In this episode of Ampocalypse, Damian FitzGerald is joined by Jarle Kvåle of Norwegian black metal band Vreid to dive deep into their powerful new album, The Sky Turns Black.
Together, they explore the creative journey behind the record, how time away from writing helped shape a stronger artistic identity, and why isolation and nature play such a huge role in the band’s songwriting process. Jarle reflects on the ambition behind the album, building a record that feels like a complete journey rather than just a collection of songs, and how Vreid continue to push their sound deeper into cinematic black metal territory.
The conversation also turns to the stunning video for “Loving the Dead,” its surreal and haunting visual world, and the collaboration with Chris Pontius that brought an unexpected but perfect energy to the project. Jarle discusses the lasting influence of David Lynch on his creativity, the symbolic and powerful role of Agnete Kjølsrud of Djerv within the song’s story, and how atmosphere and storytelling are just as important as riffs and heaviness.
Of course, no episode of Ampocalypse would be complete without the apocalypse scenario—this time diving into a world of demons, survival, and whether heavy metal might actually be humanity’s greatest weapon when the end finally comes.
If you love black metal, atmospheric heavy music, cinematic storytelling, and deep conversations about creativity, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
🤘 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and subscribe to Ampocalypse. And let me know in the comments: if demons rose and society collapsed, which metal track would you choose as humanity’s final battle anthem — and what Ampocalypse scenario should we explore next?
#Ampocalypse #Vreid #JarleKvåle #TheSkyTurnsBlack #BlackMetal #NorwegianBlackMetal #HeavyMetal #MetalPodcast #LovingTheDead #ChrisPontius #DavidLynch #AgneteKjølsrud #Djerv #MetalInterview #NewMusic #MetalCommunity #AlternativeMusic #DarkMusic #AtmosphericBlackMetal #ExtremeMetal #PodcastInterview #DamianFitzGerald
Videographer: Damian FitzGerald
Editor: Damian FitzGerald
Producer: Damian FitzGerald
Social links
Band socials:
https://www.vreid.no
https://x.com/vreidofficial?s=21
https://www.instagram.com/vreidofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/vreidofficial/?locale=en_GB
https://www.youtube.com/Vreid
V13 Media:
https://v13.net
https://twitter.com/v13media
https://www.instagram.com/v13media/
https://www.facebook.com/v13media
https://soundcloud.com/v13media
Damian FitzGerald:
https://v13.net/author/damian_fitzgerald/
https://twitter.com/damolition82
https://www.instagram.com/damolition82/
https://www.facebook.com/damian.fitzgerald1/
https://www.threads.net/@damolition82
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Ampocalypse
01:08 The Sky Turns Black: A New Era for Vreid
03:34 The Creative Process Behind the Album
06:36 The Impact of Isolation on Creativity
08:07 The Journey of the Album
09:47 Loving the Dead: A Cinematic Experience
12:15 Collaboration with Chris Pontius
15:57 The Surreal Quality of the Music Video
17:30 David Lynch’s Influence on Vreid
19:10 Agnete Kjølsrud’s Role in the Song
21:21 Ampocalypse: The Concept of the Apocalypse
22:43 Survival Instincts in the Apocalypse
23:01 The Power of Heavy Metal
24:22 Agnete Kjølsrud: Humanity’s Weapon Against Demons
25:07 Choosing the Right Track to Fight Demons
25:43 Rebuilding Society or Embracing Metal Life