Telomyras arrive in this interview as a band shaped by graft, instinct and a shared hunger to push heavy metal forward on their own terms. What follows is a look at the unlikely paths that brought them together, the evolution from rough early demos to Duskfall, and the themes of oppression, duality and renewal that define their sound.
Formation & local Scene
TheNwothm: For anyone discovering Telomyras for the first time, how would you introduce who you are and what you represent as a band?
Jack: We are a heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington that writes original music influenced from both classic and modern metal bands. Our songs focus on engaging metal riffs, unique song structures, strong rhythm section, and vocals that range from operatic highs to guttural lows.
TheNwothm: How did the members first cross paths, and what convinced you that this particular line‑up was the right one to build Telomyras with?
Ephraim: I’d always wanted to start a metal band. After securing a new rig and teaching myself some very basic recording, I put up ads on multiple sites starting back in 2018; Craigslist, Bandmix, and frequenting my local music stores. I didn’t get many responses, but around 2019 Jack responded. We hung out a few times and saved a couple riffs. Amazingly, a drummer named Travis Busby responded a while later, who had some great chops in addition to a basement! We auditioned multiple bass players and vocalists while trying to record our first two demos, and after we did, Eric joined on bass.
We played our first 3 shows as Telomyras late 2022 with me on vocals, and by the 3rd show, I practically begged Greyhawk’s former singer Rev if he knew anyone. He sent me Sammie’s number and the rest is history. I’d always envisioned a female voice for the music and was so happy Sammie auditioned. I’m amazed how this has all worked out. Gavynn, our current drummer, was immediately chosen out of the 3 who auditioned following Travis’ move. He just had “it”.
Sammie: The pandemic changed a lot for me. I was doing a decent amount of opera performances, I had my own small opera company. When all of that stopped, I realized I wanted to explore other styles of music, mainly metal. My buddy Rev Taylor was singing in Greyhawk, and it really inspired me and made me realize I could do it, too. So I told him I wanted to do what he was doing. One day he texted me and said he found a band that is looking for a singer, so he put me in contact with Telomyras, and here we are. I was worried they wouldn’t be interested in having a woman as their singer, especially one that is so inexperienced with this type of music, but they made it clear that it didn’t matter as long as it was the right fit.
Gavynn: I found these guys through Craigslist! I had just moved to the Seattle area in late 2022 and was looking to join a band with a good balance of ambition and musicianship. Meeting everyone for the first time during the audition, I instantly got the sense that they were also hungry for more than just the occasional dive-bar gig, and I really liked that. Not to mention, the music they were writing stayed very true to my own internal biases of how I want to write heavy metal, lol!
TheNwothm: What is the story behind the name Telomyras, and what made it feel like the right identity for your music?
Ephraim: it’s a made up word, but it means something like “a glorious end”. Telo = end, Myra = “wow, magic”. I’ve always thought about apocalyptic concepts and finality, but also that every ending is a new beginning.
TheNwothm: Seattle has a long musical history across several genres. How has growing up or working in that environment shaped your approach to heavy metal?
Ephraim:I have lived here for about 9 years at the time of this interview, and all the rumors about Seattle people being cold do not apply to the metal scene here. It’s been so refreshing that people here seem to come to shows and partake in such numbers. Being based out of Seattle seems to intrigue people when we’ve played outside of Washington too, which means more crowds. I am super grateful!
Sammie: I think living in Seattle has radicalised me in some ways. I’m far more vocal about societal constructs and systemic injustice. It has influenced what I write about and how I express myself. When I travel, I’m reminded that not everyone has a lot of visible tattoos and piercings like I do, because I get a lot of stares. In Seattle, I’m pretty normal.
TheNwothm: What is something about your local community or surroundings that listeners outside the United States might not expect?
Ephraim: Honestly, I am not sure. Maybe how bad American food is generally? (Laughs)
Jack: When speaking about Seattle specifically, it does not rain here as much as it is depicted in the media. Also, the music scene is very strong outside of alternative rock/grunge music. While grunge bands like Alice in Chains and Nirvana have a cultural significance here, there are many types of bands outside of that genre that are popular, ranging from power metal to black metal.
Sammie: I think there are a large number of musicians here trying to make it in the music business. Other places in the country, that’s practically unheard of.
