A new Bulgarian black metal entity was brought to the attention of THE VOID via the renowned Bulgarian Metal Archive YouTube channel these days. Today, we dive deeper into the realms of VAGABOND—an atmospheric black metal duo featuring the musicians Simeon Redansky (instruments) and Georgi Karachev (vocals & mixing), emerging from the captivating shores of Burgas, Bulgaria. Both musicians are known for their work in other Bulgarian projects : Vela Pulsar, Cranioclast, Nephrostomy and Necrotizing Fasciitis.
True to its name, VAGABOND is an entity that leads you on a journey through diverse soundscapes, weaving a rich tapestry of skillfully layered riffs and ferocious vocals. Their debut EP, “Baptism in the Morning Darkness”, is now available via Bulgarian Metal Archive and will later be featured on Atmospheric Black Metal Albums (23.02). The band is contemplating a physical release of the EP and is also open to potential collaborations with labels, should there be a genuine interest in their artistry.
Learn more about the nature of VAGABOND and their debut by delving into our small conversation.
When reminiscing around the birth of the band, the multi-instrumentalist Simeon Redansky begins: “I’ve always wanted to see more extreme yet atmospheric black metal projects emerge on my local scene. My first project, Vela Puslar, wasn’t exactly what I was looking for—the recordings didn’t turn out the way I envisioned, and the project itself leaned more towards a melodic direction. Because of that, I decided to start fresh and bring to life the vision I had from the beginning.”
The musician continues, “Beyond its genre, Vagabond also stands out through the emotion it conveys (as I mentioned earlier). We strive to explore as many different forms of expression as possible. That’s why we’ll soon be releasing our debut death-doom EP, Sisyphus Weeps.”
Redansky also shared deeper insights into “Baptism in the Morning Darkness” and its
significance.
“The title isn’t meant to be taken literally—it’s more of a
metaphor for moments of transition, where one must inevitably face
the unknown. The morning darkness represents the threshold between
the uncertain and a new beginning, both for the day and the
individual.”, says the musician. “The
lyrics were written by both of us, weaving together imagery from
nature, dreams, and the symbolism of transition—between day and
night… They are inspired by personal struggles and
introspection.”
Then, diving into the recording process and the composing part of the debut, he continues, “We’ve both recorded in home studios, and the recording process has always gone smoothly. That’s precisely why we have so many collaborative musical projects together. We wanted a sound that blends the raw energy of the genre with the deep atmosphere of the project, striving for a balance between dynamism and space. The most exciting moment in the process was when the individual elements of the release began to take on a life of their own, seamlessly intertwining and complementing each other.”
Is
there a particular track that stands out to you more than the
others?
“Without a doubt, the first track is more
special than the others. It stands out significantly and offers a
completely different feel compared to the subsequent raw and brutal
songs that follow in the release.”
Could you tell us more about the album cover artwork of
“Baptism in the Morning
Darkness”?
“The cover art is a visual
reflection of the music—mysterious, aggressive, yet imbued with a
sense of movement and storytelling. It depicts a ritual, though not
in a literal sense, but rather as a symbol of transition from one
state to another. Created by Louis Walden Hawkins, the concept was
to evoke a dreamlike image—one that lingers in the mind without
ever fully revealing itself.”
Speaking about the future, VAGABOND reveal: “With ‘Baptism in the Morning Darkness’, we aimed to establish the foundation of our musical identity—conveying a sense of journey, searching, and transition. This is our debut, but it’s more than just a collection of songs; it’s an entry into a larger world that we’re still in the process of building. In the future, we want to further develop this atmosphere, experiment with sound, all while staying true to our authenticity. ‘Baptism in the Morning Darkness’ was just the first step, and now we can already feel what needs to be built upon. We have new ideas, some of which are starting to take shape. Inspiration comes not only from the music itself but from the process itself—the more we create, the clearer the direction ahead becomes.”
Listen to “Baptism in the Morning Darkness” below:
Easter Egg: It’s quite likely that in the near future, the band will release a collaborative split with the well-known Bulgarian underground powerhouse Смъртонос (Smyrtonos).
We’ll keep you updated for any further news about the band and its future releases. If you are a label and you are interested in VAGABOND, connect with the musicians via their Instagram account, or write to THE VOID or Bulgarian Metal Archive to receive contact details (not sharing their e-mail here just in order to protect them from Spam).
Special thanks to Bulgarian Metal Archive for sharing so many Bulgarian gems, for their help and dedication to developing the local scene!
Mother of THE VOID.
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The best