THE CHOIR OF AGONY INTERVIEW
March, 2026
Between Beauty and Beast: The Dark Architecture of The Choir Of Agony
Hailing from İzmir, The Choir Of Agony stands out as one of the bands that still carries the deep-rooted legacy of metal music in its strongest form today. While remaining faithful to the traditional vein, the band does so not merely through stylistic allegiance, but with a high level of musicality and intellectual maturity. Reinterpreting doom metal’s “beauty & beast” structure through the brutal presence of a female musician, the band frames this contrast not simply as an aesthetic choice, but as a space of existential rupture. In the tracks featuring guest musicians, an intense, ceremonial, and dark atmosphere emerges, one that invites the listener into the rite of a black choir. In short, The Choir Of Agony does not merely create dark music; it constructs darkness within an intellectual and aesthetic unity. In this comprehensive interview, the band answered many of my questions, ranging from their creative processes and influences to their musical approach and lyrical world.
Moving
along the doom/death axis, The Choir of Agony creates a dark and layered
atmosphere through the dramatic tension between brutal and clean vocals.
Blending divine wrath with existential melancholy in the same crucible, this
structure builds a powerful and distinctive identity through a stage presence
centered around a female brutal vocalist. When was the band formed? Who are the
current members, and how would you describe your music to someone hearing it
for the first time?
First of
all, thank you very much for doing this interview with us. The Choir Of
Agony was first formed in 2023 as “Draconian Tribute.” Later on, as a band,
we decided to create our own compositions. Our current line-up consists of
Senem Semiz (extreme vocals), Mecit Ege Yılmaz (guitar), Hürkan Çağlar (bass
guitar), and Volkan Günakın (drums). If we were to describe our music for new
listeners, we could say that it establishes a structure through which one can
feel the inner conflict of the human being, musically, down to the very cells,
with a doom metal influence.
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| Senem Semiz |
With the
name The Choir Of Agony, you point to a distinctive identity that
foregrounds a multi-vocal structure. If I am not mistaken, you have released 6
singles to date and collaborated with foreign musicians in these works. How did
these ideas emerge? Which names did you work with?
At first, our band’s name was “Enchanted Nocturne.” As a brutal vocalist, my greatest wish was to sing with the vocalists of the bands I love and enjoy listening to. I first realized this dream with Gogo Melone, the clean vocalist of Aeonian Sorrow. Later, we released a single with Nikos Vlachakis, the brutal vocalist of Ocean of Grief. These collaborations and duets made us think that we should continue as “Choir,” and by mutual decision, The Choir of Agony was born. We chose to name our third single Enchanted Nocturne to keep our original name alive. Mattias Theuwen, whom we know as one of the scream vocalists of Thurisaz and Ka'Una, also accompanied us on this single. We recorded our fourth single with the contribution of Sonia Hernandez, the clean vocalist of Scandelion, and at the same time, the composition of this song belongs to my very dear friend Duru Şimal Durmaz. We recorded our fifth single with Eduardo (Harbinger of Doom), the vocalist of The Cross, with whom we are also working on a project that will arrive like a bomb in the future. Frederic Simon, whom we know from former Inborn Suffering and currently from Lying Figures, also accompanied us on our sixth single.
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| Hürkan Çağlar |
We can say that Enchanted Nocturne is the apple of our eye. Surge Türkiye honored us by selecting it as the “Best Metal Song.” If you notice, the names we choose to work with in these collaborations are the ones that complete that particular song. For example, Forsaken Lament. In that song, we could not think of any vocal color other than Gogo’s, and we still cannot. It required a strong voice capable of performing the song almost like a lament. And that was Gogo. We can say that it is entirely a choice shaped by the atmosphere of the song.
We can say that Enchanted Nocturne is the apple of our eye. Surge Türkiye honored us by selecting it as the “Best Metal Song."
In
doom/gothic metal, within the traditional “beauty and the beast” dynamic, the
brutal vocal is usually performed by a man, while the clean vocal is performed
by a woman. The Choir Of Agony reverses this established pattern. Was
this a conscious aesthetic choice? How would you describe, in your own words,
this approach that carries you to a distinctive and original point?
This is
actually a question we have always wanted to be asked. In doom metal, beauty is
generally defined as the clean vocal, while beast is defined as the brutal
vocal. What we try to express in the lyrics of our songs is also the “beauty”
and the “beast” within the human being. We believe that this, too, can be
gathered within a single body, as a woman (beauty) and brutal (beast).
