KILL SCREEN 061: Urath of WRATH OF LOGARIUS Finds Power within the Unknowable

For some bands that enter the Kill Display screen arcade, their references to video video games can both be delicate, cryptic or downright stunning. For the seasoned Soulsborne gamers amongst our readership, nonetheless, the connection to right now’s topic couldn’t be extra clear. Wrath of Logarius, a comparatively new addition to Season of Mist’s roster, is a direct nod to FromSoftware’s eldritch masterpiece Bloodborne. The Logarius in query is Martyr Logarius, a hard-as-nails however fully non-compulsory boss residing in Cainhurst Fort, a terrifying husk of a person turned punishingly troublesome monster. It’s this tragic determine that serves because the avatar for what the band touts as “formless black metallic,” their home-brew mix of black and demise metallic with an emphasis on the terrors of the cosmic unknown. It appears becoming then that the skull-masked guitarist identified solely as Urath is chosen as our newest participant character.

For the next dialog, the guitarist opted to put on his stage masks with the intention to stay each faceless and anonymous. Regardless of the souvenir mori presentation, Urath proves desirous to share his fondness for all issues horror. The Northern California quartet is something however singularly-focused on the sport that spawned their moniker, nor was their admiration for the title a foregone conclusion. Creatively, the band attracts inspiration from bizarre horror from throughout video games, films and books. And on the subject of the guitarist, lots of his private picks show surprisingly regular, making the lore of the band extra formless than initially anticipated. Given our pursuits, nonetheless, it’s their bond with digital dread which we’re most . With their debut full-length Crown of Mortis launched into the world, Decibel’s extraordinarily excessive co-nerds are able to face the worry.

On the lookout for bonus DLC to this blackened interview? Make sure to choose up the latest situation of Decibel (dB248/June 2025) for an unique excerpt from our dialogue with Urath. We promise it’s not practically as troublesome to get by way of because the Orphan of Kos.

What was your very first gaming expertise?
I might say taking part in on the arcades, like Chuck E. Cheese once I was little. Enjoying, like, Mortal Kombat again after they used to have it. They used to have some fairly cool video games again within the day there. There’s one other place that was native known as Nickel Metropolis. You pay a canopy charge to get in, however then all of the video games can be a nickel, so all of us would simply go over there and play Killer Intuition all day or Metallic Slug, stuff like that.

That should have been superb as a child. I [James] would have misplaced my thoughts!
Yeah. And what sucks is I didn’t discover out about it, my mother and father didn’t know, it was all the time arduous to search out out about stuff. It was all the time this rumor and I may by no means work out the place it was. After which lastly I went there for a celebration and I used to be in a position to inform my mother the place it was.

To this point we’ve heard Mortal Kombat and Killer Intuition. Are combating video games the go-tos while you’re on the arcade?
Yeah, I do numerous combating video games and shooters. I used to be a giant fan of Time Disaster and Home of the Lifeless. Silent Scope was actually enjoyable, the outdated Aliens rail shooters and stuff. Jurassic Park, that was a cool rail shooter.

Do you continue to play these sorts of video games?
Yeah, I play numerous video video games really. However primarily I’ll stick with shooters. I form of bought into the Souls video games a bit of in a while after I moved in with some guys, like, 10 years in the past. They began telling me about Bloodborne. I used to be like, “What’s Bloodborne? I don’t perceive.” We began form of going by way of it, and I used to be making an attempt to play and I used to be like, “Dude, that is like unimaginable to beat.” So it took years of play, cease, play, cease, as a result of as quickly as you cease taking part in these video games, you form of simply overlook find out how to play after which it’s a must to begin over again. There’s that large cycle. However yeah, I play numerous video video games, principally shooters, motion video games.

What have you ever been taking part in these days?
Truly, it is a little totally different. There’s this old-school battle racer/avenue racing sport known as Tokyo Xtreme Racer. They simply got here out with a brand new one for 2025. I used to play this on a regular basis again on PS2. Principally, you’re driving across the Tokyo freeway the entire time in search of different racers to battle. The best way you win is it’s a must to create and preserve a certain quantity of distance to empty their life bar. It’s primarily nearly like a combating sport, however it’s a RPG, too, since you’re increase all these items. That’s what I’ve been taking part in numerous.

