Blizzen have spent more than a decade flying the flag for traditional heavy and speed metal from their home in central Germany. Combining razor-sharp twin guitar harmonies, powerful songwriting and a clear passion for the genre’s roots, the band have built a strong reputation through a series of demos, an EP and three acclaimed full-length albums. With their latest release, “Metalectric”, continuing that upward trajectory, TheNwothm caught up with guitarist Andi to discuss the band’s origins, songwriting evolution, memorable live experiences, and what lies ahead for one of Germany’s enduring underground metal forces.
Interview
TheNwothm: For readers discovering Blizzen for the first time, how would you introduce the band and what you stand for as a heavy metal act?
Blizzen: Blizzen, represented by Andi (guitars): We’re Blizzen, a four-piece from central Germany playing traditional Heavy Metal with a good dose of Speed Metal, twin guitars, powerful vocals and plenty of melody. We grew up listening to the classics, but we’re not trying to copy any particular band or recreate the eighties note for note. For us, Heavy Metal stands for freedom, passion, great songs and the people you meet along the way. If our music makes you want to turn up the volume and bang your head, we’re doing something right!
TheNwothm: Blizzen has been active since 2014. Looking back, what originally brought the band together and what was the vision during those early days?
Blizzen: Daniel and I had played together in a Thrash Metal band before, but that band eventually split up when some members moved away for university or work. We still wanted to play Heavy Metal, and Marvin was looking for the same thing, so we got together with our friend Gereon on drums. We started Blizzen in early 2014, and we’re still the same four guys today. The original idea was pretty straightforward: write the Heavy Metal we love, record our own songs and get out there to play as many shows as possible.
TheNwothm: Germany has produced some of heavy metal’s most influential bands. How has growing up within that tradition shaped Blizzen’s sound and outlook?
Blizzen: Germany has a great Heavy Metal tradition, and we’re proud to be part of its continuing story. Our influences come from all over the place, though, including bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, but also from other Metal genres, so we’ve never tried to limit ourselves to one particular national sound. What we really love about the German underground is how closely connected people are. You keep meeting the same bands and fans at shows, and that sense of community is a big part of what keeps this music alive.
TheNwothm: The band has now released demos, an EP and three full-length albums. What lessons have you learned during that journey that still guide you today?
Blizzen: The biggest lesson is that good songs always come first. You can play the craziest solos or have a great production, but none of that will save a song that doesn’t work. We’ve also learned how valuable it is to take our time with arrangements and prepare properly before entering the studio. On “Metalectric”, we put much more work into demo recording and pre-production, which made the whole recording process far more focused and productive.
TheNwothm: When you look at the current line-up, what do you think each member brings that makes Blizzen what it is?
Blizzen: Stecki brings the vocals and bass, along with much of the lyrical side of the band, while Marvin contributes riffs, song ideas and lyrics of his own. Gereon is not just the guy behind the drums; he also wrote a substantial number of songs, especially on Metalectric, that he developed almost entirely himself. I write riffs, too, and take care of much of our demo recording, pre-production and recording preparation in my home studio. Everybody has their own strengths, but what really makes Blizzen work is the way we bring our ideas together and develop them as a band.
TheNwothm: Your latest album, “Metalectric”, marked the next chapter in the band’s evolution. Looking back on the record now, how do you feel about it?
Blizzen: I’m really proud of how “Metalectric” turned out, especially the songwriting and the variety across the album. We’ve got fast, aggressive Heavy Metal alongside more melodic material, including our power ballad “From Sadness to Anger.” What I’m particularly happy about is the songwriting process behind the record. Instead of finalizing everything in the rehearsal room and discovering new problems during recording, we arrived at the studio with much more developed demos and a proper pre-production behind us. That gave us a clearer vision of what we wanted to achieve and made the whole recording process run much more smoothly.
TheNwothm: Across your catalogue, Blizzen has consistently balanced traditional heavy metal melody with speed metal intensity. How has your songwriting approach changed over the years?
Blizzen: The foundation is still the same: Heavy Metal riffs, strong melodies and the right amount of Speed Metal aggression. After our debut, we wanted World in Chains to sound a little rougher and edgier, while Metalectric brings back plenty of speed and aggression without losing the melodic side of our music. Another big change is how we develop our songs before recording them. We all contribute ideas, work on the arrangements together and use demos to figure out what really works before committing everything to tape. I think we’ve become more deliberate in our songwriting without losing the spontaneity that makes playing Heavy Metal fun.
