Interview mit Ashmedi von Melechesh

MELECHESH have gone eleven years without releasing new material. How did such a long period of silence come about?
It was not really silence, because we stayed active live and did more than ten tours in that period. And after long touring cycles, the last thing on your mind is often to immediately make more music. You need distance before you return to creating.
Then there was a chain of events that caused delays – Covid, personal matters, and setbacks in the recording process. In 2022, I went to Greece to begin recording, but in hindsight it was not the right decision. Time was lost, resources were spent, and we had to recalibrate.
At some point we decided to release an EP first, because people were eager for new music, and honestly we also wanted new material to bring back to the stage. At the same time, we already have a lot more material written. So „Sentinels Of Shamash“ is not the end of something – it is the beginning of the next chapter.

When you started working on „Sentinels Of Shamash“, how did it feel after such a long time?
These songs were originally part of material intended for a full album, so in a way we were already inside that creative world. Working on the music itself was a pleasure.
At the same time, there is always a sense of responsibility. You have to raise your own standard. We are bearers of a style we helped create from a Near Eastern perspective, so when we release music, it has to be credible, inspired, and of a very high standard. Anything less is unacceptable.
We chose three diverse songs with three distinct moods, but all within our sonic domain, and I think they represent who we are in this era very well.
Frankly, being in the studio and making this music was fantastic. It compensated for much of the upheaval that came before it. There was relief in that, but also renewal. In many ways, it felt like the beginning of a new era.

When you think back to „Enki“, how do you think that record differs from the current EP in terms of production and songwriting?
I do not spend much time looking back. We make an album, then move forward. That has always been my mentality.
In terms of songwriting, the essence has not changed. It still comes from the same source – riffs, ideas, lyrics, vision, whichever arrives first. It is always a process of chaos and order. What changes more is the state of mind, and sometimes the conditions in which the music is made.
With „Sentinels Of Shamash“, the recording process was especially organic and creative, and that helped shape the production. The rhythm section was recorded in Germany, vocals and bass in New Jersey, additional vocal sessions in Los Angeles, and some guitar solos in the damned Holyland. Despite being spread across locations, it all happened in very good studios and in a very inspired atmosphere.
I still like the production of „Enki“ as well – the mixing was fantastic – but the tracking environment was not as strong as what we had this time. So if there is a difference, it is perhaps less in the writing itself, and more in the creative flow and recording conditions surrounding this EP.

Personally, I feel that the new songs are somewhat more technical and, to some extent, thrashier. How do you see it?
I see what you mean. The “technical” aspect may simply reflect my state of mind when I was writing. Music often mirrors your mood in the period you compose it.
The thrash element has always been part of our DNA, so I would not say that is new. But perhaps what you are hearing is a stronger sense of aggression, edge, or urgency. That is true. There was an element of retribution, anger, even rage in the emotional undercurrent – but also catharsis.
At the same time, it is not one-dimensional. In „In Shadows, In Light“, for example, there is also a psychedelic, almost trippy element in the middle. So there are different currents moving through the music.
What may make this EP feel more intense is that all of this was kept in a primal and raw spirit, while still captured with very high production standards. It needed some roughness. That was part of the mood, and I think the songs reflect that very naturally.

The new EP deals with the sentinels of the sun god. Why did you choose this particular deity, and what do you personally associate with it?
That is a good question, because Shamash is not something I chose randomly. I have long been drawn to this deity, both mythologically and as a metaphor for what he represents.
The world depends on the sun – it is life, energy, illumination. Even linguistically, I find it fascinating that Shemsha, Shemesh and Shams all mean “sun” in Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic. There is something profound in that continuity.
But beyond the solar aspect, Shamash is also associated with justice and judgment, and that became very meaningful to me. We live in an era where reason is often eclipsed, falsehood can shape reality, and there are constant attempts – symbolically speaking – to steal fate. In that sense, the sentinels of Shamash, the guardians, become a force that restores balance and justice.
So the concept is ancient, but also very current. That is where it became powerful for me.

MELECHESH still sound very much like themselves in 2026. How important is it to stay true to yourself, especially considering how much the metal scene has changed?
It comes down to priorities. If someone sees a band mainly as a commercial tool, or as fast consumerism, that is one approach. But if you see it as an artistic statement, or even a spiritual endeavor, then your priorities are very different.
Someone once told me, “Why care so much? Just make one good song. People do not even listen to full albums anymore.” I was genuinely shocked by that mentality. The moment you think that way, you have already diminished both the music and the listener.
I never underestimate the listener. Especially in our case, I believe our audience is open-minded, musically curious, and intelligent. I respect that, and I want to give them the best I can do.
I also do not see myself as merely representing myself. I see my role more as a custodian of an entity called . Together with the listeners, it becomes something larger – almost a nomadic global society.
So staying true to oneself is not a strategy for me. It is essential. The intent is to remain genuine, sincere, and to always put forward the strongest work I can, regardless of trends or difficulties.