Clearly, Wrath of Logarius is a reference to Martyr Logarius from Bloodborne. What’s it about this character specifically that you simply felt greatest represents this concept of formless black metallic versus any of the opposite characters that you may discover in Bloodborne?
You understand, that’s form of query. His entire backstory resonated with me extra—being a part of the Executioners and trying to find his folks. It actually spoke to me, the kind of particular person he may need been. He looks like he bought corrupted sooner or later and changed into what he’s. I used to be simply drawn to that character, the best way he seemed and his fortress and every part. The enemies there are fairly loopy trying, too. I used to be simply drawn to that character.

Did you spend numerous time trying up the lore whilst you had been taking part in the sport? What was the expertise like while you first encountered Bloodborne?
Initially, I used to be simply making an attempt to get by way of it, to be trustworthy. It was a brilliant brutal sport. You’ve bought to take a seat there and grind it out. Determining find out how to stack various things together with your ranges and how much weapons you’re utilizing and all that stuff, after which totally different runes. That each one got here in a while with our guitar participant Vastator. I bought him into that after which we began taking part in co-op and we ended up beating it and making an attempt to see how far we may get by way of it. However throughout that point, we might discover new notes and form of work out what the entire thing was, after which we’d go browsing and hearken to totally different lore. It’s just about all hypothesis, no person actually is aware of for certain. That’s form of what we actually like about it.

A part of the attraction on the lore for some folks is that it’s a must to actually dig into it, spend time on it and actively pursue it. It appears like that’s a component you get pleasure from.
Yeah, we like doing that. We form of maintain it cryptic within the music as nicely. We don’t actually say precisely what we’re doing. We all the time gotta phrase it in a means as in the event you discovered a letter contained in the the sport or one thing. The duvet artwork, too, for the brand new album, I actually wished that to form of appear like a canvas you’d discover within the sport as a result of I do know you gotta discover totally different artworks in Elden Ring. I wished it to form of appear like it was from that period.

Was Bloodborne your first FromSoft ARPG?
Yeah, however I performed Tenchu lots again within the day, too. They made a few the later ones. However yeah, the primary Soulslike was undoubtedly Bloodborne, after which I went into Darkish Souls after which Elden Ring after that.

Clearly Bloodborne has resounded at the very least considerably extra contemplating the band identify. Is there one explicit purpose you discover Bloodborne actually saved you hooked greater than a number of the different ones?
I believe it’s as a result of it’s extra primarily based off of cosmic horror. I grew up on numerous John Carpenter films, like The Factor. Possibly you possibly can throw another films in there. Stuff like that or Lovecraftian stuff, it’s simply bizarre. While you learn it, it’s like, What’s going on? And also you begin making an attempt to piece all these items collectively. I similar to the thought of all of it being up for interpretation, like no person actually is aware of any actual solutions, it’s all simply hypothesis. At its core is what individuals are afraid of: the unknown. No one is aware of what these creatures appear like, no person is aware of what they do, the place they’re from. That’s what actually makes it visceral.

In talking with New Noise journal, you had mentioned, “We had been melting every part cosmic horror from video video games, books, films, and many others. collectively into inspiration for the band.” Books and films have lengthy been inspiration for metallic bands—that’s not something new. However what was it about video video games that felt like a essential addition to the components?
Loads of it was brutal settings like Bloodborne. The DLC on there may be actually brutal trying. A giant a part of it, what actually form of impressed numerous the melodic sections we use is the soundtracks for the video games. Ludwig’s soundtrack [“Ludwig, the Holy Blade”] is simply loopy. It’s arduous to elucidate, however it provides you this bizarre pit in your abdomen. Identical factor with Cleric Beast—it provides you this extreme anxiousness as you’re battling it. Loads of it needed to do with the soundtracks that they put within the video games and the setting as you’re taking part in it. It simply pairs completely.

