I first came across the incredible solo project Nightmare Effigy when the Decimation of the Spirit split with Marrow of Man was released, and it immediately grabbed my attention. With a sound that blends outstanding riffs, beautiful melodies, and immersive textures, Nightmare Effigy has steadily built a unique identity within the extreme metal scene. Beyond the music, the project boasts a fully realized visual aesthetic — from striking corpse paint visuals to the elite designed album artwork. In this interview, I dive into the creative process, influences, visual identity, and upcoming releases of Nightmare Effigy.

How did Nightmare Effigy begin, and what inspired both the creation of the project and the choice of its name?

I personally don't like getting into my personal life a whole lot, but I will answer some of this. I have been playing guitar for a decade, bass for a little bit and dabbled in drums though none of my actual drum playing is on a record(I know, for the purists out there it's not kvlt of me). I first got into the scene in middle school listening to local Oregon bands like Yob, Agalloch, etc. I started listening to leviathan when I was 15 years old and have been deep into black metal, doom metal and death metal ever since.

You recently released a track from your upcoming album Hymns of Misery, titled Emptiness. I really enjoyed how it turned out, especially the deep-sounding chord progressions throughout. Could you walk us through the process of writing and recording this song in particular, and explain why you chose it as the first teaser track for the album?

I wrote this album, and the split directly after it, during a severe mental health episode that lended me some intense creative inspiration. This song started with a simple riff and I kept adding to it as I went along. The whole song is written around despair during my third and last OD a year prior in 2023 and the thoughts that came during that experience. I chose it as the first teaser because I felt like it captures a lot of the mood of this record and the ferocity and misery of the whole album.

Decimation of the Spirit,” your split with Marrow of Man, is a release I hold in very high regard — as you know from my review. I’ve been a massive fan of Marrow of Man for a while, and this split was actually my introduction to your music. I’d love to know how this partnership came about — do you two know each other personally, and how did you go about coordinating the artistic side of the release?

Thank you so much. Sahand and I started talking after we both worked with Rotting Reign. We both enjoyed each other's music. I had been listening to his work before his project was called Marrow of Man. After talking a little bit around music and political beliefs we realized we had a bit in common and decided to work together on Decimation of the Spirit. I wouldn't say we are super close, but I would definitely call him a friend and someone I trust in the scene. He was incredibly easy to work with and we both agreed on the imagery without any arguments. Incredible person, incredible musician.

How have you evolved since your earliest releases and what would you say is different now compared to when you started?

My demos were very crude, I had very little equipment and it had been a while since I recorded anything at all. I would say over the course of the first year of working on my music I learned more about how to get the sounds I actually want out of my songs. I'd say the guitar work is more thought out and the writing is a lot better, personally. I still have fondness for the demos, but they definitely were that, demos.

I really admire the effort you’ve put into creating a visually striking aesthetic for your Nightmare Effigy persona — the corpse paint, clothing, and sword all look incredible, and they tie in perfectly with the artwork and overall presentation of your music. Can you tell us how these visuals influence or connect to your music, and whether you aim to keep the theme grounded in a “real” look rather than something more abstract or symbolic?

Thank you! The visuals are based on a mixture of trying to have some level of inhuman look and the Elric series by Michael Moorcock. In general I feel like it all ties into expressing feelings of absolute despair. Rotting Reign completely understands my goal and we work very closely on that. I will keep it grounded and will not stray from that as I think the art and music should really match each other and what I am trying to express.

On the topic of visuals and artwork — the Decimation of the Spirit split featured incredible cover art from the amazing Rotting Reign. I noticed your Instagram post with him, and also saw that your recent track featured more of his work. Can you tell us about your experience collaborating with him and how his art connects with your vision for Nightmare Effigy?

He is a fantastic artist, and again, his art really matches with what I am trying to express. He has collaborated with me since I fully started this project and I don't see that changing. He has been super easy to work with and is someone I fully trust

When writing a track, do you start with a riff, drums, atmosphere, or concept? Please walk us through your typical process that get’s it rolling.

I start with a single riff usually that I write when I don't have enough time to fully write a song. When I sit down to write I usually have the riff ready and start writing drums. The rest of the song is typically improvised over the course of 4-8 hours where I am impossible to reach. Sometimes I start with two riffs, but for the most part it's one riff and the rest is improvised and written and recorded on the spot. If a song is hard to write and I struggle to make it work, I usually move on to a different one.

When creating your albums or tracks, do you approach them with an overall concept or narrative in mind, with each track carrying its own meaning, or do you let the music itself take the lead and shape the story naturally?

It depends. I usually don't have a narrative in mind and it all just comes to me as I go along. I am not really a person who plans out what I do musically. It's all written during a period of time and usually follows a theme of that time and is not pre-planned that way.

After all the effort you’ve put into this new album, do you plan to take a short break from music, or are you already looking ahead? What’s next for Nightmare Effigy?

I write when I need to write. Any breaks are done when it's not the right time for me to do so. I already have more music in the works and you'll see it next year when it's time.