When three super heavyweights of the international metal scene get together, nothing else can come out but a product of the highest quality. While it's true that having an all-star line-up doesn't make you a winner, it does create great expectations. Fortunately for those of us who love the music that made MAYHEM, MORBID ANGEL, and CRYPTOPSY great, the new band VLTIMAS kept their heritage and lineage. Much has been said about them, but today we have exclusively for our readers, statements directly from the handwriting of Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen, who agreed to tell us how it all began: “.... The band was an idea I came up with in around 2014 or so, basically as I wanted to get back into the more extreme side of music again. After I quit MAYHEM in 2008 or 2009, I didn't really do much extreme stuff, more exploring other subgenres and so on. Sure, I played in AURA NOIR and also did some guest slots in a death metal project with Flo Mounier etc, but I never really went "all-in" again, let's say...”

“... So yeah, Rune continues, the idea of doing something in the vein of some of the stuff I´d done in the past came along, and from there on it was all about gathering musicians. As I previously mentioned, I had worked with Flo before and I knew we had a great musical chemistry so he was my first choice. After getting Flo onboard, we started talking about which one would be suitable, or ideal, as a frontman or vocalist. Now, this was around the same time David announced his departure from MORBID ANGEL, and I remember sitting up one night and watching some old metal videos on YouTube, having some wine, and then all of a sudden "God Of Emptiness" came on, and I immediately started wondering whether he´d be interested in this. I had met David before, both in Germany at a MAYHEM show and also at NAMM in California, so we already knew each other and were fans of each other's music. I popped him an email, mentioning something like "when the time is right, we should definitely do some music together" and actually, the following morning I woke up to a response saying "maybe that time is now" or something like that. Shortly after we scheduled an online meeting and the rest is history...”

Once everything was electronically coordinated, it was necessary to put it into practice and combine ideas and compositions. That would be the final test, where human chemistry plays an important role in the development of any project. This is how “Blasphemer” describes it and explains how they decided to name the band: “.... The first rehearsal or jam we had took place in Georgetown, TX, where David was residing at the time. Sure, it took some time to get accustomed to each other´s, let's say "processes of expressing creativity", I mean, in terms of writing and what direction stuff should go etc. I had already written a few sketches for the band, so I guess we started focussing on those, and eventually, it all unfolded. The band’s name came during one of our countless conversations after our jam sessions, and it was actually David who suggested the name. Well, he spelled it with a U and after a while, I insisted on using the V, the Roman U, instead. This way it stands out, looks bolder, and also makes the Google search way more easy. So yeah, a good move I'd say...”

Although the official date for the formation of VLTIMAS goes back to 2015 it is not until March 2019 that the debut album Something Wicked Marches In is released. Something Wicked was really brewing because the album was such a phenomenon. We were not in the presence of an average release, but of a tremendous album that left all the metal fans hooked. We were really in the presence of a world-class band and not an eventual studio project. “Blasphemer” appeals to the memory and recalls what happened with such an impressive opening: ”....Well, it was quite the fuzz actually, especially on this side of the pond. And we immediately got offers from all sorts of festivals etc, so yeah, it was quite the boost. It is a strong album and has some truly great musical moments. Certainly one of the better building blocks, musically speaking and within the metal genre, in recent memory, in my opinion...”

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Epic would arrive five years later and if I had to choose one word to describe it, it would be maturity. “Epic”, the title track of the same name, breaks stiffly and with a lot of confidence, with all the certainty that this second release was going to be better, another step up in the musical spiral of VLTIMAS. Let's see what Runen has to say about the repercussions and the expectations with this album: “...I think Epic placed itself where I anticipated it to place itself; as a strong and honest step two in our continuous career. Definitely, potent enough to keep our name growing. I am also highly confident we made the right decision regarding the slightly more immediate direction we took, and to me, the album boasts some of the most memorable songs in our history thus far. “Miserere” and “Exercitus Irae” are two of my top songs off our second album back catalog and let's not forget the groovy “Mephisto Manifest”, with its shameless touch of Heavy Metal. Being an old-school Heavy Metal fan, this is certainly something that I am happy we explored a bit more...”

Almost ten years since their formation and still VLTIMAS has not toured the United States. This has been a constant longing and in just a few days they will start touring as support for Greek legends SEPTIC FLESH. There will be nineteen dates starting off at The White Oak in Houston on February 10th. This will be followed by Dallas where they will be playing at the Granada Theater and this will close out the two Texas dates. Let's ask Runen what they have in store for what is sure to be a very special tour: “.... We have about 45 minutes to showcase what we are about so this means a compressed set with a slight focus on our latest album, Epic. Since this is our first venture in North America, either one of those two records could be the focus, but I guess the direction on Epic is the one closer to heart, so that's what it will be. The VLTIMAS line-up now consists of David and myself, Ype TVS on bass, Joáo Duarte on 2nd guitar, and Pawel Jaroszewicz (PATRIARKH, Ex VADER, HATE) on drums. Personally, the touring line-up with SEPTIC FLESH seems strong and we are excited about spreading our words across North America. It's been a long time coming, surely...”

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I'm sure all Texas metalheads are already making plans to go see VLTIMAS, either at the White Oak in Houston or the Granada Theater in Dallas this February. Surely all these years of waiting to see VLTIMAS on stage in North America will be worth it. You know, there will be songs from both albums in the live set. Without further ado, thanks to Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen for his time and words. But first I would like to know what else they have in mind for the year after this tour and how all the support shown to the band by the fans is received: “....The fun part is that you never really know who's gonna be hooked on your music, you know. It happened a few times on our recent European tour with PATRIARKH and GOD DETHRONED, that personnel from the venue, be it from the catering staff or cleaning personnel, and not necessarily into metal at all, suddenly appeared backstage with tour shirts and vinyls to sign, telling us that they got hooked immediately, etc. It shows that our music can transcend borders, which pleases me a great deal in knowing. I mean, VLTIMAS is not just one thing, we are a melting pot of all sorts of things and influences, and this is one of the things that makes the band interesting...”

“... As for the future, Rune declares, I guess we´ll be doing more touring in places we haven't been before. I know we are slated to tour South America and Latin America in the fall, and there are talks about Australia as well, so I am sure we´ll be rather busy...”