With roots firmly planted in the old-school death metal tradition and a career spanning over two decades, Sphere is back with Inferno , their fifth full-length offering. Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy , this new album promises to be a sonic journey through the nine circles of Hell—raw, relentless, and technically masterful. As one of Poland’s most respected death metal acts, Sphere continues to evolve while staying true to their aggressive sound and dark vision.
SPHERE – “Inferno” Interview
Hell made sound. Let’s descend.
1. Hi, What drew you to Dante’s Inferno as the backbone for this album? Was it a philosophical pull, a personal vision, or an inner scream begging to be unleashed?
Th0rn: Hi! Right after recording Blood Era, I sat down and started thinking about what the next album could be about. I was browsing various illustrations online, and at some point, I came across images depicting Dante’s Inferno — they were raw, dark, and simply intriguing.
After a brief conversation with our vocalist, we agreed that it was a solid concept and decided to go in that direction.
Actually, at this point, I already know what the next album will be about too — I’ve had some time to reflect on the theme :)
2. Would you say Inferno is a faithful retelling, a loose homage, or an intimate exorcism of your own demons?
Th0rn: Inferno is definitely a concept album — a prologue followed by the nine circles of hell. It’s a loose narrative told through Visni’s lyrics, not a strict retelling of what happens in the original literary work. That’s why we also encourage listeners to dive into the lyrics on the album — everyone will surely interpret them in their own unique way.
3. Was the album conceived from day one as a unified conceptual journey, or did the tracks come together more organically?
Th0rn: As I mentioned earlier, from the very beginning V wanted to write the lyrics in a way that would make this a true concept album. He received the songs well in advance of the studio sessions and, using the skeletal versions of each track, crafted the lyrics so that they would form a coherent story — the very narrative structure you see when you hold the album in your hands.
So, for example, the track order was determined by how V arranged the lyrics. In fact, the overall sequence of the songs depended entirely on him.
4. Each track channels one of Hell’s circles. How did you go about translating those abstract sins into concrete, visceral soundscapes?
Visnia: Each of Dante’s circles represents a different kind of moral failure, and we didn’t want to just name them. We wanted each track to feel like that sin. So we started by digging into the psychology and emotional tone behind each circle. What does betrayal feel like? What kind of weight does heresy carry? How does wrath distort everything around it?
We treated each track as a kind of descent. Not into just a physical place, but into a particular mindset. That meant focusing on mood, pacing, and atmosphere to mirror the inner reality of each sin. Some songs feel relentless and overwhelming, others are cold, oppressive, or disoriented. That was all intentional. It wasn’t about recreating Dante word for word, but using his structure as a launchpad to explore those same ideas in a way that hits on a gut level.
At the end of the day, the goal was simple: each track had to stand on its own, but also feel like part of a single, inevitable fall. A journey deeper into darkness, guilt, and consequence.
5. If you could invent a Tenth Circle of Hell, what would its sin be, and what would its soundtrack sound like?
Visnia: If we were to invent a Tenth Circle of Hell, it would definitely be Hypocrisy. Not just personal, but systemic. The sin of preaching virtue while rotting behind the mask. Of weaponizing morality for power. Politicians, false prophets, warmongers. All feeding on the weak... that’s where they’d end up.
The soundtrack? Pure chaos. No build-up, no warning, just immediate violence. Blast beats like collapsing structures, dissonant guitars that never resolve, relentless pressure with zero relief. It would be the most sonically unhinged part of the album. Picture as if the entire machine of Hell coming apart at once. Voices layered in contradiction, fury clashing with emptiness. No clarity, just fury feeding on itself.
6. How does Inferno represent an evolution from Blood Era: musically, thematically, or emotionally?
Th0rn: It felt natural for us to make Inferno a continuation of Blood Era — an expansion of its music and atmosphere. We wanted to preserve the spirit of that album, especially since it was so well received, so we thought we’d try to carry that vibe forward.
We also had some unused riffs lying around, so we incorporated a few of them, added new ones, and that’s how Inferno came to life :) Thematically, it’s still dark, brutal, and grim — just like before. And that’s something that probably won’t ever change!