Would you say then that a number of the soundtracks have actively influenced you? Not that you simply’re pulling one thing straight, however affect a few of your writing, your melody selections, pacing or something?
Yeah, I might suppose so. I need numerous them to form of sound like they might be nearly like a boss battle or a really disparaging second or one thing for a personality. All these items is all primarily based off of those brief tales that [vocalist] Noctifer and I’ve thrown collectively and focus on the lore primarily based off what every part is. We need to attempt to take the thought of, Nicely, the online game builders wished to really feel this fashion for this boss battle, this fashion for this part, that means for that part, so we attempt to strategy it like that as nicely.

The strategy that you simply’ve named it’s formless black metallic. Though Wrath of Logarius just isn’t your stereotypical second wave Norwegian lo-fi uncooked black metallic, black metallic remains to be a part of the equation. What made black metallic such base in your interpretation of the FromSoft strategy to gaming?
While you’re taking part in demise metallic, it’s arduous to translate that emotional layer. With Bloodborne and Darkish Souls, no matter factor you discover, you learn it and it’s like, “This particular person’s being tortured,” “This particular person didn’t see their household,” “This particular person died alone.” It’s all this despair you hear about, and black metallic actually had that. It form of accomplished the bundle for us with the intention to make this extra rounded out and let folks hear what we’re making an attempt to do.

FromSoft is a reasonably frequent identify introduced up within the column. It’s had this seismic impression on the subject of underground metallic particularly. Loads of bands now are brazenly both writing songs about both Darkish Souls, Bloodborne, Elden Ring, or they’re making delicate references—one thing just like the case of Tomb Mildew—the place it’s a bit much less obvious. For you being in a band that brazenly wears that affect in your sleeve, what’s it concerning the sequence to you that speaks particularly to the underground metallic mindset?
I might say as a result of it’s so open, I believe it leaves lots for these folks to form of work out what it means to them, actually. That form of sits a bit of extra with that model, finally. Individuals usually on this style, they reside of their heads. It’s loopy. Lots of people are superb artists, superb musicians, and it’s all as a result of they’ve this inner factor occurring. I believe there’s numerous that that form of pairs up with it.

Do you will have any hope that Sony’s going to convey a few Bloodborne remaster or a sequel? Or are you content to simply let Bloodborne be Bloodborne?
A remaster can be cool, however it’s form of what it’s at this level. It’s been so lengthy, I don’t know if anyone would actually profit from it. Possibly if we wait even longer when the know-how actually advances, it’d in all probability make a comeback. I want to see a Bloodborne II that will be open world like Elden Ring. I’ve seen Elden Ring mods on PC that change every part over to this Bloodborne aesthetic. That was all the time fairly cool. I haven’t modded my Elden Ring to appear like Bloodborne but, however I’ll in all probability attempt to do this. However they’d must do one thing that will be a giant open-world factor. Whether or not or not they do it, I don’t know—particularly with them making one other Elden Ring [Elden Ring: Nightreign], this quick spin-off factor.

Yeah, the longer that they wait, I [Michael] really feel just like the expectations are solely going to develop exponentially till they do one thing. It could be a bit of bit arduous to high what everyone needs of their thoughts.
Proper. All people has these large concepts of what you are able to do with it. It’s a type of issues the place it’s like, Ehhh, possibly they shouldn’t do it. I don’t know. You can take Star Wars for instance, proper? The brand new trilogy got here out and everyone’s like, “What is that this? I don’t know what that is.” It’s simply not what folks had of their head or what they anticipated. It’s in all probability the same concept.

There are many video games exterior of Bloodborne which have tackled cosmic horror. Are there every other titles or franchises that stick out to you as being of notice or any form of affect to Wrath of Logarius?
Yeah, there’s been numerous stuff. We consider issues like Aliens and Lifeless House as the way forward for cosmic horror, and we’re form of in Victorian-era cosmic horror. That’s form of how I make sense of it in my head. It’s all form of related. I don’t know, it’s form of bizarre. However I might suppose that stuff like Aliens and Doom can be the long run, after which Victorian period can be the place Bloodborne sits. I like just about all that stuff. Silent Hill has a cosmic horror component to it. I’d form of argue that simply since you’re simply caught on this nightmare.

I imply, you’re speaking to the largest simp for Silent Hill of all time [Michael].
Yeah, dude. That was large. Once I was, like, 12, I may have written you a strat information for the PS1 model, for certain. I put so many hours on that sport. I don’t know why they haven’t remade it but. I like 2, however I need to play the primary one, too.