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| Mecit Ege Yılmaz |
"What we try to express in the lyrics of our songs is also the “beauty” and the “beast” within the human being"
Although
The Choir Of Agony is positioned on the doom metal axis, I believe the
melodic death metal influences in Night I Pass Through the Egypt, along
with the gothic, melancholic transitions that emerge within the songs, show
that the band also draws from different genres. What is your take on this?
We can say
that Night I Pass Through the Egypt was actually an experiment for us.
In this single, we wanted to take our listeners beyond the boundaries of doom
metal to some extent and bring them together with a different atmosphere. When
we present it to you as part of the album, we hoped that in this musical
journey, once Night I Pass Through the Egypt ends and it continues with Enchanted
Nocturne, it would convey the feeling that the war had ended and been won.
Are you
planning new international collaborations? What kind of roadmap are you drawing
for the upcoming period? As far as I know, you are also preparing an album.
What can you share about the recording process and concept of the album?
In our new international collaborations, Lucia Amelia, the clean vocalist of Ghostheart Nebula, Tereza Rohelova, the clean/brutal vocalist of Opia, and Thomas Jansen, the brutal vocalist of Saturnus, will be taking part. In our other collaborations that will not be included on the album, we also worked with Aaron Stainthorpe, whom we know from ex-My Dying Bride and High Parasite, on a very special project. Heike Langhans, herself the ex-Draconian clean vocalist, will accompany us in the future. The recording process of the album progressed in a disciplined manner; since the instrument recordings had been prepared, we were able to devote a great deal of time to vocal composition. Conceptually, the album is actually like day and night. We can say that it is a beautiful union of opposites.
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| Volkan Günakın |
How does
The Choir Of Agony construct its songs? Does the process usually begin
with an idea or an atmosphere, or does it move forward through a musical motif?
Is the balance between brutal and clean vocals a structure planned from the
very beginning, or does it take shape naturally during the process?
We first
compose the songs on paper as notes, and then make them concrete by playing
them on guitar and piano. Since the songs are mostly composed conceptually by
me (Senem), as the brutal vocalist, I determine the atmosphere, theme, and even
the vocal color that the song should have before it even enters the recording
stage, and I share these with my bandmates. After the ideas are taken in and
developed, and once we reach the point where we say, “Alright, this is the
song,” the track is recorded and prepared for the vocal recording. So in fact,
both a planned process unfolds, and the feelings and thoughts that the journey
brings us are what enable us to compose the song.
After a The
Choir Of Agony concert, in what emotional state would you like the listener
to leave?
After our
concerts, we would like our listeners to enter into an inner dialogue with
themselves, awaken a sense of curiosity within, and question the aspects of
themselves they have not yet come to know.
"The metal world has recently become acquainted with many highly successful female extreme vocalists."
 |
| Senem Semiz |
Do you
think perceptions of gender in the extreme metal scene are changing, or are
they still resistant? I believe that in metal music, which is the voice of
freedom and rebellion, we need to move faster on this issue and break these
patterns one by one. As a band that has made progress in this regard, what are
your thoughts on the matter?
We can say that our thoughts on this are split down the middle. Receiving very positive feedback as a band that continues with a frontwoman gives us strength. Comments such as, “It really doesn’t sound like these vocals are coming from a woman,” in fact, stretch the notion of “gender” in this context somewhat in favor of women, in our view, because the metal world has recently become acquainted with many highly successful female extreme vocalists. But just as there are conflicts within the individual, which are also reflected in our music, there is also a certain segment that still has its own disagreements on this matter. That is why we cannot say that the perception of gender in metal has fully reached a state of peace.
Senem,
your brutal vocal performance breaks the established expectations of the genre.
How did you develop your technique? Do you apply any particular method in order
to protect your vocal health? To you, what kind of form of expression is brutal
vocals: a sonic weapon, a tool of catharsis, or a dark mode of expression?
The biggest factor in developing my brutal technique, as funny as it may sound, has been making witch, monster, and goblin sounds ever since childhood. When I became interested in this vocal technique, I realized that I had actually unlocked it as a child, and I pursued it further. My interest in doom metal is obvious, but my vocal technique is not limited to this genre. I am also interested in techniques found in other metal genres. The biggest factor in the development of my vocals to this extent is, in fact, my impulse to imitate the sounds I hear. This can be anything from a bird sound to the sound of a dolphin. I am the same way in metal music as well. I can perform vocals ranging from doom to grindcore. This technique is a true catharsis for me. It is my way of feeling purified and, in a way I have never been able to express, of feeling that I have expressed myself and have been understood.
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Themes such as apocalyptic divine wrath, existential abandonment, cosmic fate, and personal melancholy stand out in your lyrics. At the same time, references to sacred texts such as Psalms, Revelation, and Exodus are also striking. Do you approach these sacred references as a spiritual reckoning, an existential rebellion, or an apocalyptic reinterpretation? What philosophical or literary influences nourish your writing process?
