All Episodes

August 1, 2025 10 mins
Interview by Kris Peters
Swiss extreme metal duo BØLZER formed in Zürich in 2008 by Okoi Jones (vocals/guitar) and Fabian Wyrsch (drums). Known for their unique blend of black and death metal, the band creates a raw, atmospheric sound characterized by complex riffs, atonal elements, and mythological themes influenced by Nietzsche, paganism, and ancient cultures.
Their music is described as an "intuitive art project born from raw passion," delivering a chaotic, spiritual live experience they liken to an "atavistic vortex." BØLZER gained significant acclaim with their 2013 EP Aura, praised by NPR and Stereogum as one of the year's best metal releases, followed by Soma (2014) and their debut album Hero (2016). Their unconventional approach, blending brutal intensity with psychedelic and doom elements, has earned them a cult following in the extreme metal scene.
BØLZER is touring Australia in August 2025 as special guests of PORTAL, an Australian extreme metal band known for their dissonant, horror-infused fusion of death and black metal for what promises to be the most brutal tour to grace these shores this year.
Heavy sat down with Jones and Wyrsch to get the lowdown on what to expect. It has been a while between drinks for Australian fans, so we ask the boys what has changed with the band since they last visited.
"We just finished a studio session for a new album," Wyrsch replied. "But that one is due for next year. So for now, we're just preparing everything and also starting to play a few new songs live. So definitely some of them will appear on this Australian tour as well. Very much looking forward to playing some fresh material."
We ask what fans can expect.
"I think we're immersive in the sense that the music's very powerful in an organic sense," Jones measured. "There's a lot of not just aggressive energy, but powerful, human, honest energy around, and people seem to connect with that when we play live. We put a lot of our passion into it."
"In a personal way," Wyrsch added. "We're not putting up theatrics. It's more like really…"
"There are no masks, no makeup," Jones finished. "It's very down to earth, but in your face."
In the full interview, Okoi and Fabian expressed excitement about returning to Australia after several years and highlighted their recent studio session for a new album, set for release in 2026. They plan to incorporate new songs into their live performances during the tour and reflected on their past collaborations with Portal.
They described their live shows as immersive experiences filled with powerful energy and recommended their EP Aura and the Hero LP for new listeners. They discussed their artistic evolution and the challenge of maintaining originality while expressing confidence in their new material, which they believe will resonate with both current and new fans. We spoke about how BOLZER approach music festivals and if they take time to listen to the local bands, the growth in their music and more.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, I'm a Fabian drammer in Biltze.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
And my name's Okoy guitars and vocals. Yeah, we've Boots
has been around since two thousand and eight. We're a
duo and we've always been a duo. Yeah, since then,
played all over the world.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Alight, So now you're coming to Australia as part of
the playing all over the world.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yes, we've been to Australia before. It's been a few
years now, and yeah we last supported Behemoth and Wattin
over there, and yeah, we're looking forward to playing with Portal.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
They're also friends of ours.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
So nice that is actually happening next month. You'll be
here with Portal starting in Sydney on August and fifteenth,
then you hit Melbourne at Hobart, finish up at Necrosonic
Festival in Brisbane on the twenty third. So that's certainly
about a bunth the way he's packed and ready to
go or do you leave that sort of thing till
the last minute?

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yeah, we're ready to go. Of course, we have another
show here in Europe before we hit over and otherwise
got a lot to do surrounding the coming album.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah. Yeah, nice nice as you said, it has been
a few years since you've been out here, so what's
changed with the band since last time.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
Well, that's a coin mentioned.

Speaker 4 (01:22):
We just finished studio session for a new album, but
that one is due for next year, so for now
we're just preparing everything and also starting to play a
few new songs live. So definitely some of them will
appear on this Australian tour as well. Very much looking

(01:44):
forward to plays on fresh material as well.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
It's mentioned that our portal our Frenzy also, you're coming
out here to Australia with them. Have you played much
overseas with them?

Speaker 2 (01:56):
I think one of once or twice, Yeah, a few
festivals in Europe, I think one of the ka remember, Yeah, yeah,
for sure. And I think we played once one show
in Australia with them, may I'm not too sure.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
Were they just hanging around, yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
I would just take it around backstage waiting.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:17):
So for the benefit of those who may not have
seen Bottler before, then run us through a typical live
show from you guys.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
That's I think we're immersive in the sense that the
music's very.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Powerful in an organic sense. You know, there's a lot of.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Not just aggressive energy, but powerful human, honest energy around
and people seem to seem to connect with that when
we play play live, Yeah, and it's it's energetic.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
We put a lot of a lot of our passion
into it. Yeah, I think in a personal way. You're
not putting up theatrics.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
It's more like really exactly, there are no masks, there's
no makeup.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
It's it's very down to worth but in your face.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
Nice. Nice.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
And it's actually been described as a form of spiritual
rapture your show, So does that mean that it's a
merged with the crowd, Like is it that to do
with stage props? Like, what's what's actually spiritual rapture?