Influences
TheNwothm: Which artists or albums first sparked your interest in heavy music when you were younger?
Jack: I come from a background of playing Thrash and Death metal music and bands like Death, Demolition Hammer, Megadeth, Testament, and Morbid Angel are some of my favorites. While I wouldn’t say Telomyras directly sounds like any of those bands, there are many moments in the songwriting inspired by these groups and other extreme metal.
Ephraim: I came up on Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden (my favorite band of all time). My best friend Eric Lough introduced me to all sorts of Power Metal from DragonForce to Iced Earth and Blind Guardian. I discovered bands like Sonata Arctica, Black Majesty and Cellador browsing early Wikipedia pages on power metal. Later on my friends Ron Harper and Kyle Taylor showed me Pagans Mind, Stratovarius, Immolation, and more. My teacher, Scott Summers, who built my first guitar, also set me up with a few different guitarists just to learn from, which really helped.
Eric: Early heavy influences would have been Iron Maiden, W.A.S.P., Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer. Sammie: Metallica was a big one when I was a kid. My dad listens to a lot of rock and metal, though nowadays I like heavier stuff than he does. I know Jack may shudder atthis, but I really loved Korn and Evanescence when I was a teenager! But I was also listening to Metallica, Nightwish, Kamelot, etc. I was a theatre and choir kid, so I liked the ‘drama.’
Gavynn: Growing up, I remember rocking out to Slayer and Bolt Thrower with my dad as early as five years old, although he tells me I was exposed to them long before I formed my own memories. I think somewhere on his hard drive, he still has a recording of me singing “Livin’ After Midnight” when I was like three years old… In middle school, I gotmore into bands like Behemoth, Dragonforce and Vader because they were really fun toplay along to in my basement and challenged me to develop my skills in a way that felt more stimulating than playing in the school concert band.
TheNwothm: Are there any musicians you admired early on who still influence your playing or writing today?
Jack: Early on I was interested in playing Jimmy Page and David Gilmore licks, and as far as metal is concerned, James Hetfield, Dave Mustaine, Chuck Schuldiner, and Trey Azagthoth are my primary influences.
Ephraim: Melodically? Dave Murray (Iron Maiden). Rhythm-wise? Jon Schafer (Iced Earth). Those two are probably the best examples for my formative years as a guitarist. More broadly, I’ve appreciated songs and albums by Avenged Sevenfold and Trivium for more mainstream stuff. For older stuff? Rainbow, Alice Cooper, Van Halen. Virtuoso guys? Jorn Viggo Lofstad of Pagan’s Mind. Jorn is a shred machine, but I feel he always serves the songs before he indulges in being flashy, which I like about him.
Sammie: I didn’t know of anyone who did what I do now. I don’t sing like any of Nightwish’s singers, I don’t sing like Amy Lee from Evanescence. Those were the only female singers in metal (or metal adjacent) bands that I knew of when I was a kid. Now, Jinjer is one of my biggest influences. Tatiana is amazing.
Gavynn: Fredrik Andersson (former Amon Amarth) and Dave McIntosh (former Dragonforce) were colossal influences all throughout my childhood; they’re the reason I got into double bass! In regards to my compositional influences for Duskfall, I’d say thatcredit goes to Dave Budbill of Sanctuary and Scott Travis of Judas Priest.
Discography
TheNwothm: Your first demo “Ashes” arrived in 2021. Looking back, what do you remember most clearly about creating that first recorded snapshot of the band?
Jack: Ephraim and I began writing that song before we had a drummer. We eventually met up with our first drummer Travis and recorded the demo. I remember being excited about creating original heavy metal music and going into a home studio for the first time, which meant I was covering the bass duties and Ephraim was lead vocals.
Ephraim: I most vividly remember recording vocals. I’d never sang before and haven’t since. It’s an actual nightmare for me, but I’d rather do anything to make my music happen than chicken out. I tried to draw from Dio and James Hetfield when I attempted it for our early demos. I couldn’t tell you specific terms, but both those guys had a rasp/edge to their voices I’ve always liked. To clarify; I don’t think I was anywhere close to those guys, but I tried…
TheNwothm: Your early releases moved from “Ashes to ““Throne of Ruin“ in the same year, then on to the self‑titled EP in 2023 and the ““Thresher“ demo in 2024. What encouraged you to keep recording at that pace, and how did each release open the door to new ideas or approaches that you had not explored in the previous one?