7. Where do you think Inferno stands within Sphere’s overall discography? Is it a turning point or a deeper descent?
Th0rn: People often say that the latest album is always the band’s best material, and so on. In this case, I feel that Inferno stands on equal footing with Blood Era. It’s a continuation of that material… a development and expansion. Both albums are equally important to me, and just as much effort went into creating each one.
I’m far from favoring one over the other. Plus, it’s hard to really judge that from my perspective — as creators, we naturally lack a bit of distance. I think that’s the kind of question best answered by someone from the outside — a listener who can approach both albums objectively.
8. Visnia sounds more possessed than ever. Did you explore any new vocal techniques or mental approaches for this record?
Th0rn: No, I think Visnia’s vocals simply evolved. We also talked about how the vocals should sound on this album, and I believe that, to some extent, Visnia took some lessons from the previous record.
I do think the vocals sound better than on Blood Era, and it certainly helped that Visnia continues to develop his vocal technique and practices in his free time outside of rehearsals.
9. Thorn’s drumming feels even tighter and more vicious than before. Did his style shift significantly during the process?
Th0rn: As for my drumming, I don’t think I’ve changed much in the way I play compared to the previous albums. I adapt as I go, depending on the riffs and the songs I have to play, etc. Of course, new ideas and inspirations come along from time to time, but after 25 years of playing drums, I don’t think I’m going to radically change my playing style. It’s probably a bit too late for that now, haha.
That said, I always try to keep things fresh and varied, and do my best to fit the character of each new piece of material!
10. The mix cuts like a scalpel. What were you aiming to capture through your collaboration with Paweł “Janos” Grabowski?
Th0rn: Paweł is an excellent metal specialist. He has a great ear for what he’s working on and a strong sense for production. He’s always suggesting ways to make something better — or even easier — but with a stronger result. Inferno is already our second album with Paweł, and I don’t think it will be the last. We work really well together, and another bonus is that his studio is right here in our city, so we don’t have to travel across the country!
We always discuss the kind of sound we want to achieve, and then, based on the recorded material, Paweł tells us and shows us what’s possible. We always manage to reach a consensus, so as you can see, the collaboration works very well.
11. Why did you choose to record at JNS Studio? What did that environment bring out of you?
Th0rn: As I mentioned, we’ve known Paweł for many years — I know his work, his workflow, and I know him as a person. We’ve recorded two albums together so far, and I don’t think we’ll stop there :)
12. How did you work with Michał “Perversor” Kaczkowski to bring Inferno to life visually?
Th0rn: Perversor is another true master we’ve met along the way. His understanding of what we want to present is phenomenal. Inferno is actually the third album with Michał as the layout designer. While on Mindless Mass he didn’t yet show the full extent of his abilities, Blood Era and Inferno are absolute masterpieces in terms of artwork, concepts, and execution.
At the very start, I called Perversor, told him how I envisioned it, what the album would be about, and how I saw it visually. I sent him a few sample illustrations from Dante. The rest was all Michał — and it was spot on. He did an outstanding job! We’re super proud!
13. Alvern’s intros and samples add a cinematic, unsettling texture. What role did you want them to play in the descent?
Th0rn: Working with Alvern was something new for both us and him. We got in touch by chance and decided to give it a try. At first, we had some slight concerns about whether our message would come across clearly and whether Alvern’s style would fit the atmosphere of the songs. But it turned out great — I think we achieved everything we were aiming for.
As you said yourself… the samples create a certain sense of unease — and that’s exactly what we wanted!
14. How did the guest appearances from Sven de Caluwé (Aborted) and Dallas Toler-Wade (ex-Nile) come together?
Th0rn: Since it’s somewhat of a tradition for us to feature various guests on our albums — last time it was Dave Suzuki & Damien Boynton (both ex-Vital Remains) — this time we had Sven and Dallas, and I also can’t forget our friend Bunos (ex-Vedonist), who recorded the solo for IRA.
As for Sven, the credit goes to my wife Sylwia, who also happens to be our tour manager. It was her idea and essentially her arrangement — she spoke to Sven since they know each other quite well. Later, I talked to him myself during a Coffin Feeder show in Warsaw, and we had the matter settled.