Speaker 1 (03:32):
I don't know. I think the music itself has.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Been written in a way that really makes Fabian and
myself feel a lot when it's it's been being created
and performed, it's like a bit of a conduit for
for what we feel and want to express. So I
think it begins and ends in a very spiritual way,

(04:00):
and it's it's about elevation and enlightenment.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
Really the music.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
So I think people can tap into that energy if
they're you know, if they're willing.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, So just say someone's coming to see Portal and
they haven't don't know too much about Ballzers, what three
songs would you recommend they listened to before they covered
the show in order to get to know the band better.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
H Well, I mean there's some sort of classics I think.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
I mean for most people our EP Oral YEP seems
to kind of be there the starting point, and also
are Herald lp Ye, which.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Is the only full length to date.

Speaker 4 (04:46):
I would say it's a good way say the start.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
Heah, yeah, those would be the best places to start.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
Oh and as we said, the tour finishes in Brincebure
at Necrosonic Festival. She's a massive beat of guise. It's
got thirty bands across three stages. But not a bad
way to finish the straw with a bank.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
Yeah, yeah, that's quite quite the line up exactly. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
Look, there's a lot of Australian bands there of course,
like you got a Bravel and Bean Flipper Days and
Frank and Bakalara just name a few. But for you
guys coming into a festival that like, do you do
your research and try and find out a bit about
bands that you're playing with or would you rather come
in on the day and just take it.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
All in then yeah, actually we do.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
I mean if we're not familiar with the names yet,
which is the.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
Case in Brisbane.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
I knew about day's end, just very very loosely, and
I checked up more and isn't it. I really am
like it, you know, the sold touch on things, take
on things and good mate of mind. He was really
into them too, And yeah, I'm familiar with Blindfolders, Led
to the Woods, the Kiwis, they've been around Gageous.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, I had to had to check out. Yeah, check
out a little of the bands there for sure.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah, that's going to be a brutal data because it's
not there's no like softer bands there on the day.
It's all just fall on video your face, kick your
cups like it's going to be a full day.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Definitely.

Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Cool.

Speaker 3 (06:20):
Come back to the start, you both form Bowls are
back in two thousand and eight. So what was a
musical climate like that gave birth to the band and
where did you fit in initially?

Speaker 1 (06:30):
Mm hmm.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
I think I think the what we were doing at
first was you know, experimentation and the inspirations let's say
right then, were vastly different to what we're actually doing now,
and it just sort of grew wave and from itself

(06:55):
very quickly into something I guess unique sounding, and yeah,
just kept on evolving from there direct inspirations.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
I don't know it was.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
We were just listening to a lot of different stuff
as we do now. We're probably listening to more heavy
stuff back then than we do nowadays.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
I mean we're into all you know, all avenues and music.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
Yeah, it's a bit hard to pinpoint certain bands because
I would say it's an amalgamation of all our pretty
broad musical tastes we have. And yeah, it kind of
became its own entity.

Speaker 1 (07:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
I was never the kind of guy to write things with,
you know, direct inspirational references.

Speaker 1 (07:43):
I actually dislike that. I try to keep it as.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
As honest and pure as possible, you know, stemming from
a place that that which is wholly your own.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
Ye actually raise a good point there, because what you
do is fairly you know, like it's not copied off
any other bands.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
It's like your own style.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
But when you first came in, that would have been
easy to do. But over the years have gone by,
like coming up with newer stuff, that's you the whole
way through, Like Channe over Canny is now, like, does
that become more difficult?

Speaker 2 (08:15):
I think it becomes easier, But I mean it's becomes
difficult in the sense that you have to work harder
to you know, not backtrack on yourself.

Speaker 3 (08:28):
Yeah, because a lot of bands like they keep drawing
inspiration from other bands out there. But from what I've
heard of you guys, just don't you just keep begging
up from any here and there's only so much it
comes from here until you puce it out.

Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:42):
I also think it's important, I mean, each to their own,
but if you're true to yourself, then just let let
your inspiration take you wherever it does.

Speaker 4 (08:55):
You know.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
If that means that your style changes vastly over the
course of.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
Decade or more than so, be it, you know. I mean,
I'd rather take that path in adheres to some kind
of a code. You know.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
You guys have spoken a couple of times about this,
but you've got a new album coming out in twenty
twenty six, So what further can you tell us?

Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (09:20):
Yes, as I mentioned, we just finished the recording sessions
in Stockholm at a studio Cobra It went pretty well,
and we're now just finishing all the mixing and artworks
and then everything surrounding it as we're all doing that
on our own, so it's quite a big task ahead

(09:41):
of us still, but we're very excited about.

Speaker 1 (09:45):
How things start coming together. We're very happy with the material.

Speaker 3 (09:49):
Yeah, what is is it what fans would expect from Bolsa?
Are you going to throw a few curve balls in
there for them?

Speaker 2 (09:56):
No, I think it's just as we who have tapped
them before. It's definitely a growth. Yeah, it's very solid,
solid songs.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (10:11):
I don't think people, you know, I don't think current
fans would be disappointed whatsoever, and I'd say would probably
get a few new ones.

Speaker 1 (10:20):
Yeah, fantastic.

Speaker 3 (10:22):
All right, guys, Well, thanks very much for your time.
It's been a pleasure speaking with It will be out
here with Portal in August, so check out all your
socials to see where to find them. I'll be at
the prisonal today guy, so I'll come up and have
a beer.

Speaker 1 (10:35):
Cool man. Nice thanks for having us. Chris
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.