Interviews: Ael-Fierlen

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Post-Black Metal band, Ael-Fierlen from the UK. Check out the interview and follow this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it, or come out like that?

We were inspired by other bands in the British black metal scene who have taken words from traditional languages (Winterfylleth, Old English, Saor, Scots), and wanted to follow in their footsteps. We created a short list of things that had the right sound and an evocative meaning and then decided on a final one from there.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Rob has always played metal of some form, and during the COVID years, he was working on a one-man project called Clarion, but after seeing Sylvaine live at Damnation 2021, he knew he wanted to do something more post/atmospheric with female vocals (but still rooted in black metal). He was introduced to Steph from there, and she wanted to try something different from other bands and singing she’d done in the past.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

No, we had all attended similar gigs and festival,s but did not all know each other. Steph and Rob were introduced by a mutual friend who knew Rob was looking for a vocalist for a project, and then it grew from there. We met Ginger through a Facebook community group centred around a UK festival, as he responded to our first single (To Sleep Eternal) in May 2024 when we posted that we needed a drummer. Ironically, Steph knew OB already, but didn’t know he was interested in being a bassist. He joined the band in March 2025 after seeing us play as just a three-piece.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Rob - Ne Obliviscaris

Steph - The National, Spiritbox, and Coheed & Cambria are probably the bands I’ve listened to the most overall. But it’s really hard to pick favourites!

Ginger - Meshuggah or Sikth

OB - Bleed from Within

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

This album contains some of Steph’s first attempts at writing lyrics and all of her first attempts at writing vocal melodies. Rob composed the music and then discussed with Steph about the emotions he was feeling or the meaning behind early working titles, which then led her to choose the lasting subjects of the songs. He creates a mood, and she tries to find the characters or setting to hopefully impart that mood upon the listener through description and metaphor. The last song on the album describes a feeling Steph had after sitting in the forest until dark during one of the first meetings she and Rob had to discuss starting the band.

6. Where was your last gig?

London at the Hope and Anchor to celebrate the album release

7. Where would you like to act?

Tim from NeO, Jo Quail, Chris from Osi and the Jupiter (his Cello work for Abigail Williams is achingly gorgeous), and a talented harpist called Artemisia Nathair, who is also part of the independent English music scene.

8. Whom would you like to feature with? Whom not?

All of us have pretty varied music tastes, so we hope to work with many people in the future. We would only refuse to feature with someone if they were doing things that hurt or target others.

9. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Yes, and still do! Nerves mean you care! Having rituals/routines to get you in the right headspace for performing can help a lot. Also, practice practice practice. A tutor once said to Rob that "confidence is the product of work/preparation," and we really think that holds true. Steph has also been told to say the word ‘excited’ every time you goes to say the word ‘nervous’ and that this can change your mindset.

10. What bands have inspired you the most?

That's a difficult question, as the answer probably changes year to year. Ne Obliviscaris are massively influential on Rob for how they construct songs. The same goes for Xanthochroid (their 2 part concept album, Of Erthe And Axen, is what he’d consider the pinnacle of coherent writing in metal). He also loves movies and film soundtracks, so the work of Hans Zimmer is hugely influential, too. Steph was given Sylvaine, Suldusk, and Darkher as beautiful examples in the blackgaze genre, and Myrkur had also just released “Spine,” which she listened to a lot during the creation of this album.

11. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

We were playing a show in Plymouth and staying in a village just outside the city, where a really lovely person helped Steph and Ginger park our van, and rightfully assumed we were in a band! He technically wasn’t a fan yet when he asked for our Spotify to check us out, but when Rob and OB pulled up into the same car park about 10 minutes later, they heard our music ringing out from his phone with no explanation yet, and they found that pretty surreal!

12. What do you think of your fans?

We love our fans! Honestly, we're still just flattered that we have fans at all. Everyone has been so lovely and so supportive; it's more than we could have hoped for, especially so early in our band’s career. We also find it really interesting and exciting that we’ve reached people who have never listened to niche nine-minute black metal songs before! We are very grateful to have gained the attention of so many different kinds of music fans.

13. What do you think of our site?

We love to see any site dedicated to metal, as we are still sort of a fringe genre, and especially love that Breathing The Core gives interview opportunities for bands like us who are just starting out, and shows a lot of new and independent artists. The cursor being the horns is a very metal touch as well!

14. Something to add?

We are already working on our next album. We also hope to play in more different cities next year, but we are already booked for a few things we are looking forward to!