Newfoundland Blackened Thrash Duo ARTACH Unleash Video “Macha”
Newfoundland, Canada’s black metal duo ARTACH announces the release of their latest album Morrigan…Goddess of War is due out on March 21st, 2025, via Depressive Illusions Records. This third full-length represents the band’s strongest material yet. It’s a relentless assault of blackened thrash metal that captures the intensity and fury the duo has always strived for. From crushing riffs to searing melodies, every track on this release is forged with raw passion.
“We’ve poured everything into this record, and we can’t wait for fans to experience the full force of Morrigan…Goddess of War.” adds Sruthán (Guitar/Bass).
Artach unveils the lead single “Macha”, one of the three songs that are part of the Morrigan trilogy on the album, which also includes “Badb” and “Nemain”.
Sruthán (Guitar/Bass). explains further:
“Macha, one of the Morrígan, was known for her prophetic visions and her role as a fierce protector of warriors. She is sometimes considered one aspect of the Morrígan, a trio of war goddesses.
The three goddesses, and what elements they represent, that make up the Morrígan in Irish mythology are:
Macha – War, sovereignty, horses.
Badb – Battle, death, chaos.
Nemain – Frenzy, panic, terror.
Together, they represent different aspects of war, fate, and destruction in Celtic mythology.”
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
We are a black metal duo from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, consisting of Fíochmhar (drums, vocals) and Sruthán (guitar, bass). Our names come from Gaelic, with Fíochmhar meaning “fierce” or “savage” and Sruthán meaning “burn.” Our music is deeply influenced by the harsh landscapes and weather of Newfoundland, creating a raw and epic black metal sound, though we also explore broader themes. Our lyrics often reflect humanity’s connection to nature, evoking historical and primal themes. On our latest album, Morrigan… Goddess of War, we blend these elements with influences from Celtic mythology and even sci-fi.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
On March 21, 2025, we are releasing our 3rd full-length album titled Morrigan…Goddess of War.
Morrigan…Goddess of War blends blackened thrash with elements of Celtic mythology, offering an intense and aggressive sound. The album is inspired by themes of warrior goddesses, ancient (and modern) battles, and historical legends, reflecting the band’s raw, atmospheric style. The music incorporates our signature harsh yet melodic blackened thrash feel but pushes our boundaries with new thematic elements, including touches of sci-fi. The album fits nicely into our discography and, in our opinion,n is our best so far! (as all bands say about their newest releases lol)
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
The foundation of the song typically starts with me putting together my riffs into a song structure. But as this is a dynamic and collaborative approach, I bring that to the studio with an open mind and desire for collaboration and we together then decide on things like the tempo, final structure, and sometimes we even add a new part on the fly in the studio. Compositions feature numerous tempo and time signature changes as we are willing to experiment and break conventional songwriting norms.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
Support will be via any interviews we can do, getting some reviews, and music videos. The first is “Macha” and is available now. Stay tuned to our socials, as that’s where listeners can stay on top of what we are doing.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
Personally, although I love our newest album the most, I have fond memories of the first album and especially the first song we recorded called “Eternal Black Winter”. Up until that time, I had written thrash, power, death, and traditional metal-styled songs. But in 2020, it was the first time I wrote that song, which is some form of epic black metal. It was at a time when I was listening to shitloads of Satyricon, Immortal, Celtic Frost, etc etc so it was nice to get an outlet for that raw epic, yet melodic, blackened style of metal!
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward. What upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
That all depends on what someone is into…and it depends on which of us in Artach you ask.
For me, I’ll recommend some newer-ish bands from a few different metal styles:
Power Metal: Frozen Crown, Lycanthro
Thrash Metal: Triskelyon, Warbringer, Suicidal Angels
Black Metal: Blackbraid