On January 5, 2024, “A Pale Crown” was released, the fifth full album by the Black Metal band NARBELETH, originally formed in Cuba but for some years now residing in Spain. For this reason, we decided to interview them to learn more about them and this new album.

First of all, please receive a cordial greeting from the entire team at METAL WORLD UNITED and thank you, especially their member Dakkar, for granting us and answering this interview.

1. How did the idea of creating a Black Metal band come about, and especially in Cuba, when you have such a clear tendency towards blasphemy, inspired above all in the old-school ways, and why not in another style of metal: either Thrash, Death, or Heavy metal?

D: Black Metal is my favorite sub-genre in Metal. When I created NARBELETH, I already had another band where we did a kind of Black thrash. Most times I would write riffs that did not fit with what we were doing, and one day I decided to take everything I had saved and give it form into a new project.

2. From what we know NARBELETH was formed in Havana – Cuba in 2008 and was born as a one-man project where You, Dakkar, was in charge of everything, but in 2017 Vindok entered as drummer and permanent member of the band. How did you meet each other? Because we know that he is of Colombian origin.

R: I came to Spain for the first time in 2014, and I had been in contact with Rou, from SARTEGOS, where Vindok also played. Just when I was here, Rou was living in London, and he put me in contact with Vindok. This is how we met, we became friends and some time later on, I invited him to record the drums on Indomitvs, which he gladly accepted. The rest is history.

3. The band’s name causes a lot of curiosity, and I include myself. Why did you choose that name and why the pseudonym Dakkar?

D: As a fan of JRR Tolkien’s work, I took Narbeleth from its Legendarium. It is a word that means something like “disappearance of the sun”, so it fits perfectly with what I had in mind. Dakkar is a name taken from the literature of Julio Verne. We all have read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Well Dakkar is Captain Nemo’s real name; a man decided to go live far away from humanity.

4. NARBELETH, to this date, already has 6 full-length albums, all of which have been edited and released to the market by the record label, Folter Records. How did NARBELETH manage to get signed by such a well-known label?

D: Out of the 6 albums, except for the first one, they all have come out through Folter Records. I contacted Folter in 2012/13 looking for a label to launch “A Hatred Manifesto”, and it was a lucky strike that they loved the band, and today we are very good friends.

5. Out of your 4 previous works to “A Pale Crown”, what are the main differences in terms of composition, themes, music, and lyrics, for his most recent album, how was that process.

D: The process is always the same. I write all the songs, and I pass the demos on to Vindok. When he learns them, we begin to rehearse and change some things along the way. When we feel everything is ready, we hit the studio. Evolution is normal in any creative process, therefore there will always be differences between the albums and that is a positive thing, as long as it is done honestly. We have many experiences in life, and everything influences when writing music, but always within the band line.

6. The last 2 covers of your albums have been in charge of the Asturian artist Alba Porta “Chrett Rolsfer”, How did you meet her and after the first artwork she made for you, what made you decide to continue working with her.

R: Alba is a friend we have in common. I met her through Vindok and we eventually talked about working together, which led to the covers of the last two albums. She is very good at what she does and can accurately capture the idea you have in mind.

7. Speaking of “A Pale Crown”, we have gotten little information about who’s in charge of the mixing and mastering of the album. Could you tell us about it?

R: Everything was done by Javi Félez at Moontower Studios, in Barcelona. We recorded drums there, and then I recorded the rest here in Pontevedra. Then everything was sent to him for reamping, mixing, and mastering.

8. Do you think living off of making extreme music can be done?

D: It has never been my idea to live off music but for it. I don’t think that is going to happen either. What I have always looked for with Narbeleth is to make the music I like the most.

9. What plans does the band have in terms of concerts, and tours, to promote “A Pale Crown”?

D: At the moment we are organizing some concerts in Spain and Germany throughout 2024.

10. Being a band with only 2 members, what is the production process like? The selection of musicians for live performances of the band and currently who are they?

D: Dakkar on vocals and bass, Vindok on drums, and King Abraxas on guitar, who has been with us since 2011.

11. What anecdote, funny or not so funny, can you tell us happened during a live performance?

R: Well, we haven’t had anything remarkable in that sense. It has always gone quite well for us, without any problems.

12. Being that both Dakkar and Vindok are Latinos, what bands in our continent do you know of, listen to, or are influences for you?

R: Although the American scene is very rich, I have always made it clear that my main inspiration is the Scandinavian scene of the 90s.

13. Thank you for the interview. Can you send greetings and a few words to your legion of followers especially in Latin America?

R: Thank you very much for the interview, for the interest and support for NARBELETH.