Interviews About Albums: The Cimmerian - Sword & Sorcery Vol. I (2023)

In this new interview, we sat down with the American Doom Metal/Thrash Metal/Sludge Metal/Stoner Metal band The Cimmerian to ask some questions about their latest album "Sword & Sorcery Vol. I". 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

Sword & Sorcery Vol 1 is the first single in a series of releases we’ll be doing inspired by the said genre of literature/film. On this release, our “Sword” inspired song is called “Suffer No Guilt” and is about Crom and the Riddle of Steel from Conan the Barbarian lore. The “Sorcery” side, “Inanna Rising”, is inspired by the goddess Inanna, also known as Ishtar. This release is the follow-up to our debut EP, Thrice Majestic.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

The name of this release, Sword & Sorcery, comes from the genre of fiction often credited to being created by author Robert E. Howard serves as the theme for the two songs.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

Both songs are composed by The Cimmerian. We each brought our own elements to the songs in the writing and arranging process.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

I would pick Inanna Rising as a good representation of our sound. It has elements of our major influences, doom, thrash, and sludge metal.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is what it is?

If anybody, listening to our music, can take something similar to what readers of sword and sorcery stories can take, something akin to developing inner strength, confidence, and the knowledge to teach and learn from the situation that they are in. The stories pit the readers against The Unknown, and yet still the main characters in the stories are the ones going through each encounter and walking away victorious. I guess the sense of adventure is the main message.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

The chorus of Suffer No Guilt off this upcoming single is something that can be applied to reach that inner strength. “Suffer no guilt, ye who wields in the name of… Crom!”

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

Lyrically the inspiration comes in part from Robert E Howard, so we would love to thank him for all of his incredible stories and characters that he unleashed upon the world nearly 100 years ago. Musically we were inspired by bands like Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Venom, and High on Fire.