Jack: Once we released the first demos, we started gaining live experience (and band members) to truly realize our vision for what we wanted to do as a heavy metal band. We all come from different musical backgrounds, and over time, we have been able to include our influences ranging from bands like Nightwish to Death and even Jinjer. Each new song has been a step closer to what we have recorded for “Duskfall,” and we are very proud of the work everyone has put in.
Ephraim: The EP was very safe. We were finding our confidence and learning to work together. I’m still very proud of it, but it inspired me on how NOT to do certain things pertaining to mixing and recording. I also knew Sammie was capable of way better lyrics and vocals than I had established before she joined. “Thresher” was us first experimenting for ourselves as a full unit helping compose and write and arrange.
“Duskfall” is going to showcase each member as much more themself. Jack and I experimented with some different arrangements. Sammie wrote 99% of the words and all of the vocals, including harmonies, Gavynn’s precision and fills carry you through each section and keep you engaged, and Eric’s bass is punchy and his parts can get so distinct. I’m excited for people to hear it all.
Sammie: The “Thresher” demo was also a way of releasing something with Gavynn as our drummer. We wanted to show what direction we were headed in.
TheNwothm: Your new full‑length “Duskfall” arrived this year. What were the central themes or emotions driving the album, and how did the writing process differ from your earlier work?
Jack: As mentioned before, once we established a solid lineup we have been able to expand our brand of heavy metal into exciting directions that I think people will enjoy.With our new drummer Gavynn Peterson, we have been able to write heavier parts, and Sammie’s growling vocal technique has never been stronger. We also want dynamics, so each song stands on its own, which has helped us develop new directions for the songs on “Duskfall.”
Ephraim: Oppression and Loss are both themes throughout the album, ending on a somewhat hopeful, or at least resolute note, I think. The album art and title are meant toevoke sunsets, being between light and dark, the spiritual, endings and beginnings. Verymuch, in my eyes, in line with the initial ideas behind our name, perfect for a first fulllength album!
Sammie: I can’t help but write about oppression and current events. The only song that doesn’t include social commentary is the title track “Duskfall.” I also think that the boys deserve some credit here, because the way I write is based on what music they write. The emotion that comes up from listening to a scratch track is how I start writing. I just try to capture it and hopefully do it justice.
I think “Duskfall” is about oppression, but also about duality. A few of the songs are from the perspective of the oppressor, and others are from the perspective of the oppressed. “Witch” is the song that could be argued as both, depending on how you look at it. This album solidified how I write, because the EP I didn’t do too much writing for lyrics. I did shift things around a bit, and I did adjust the vocals,but the original lyrics on that EP were Eph’s.
TheNwothm: Which track on “Duskfall” challenged you the most to complete, and why?
Ephraim: For me, it was the ones I developed initially: Harbinger, Duskfall, Despondence, and Begin the End. For any doubts or worries I had about Jack’s songs, I always knew he knows what he’s doing and his contributions end up being my favorites! With my ideas, I just get cold feet. I want to do them justice; I want them to be just as awesome as what the other members make. Really, all of these songs came together because of everyone’s input. With Duskfall, Sammie drew from personal experience, but I kid you not, she wrote exactly the words I wanted to write but couldn’t. Jack fine-tuned and created entire parts for all my song ideas, and Gav and Eric made them come fully alive and structured.
Jack: Begin the End and The Altar are the two songs that are the oldest and did not end up on the EP even though they were written by then. I think it just took time to adjust and add parts from everyone in the band to get them to a place where we think people will really dig them.
Sammie: Harbinger and Begin the End. I was really intimidated by the second half of Harbinger. The music wanted me to portray a great old one/Cthulhu-esque being, so I avoided it for a while because I was afraid I wouldn’t do it justice. After Brad mixed it to what it is now, I don’t feel that way anymore. For Begin the End, I was dumb. I wrote it based on the music more than my own voice. Yes I can sing it, but that doesn’t mean it sounds how I want it to lol. But I know I’m very picky. It took me ages to get the tracks down because I kept questioning it. When Brad and I were working on mixing it, I decided I should record the main vocals one last time. So I did, and that’s what’s on thealbum.