Eldritch horror has undoubtedly seen a surge in reputation in no small half to indie builders—clearly taking affect from video games like Bloodborne, Everlasting Darkness, Name of Cthulhu, issues like that—to deal with one thing as lofty as cosmic horror. Do you like the makes an attempt which are made by AAA studios which have the larger budgets to tackle such a bigger idea or do you like smaller builders who’re tackling such a wierd idea with no expectation of return on funding [with] a bit extra freedom to actually get unusual with the mechanics of it?
The indie builders undoubtedly make some some bizarre stuff. I do know I see lots. I believe it has its personal class on Steam. You’ll be able to click on on “cosmic horror” and possibly see stuff like that. I performed one known as Moons of Insanity. It was fairly trippy. I believe the older I get, the extra I form of drift in direction of PC and indie video games. I’m beginning to take extra gratification in taking part in these indie studio video games, like Tokyo Xtreme Racer. No one’s ever heard of that, however for some purpose, you’ll get a sport with, like, one or two guys making the factor and it’s higher than numerous the stuff that got here out within the final two years, you already know? I’m form of drifting in direction of PC now and I’m in all probability gonna make the complete transition in all probability fairly quickly.

What have you ever been taking part in on prior?
Often I play PS5 and Xbox, however I form of simply realized I’m taking part in the identical video games again and again. It’s all the time multiplayer shooters and stuff like that. It’s like, Nicely, I form of need to get impressed greater than get pissed off at some 12-year outdated child killing me.

It appears like a part of the draw on that’s that you simply want to spend time on some issues which are a bit of totally different than, say, your Name of Obligation and stuff. Do you discover that evokes you a bit of extra?
Yeah. Primarily, I’m a very visible particular person. I used to be very into sculpting, portray—I did a bunch of various issues, totally different mediums. Once I have a look at stuff, I form of hear issues typically, like, this soundtrack may go together with that factor. I additionally do brief movies and stuff like that, so I’m all the time fascinated with music that goes with visuals on a regular basis. So once I play video video games, I’m consistently fascinated with that, too.

Apparent one apart, if you got the prospect to create your personal rating, soundtrack, no matter for a online game, is there a selected title, franchise, and even one thing as broad as a style that you’d be most concerned about engaged on?
You understand, I all the time appreciated the stuff in Silent Hill. It’s that bizarre sort of rock. The band Placebo, they form of remind me of the Silent Hill sort of music. I’ve all the time appreciated that—that actually darkish, folky sort music. I don’t know find out how to clarify what the style is. The bizarre sounds they’ve in Silent Hill is all the time fairly trippy, too. I’m very into unusual noises and stuff like that. We’ve form of talked about as a substitute of doing an orchestral backing observe factor for black metallic, what if we had been to do that cinematic, cosmic refrain sci-fi factor within the background? However we gotta work out the place that matches as a result of these noises are so large and distorted, they usually might be just about no matter. However yeah, I believe a Silent Hill-type eerie folks music factor can be cool.

It sounds sounds such as you’ve already began LP 2. So, you’re transitioning into PC gaming, you’re in search of out this sort of headier form of gaming, one thing a bit extra narrative. However you introduced up shooters being your go-to multiplayer expertise, the place you’ve been spending a good bit of time. What, to you, is the worth of being of getting this multiplayer, not-as-heavy of an expertise in gaming? What’s the significance of escapism in gaming to you?
I believe everyone form of must have these releases and gaming is only a totally different route so that you can have it, form of will get you considering. One that will get you considering can be Indigo Prophecy, that sport’s fairly trippy. Stuff like that. I believe individuals who play video video games usually, like I mentioned, reside in their very own head. They’re very artistic folks. It’s to not say that different folks aren’t, however I believe everyone’s drawn to various things. Some folks will watch loopy crime dramas and stuff like that, some folks will watch films, some folks bake. I believe it’s essential for folks to have these releases, and I believe that’s actually what it does.

