Polands Grimoire have just put out their first slab of heavy metal in the form of their EP “Threats” and so we thought what a great time to find out more about the band and get some insight their debut!

TheNwothm: Greetings! Can you introduce the band and where you are from?

Eryk Jakubczyk: We’re Grimoire from the rat infested drug den capital of Lower Silesia, also known as Wrocław, Poland. We play whatever we want to play, but to keep it simple let’s just call it heavy metal. 

TheNwothm: How did the band Grimoire come together, and what inspired its formation in 2021?

EJ: So we’ve all known each other for a while, mostly from mutual friends and a couple of nights out in the city. Me and Jakub also played together in Savager. Aleksander approached me with a proposition to play some heavy metal with him and Filip. At first I was hesitant, since I’m not that big of a fan of the genre, always saw myself as a more of thrash, death and prog kind of guy, and also I was kind of tired of metal as a whole at that moment. But after the first rehearsal I thought to myself that “damn son, this has some legs. This isn’t building to be another 80’s rippoff band, I can actually do something creative here”. So after that revelation we didn’t rehearse until like 6 months later hahaha. Yea things were slow at first, mostly because we were still without a vocalist. Than Jakub came and decided to give it a shot – dude never sang before but it clicked so we decided that “OK then, we’ve got a band”.

TheNwothm: Can you tell us more about the band’s hometown and what the metal scene is like there?

EJ: Wrocław has expensive condos, faulty public transportation, money grabbing president who like to mingle with developers, seasonal air pollution and it’s hard to find a decent job in here. I love this city and can’t really imagine moving elsewhere. It also has a very healthy and thriving artistic scene, but maybe not so much in terms of heavy metal specifically. Metal bands aren’t booming left and right like in Warsaw or Silesia at that moment, but there are some standout acts. And I actually think it’s good – it encourages you to try something different once in a while. We’re also keen on organizing gigs with non-metal bands just so we can reach a wider audience.

TheNwothm: Are there any specific musical influences that shape Grimoire’s sound, and how do they incorporate these influences into their own unique style? 

EJ: Yes and no. I don’t really like when musicians list their influences like they’re doing groceries. It always comes to me as “Hey, we’re trying to sound like these guys”. We don’t. We’re trying to do our own thing. Sure, we can be influenced by a particular artist or style when writing a certain song, like trying do something neo-classical or maybe even latino influenced, but as a whole, we never had any template we tried to fit in. I think that it’s mostly because we’re all from different musical backgrounds, so trying to point at only one direction would be extremely tedious.

TheNwothm: Can you tell our readers a little bit about each of yourselves?

EJ: So first of all I need to plug my other bands – go check out Charnel and Frightful! Besides that I don’t know there’s much to tell. I’ve been playing guitar most of my life and I love music as a whole, not just metal. I try to stay open minded and see artistic and entertainment value in most of the things I contact with. 

TheNwothm: And how did you each get into Heavy Metal?

EJ: Like many others at my age – my mom and my stepfather showed me some Metallica and Maiden when I was like I dunno, 6 or 7? At first I listened mostly to stuff that my parents listened to, then through the web I discovered some bands on my own, which resulted in my nu metal phase in around 5^th grade, which I’m not ashamed of hahaha

TheNwothm: Are there any specific themes or concepts that Grimoire explores in the lyrics, and how do you aim to connect with listeners on a deeper level through your music?  

Jakub Zajkowski: Grimoire’s lyrical themes are as diverse as our music, but should be able to connect many people. Topics I can mention are Will for Freedom, Love, Sex, Drugs, Occultism, aggression, fuck-establishment or a kind of scifi/fantasy mumbo jumbo. When it comes to writing I try to put on paper mostly my feelings and observations (sometimes in an abstract or highly exaggerated way, also it can be hard to see), so if you live in a reality similar to mine you will be able to see what I am trying to show you. I also like to add some words that were inspiring to me, and were written by mine Great Ones – if you know it, you’ll notice. I’m certainly not trying to make something universal for everyone, so it’s possible it may seem both infantile and over-intellectualized to some. I like to write while listening to the music we’ve made, to get a feel for what goes with it, and our music is diverse – so I can write an emotional, soul-wrenching poem, or some dorky shit about the devil, sex and a hangover, and that will be me too!