We can say that existence is the fundamental building block of every theme and every phenomenon. We sometimes seek to convey these phenomena to listeners through quotations, verbally and from a divine point of view; at other times, through symbols. From a literary perspective, there are many sections in our work that can be shown as examples of the influence of symbolism. Philosophically as well, it is possible to say that our works are fully reflexive in nature.
Are
there any books, writers, or albums among your musical sources of inspiration
that hold a particularly special place for you? Which albums affected you the
most in 2025?
If we are to give examples of writers and books, the dark narrative of H. P. Lovecraft and Necronomicon, along with its extraordinary descriptive technique, inspired us greatly. Since we first embarked on this path by playing Draconian’s Under a Godless Veil from beginning to end, this album holds a very special place and importance for us. Another album that influenced us deeply would be Moonflowers by Swallow the Sun.
How do
you evaluate today’s metal scene? In the age of artificial intelligence,
production and distribution processes have become easier, and home studios have
become widespread. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages
of this?
Today, we can comfortably say that artificial intelligence is very useful when it is used well. It gives instant answers to every question we ask. For example, let’s say the question is this: We are recording a doom metal album. We have guitars equipped with EMG and Seymour Duncan pickups. Which one do you think would be more compatible? The fact that it can answer such a question instantly and offer us an idea is excellent. But of course, nowadays it does not stop at doing only that. Unfortunately, it also writes lyrics, creates cover artwork, and does alone the work that ten people could do. This, of course, leads some people toward laziness. But when used intelligently, it is a great service. As for home studios, we think they are wonderful. Whenever we want, if a melody comes to mind at home, we can immediately bring it to life. Of course, because this gradually reduces interaction with other people, it also brings a greater degree of subjectivity with it.
There is
a strong metal scene and a deep-rooted underground tradition in Turkey.
Although some cities may seem to have a more dominant and intense atmosphere, I
believe İzmir has a spirit of its own. On the one hand, there is a sense of
damp darkness; on the other, relentlessly sunny days… While the outside is
filled with light, shadow accumulates within. The darkness inside and the
unending sun outside actually create a great contrast, and this is something
that can inspire dark arts. Do you think this contradictory nature of İzmir
affects doom-oriented production emerging from the city? How do you position
İzmir in a creative sense?
To us, İzmir is a true The Choir Of Agony song. The contradictions within the human being that we try to convey in our songs are felt beautifully in the city itself, through its weather that is at one moment warm, at another cold, at another rainy. And there are definitely quite a few songs we have written simply by watching the outside through a window. Enchanted Nocturne, for example. And there is also When The Stars Fade, which has not yet been released, a work born from a dark night when the electricity was cut off.
I would also like to mention another band, Metal Charm, in which members of The Choir Of Agony also take part. It is a band that holds a place in the Turkish melodic death metal scene with its strong compositions. Your second album, Visions of Escape, was released in 2025 by the French label Bitume Productions. What is happening on the Metal Charm side? Could you tell us a little about it?
Metal Charm is actually a project that reflects our energy and makes us happy. These two bands we are part of are actually like night and day. They clash with one another. While one contains heavy melodies, the other is more energetic.
I
believe this is what brought us together as a band on common ground. We can say
that, on the Metal Charm side, we have begun preparations for a third album.
Metal Charm is, in fact, the outward expression of the happiness within us. It
is one of our forms of expression.
"Existence is the fundamental building block of every theme and every phenomenon."
May I
have your final words and wishes? Thank you for the interview.
As for our
final words, first of all, we would like to say once again that we are
thankful. Our lyrics will be published together with the album. Take a look and
see in which of these songs you will find yourself. Will the songs be an answer
to your questions, or will they give rise to new questions?
Bonus
Question: Considering the identity of The Choir Of Agony and the
dramatic tension you create in your music, what dark figure, mythological
being, or metaphysical universe would represent you best? (I will have a
surprise for you depending on your answer.)
We could
say the Lovecraftian (Cthulhu) universe.
We would
also like to say that we strongly associate our music with the films of
director Tim Burton. For example, Nightmare Before Christmas.
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| The Choir Of Agony Through the Eyes of AI Designed by Black Metal Chronicles |
This
interview was published in Kapak Magazine in Turkish in March 2026.
https://www.kapakmagazin.com/the-choir-of-agony-roportaji/
More Info:
https://open.spotify.com/TheChoirOfAgony
https://www.youtube.com/TheChoirOfAgony
https://www.instagram.com/thechoirofagony
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