Interview: Lowen
Most of my inspiration comes from viewing Iranian mythology and contemporary politics through the lens of someone born in exile from Iran.
Lowen have just brought out their mesmerising new album Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran on Church Road Records and Lay Bare Recordings and it is a perfectly hypnotic melding of Middle Eastern mysticism and riff heavy epic music that utterly captivates throughout. To celebrate the release of Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran, Gavin Brown caught up with Lowen vocalist Nina Saeidi to get an insight into the album, its lyrics, artwork and creation as well as discussing how the year has been for Lowen and what the future holds.
E&D: Your new album Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran has just been released. What has the reaction to it been like so far?
Nina: The reaction has been incredible! We were really blown away by how many people have enjoyed it. It’s been amazing.
E&D: What inspired the lyrics on the new album?
Nina: Most of my inspiration comes from viewing Iranian mythology and contemporary politics through the lens of someone born in exile from Iran. The central theme for the lyrical inspiration from this album is drawn from the Shahnameh, or the Persian Book of Kings as it is more often known in the west. This book contains many ancient myths combined with real figures from history and documents millennia of heroes, kings and warriors. One of the chapters of this book is titled “Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran” in the English translation. It was the perfect story to highlight the plight of Iran in the past 100 years, as well as the negative effects of greedy and powerful rulers running riot across the rest of the world. Songs like ‘Waging War Against God’ and ‘Corruption on Earth’ are direct translations of crimes that the IRGC have charged artists, poets, musicians, and people protesting the government before executing them. ‘May Your Ghost Drink Pure Water’ is an homage to a Babylonian grave protection spell married with the vivid sorrow I feel towards all the layers of rubble and trapped souls in the Middle East that lies on top of the many layers of cultural and architectural history that has been flattened by colonisation, destabilisation and war. On a more personal level it is also about the longing I feel for family members I never got to say goodbye to before they passed, or to even meet because of exile. ‘Ghazal For The Embrace of Fire’ is inspired by the immanence of death and Elamite war poetry from thousands of years ago.
E&D: Do you feel that this new album is a big step up from your debut album A Crypt In The Stars?
Nina: This feels like our second debut album in many ways. We have a much stronger lineup and have grown a lot as musicians since that first album. My initial vision of introducing more Middle Eastern elements wasn’t fully realised in the first record but I feel like this one really captured that and we will be running with it even further in future.
E&D: What were the biggest influences on the sound and vibe of Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran?
Nina: We don’t really draw on influences when we write, but indirectly probably a lot of 70s prog and old school death metal from my part alongside Iranian pop and folk. Shem is a huge Morbid Angel and Disembowelment fan. Both of us are very inspired by Akercocke as well.
E&D: How was the experience of working with cellist Arianna Mahsayeh on the album track ‘May Your Ghost Drink Pure Water’?
Nina: It was a wonderful experience. Arianna was a pleasure to work with and I had tears in my eyes when they were playing their part in the studio. It was just me and her sealed in a huge barn in the depths of winter while everyone else was huddled in the control room. I’ll never forget how moving and elegant her playing was.
E&D: Can you tell us about the The Demons Of Mazandaran and Div-e Sepid?
Nina: Mazandaran is a mythical realm populated by sorcerous djinn, beautiful women and powerful wizards. The Div e-Sepid was their ruler and he plays a principle role in the folly of King Kay Kavus when he tries to conquer Mazandaran despite all his advisors warning against it.
E&D: What inspired the brilliant video for ‘Waging War Against God’?
Nina: The idea sprang at me as a fully formed visual story almost immediately many years ago. There is a lot of symbolism and many layers to almost every scene and I don’t want to give away all of it. Pomegranates were likely used as the inspiration and basis for the original design of grenades. They are also a symbol of fertility and are filled with visceral seeds and blood red juice. They are used as a metaphor for the power and plight of women in this video and were my main inspiration from which all else flowed when creating it.
E&D: Can you tell us about the insane album art for the album?
Nina: The art is by the legendary oil painter Hervé Scott Flament. He is also a musician and plays in the punk band Ici Paris. The moment I saw his art in 2018 it felt like it fully embodied the fantastical and dark elements of our music and I have been an adoring fan of him as an artist and person ever since. We have used his art for all our album covers and we don’t even need to commission him because every piece he makes is already perfect.
E&D: How did Lowen start as a band?
Nina: We formed when Shem tapped me on the shoulder when I was in the front row of an Akercocke show to tell me he liked my hair. We started talking about music and I mentioned that I wanted to start a Middle Eastern doom metal band and that’s how it all began.
E&D: How have your recent live shows gone and how has the new material gone down live?
Nina: They have been great! It’s been wonderful to play the new music and celebrate with our long time friends who’ve been coming to shows for years, as well as new fans who are coming to enjoy the set for the first time.
E&D: How did your album release party with Witchsorrow and Congulus go and what were the highlights of the show?
Nina: The highlights were definitely having people sing along to the lyrics for the first time, as well as having our first mosh pits! That was amazing. It was also an honour to play with doom legends Witchsorrow and have the fantastic Congulus fly all the way from Turkey for the show.
E&D: Have you had any thoughts about playing the new album in full in a live setting?
Nina: Our first thought was that it would be a big undertaking. From a vocal standpoint it is very demanding and there are a lot of crazy time signatures and sudden transitions. We rehearsed a lot to make sure we could deliver and were very happy when we delivered it at the release show.
E&D: What are your touring plans for 2025?
Nina: We have a lot of shows to announce for 2025 but can’t give anything away just yet. I can tell you that we will be playing Uprising in Leicester, which is an amazing festival that always has killer lineups and the loveliest crew of people you could possibly meet.
E&D: What have been the greatest gigs that Lowen have played to date?
Nina: The album release show at the Black Heart was great, and every show we’ve played has been a real pleasure. The Green Lung tour was a dream earlier in the year so those would be up there.
E&D: Is playing the music of Lowen live a transcendent experience for you?
Nina: Absolutely. Performing live transports me to another place that is incomparable to any other experience I’ve had. Long before I joined a band I wondered what it was like to perform on stage and never expected to get to do it, so it’s something I’m very grateful for having experienced.
E&D: What have been the highlights of the year for Lowen?
Nina: The Green Lung tour and of course, our album release have been definite highlights.
E&D: What have been your favourite albums and gigs of 2024?
Nina: My album of the year is the new Blood Incantation record, I’ve really enjoyed the new Undeath, Dool, Hidden Mothers and Opeth records too. My favourite gigs would include the sets at Damnation and ArcTanGent, with French industrial hardcore band Fange being my favourite live discovery.
E&D: Have you she any thoughts about any potential new music at all?
Nina: We have already started writing it and are excited to see where it takes us.
