UNCHOSEN ONES: between northern melancholy, the music industry and the universe of Shrek
Hailing from Galicia, with the northern wind as an ally and heavy metal as their language, Unchosen Ones have been building an identity of their own — one that avoids clichés and allows space for both epic grandeur and absurd humor. Their evolution from Kill The Night to Divine Power Flowing is evident not only in their sound, but also in their attitude: more aware, calmer, and paradoxically sharper.
In this interview, the band speaks without filters about emotional colors, internal collapses, unexpected influences, the music industry as their main enemy, and why their biography resembles Shrek more than any dark fantasy universe. Unchosen Ones present themselves exactly as they are: honest, ironic, and deeply committed to making the music they truly want to make.
From the EP Kill The Night to Divine Power Flowing, your sound has clearly evolved. If each stage were an emotional landscape, what inner space — mood, feeling, or even color — represents the transition between one record and the next?
On the first album we used red because, well, we were just starting out and we radiated vitality, drive and passion. Feelings that didn’t take long to deflate hahaha, and for this one we chose blue as a symbol of confidence and calm, since we are fully convinced and proud that we have done a great job.
Your lyrics feature inner struggles, but filtered through universes like Castlevania, Bloodborne or Hokuto no Ken. If you could rewrite the story of one of these worlds using your own biography as a foundation, which would you choose and why?
None. Our biography resembles the universe of Shrek much more hahaha.
‘Divine Power Flowing’ is inspired by Fist of the North Star. For you, what does that “divine power” really mean: something mystical, something human… or something built through discipline and failure?
Divine power is acquired through a process of self-convincing that what you do has to please you, and by setting aside any kind of external influence. It’s a hard process haha, but it has its reward.
In Sorrow Turns to Dust, influences from the ’80s, ’90s and contemporary metal coexist. If you could travel to a specific era in metal history to introduce your sound there, which decade would you choose and what would you change about that time?
I think that, although our sound gives off certain ’80s sensations, we probably belong more to the late ’90s, early 2000s in terms of style and dynamics. Even so, it would be great to travel to the ’80s. And no, we wouldn’t change ANYTHING. They would change us.
Spain — and especially Galicia — has a very particular identity. What cultural, emotional or even historical traits do you think unconsciously filter into your heavy metal and differentiate you from scenes like the German or Scandinavian ones?
We are actually more influenced by the Scandinavian or German scene than other bands from Galicia hahaha. But yes, the northern wind has a big influence on the melancholy and character of our music and lyrics, making them darker than what you would usually find in other parts of Spain.
Many of your songs deal with overcoming obstacles. If you had to describe the trajectory of Unchosen Ones as a fight — real or symbolic — who or what would be the main opponent?
The music industry.
During the recording of your albums, what was that unexpected moment — technical, emotional or even absurd — that never appears in interviews, but had a decisive impact on the final result?
One of the decisive moments for the band was when, at a time when the band was on the verge of collapse (before recording Sorrow Turns To Dust), we contacted Koldo Rivas, a friend of the band, to record the album and give it shape. From that moment on, everything went smoothly. And yes, there were technical, emotional and above all absurd moments hahaha.
When you compose, what weighs more: capturing the pure emotion of the moment or creating something that lasts over time? Have you ever consciously had to sacrifice one of those two things?
What weighs the most when we compose is filtering through the 300 demos that Fran (guitar) sends us, and yes, at some point we’ve thought about sacrificing him like a pig, but we love him too much to actually do it.
Let’s be honest: every band has its quirks. Who is the member who always arrives late, who is the extreme perfectionist, and who pretends to know music theory until someone asks one question too many?
Fran (guitar) always arrives late, more than perfectionists we are a bunch of hacks, and when it comes to technical, musical and cosmic theory we have Christian (keyboards) as a human encyclopedia. The rest of us are a bunch of yokels. Except Coco (bass), we adore Coco.
Metal is also built through the relationship with the audience. Do you remember any encounter with fans — strange, emotional or almost surreal — that changed your perception of why you make music?
Not that I can remember, I think that is a huge blank canvas still to be painted in our career.
If your songs could talk to each other, what kind of conversation or conflict would arise between the tracks from Sorrow Turns to Dust and those from Divine Power Flowing? What would they argue about?
About how idiotic the guys who perform them are.
The music industry is constantly changing: formats, algorithms, listening habits. If you had to write a track exclusively for listeners in the year 2035, what would it sound like and which values would you refuse to give up?
If we’re still alive by 2035, I guess we would write something Synthwave-style. Surely in 10 years it will become mainstream along with Shoegaze and Chiptunes!
Imagine you design a small ritual for someone listening to Unchosen Ones for the first time. What three symbols, sounds or words would you include so that the ritual stays with the listener for a long time?
Buy-our-record.
Interview by Andrey Lukovnikov
