By Dig Dirkler
There’s a certain kind of heaviness that goes beyond distortion and down-tuned riffs—a weight that feels spiritual, cinematic, and unsettling. Bardo Thodol operate squarely in that realm. Drawing inspiration from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Italian horror cinema, and classic doom metal traditions, the band’s debut album Sumerian Tragedy feels less like a collection of songs and more like a ritual unfolding.
With members hailing from respected underground acts like Hands of Orlac, Void Moon, Assassin’s Blade, and Iron Void, Bardo Thodol bring together decades of experience while still sounding uniquely otherworldly. We spoke with guitarist Peter about songwriting, atmosphere, long-form storytelling, and which track belongs in a cursed Italian tomb.
Bardo Thodol draws from the Tibetan “Book of the Dead” as well as Italian horror and Swedish doom—how do these spiritual and cinematic influences shape your songwriting and overall atmosphere?
Peter:
The songwriting and atmosphere come partly just from the way we create music. I think most of my musical output has a sombre and somewhat off-beat tone. But there’s also a deliberate effort to create something obscure yet still listenable. Some riffs or notes are changed to create that off-beat feeling, while others are adjusted to form more regular passages. I think we found a good balance—something that feels different and therefore more interesting.
With members coming from bands like Hands of Orlac, Void Moon, Assassin’s Blade, and Iron Void, how did your different musical backgrounds collide or complement each other?
Peter:
I think we complete each other very well. The guitars and keyboards aren’t overly complicated, and Scott did an awesome job on the drums—adding lots of details while still keeping the drive. Ginevra has an amazing voice that really sets the atmosphere. She also has a great range, especially noticeable in the harmony vocals, which we maybe didn’t use enough this time—but hopefully more on the next album.
“Sumerian Tragedy” feels cohesive despite being selected from 13 recorded songs. How did you decide on the final tracklist?
Peter:
We chose the 10 songs we felt were the strongest and that complemented each other best. There’s no reason to include two similar songs if one clearly works better. We also wanted to keep the album length between 40 and 45 minutes—more like a traditional LP.
Several tracks, like “Book of the Dead” and “Sumerian Tragedy,” are longer and more expansive. How do you approach pacing and storytelling in these compositions?
Peter:
Those songs were built to follow the lyrics and the stories. “Book of the Dead” is loosely based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead, with each verse representing a different chapter. Both songs have a grand, epic narrative, and the music needed to match that scale. Even with longer songs, it’s important to include different passages and textures so they don’t become repetitive.
Your sound balances heavy riffs with ominous keyboards and intricate drumming. How important is atmosphere compared to raw heaviness?
Peter:
We’re still a basic heavy metal band, so raw heaviness is probably more important. But if we lose the atmosphere, then we lose our sound entirely.
Can you talk about the gear or setups used to achieve that thick doom tone and haunting keyboard textures?
Peter:
The guitar tone is a setup I developed in Void Moon, and I use it for most recordings. There are three guitars—two playing similar parts panned left and right, and a third in the middle adding embellishments. The keyboards are a mix of three different sounds, used slightly differently depending on the song.
Can you talk about the gear or setups used to achieve that thick doom tone and haunting keyboard textures?
Peter:
The guitar tone is a setup I developed in Void Moon, and I use it for most recordings. There are three guitars—two playing similar parts panned left and right, and a third in the middle adding embellishments. The keyboards are a mix of three different sounds, used slightly differently depending on the song.
If Bardo Thodol were asked to provide the soundtrack for an ancient cursed tomb being opened in a low-budget Italian horror film, which song from “Sumerian Tragedy” would you insist they use—and why?
I think I would say “Field of Blood”, since it has the most horror movie feel. You can almost see the tomb being opened during the middle section where the keyboard is playing and the guitars are played with palm muting.
Sumerian Tragedy isn’t just an album—it’s an atmosphere, a slow descent through ancient texts, forgotten rituals, and shadow-soaked doom. By balancing raw heaviness with careful composition and cinematic detail, Bardo Thodol prove that metal can still feel dangerous, mysterious, and deeply immersive.
If this is the sound of the tomb door opening, consider us ready for what emerges next.
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Categories: Bardo Thodol, Interviews, Music
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