TheNwothm: How did you guys decide on your image? Did you have any influences?

EJ: Yea we actually still haven’t decided on it. We just wanted to look cool and sexy, guess more stylistic cohesion will come up naturally. 

TheNwothm: What motivated Grimoire to release the 3-track EP “Threats” in early 2023, and can you share some insights into the themes explored in the tracks City of Sun, Tarot, and Thrill of the Night? 

JZ: City of Sun is in fact about hot summer hangover in Wrocław. I was living right under the roof and temperature was killing me haha. Then came the Idea. Thrill of the Night is song about speedtrip, but also about transience, infatuation and joy of experiencing stuff. In Tarot I sing about all-encopassing blindness, greed, but also rebellion against fat bastard businessmen who are stealing your money right now.

TheNwothm: Can you elaborate on the creative process behind Grimoire’s music, especially when it comes to songwriting and production? 

EJ: Either someone brings a single riff or idea and we jam along until something good comes out of it, or someone brings an almost complete song and we just modify parts of it. I personally like to brainstorm as much as possible on rehearsals and work on the finer details at home, but sometimes a brilliant idea comes out of nowhere, like when I’m at work, at a party, going back home drunk or when I’m about to go to sleep – I think every guitarist can relate, especially to the last two.

TheNwothm: A few fun questions now! If Grimoire could time-travel to any musical era, past or future, where would they go, and why?

EJ: To the mid to late 80’s, just so I can witness not only all the good stuff that came out then, like thrash in its prime, but all the shit that annoys me to this day, and see it all fall apart when the 90’s came storming in, then live through all the 90’s because 90’s fucking rock and come back to the present at around 2001, just to witness the era of nu metal in it’s full, dumb-ass glory and right before all the lame, whiny alt-rock acts took over. 

JZ: For sure would go to late 60’s to experience the times when giants walked on earth, and to observe all the good stuff that will happen with music with next 30 years.

TheNwothm: If Grimoire’s music were the soundtrack for a movie, what genre of film do you think it would complement best?

EJ: Porn. Or hopefully some A24 flick about young adults wasting their lives in hedonistic fashion. With Willem Dafoe in it.

TheNwothm: Are there any plans for Grimoire to release a full-length album in the near future, or will they continue with EP releases? 

EJ: Yes, we’re actually finishing the album right now, plan to hit the studio soon and hopefully release it in the first half of 2024, but that’s all I can say right now. 

TheNwothm: In the future do you have hopes to collaborate with any other band or artist?

EJ: Sure, I was always fond of the idea of having features on an album, which is surprisingly rare in metal music. Who knows, maybe we’ll convince some of our friends from other bands to hop in on a track or two, but that’s also all I can say for now.

TheNwothm: In terms of touring, does Grimoire have any plans for live performances or tours in support of the EP or any upcoming releases?

EJ: We have one gig in February with WIJ and Narbo Dacal but after that you’ll most lilely see us live in late spring/early summer.

TheNwothm: Are there particular venues or festivals that Grimoire aspires to perform at in the future, either in Poland or beyond? 

EJ: Wembley Stadium, Madison Square Garden, Robert Makłowicz’s backyard – you know, the usual stuff.

TheNwothm: As a relatively new band, how does Grimoire envision its growth and development in the coming years, and what goals does the band aim to achieve in terms of its musical journey?

EJ: Shit man I don’t know, I just wanna write and perform good music with as many people watching. I hope it makes an impact someday.

TheNwothm: Where can fans buy your music and merch?

EJ: Through our bandcamp, by messaging us on Instagram or facebook or via email.

Bandcamp: https://grimoire71.bandcamp.com/album/threats

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grimoire.speed

TheNwothm: Anything else you would like to mention?

EJ: Eat your veggies.