Gavynn: For me, The Altar was the most challenging. I was asked to essentially rewrite the drum part a few weeks before I went in to track my parts. Having given very little attention prior to entering the studio, this song was definitely the most nerve-wracking for me, and I felt like I had to bust out some good improvising in some parts. In the end, I’m very proud of how it turned out!
TheNwothm: The artwork across your releases has a distinct identity. What conversations or concepts guided the visual direction for “Duskfall,” and how do you approach artwork in general?
Ephraim:Well we are first and foremost completely against A.I. and would never knowingly use it or associate with artists that use it. If I ever found out after the fact it was artificially made by a damn computer, I’d disown it immediately and commission a new piece. We actually narrowed down to 3 broad concepts and chose from those 3 which one we liked. I think those other art ideas might be used on a future album.
We wanted something classic, we wanted to evoke those eerie feelings with natural beauty. We also wanted to not be too “on the nose” with any imagery, something with some interpretation behind it, but also still just a cool piece. The monster on the cover is shrouded, hard to define, but looming and oppressive, vs the wholesome landscape, a great contrast woven together by the choice of sunset for a color palette. Kenneth Yarus did an amazing job, a real pro.
Live & Future Plans
TheNwothm: What does a perfect Telomyras live show feel like from your perspective on stage?
Eric: For me, I want a mix of precision playing and high energy. That’s the way I see my part. I feel that if we give the energy, then the crowd will respond in kind.
Ephraim: Performing is everything to me. It’s perfect if there’s even just one audience member, and I go all out for them.
Jack: Tight riffs, loud drums, commanding vocals, and crushing low end. Everything that someone would want to hear in a Metal band.
Sammie: I’m a bit of a perfectionist. At the end of every show, I have critiques for myself, whether it’s vocal or performative. The best shows I’ve experienced are the ones where the audience is responsive, where it feels like the audience is right there with us.
Gavynn: I concur with Sammie on being a perfectionist and sometimes over-thinking the performance after the show is done. What really gives me the sense of accomplishment is how well the audience receives and reciprocates our energy. It’s definitely a case of “you get out what you put in” here in Seattle, so it’s important to play every show like it’s your last.
TheNwothm: What can fans expect from Telomyras over the next couple of years in terms of touring, writing or broader ambitions?
Ephraim: That’s difficult to answer. I would love to do tours of different regions, and in other countries, or festivals. While I myself have organised my life currently around being able to travel and carefully using my time off, we are all working adults with jobs and people we care about. Bluntly speaking, it will take financial support to make things happen, perhaps a good label will make us an offer that isn’t selling our soul, I don’t know. You can expect another LP from us, I’ve already got some riffs and melodies saved, and some topics I want to cover as I’m sure the rest of the band does. As far as performing, we will just have to see what, if any, opportunities arise and who wants to work with us.
Sammie: As most metal bands, we have lives outside of this. We still have to pay bills, unfortunately. So we do what we can, when we can. That’s part of why it took a while for “Duskfall” to be released. We’d love to do more if the opportunity arises!
Gavynn: As excited about the prospect of adventures abroad as we are, we are also very young in our career and don’t possess the connections necessary to make a massive breakthrough in the scene. All good things take time and we’re incredibly optimistic about how well the small steps we’ve taken so far have rewarded us. We have plans to start writing another album very soon, and we’re looking forward to collaborating on that.
TheNwothm: How can our readers buy your music and merch?
Ephraim: Our bandcamp will soon have some logo shirts and other small trinkets like guitar picks and drink koozies for sale after the album is digitally released fully. At the time of this interview I am finalizing the print for jewel case CDs which will have to be made available at a later date due to print time and shipping time. I’ve shipped our EP and old shirts overseas in the past couple years but tariffs might hinder us on that front right now.
TheNwothm: Where can fans follow you online?
Ephraim: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp are the best ones! We’re the only Telomyras on all platforms (perks of having a made-up name).
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Telomyras
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenwothm/
Bandcamp: https://telomyras.bandcamp.com/
TheNwothm: To end on a fun note, If Telomyras had to describe its collective personality as a single object, what would it be and why?
Ephraim: Platypus. No further comment. 🙂
