Exclusive Interview: Ouija talk “Selenophile Impia”!

Being out of the public eye for almost eight years and working away on new material in recent times, Huesca Aragon Spain based Black Metal act Ouija decided to dip their toes into the water and release a three track EP offering “Selenophile Impia“. Recorded at Nomad Studio, Lleida with Xavier Esterri they take influence from the glory days of the 90s Swedish scene and after reviewing the record we asked them how they mapped out their return…

It’s been eight years since 2013’s “Ave Voluptatis Carnis” so what made you decide to bring back a new line-up in 2020 to once again reap the whirlwind? “For different reasons unrelated to the musical field, we had to paralyze the band. Map our original guitar together with JM 101, they began to compose new songs again in the year 2020, I also coincide in all this that I returned to live in my hometown, where Map and JM 101 do they live, this was the main reason why we joined our forces again”

Your new EP “Selenophile Impia” feels like just the beginning of something darker and new; how have you found its reception to be with fans of the older material? “At the moment the reception by the old fans of the band is being very positive, it is true that the band has had a progression with the passage of time, but they feel that OUIJA continues to maintain the same identity of yesteryear”

How did you go about recruiting bassist Shogoth (Estertor, Onirophagus, ex-Icosis), drummer Labelua (Apostles of Perversion, ex-Occultum Lapidem, ex-Atrexial) and second guitarist JM 101 (ex-Hathor) for the band to begin again? Was there anyone you wanted to get onboard who wasn’t able to participate? How have you found working with such seasoned musicians? “First of all, starting with our guitar JM 10, he came to live in our area of residence, we met him and saw all his great potential and invited him to join the band, a great success because he is a great musician with a inmense talent. He has brought new blood to the band with his compositions and is the perfect fusion with Map guitar founder of OUIJA like me. 

In this new stage we wanted to have old members of the band but for different personal reasons it was impossible for them to join this new project. Then we contact with Shogoth and Labelua who have been friends of us for many years and accepted our invitation to be part of OUIJA, working with them has been very easy since they are great musician and excellent people, this cause always facilitates everything”

As it has been so long between releases did you have a desire to focus on the quality and getting everything right rather than rushing to get something out this time around? “Yes, it really has been a long time between the two releases, that’s obvious. But for this reason we wanted to release stuff of quality, we always try it, as it is logical, to do things as well as possible, I am talking both about the composition of the songs and about their recording, the truth is that we have been satisfied with the final result but everything can be improved , for the next release we know what we need to improve and we will”

What does the future hold for Ouija? Are you itching to perform live again? “We now only think of composing new songs to release a full album next year, that’s our goal right now. Speaking about the subject to perform live again, until next year we will not give concerts, we are not in a hurry and even more in this chaotic time for the entertainment sector, that moment will come for us”

“Selenophile Impia” By Oujia is out now and available over at bandcamp.