Emerging from personal turmoil, SMILIE’s debut single “Casting the Demons” is a raw, cathartic outpouring. We spoke to the artist about pain, healing, vulnerability, and redefining genre boundaries.
1.
“Casting the Demons” feels incredibly raw and personal. What was the emotional
or life experience that sparked this song into existence?
Casting
the Demons wasn’t
sparked by a single moment — it was a buildup, a wave of unfortunate events
that all collided within the same time frame. It was emotionally heavy, no
doubt. When you’re watching a loved one battle their demons while also dealing
with your own, it’s overwhelming. That dual weight is what poured into the
lyrics. Writing this song was how I coped — a release, a purge. Thankfully,
I’ve come out the other side stronger, and most of what inspired the track is
now behind me. I’m proud of how I turned that chaos into something artistic and
meaningful.
2. Your
transition from being a guitarist in Amenta to launching SMILIE as a solo
project is a bold one. What pushed you to make that leap, and how does this
project differ creatively?
Amenta is
still very much alive — it’s just on an unplanned creative pause. All of us are
dealing with life outside the band, which is common for musicians juggling
work, responsibilities, and music. What pushed me to start SMILIE was the fact
that I had been quietly building my skills over the past few years —
songwriting, composing for instruments I didn’t originally play, learning how
to use my voice properly. This particular pause hit during a moment when I felt
capable of continuing on my own, so I did.
There are 5
to 7 Amenta songs just waiting to be completed — so that chapter’s not closed.
But SMILIE gave me a space with no logistics, no back-and-forths — just pure,
instinctive music-making at home. It’s joy, rediscovered.
3. The
song features a powerful vocal performance by Thy Clarius. How did that
collaboration come about, and what did her voice bring to the emotional core of
the track?
Clara (Thy
Clarius) is a close friend, and from the beginning there was always this
unspoken agreement between us that we’d make a song together someday. When I
started working on Casting the Demons, it naturally aligned with
the kind of music she connects with — both as a listener and a performer. And
to me, she’s the best female vocalist in the Egyptian metal scene, hands down.
It felt like the perfect song and the perfect time. Her voice added another
emotional dimension — ethereal yet intense — and I think it completed the track
in a really powerful way.
4. The
production feels intentionally chaotic yet controlled — almost like emotional
turbulence. What was your approach to crafting the song’s sonic dynamics with
producer Shady Abdelkhalek?
Working
with Shady was one of the smoothest creative experiences I’ve had. He
just got the vision from the start. I sent him references and
he immediately understood the vibe — it was right in his wheelhouse. He asked
the right questions, gave honest feedback, and wasn’t afraid to call out
anything that needed to be re-recorded. That kind of clear communication really
helped shape the track. The emotional turbulence you hear — that balance
between chaos and clarity — was very much intentional, and Shady nailed it in
the mix.
5. The
video for “Casting the Demons” is visually striking and heavy with symbolism.
Can you talk about the concept behind it and how it ties into the themes of the
song?
The video
was inspired directly by the lyrics. It was directed by my good friend Lina El
Gohary and edited by Anas Ayman — both incredibly talented. They read the
lyrics and visually translated them with honesty and clarity. It’s about being
lost, searching for meaning, and facing your demons head-on. There’s symbolism,
yes, but it’s also direct — like the song itself. The video doesn’t
overcomplicate things. It walks the viewer through that emotional journey with
simplicity, purpose, and intention.
6. Post-black metal and blackgaze are deeply atmospheric genres. What drew you
to that space, and which artists or albums helped shape your own musical
language?
The first time I really connected with the genre was through Alcest’s Spiritual
Instinct album. It was soothing and cathartic — a silent rage wrapped
in ambience — and it stayed on repeat for the entire year it came out. I was
also a huge fan of Agalloch. That sound hit something in me. From there, I got
into other artists like MØL, Deafheaven, Grima, Elderwind, Enisum and
Labyrinthus Stellarum (to name a few). What draws me to this space is how it
blends rawness, ambience, rage, and sadness into one emotional rollercoaster.
It’s music that doesn’t hide how it feels — and that felt like home to me.
7.
You’ve described the project as a “purge” — a way to release inner demons. How
do you balance exposing that kind of vulnerability with the control required to
compose and perform it?
When I was
writing Casting the Demons, I was completely driven by expression.
Every riff and note was tied to what I was feeling — it was never about
structure first. Recording the vocals felt natural, like a direct channel to
those emotions. I haven’t played the song live yet, but I know I’d still feel
every word if I did. Vulnerability is the whole point of SMILIE — it’s how I
filter out who really connects. I never think "this is too much to
share" — I lean into the honesty. That’s what makes it real.
8. This
single is the first in a four-part EP journey. Can you give us a glimpse into
what the next chapters will sound like or explore emotionally?
The EP will blend
nu-metal and extreme metal — two nu-metal tracks and two extreme ones,
with Casting the Demons being one of the latter. One of the
nu-metal tracks was written with Omar Kamel on vocals back when we had a band
together, and it carries the same cathartic energy as this single, it’s the
next release so keep your eyes peeled. The other nu-metal track is still taking
shape — just a bunch of riffs at the moment. The next extreme metal track will
likely be more conventional and raw, with less black metal and more anger. I’m
approaching this solo project with total freedom. I’ll release what I feel,
regardless of genre. There’s emotional continuity, but each track stands on its
own journey.
9.
SMILIE blends melody, heaviness, and ambient elements. Do you see genre
boundaries as limiting, or do you deliberately try to blur them in your
compositions?
When I write, I
don’t think in genres — I think in moments. Usually I start with one idea or
emotion and then let the structure take shape naturally. People have told me
it’s hard to label my music, and maybe that’s because I don’t try to fit it
into a box. I don’t scrap ideas, even if they sound "safe" or not
quite there yet. I prefer to release them, hear the feedback, and build from
there. For example, with Casting the Demons, I intentionally
surprised listeners with the peaceful birdsong intro and the reel teasers with
parts of the song sounding really different. But even those surprises come from
instinct. I want to keep people guessing — but more than that, I want to keep
it honest.
10.
Finally, for listeners who may be confronting their own inner battles, what do
you hope they take away from “Casting the Demons” and from SMILIE as a whole?
When I was going
through hard times, I needed to hear motivational lyrics delivered with the
intensity of heavy music — something that could hit emotionally and physically. Casting
the Demons gave me that outlet, and I think it gives that to others
too. SMILIE as a whole is music for healing and release. I’ve already had
people message me to say the track resonated with them, and it meant the world
to know I wasn’t alone — that others saw themselves in the song. If someone
listens to SMILIE and feels even a little less alone with their demons, then
I’ve done what I set out to do.
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