TheNwothm: The twin-guitar work has always been a key part of the band’s identity. How do you approach building harmonies, lead sections and memorable hooks?
Blizzen: We don’t have a strict formula for that, and it’s definitely not a case of one guitarist writing everything while the other just adds a few solos. We all contribute ideas, try different harmonies and lead parts, and see what works best for each song. Quite often, it’s simply a matter of experimenting until something clicks. We also think about whether we can reproduce the parts convincingly live, because we want the songs to work just as well on stage as they do on the album. At the end of the day, every guitar part needs to serve the song rather than just show off.
TheNwothm: Is there a song from the Blizzen catalogue that you feel best captures the essence of the band and why?
Blizzen: I’d probably pick “Time Machine,” because it captures a lot of what Blizzen stood for in our early days. It’s got the speed, the melodies and that classic Heavy Metal attitude that brought us together in the first place. The song also helped get us noticed and played an important role in opening the door to High Roller Records. Looking back, it’s a great reminder of where we started and how far we’ve come since then.
TheNwothm: Album artwork has always been an important part of heavy metal culture. How involved are you in developing the visual side of a release?
Blizzen: We usually explain our ideas and the kind of concept we’d like to see, then let the artist work on some initial drafts. Most of the time, the first ideas are already great, so we only suggest a few small changes. We deliberately choose artists because we like their work and want them to bring their own creativity into the project. We don’t want them to be nothing more than an extension of our own drawing hand! The artwork should fit the music, of course, but it should also have its own identity.
TheNwothm: In an era where many productions are heavily polished, how important is it for Blizzen to retain a raw and authentic heavy metal feel?
Blizzen: It’s very important to us, but raw doesn’t have to mean muddy or poorly recorded. We want a powerful, clear production that gives the instruments room to breathe without smoothing away all the edges. For “Metalectric”, we worked with Marco Brinkmann at Hellforge Studio, who has a lot of experience with the German underground Metal scene. He knows how to combine a modern, punchy production with the right old-school attitude, and we think he struck exactly the balance we were looking for. The result sounds powerful and contemporary without losing the character of traditional Heavy Metal.
TheNwothm: The traditional metal scene has changed considerably since Blizzen formed. What developments have encouraged you most over the last decade?
Blizzen: What keeps the scene exciting is that there are always new bands to discover, each bringing fresh ideas and energy to traditional Heavy Metal. Finding a great band you have never heard before is simply a lot of fun and keeps the underground alive.
TheNwothm: Looking back on your live history, are there any particular shows, tours or festival appearances that remain special memories for the band?
Blizzen: There have been quite a few, but playing Up the Hammers in Athens in 2017 was definitely a special experience. Our show in Helsinki in 2016 was another memorable trip, as was playing in London in 2019. We also celebrated our tenth anniversary with a festival in our hometown Gießen in 2024, which meant a lot to us because it was a celebration with the local scene that has supported us over the years. Every show is different, but getting to play our music in front of people who really connect with it is what makes all the travelling and hard work worthwhile.
TheNwothm: As Blizzen moves forward, what ambitions and goals remain on the horizon?
Blizzen: Right now, we want to play more shows and give “Metalectric” as much life on stage as possible. At the same time, we’re already working on a new song that’s currently in pre-production. We want to get it released before too long, so there is already new music taking shape behind the scenes. For now, the plan is to keep moving forward, write good songs and get back out there playing Heavy Metal wherever we can.
TheNwothm: Where can readers buy your music, merch and support you online?
Blizzen: You can find us on Instagram and Facebook, stream our music on Spotify, and pick up physical releases and merch through our online shop. Our current label, Diabolic Might Records, is another good place to check out our releases. We really appreciate everyone’s support.
TheNwothm: Final thoughts?
Blizzen: Thanks to TheNwothm for having us and giving Blizzen the opportunity to talk about what we do! We hope you enjoy “Metalectric” and that we’ll get to see some of you at a show soon. Keep supporting the bands you love, especially the smaller ones working hard in the underground. Keep Heavy Metal alive!
