Behind-the-Video: Unverkalt Discuss Their Monumental Clip for “Oath Ov Prometheus”

With each passing record, Unverkalt keep proving that they are anything but predictable. Each new piece of music offers something drastically different from the last release. Their new album is titled Héréditaire, due out February 27th. This will be their third studio album and first since signing with Season of Mist. Rotting Christ frontman Sakis Tolis, who is featured on the album track “I, The Deceit,” has spoken highly of Unverkalt, and it’s no secret why. