Emerging from San Diego’s metal community, Runesaber have begun shaping an identity that blends musicianship, imagination and a clear sense of purpose. In this interview, the band share a glimpse into who they, how their journey began and what is next!

Interview

TheNwothm: For anyone meeting you for the first time, could you introduce the members of Runesaber and share a little about where each of you comes from within San Diego?

Shaynie: Hey! I’m Shaynie, I’m the founder of Runesaber and I play guitar and sing. Ian is our other guitar player, Blake is our drummer and Gabe is our bassist. Blake, Gabe and I are from North County and Ian lives in central San Diego.

TheNwothm: When you look back at the moment Runesaber first came together, what sparked the decision to form a band and what drew this particular group of musicians toward one another?

Shaynie: I began writing music for this project around the same time I started applying for grad school. I was studying classical guitar under Ian, who teaches at San Diego State, and we had already established a shared love for heavy metal. I needed a second guitar player and knew I was going out on a limb, but I figured I’d ask him if he might be interested in joining my band. He thought about it and agreed to fill in until I found someone “more permanent.”

We continued writing and performing together and by the end of the year it was pretty clear that he was the one for that role. I had already known Blake through the North County music scene, but we didn’t play together until we were put in the same group for a metal jam last summer. He and Gabe are childhood friends, and that’s how we all came together.

TheNwothm: The name Runesaber has a strong sense of fantasy and power. How did that name first appear in your world and what made it feel right for the band?

Shaynie: I got the name from World of Warcraft. The “Mystic Runesaber” is an enchanted feline creature with runes, wings and an inherent thirst for magic. I’d always liked the name and I love cats, and it seemed to suit the themes I was writing about. I had originally wanted to name the band “Witchlord,” but I figured that was taken, and it felt too serious. I envisioned having a name that evoked fun and adventure as well as darkness and magic.

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

Shaynie: We’re four Southern California headbangers that were brought together by heavy metal. Ian and I went to school for classical guitar and Blake and Gabe are straight rockers. We each grew up playing in bands and loving music.

TheNwothm: Did you always want to play heavy metal growing up?

Shaynie: Yes, that’s been the dream for all of us.

TheNwothm: San Diego has its own mix of coastal calm, city energy and underground music pockets. How has the place you live shaped the way you write, rehearse or think about heavy metal?

Shaynie: San Diego has always been a great place for metal bands, especially with venues like Brick By Brick and Tower Bar fostering the heavy music scene. (Rest in peace, Jumping Turtle.) I’ve been able to push myself musically just by going to shows and being around other musicians

TheNwothm: Are there parts of your local scene or community that have helped Runesaber grow, whether through inspiration, support or shared creative spaces?

Shaynie: Before anyone knew who we were, I gradually built this band up through the support of other bands, photographers, artists, promoters, friends and family members that believed in my vision. The first six months were spent playing mainly covers while I continued writing the rest of the music. A friend of mine encouraged me to apply for the Wacken Metal Battle, and when we got selected to play I couldn’t believe it! Although we only made it to the San Diego Final, it was a great experience and set us on the right path. I learned a lot.

TheNwothm: Each of you brings a different musical background. What early influences or personal experiences helped shape the sound you contribute to Runesaber?

Shaynie: Ian and I are the classical music nerds. We can speak the same language and write with a shared understanding of things like melody, harmonic function and historical context. Blake and Gabe add the rock ‘n’ roll. Our main influences include Megadeth, Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Sodom and Ensiferum.

TheNwothm: Your first single, “Last Bite,” arrived in 2025. When you think back to writing and recording it, what were you trying to capture in that first statement?

Shaynie: I wanted to write a dark love song that played with the idea of desire and manipulation, and using a black widow to tell the story made it more fun. I decided to name the narrator Greta, after a nightmare-inducing spider-like alien from the science fiction story, “Beyond the AquilaRift.” “Last Bite” was the first song I wrote for this project, and it definitely set the tone for therest of the music and what the band was about.

TheNwothm: You are close to completing your debut album, “Mystic’s Vision.” What can you share about the record in terms of themes and direction?

Shaynie: Each song on “Mystic’s Vision” tells a different story that takes place in a fictional world. The Runesaber, a cat-like deity that’s called upon in times of war, can be channeled only by the divine oracle known as Mystic. The vision described in the final song— the title track— is Mystic’s premonition of the next war. The band represents the warriors in her army, Mystic’s Legion.

TheNwothm: Has working on “Mystic’s Vision” changed the way you collaborate as a band, especially with such a story driven approach?

Shaynie: By the time Blake and Gabe joined the band, all the guitar parts and arrangements had already been written, so they only had to add their parts on top. But writing for the next album will be a more collaborative effort between the four of us.

TheNwothm: If you could invite one fictional character from any fantasy world into the Runesaber universe, who would fit naturally and why?

Shaynie: I’d invite Hiccup from “How to Train Your Dragon.” I have confidence that he’d be able to unify the dragons and humans in “Death by Dragons” and put an end to their rivalry.

TheNwothm: Heavy metal and high fantasy often attract people with vivid imaginations. What sparks your creativity outside of music, whether books, games, landscapes or something unexpected?

Shaynie: I’ve loved reading since I was a kid, and I’ve always been most drawn to stories with epic adventures or supernatural creatures. I get all kinds of inspiration from different art, folkore, movies, history and fandoms like Magic the Gathering and World of Warcraft. A few of the characters in the Runesaber universe were inspired by stuffed animals.