Interview Richthammer

Blending brutality and atmosphere, Richthammer reflect on their evolution, bilingual expression, and immersive live shows while teasing a bold new chapter shaped by experience, experimentation, and relentless heaviness.

1. Richthammer has always balanced brutality with atmosphere—how would you describe the core identity of the band today compared to your early days in 2009?

Interesting question! First of all, it’s important to mention that back in 2009 we were still in our teenage years :D At that time, we experimented a lot and had to find ourselves first. Now, almost 20 years later, a lot has changed—just like our musical landscape. Two of us studied music, composition, and their instruments at the in Vienna. Of course, that helps a lot when it comes to writing good songs ;) So it’s actually quite difficult to make direct comparisons. The main thing is: it hits heavy as f :D

2. Your music combines both German and English lyrics. What drives this bilingual approach, and how does it shape the storytelling and emotional impact of your songs?

After all those years of mainly singing in German, it was time for us to take our music further out into the world. So we decided to make some of the new in material in English. On one hand, to reach a wider audience, and on the other, because every language has its own unique sound—which is naturally reflected in the music, and why not make use of it.

3. Your live shows are described as a “symbiotic spectacle” of sound and visuals. How important is the visual dimension to Richthammer, and how do you translate your dark themes onto the stage?

It has always been important for us to not only present our music in an auditory way, but also visually on stage. We’ve always worked with different outfits and props, because for us, the stage shouldn’t have much to do with the world we call “planet Earth.” That’s why we constantly try to create spectacular shows with everything that’s available to us (and within our budget), to immerse the audience as deeply as possible into our world.

4. Looking back at your first demo “Gematert Geschunden Verheert”, what do you remember most about that recording experience, and how did it influence your evolution?

As mentioned before, we were very young back then and still had a lot to learn. It was our first experience with professional audio recording and working with a producer. And as you probably know, producers have their own way of expressing themselves artistically—so of course there were some misunderstandings along the way.

I remember, at one point one of us accidentally sent the first rough mix to the pressing plant. The result: a whole batch of unusable CDs :D But yeah—that’s how you learn, step by step XD

5. The concept album “Ascheland” marked a major milestone for the band. What was the main narrative or concept behind it, and how did working with producer Jay Hundert shape the final result?

Actually, there wasn’t a clear concept for the concept album *Ascheland* in the beginning. We had a few songs and realized that they fit together thematically. As the process went on, we eventually agreed on the concept of “Ascheland.” We thought the idea was great.

Despite all the challenges that come with making a concept album (you know—if you change something at the end, it often affects the beginning as well), it also provides a certain kind of guidance—a red thread you can follow and hold on to. Creating an album like that is a huge amount of work, and it’s easy to lose track along the way.

All in all, *Ascheland* worked out really well for us. We learned a lot. For the first time, we really dove deeper into the topic of sound and what we actually want to sound like as a band. Working with Jay Hundert was great—but we were his first extreme metal band. So not only did we learn a lot from him, but he also learned a lot from us.

For sound-related reasons, we eventually decided to go separate ways artistically. However, we’re still good friends and continue to work together outside of the creative side.

6. You’ve shared the stage with major acts like Tyr, Moonsorrow, and Dimmu Borgir. How have these experiences impacted your performance style and ambitions as a band?

Not really—but through conversations and observations, we gained a good impression of what life as a touring musician is like.

7. Over the years, Richthammer has gone through several lineup changes. How have these shifts influenced your sound and creative direction?

Since Florian Fangmeyer is the main songwriter, the songwriting itself wasn’t heavily affected. However, we did lose quite some time searching for new members and going through rehearsals with them. Still, we remain good friends with everyone and meet up every now and then.

8. After the enforced break in 2020, how did that period of reflection affect your songwriting and the vision for your upcoming material?

During the pandemic, everyone mainly focused on their private lives, which led to an unplanned and unspoken break for Richthammer. Houses were built, people got married—so overall, it was a good time for us personally, but not so great for the band.

9. You’re currently working on a new album. What can fans expect in terms of sound, themes, and overall direction, and how does it push beyond what you achieved with “Ascheland”?

The release of *Ascheland* was quite a while ago (2018). Since then, we’ve pushed ourselves forward in every aspect and are more motivated than ever. The new compositions are both more accessible and more complex at the same time. Stylistically, we’ve definitely moved more towards black metal than death metal.

Ambient elements have also become more prominent—you can even hear some almost forgotten instruments, as well as self-built ones. We’re really putting everything into this. And with producer Victor Bullok (Tryptikon), we’ve got a true living metal legend on board to shape the right sound.

We can’t wait to release the full album (hopefully early 2027). Until then, we’ll keep teasing bits and pieces throughout the year ;)

Richthammer