Tynebound is the latest event from Reaper Agency UK. The whole event was superb and is another great addition to Reaper’s list of events.

One of the bands that blew us away were Moonlight Sorcery. We managed to catch up with the band before they took to the stage. You can read our full review of the event here.

All live pictures from Fortress Festival 2025 courtesy of Andy Pountney (Instragram), Fortress House Photographer, in collaboration with Reaper Agency (Instagram) and 3nation (Instagram). Our thanks go to them all for allowing us to use these images.

First of all, how are you doing?

Very good, we yesterday played a concert in Milan for our label’s festival, Avantgarde Records.

We are all looking forward to your show today! On to the project’s history, from 2018 to a full-length in 2023, with two EPs along the way (2022, right?)

Yeah, that’s right, 2 EPs in 2022. It’s hard to remember!

Was there a clear sound you were chasing from the start, or did it take a while to find it?

The first EP was basically a demo. The idea was to try to make black metal, but it didn’t end up sounding like traditional black metal. The whole thing started because I (Mattmagic) remembered a friend (Ruttomieli) from our student years who loved black metal, sent him some tracks, and asked if he wanted to sing on them. That’s how the first song came together — very much a “could you play this, could you play that” collaboration. After that, songs were scattered across a couple of EPs before we finally sat down to make a proper LP, start to finish, as an actual album, rather than a collection of demo-era ideas.

The album got a huge response when it came out, it’s got a different flavour to it, not the “standard” Finnish black metal sound.

Fair, though if you listen closely, there are definitely power metal elements baked in, guitar solos and all. Melody plays a big role in the songwriting, and that’s the direction the band keeps leaning into. Nodding to black metal without being bound by its rules, evolving into something that’s arguably a bit more our own.

Are you in other bands too?

Mattmagic: Yes, a melodic death metal / 2000s metalcore-leaning band, also Finland-based. Big on melody there too, but with a completely different headspace. For Moonlight Sorcery, there’s always a conscious effort to keep some black metal in the back of the mind.

Let’s talk about Fortress, third-ever live show, and on a big stage. How was that?

Felt good right away. It’s a seaside town in the UK you wouldn’t necessarily associate with black metal. Between Manchester Airport and the hotel, there was still time for a wander around Scarborough, nature trails included.

A lot of people called it their favourite set of the weekend. Since that was only your third live show, have you been playing a lot more since?

Not really, and that’s intentional. This isn’t a profession yet, and even if it becomes one, the plan is to keep the same mentality: not too busy, no pressure, not worrying about who likes it or doesn’t. Doing it for ourselves comes first. Since Fortress, there’s been a show in Germany at ZappenDuster Festival, plus a Finnish festival that same year, played next to a lake in brutal wind, cold enough that gloves came out mid-set, but the crowd loved it anyway.

What’s the reception like back home in Finland?

Great with the people who actually come to shows, less so media-wise, where we’re not hugely recognised yet, though the UK and US pull in some of our most listeners.

Any new material in the works?

Yes, recordings are underway. Drums are done, and lead guitar tracking is in progress; the rest is still being worked through. Pre-production’s done, some vocals have been demoed, and, crucially, there’s no label pressure or deadlines, which came as a genuine relief. The label is basically ideal to work with.

Do we get a preview today?

Yes, one new song, start to finish, though possibly not the final mix. It was played live in Italy the day before to a good reception.

What are the big inspirations behind the sound?

The two of us split pretty differently here, which is part of what makes the sound distinct.

Ruttomieli: 90s black metal and keyboard work specifically, plus symphonic and folk-adjacent stuff. Lyrically, drawn to nature themes. Also more raw Finnish bands like Horna.

Mattmagic: If forced to name one all-time inspirational band, it’d be Helloween, alongside other power metal names like Stratovarius, early-2000s melodic metalcore (Trivium, Bullet for My Valentine, Shadows Fall) discovered independently, on top of the classics erm, Metallica, Maiden, Priest, which were introduced by an older brother. Also Borknagar!

We are not “boilerplate black metal,” closer to something forged out of two very different backgrounds colliding. Most of the writing works as a back-and-forth: one of us composing, the other sending over reference tracks and rough ideas like “could you listen to this, I want to do something like this.”

Describe the band in three words.

Two, apparently: “black and power metal.” Or “black metal art.” As we put it, the goal has always been to make art first, without worrying about whether it fits neatly into a black metal box. That was maybe true of the first EP more than anything since.

Moonlight Sorcery: Bandcamp

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