What led you to release „Sentinels Of Shamash“ exclusively in digital format?
First of all, I do not believe physical releases will disappear, especially in metal. Metal is more than music consumption – for many it is a culture, even a way of life. There will always be collectors. In fact, the continued strength of vinyl proves that.
In our case, the EP was released digitally first as a way to give people new music now, while paving the way for the next full-length.
At the same time, I did not see it making sense to push a broad physical retail release for an EP alone in the same way one would for a full album.
That said, the EP is not intended to remain purely digital. There will be a very limited physical edition, especially in connection with touring, and the full-length will absolutely exist in physical formats as well. So I see the digital release not as replacing physical, but as the first phase of a larger process.

Does the digitalization of music concern you?
It is not about fearing change or clinging to old habits. You have to adapt.
Every new medium, technology or idea comes with uncertainty at first – murky waters, if you will – but once the dust settles, a clearer picture emerges. This has happened throughout human history.
Of course there are disadvantages, but there are also advantages. So for me, the idea is to move forward, work intelligently with what exists in the present, and understand that systems often have a way of self-correcting over time.
I am not against advancement or technology at all. What I am against is the replacement of genuine art with something artificial or fake. But even that tends to expose itself sooner or later.
As long as things are done with integrity, they endure. And what has real substance will always be recognized and appreciated.

How long until the next physical album?
I think in the year 2137 we are slated to enter the studio. (laughs)
In all seriousness, one thing is certain: the gap will not be anything like the gap after „Enki“.
We already have material, although there is still a lot of work to do in reshaping and developing songs.
The intention is to enter the studio within roughly a year, perhaps a year and a half, though I do not want to pretend there is a fixed deadline yet.
The whole point of the EP is that it is paving the path for a new era. The idea now is to keep momentum, move forward, and not disappear for another decade.

Are there touring plans for the future?
Yes, absolutely. We remained active live because there was genuine demand, which is something I never take for granted. When you can do ten tours around one album, and people still keep showing up years later, that tells you something meaningful.
At the moment, the timing of the EP release came after much of the current touring cycle was already booked, so that limited immediate options. But we are working with a new booking agency, including in Europe, and festival bookings are already taking shape. Some are for 2026, some for 2027.
A full tour may be more realistic next year, but live activity is absolutely part of who we are. We enjoy touring, we enjoy performing, and that is not changing anytime soon.

To wrap things up, let’s do the traditional Metal1 brainstorming session:
Seth: Why are you asking me about Egyptian mythology? We are rooted in Sumerian and Mesopotamian traditions. It is a bit like interviewing a Viking metal band and asking them about Celtic gods.
That said, if you mean my favorite Seth, then it is probably – the man behind , and .
And I also love his sci-fi series.
So there you have it – from Mesopotamia to Seth MacFarlane.
„The Mummy“: The early films were brilliant fun. The ones from the early 2000s especially had great adventure and atmosphere. The Tom Cruise one was okay, not my favorite, but still entertaining. And I hear a new one is coming, so I look forward to seeing it.
Holland: First of all, a correction: Holland is only two regions of the Netherlands.
I have Dutch nationality, so there is a personal connection. I miss aspects of life there – not the weather – but the simplicity, the sense of order, and the coziness. And yes, I miss bitterballen, filet americain, and I will say it clearly: Albert Heijn may be the best supermarket on earth. Jeroen Bosch, masters of water control and the sea, best curses ( tyfus hond….wow ), douwe egberts, VAN FUCKIN HALEN.
And there is a funny linguistic synchronicity: I lived in Hollywood, went back to the Holy Land, and from the Holy Land I went to Holland. Somehow they all have a similar sound – as if it was meant to be.
Believe: If you mean belief in general: do not believe everything, especially in media.
If you mean , then that is different – they have built a very strong infrastructure in the digital music realm.
MELECHESH in ten years: We will release our fifth album… because we are like Benjamin Button and go backwards in time. (laughs)
Seriously, I hope we are still here, still making strong music, still kicking ass. I will be sixty then – just old enough to go outside unsupervised.

Publiziert am 1. Mai 2026 von Philipp Sorger