With Dallas, things were a bit more complicated, though I didn’t have to persuade him for long either. In the end, everything went smoothly, and the results can be heard on the album!
15. How did you integrate the guest solos from Jarek “Bunos” and Dallas without compromising Sphere’s sonic identity?
Th0rn: Absolutely. The guys naturally have completely different playing styles, but in the end, their tone, their touch, and what they achieved while recording their parts fit perfectly within the style and sound of Sphere. It turned out really solid and cool! Both solos are quite complex, but they don’t stray stylistically from what we wanted to achieve — fast, melodic, and atmospheric.
16. Did the addition of new members significantly affect your writing process or the band’s musical direction?
Th0rn: In fact, the only new member of the band is Machete. Dominico joined us during the recording of the album — actually toward the very end of the sessions. He was given a tough task: to come up with solos for all the tracks except the ones featuring guest musicians, and he had only two weeks to do it.
Then, within about a week and a half, he had to record them all and deliver the tracks to the studio, because Janos was already waiting to start mixing and mastering. So you could say it was a jump into the deep end — but it worked out, and we’re happy and satisfied. I think Dominico is also pleased that he managed to handle what was by no means an easy challenge.
17. Working with international musicians can be a logistical nightmare. How did you keep the momentum alive through it all?
Th0rn: You mean the guest musicians on the album, right? There really wasn’t any problem there. We set a deadline, prepared demo versions of the tracks with click tracks for the guests well in advance, and sent them over so they could record their parts.
As long as they stuck to the deadlines — and they did :) — we received everything on time, with no delays at all.
18. This new material is darker, heavier, and more tortured. How has the crowd reacted to it live?
Th0rn: So far, we’ve only had the chance to present a set made up of the new material at two summer festivals — Nice to Eat You Fest in the Czech Republic and Mystic Fest in Poland. At the end of August, we’ll play it again at Gothoom Fest in Slovakia.
In mid-September, we’ll kick off the Polish leg of the Inferno Tour — 10 shows across the country. Only then will I really be able to say more about it. Because, as we all know, festivals play by their own rules!
19. Which deadly sin best reflects the world we live in today, and how did you reflect that musically?
Th0rn: I think it’s greed. If you take a good look around, you’ll notice that every war is based on it. No one attacks anyone “just because” — it’s always out of greed for the other side’s resources. It’s the same in everyday life: robberies, rapes, murders… everything revolves around that.
A large part of today’s population already deserves extermination for that reason alone. In general, we’re making a whip for our own backs — and in the meantime, Mother Nature will eventually come to reclaim what’s hers, and then darkness will fall.
All of our material is about this crap that surrounds us every single day.
20. Now that Inferno has been unleashed, do you see yourselves diving deeper into albums rooted in literature or mythology?
Th0rn: I can’t reveal what the next album will be about, but of course, I already know the concept. Keep an eye out for updates — it’s going to be just as dark and atmospheric as before. The theme will be interesting both lyrically and from a storytelling perspective.
21. "A final thought to close?"
Th0rn: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to appear in your zine. Thanks for your time, and we invite you to both our concerts and our social media!
You can find everything right here: https://linktr.ee/damnedsphere — Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp with our music and merch, and more!
Many thanks!
Th0rn
With Inferno, Sphere doesn’t just revisit Dante, they carve their own hell into the flesh of modern death metal. A scorching, dense album where every note feels like a cry from the damned. Whether you're into sonic torment, blackened art, or introspective hellscapes, this record is yours. Long live Sphere, and may they keep torching stages and eardrums alike.
A big thank you to the members of Sphere for their availability, professionalism, and passion. Also, thanks to all readers and metal fans who support bands like Sphere, pushing the boundaries of extreme music. Get ready to experience hell… in music.
Links:
https://damnedsphere.bandcamp.com/album/inferno
Merch: www.damnedsphere.bandcamp.com
Merch (only Poland): https://www.olx.pl/oferty/uzytkownik/HlHw/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/damnedsphere
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