Hello, you filthy animals, and welcome to the revamped Black Metal Archives, and have we got a doozy to kick off our new era. Friend of the site Sophia, who runs the Mayhem Facts & Quotes YouTube Channel which I know you’re all going to subscribe to because you’re lovely people, sat down for a chat with Ukrainian Pagan Black Metal Band Цемра (Cemra UA), and asked me if I would give it a home.

Well, how could I say no?

Sofia: You are from Ukraine, from the city of Khmelnytskyi, yet not only your name but also the lyrics of some of your songs are in Belarusian. Why exactly did you decide on this mix?

Cemra (UA): The city of Khmelnytskyi, and recently, Kyiv as well, Khmelnytskyi is a small city, and finding musicians in these grim times is a real challenge. Our first EP, released in 2020 under the title Time of Retribution, Blood, and Sorrow (Час адплаты крыві і смутку), is entirely in Belarusian. This choice was driven by several factors: Cemra (UA) was founded in 2019, and while we were shaping the concept and style of our music, we chose Belarusian as our primary language in 2020 in solidarity with the protests in Belarus. Besides, it has a very archaic sound that fits the pagan black metal aesthetic perfectly.

Mlot, the project’s leader and founder, also has Belarusian roots. Although he was born and lives in Ukraine and doesn’t speak Belarusian fluently (yet), this heritage heavily influenced the choice of language. We were also fortunate to have wonderful people like Lesley Knife (Gods Tower) and Temnarod (Zaklon) help us with the Belarusian lyrics.

Later, in 2022–2023, while writing material for our full-length album Life Among Gods (Життя серед богів), which dropped on January 12th, 2025, the reality of the ongoing full-scale war led us to incorporate Ukrainian lyrics as well. Today, this blend has essentially become the Ukrainian pagan black metal band Cemra’s hallmark and a frequent topic of discussion on social media.

S: You, like many black metallers, use stage pseudonyms. What exactly do they mean, and was this a desire to fit into the genre’s standard blueprint, or was it your personal, conscious choice?

C: Right now, Цемра (Cemra UA) consists of two permanent members:

Mlot (from the Polish word młot, meaning hammer — a nod to his old pseudonym Gorehammer) – leader, founder, main composer, lyricist, guitarist, and co-vocalist (sharing lead vocals on specific verses).

Berg (from the Danish word bjerg, meaning mountain — a nod to his old pseudonym Bergamoth) – lead vocalist and arranger. He also conceptualized and recorded the vargan and bass parts, and handled the drum programming for the album.

The other members joined very recently; they are currently locking in with the band and prefer to keep their identities under wraps for now.

Generally speaking, using pseudonyms is primarily a tribute to the genre’s traditions and mystique (plus, we just like how it feels).

Up until 2025, the band members remained entirely incognito.

S: Our channel has one unchanging, traditional question. What is your take on the black metal band Mayhem? Perhaps their work, or the work of other black metal titans, has influenced your career as a musician to some extent?

C: We hold them in high regard and draw inspiration from the early work of Euronymous and the band as a whole.

S: Let’s go back to your band’s name. The thing is, in my country, there is also a truly legendary band that calls itself Cemra, but they use the Latin alphabet for their name (Ciemra), while you use Cyrillic but with a Latin transcription in your logo (Cemra). Have you encountered any dissatisfaction regarding this, or did it perhaps conversely help with promotion?

C: As we mentioned earlier, our project Cemra (UA) was founded in 2019, and our debut EP dropped in November 2020. Meanwhile, the Belarusian Ciemra put out their first release, Agony Blasphemy, in 2022. The brief confusion that arose from the identical names was recently sorted out between the leaders of both bands. They reached a total consensus; no one holds any grudges. Everyone has their own path to walk.

Furthermore, the two projects have completely different musical styles and concepts. Everyone remembers the drama surrounding the Polish band Batushka, but this is a completely different story.

Sure, there was some initial confusion, misunderstandings, and questions about who “stole” whose name or imagery, but it’s all nothing more than a coincidence. Did it affect our promotion? No, not at all.

S: What is your opinion on the local Ukrainian scene? Are there any bands on it that you look up to or consider major influences?

C: More like no than yes. The black metal scene in Ukraine is quite fragmented, and bands often treat each other more as competitors than as sources of inspiration.

S: I know that you have a permanent artist for your album covers — Tatiana Mephi. This artist’s profile makes it clear that she creates all these dark works with genuine sincerity. How much does this reflect your approach to creativity, considering you chose an artist for your covers who is authentic in every sense? Does it mean that you deeply value the seriousness and authenticity of your music’s atmosphere?

C: Tatiana Mephi is a close comrade of ours and an ideological supporter of Цемра (Cemra UA). She has the perfect balance of talent and dark imagination needed to bring our visual concepts to life.

And you are absolutely right — we set incredibly high quality standards for everything that surrounds our music.

S: You cannot be called typical representatives of the black metal genre, since you very clearly experiment in your work: you add an orchestral component, various folk instruments, shamanic throat singing, and playfully shift the rhythm multiple times within a single track… Do you think your unique sound is the future of black metal?

C: Ultimately, we create art that satisfies our own high standards, where absolute authenticity and originality are paramount. As for the future of black metal itself — that’s not for us to decide, but for the listeners.

S: Do you follow any particular life philosophy or religion, and if so or if not, why?

C: Everyone lives by some kind of philosophy and believes in whatever they choose. Looking at the core concept of the project, it’s easy to assume the band has deep ties to paganism. And you wouldn’t be wrong.

S: Where do you see your band 5 years from now, and which world-class artists would you like to share a stage with?

C: We prefer not to make long-term plans in such turbulent times.

Right now, we just focus on evolving in every possible aspect, which includes gearing up for live shows.

As for immediate plans, we are currently preparing to shoot a music video for one of the album tracks, and new music is already being written.

S: What wishes do you have for young musicians, not only from our respective countries but from all over the world?

Only absolute, total dedication is rewarded by fate. You have to live your music in the most literal sense of the word. It’s a lifestyle, a life’s work, and self-sacrifice — all rolled into one.

Check out Цемра (Cemra UA) over on Bandcamp, and don’t forget to follow Mayhem Facts & Quotes on YouTube, Telegram, and Instagram.