Many bands would have come to an end under similar circumstances. We, however, chose not to give up, to remain faithful to our vision, to write new music, and to continue our journey uninterrupted.

Metalwar: How do you see the current state of the Greek extreme metal scene, and what is Caelestia’s place within it?
Caelestia: The Greek extreme metal scene is now known worldwide. We have reached a level where several bands are making significant strides, and their work is recognized abroad as well. This was made possible by the pioneering musicians of the 1990s and 2000s (Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh, Nightfall, Nightrage, Acid Death, etc.), who paved the way for all the rest of us. We are now an active part of this scene, and we work tirelessly in this direction—meaning continuous activity both inside and outside our borders in the most consistent and professional way possible.

Metalwar: In the digital era, social media and streaming platforms (DSPs) dominate. How easy or difficult is it for a band to manage this aspect?
Caelestia: Social media and DSPs are now the biggest reality of today’s music industry, and it’s impossible for anyone to ignore them. The competition is ruthless, and a band inevitably ends up being compared to similar bands on a global level, rather than a local one. Naturally, this entire media system has specialized rules of operation that are not easy for a musician to know. For this reason, it is worth trusting a professional in the field (publicist, PR specialist) who will promote your work in a targeted manner across all music platforms and social media.

Metalwar: You recently played a headline show at the Piraeus Club Academy after several years of absence. What are your impressions of this live show, and what are you preparing for the future?
Caelestia: It goes without saying that extreme metal lives and breathes to be played live. On April 25, 2026, we performed our first headline show in front of the Athenian audience at Piraeus Club Academy, where the entire “Infernalia” EP was presented, and several tracks from “Revelations In Black” were played in a setlist lasting almost an entire hour. We were joined on stage for this appearance by our friends Faceless Envoy and Death Courier. This live show was filmed and will be officially released soon on YouTube, as well as on Thunderflix, under the supervision of our record label. Our future appearances (mainly outside Greece) are already being planned, and announcements will follow.

Metalwar: You have shared the stage with massive names of the global realm (Arch Enemy, Insomnium, etc.). Which concert has remained unforgettable to you, and which band would be a “lifelong dream” to tour with?
Caelestia: Indeed, over the course of the band’s 13-year existence, we have appeared alongside massive names in the scene, such as Arch Enemy, Insomnium, Draconian, Tribulation, Carach Angren, etc. And on the European tour we mentioned earlier, we traveled together with Vulture Industries, Helheim, and Madder Mortem. Perhaps, however, the most unforgettable concert is that of April 25, 2026, because it came after 7 years of live absence and it was the first time that the current, new lineup of the band performed on stage. As for a “lifelong dream” tour, that depends on the favorite bands of each of our members.

Metalwar: Following the shocking video for “Dead Eternal,” do you have any new visual material in the works? How important a role does imagery play for an extreme metal band today?
Caelestia: Following the release of the—admittedly—extreme (even by our standards) video for the song “Dead Eternal,” which was published on June 9, we are preparing another video for a song from the album. It will be released a few days after the official release of “Revelations In Black,” and it will have a completely different theme compared to “Dead Eternal.” Videos of all kinds (lyric videos, video clips, visualizers, etc.) play a capital role in our era. The audience prefers to “see” the music as much as they “hear” it, so a band must not ignore this parameter at all. We will try to make as many videos as our budget allows.

Metalwar: Your music demands technical precision. How do Caelestia’s rehearsals go? Is there democracy in decisions, or do creative disagreements arise?
Caelestia: Precisely because the musicians who make up the band each have a deep knowledge of their craft, the musical aspect is something decided after discussion. Everyone has studied their parts extremely well before coming to rehearsal anyway; our music is based on precision and focus due to its highly complex nature. All of us are people who accept well-intentioned criticism from others, and this makes solving problems very easy when they arise. So, in Caelestia’s rehearsals, diversity, seriousness, and occasionally humor are what prevail.

Metalwar: If we analyze the background of each member individually, what are the main musical influences that everyone brings to the table?
Caelestia: Each of us has our own influences as a musician, of course. Marc’s influences include the American drummers who were in Berlin during the post-war period, teaching everything from funk and soul to jazz / rock. Stelios, who studied at Berklee College of Music, also has diverse influences that span from funk / fusion all the way to progressive / jazz. The aforementioned influences are evident in the playing of both members of the rhythm section, if one listens carefully to the songs on “Revelations In Black.” On the other hand, our two guitarists have more “classic” metal influences in their playing, ranging from Jeff Loomis and Chuck Schuldiner to Trey Azagthoth and Ihsahn, both in the songwriting aspect (riffs) and the leads / solos. Finally, Pantelis’s vocals are the most “recognizable,” of course, because they harken back to all the great singers of the 1990s death metal bands who have left an indelible mark to this day.

Metalwar: If you had the power to change just one thing about how the global metal underground operates today, what would it be?
Caelestia: Perhaps the only thing we would want to change about the way the global metal underground scene operates today would be the “aggressive” competition that unfortunately dominates many times nowadays, accompanied by a misplaced sense of “egoism.” The spirit of solidarity and mutual support of the 1990s and 2000s, when bands helped each other achieve their goals, has been lost to a great extent. This view might sound a bit “idealistic,” but unfortunately, it is a reality.

Metalwar: After a 13-year journey, how do you handle reviews now—whether they are highly positive or harsher?
Caelestia: Having walked a path of several years, either as members of Caelestia or as members of other acts, we have all learned to be generally very calm when facing any review, whether it is worshipful or harsh. We have heard a great deal in the 13 years of the band’s journey. The “harshest” critics are first and foremost ourselves, as we notice mistakes and flaws that are often not apparent to the listeners, the attendees of a live show, or the reviewers of music sites. So, each time, we make sure to correct our mistakes and not repeat them in the future. For us, every observation (positive and negative) is always welcome, and we can draw useful conclusions from it.

Metalwar: Thank you very much for your time! The final words belong to you. What message would you like to send to the readers of Metalwar?
Caelestia: Thank you very much for this interview. The message we want to send to the listeners and readers is to never stop supporting the scene, because there is highly remarkable material out there that deserves to be showcased. For our part, we promise to uninterruptedly continue our efforts to become better and offer you the music that expresses us!!