Crowen Discusses Debut Album in the Works and the Plans Ahead!

Melodic death metal band CROWEN have released an array of singles and EP release but have yet to release a full-length album. The band discusses that debut album, themselves, and the plans ahead.

1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.

The band was formed in 2019, basically because I needed an outlet for my music. I had a lot of riffs and ideas coming all the time, and I wanted to get them out there, so I decided to start a project called Crowen. Sami Sandberg is our lead guitarist and joined last year. Sami and I used to play together in Rain Of Acid, so he was already a familiar guy and a natural choice. On “I Live On Darkness And Sorrow”, Tuomas Saukkonen (Wolfheart, Before The Dawn) played drums as a session musician.

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?

Crowen comes from combining the words “crow” and “raven”. I just felt there was something mysterious about it.

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

We live in different parts of Finland. I’m based in the Helsinki area and Sami lives in Ostrobothnia. The music is created here where I live, and I send demos to Sami. He then develops his own leads and solos, and that’s basically how we work. The recording is done in my own studio.

The music scene is alive and doing well here. There are a lot of good new metal bands around. One of my favorites is the dark folk band Noiduin. They have a unique and dark style that I really like.

4. How would you describe your style?

I think the foundation of our music is melodic death metal. There are definitely elements of atmospheric metal and folk metal, and I think you’ll also hear some black metal influences on the upcoming album. I don’t want to put our music strictly into the melodic death metal box. If I get an idea to do something different, then I’ll do it. I don’t think music needs to be so restricted by genres, as long as what you’re doing feels genuine.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

In Arms (2020) Single

Exosus (2021) Single

Prophecy (2021) EP

Dark Forever (2024) Single

Where the Darkness Falls (2024) EP

Ember Wraith (2025) Single

The Unwritten End (2026) Single

Through the Dying Mist (2026) EP

I Live On Darkness And Sorrow (2026) Single

You can expect melancholy, sadness, darkness, heaviness and beauty from our music. There is also a strong emphasis on atmosphere and melody. Our older material is more straightforward melodic death metal.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

Right now, we’re working on our first full-length album. The album will be a journey deeper into darkness, melancholy and sorrow, but there will still be beauty in the middle of all that. It’s built in a way that starts off with more aggression and intensity, and then gradually becomes more atmospheric towards the end.

7. As far as shows and touring, what is on the agenda?

At the moment we’re still a studio band. We’re looking for a drummer, and once we find one, we can start rehearsing and eventually start thinking about playing live shows. I have to say, finding the right drummer has been pretty difficult, but I’m sure we’ll find one if we keep looking.

8. What else do you have planned for the rest of this year?

Once we have the demos for the upcoming album finished, we’ll start working on them properly in the studio and recording all the instrumental tracks for the album. At the same time, I’ll be writing the lyrics. When all the songs are finished, I want to record all the vocals around the same time. I could record some of them earlier, but I want to keep a certain connection between the songs, so I prefer to record the vocals roughly during the same period.

9. Where can we find you online, listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

Our official website is http://crowenofficial.net. You can find our social media links and other information there.

At the moment, the only shirts we have available are based on the “Dark Forever” single. You can find them here: https://www.unomas.fi/en/category/crowen.

10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

Most of all, I want the listener to be left with a feeling of melancholy, beauty and a certain sense of danger. I want the music to take you away from this world for a moment and into another, darker place. At the same time, I want you to really feel the aggression in the music. It’s not supposed to be only beautiful and melancholic.