Past Elden Ring: Nightreign—which I believe everyone on the planet is counting down the times for—are there every other video games which are arising that you simply’re excited to take a look at?
I haven’t been paying an excessive amount of consideration to something lately. I’ve been doing all of the music stuff, to be trustworthy. I like Tokyo Xtreme Racer as a result of I can simply bounce in, bounce out. It performs like a multiplayer sport the place you simply present up and do your factor and get out of there. However I’ve been so busy with music. I even purchased the brand new Ninja Turtles sport [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate] and I haven’t actually gotten too deep into that. I’ve been which means to get into that. However so far as new video games, I couldn’t inform you what’s popping out this 12 months, actually.

The best way you mentioned that made it sound like this isn’t the best way you usually do issues. Do you usually keep watch over the calendar?
I often know what’s popping out and when it’s popping out. However I’ve such a giant backlog, too. I nonetheless gotta end [God of War:] Ragnarok. I gotta end Resident Evil 4, I believe I made it about midway by way of. Alan Wake 2 is there. I’ve a lot stuff simply backed up. I really feel like I’m form of at some extent the place I’ll simply catch up once I can. I believe that’s a part of why I haven’t actually thought of what’s popping out. However yeah, often I attempt to sustain and I purchase every part. I form of realized, Nicely, I purchased this and I haven’t performed it, after which it finally ends up on Sport Go or one thing free of charge. I ought to have simply waited and possibly performed it free of charge.

With the franchises you talked about there—clearly we’ve been speaking about Soulsborne, Silent Hill, Alan Wake and stuff—that Turtles appeared like a little bit of an outlier. You haven’t actually talked an excessive amount of about Nintendo stuff or the bright-colored aspect of this. Do you usually lean extra in direction of the darker or extra critical tones, or do you combine it up with a bunch of this and that from throughout?
I believe it’s possibly 60 p.c darkish horror stuff and the remainder is simply random stuff that I grew up with, like Turtles. I used to be an enormous fan of Turtles again within the day. That was one other sport we used to play within the arcades, too—the four-player Turtles. Every time new stuff comes out that’s been in my mind for, like, 25 years, then I’ll often examine that out.

Do you get to make it to arcades a lot anymore?
Not likely, no. I’ve been which means to construct one, however I often use emulators and stuff and we simply play on the apply room. It’s usually what we do. There’s a number of arcades right here, however they’re often fairly noisy and there’s numerous obnoxious folks round. [Laughs]

Is gaming a shared expertise throughout the band? You mentioned that you simply teamed up for Bloodborne, however is it a communal expertise or a solo expertise usually?
It’s often communal. We’d play Bloodborne lots, we performed numerous Elden Ring lots collectively. That will be form of it. Name of Obligation would would occur lots, too. What else? Far Cry 5 was fairly cool. Often if there’s co-op sport that everyone likes, we’ll bounce on it at one level or one other. Kind of, it’s 50/50, everyone does their very own factor after which jumps on one thing.

Would you say everyone within the band at the very least has passing pursuits in several video games or is there one particular person within the band who’s like, “Yeah, I don’t get any of this?”
No, I believe everyone has a reasonably good grip on what’s occurring with stuff. Whether or not or not they play it actively is totally different. I haven’t turned on Bloodborne in possibly… each every so often I’ll flip it on to see what I used to be doing earlier than, however I haven’t actually sat there and carried out a playthrough shortly.

In the event you had been to counsel anyone to choose up a sport from the FromSoft catalog, however you possibly can’t choose Bloodborne, which might be the primary one that you’d choose?
It could in all probability be both Demon’s Souls or Darkish Souls III. I might usually say do Darkish Souls III as a result of it’s undoubtedly a bit of extra accessible than Demon’s Souls, however Demon’s Souls undoubtedly appears lots higher. It’s simply whether or not or not you possibly can punish your self to get by way of Demon’s Souls.

These are two starkly totally different titles. Demon’s Souls, you’re getting gang jumped into that one. Even in the event you’re a fan of the franchise, taking part in that one is tough at occasions. It’s robust.
Yeah, I nonetheless haven’t completed it. It’s so arduous. I gotta burn by way of it. However man, that’s one of many ones that’s in my again catalog, too.

Crown of Mortis is out now through Season of Mist and could be ordered right here.
Observe Wrath of Logarius on Bandcamp and Instagram.