VOIDSTORM

“The sertão is an integral part of our identity.”

“It is in this contrast between the daily struggle and the desire for transcendence that the cold, intense atmosphere of Voidstorm is born.”

“Civilization slowly destroys itself year after year.”

“The tyranny of the will lies within each of us, and there is no way to simply turn it off.”

“The atmosphere of the music always comes first, followed by the lyrics.”

“We’re always looking for balance. The layers are there to add depth, while always leaving room for raw emotion to breathe within the music.”

“To explore new directions, while still drawing inspiration from classical music and other classic black metal bands.”

“Things just fell into place naturally.”

“The world really is moving at a breakneck pace.”

“Time seems to be passing faster and faster.”

Emerging from the heat-scorched landscapes of Bahia, Brazilian black metal act Voidstorm challenges every predictable image associated with the genre.
Their debut full-length ‘Riders of the Broken World‘ is not merely an exercise in darkness, but a vast and immersive journey through collapse, philosophical torment, internal decay, and cosmic isolation.
Combining raw aggression with cinematic atmosphere and symphonic intensity, Voidstorm transforms the realities of the sertão into something cold, haunting, and transcendent.
In this interview, Nathan Santana speaks with Fok ’bs’ about apocalypse, the tyranny of the will, the duality of destruction, and the strange beauty born from suffering and isolation.
Coming from Guanambi in Bahia – far away from the stereotypical ‘cold‘ environments associated with black metal – did you ever feel like you had to redefine what darkness sounds like on your own terms?
“Not necessarily, but we try to keep our sound dark, in keeping with our style of songwriting, without intending to reinvent black metal beside even though we live in a region where the climate isn’t really associated with that kind of music.”
‘Riders of the Broken World‘ feels less like a collection of songs and more like a descent through a collapsing landscape.
Did the album begin with a concept, or did the concept emerge naturally from the music?
“Ideas come as we write. Each song explores a different theme, ranging from the destruction of civilization through the use of nuclear energy, to the distortion of faith by tyrannical religious leaders, to philosophical questions addressing the manifestation of the Will as an irrational, blind, and relentless force expressed in all living beings, until we descend into the darkest abysses of the labyrinth of our minds, exploring their dilemmas and torments.”
Your sound constantly balances violence and atmosphere.
When writing, how do you decide whether a moment should explode… or slowly suffocate the listener instead?
“We don’t follow a strict set of rules when composing. Most of the time, we just sit down and play, and ideas come to me spontaneously, whether through improvisation, arpeggios, or even a backing track. It is in this free-flowing process that the music takes shape.”
The sertão is defined by heat, drought, and isolation, yet your music often sounds vast, cold, and almost cosmic.
How much of Voidstorm is shaped by your actual surroundings, and how much by escaping them mentally?
“The sertão is an integral part of our identity. It bears the mark of a long-suffering people who face the harshness of life every day and endure it with strength and dignity. This reality inspires us, giving our music its weight and depth, but it also awakens a need to escape mentally, to create soundscapes that are vast and cosmic. It is in this contrast between the daily struggle and the desire for transcendence that the cold, intense atmosphere of Voidstorm is born.”
Black metal often romanticizes destruction, but your lyrics feel more reflective than celebratory.
Do you see apocalypse as an ending, a cleansing process, or simply an unavoidable human condition?
“An inescapable condition of humanity, while we watch civilization slowly destroy itself year after year, as if there were no desire to rebuild itself, which sometimes makes our planet seem like a truly unpleasant place to live.”
The album carries a very cinematic sense of movement.
Do you visualize landscapes, stories, or images while composing, or is the atmosphere built purely through sound?
“All of that at the same time, but the atmosphere of the music always comes first, followed by the lyrics.”
Symphonic elements in extreme metal can easily become either majestic or overwhelming.
What role do keyboards actually play inside Voidstorm: decoration, emotion, tension, or something else entirely?
“The band’s keyboards create an epic and somber atmosphere, while at the same time stirring up tension and excitement. The melodies drive the music with intensity, enveloping the listener in an immersive and captivating experience.”
‘The Will Is Master‘ and ‘Atomic Devastation‘ suggest very different forms of collapse – one internal, one external.
Which of those themes feels more dangerous to you personally?
“‘Atomic Devastation’ deals with external annihilation: atomic bombs, radiation, the physical disintegration of civilization – something that collectively threatens humanity. In ‘The Will Is Master’, however, the destruction is internal: the irrational force of will that corrodes the individual from within, condemning him to suffering and a ceaseless search.
In today’s world, ‘external’ destruction remains a real risk (nuclear weapons, environmental crises), but ‘internal’ destruction is perhaps even more dangerous, because it is silent and constant. Anxiety, consumerism, social pressure, all these manifestations of ‘blind desire’ that wear us down day after day. While the nuclear threat can be averted through political decisions, the tyranny of the will lies within each of us, and there is no way to simply turn it off.”
Your music sounds meticulously layered, yet emotionally raw at the same time.
How do you avoid losing intensity while working with complex arrangements?
“We’re always looking for balance. The layers are there to add depth, while always leaving room for raw emotion to breathe within the music.”
Many modern black metal bands are obsessed with nostalgia.
Voidstorm feels different – more future-facing, almost post-collapse.
Do you feel connected to black metal tradition, or more interested in pushing beyond it?
“To explore new directions, while still drawing inspiration from classical music and other classic black metal bands.”
Was there a particular moment during the creation of ‘Riders of the Broken World‘ where you realized the album had become something larger than just a debut record?
“Yes, things just fell into place naturally; the songs flowed and surprised us with the results at every rehearsal, with each of us contributing ideas that enriched the compositions.”
If someone unfamiliar with extreme metal listened to Voidstorm for the first time, what emotion or reaction would you want them to walk away with?
“It depends on who’s listening. To those outside this field, this kind of sound may simply seem strange, uncomfortable, or surprising. Everyone experiences music in their own way.”
Voidstorm emerged very quickly – EP in 2025, full-length in 2026.
Does that urgency come from inspiration, personal necessity, or the feeling that the world itself is moving too fast to stay silent?
“Actually, the full-length album was supposed to be released in October 2025, but there was a delay in its delivery. We recovered the files and started mixing from scratch until it was finally released on May 1, 2026. As for the songs on the EP, they were initially intended merely as placeholders to be added to the repertoire at a later date. However, due to the album’s delay and the anticipation that had built up, we decided to release it at the end of December last year. In any case, there’s always a lot of inspiration involved.
Besides, the world really is moving at a breakneck pace. Time seems to be passing faster and faster.”
With ‘Riders of the Broken World‘, Voidstorm proves that black metal does not belong to one climate, one geography, or one tradition alone.
Instead, the band channels the harsh realities of the Brazilian sertão into a sound that is simultaneously human and cosmic, violent and reflective.
Nathan Santana’s words reveal a project driven not by nostalgia, but by the desire to confront modern collapse – both external and internal – through immersive atmosphere and uncompromising intensity.
Voidstorm may still be at the beginning of its journey, but the depth and vision behind this debut already suggest a band reaching far beyond conventional black metal boundaries.
by Fok ‘bs‘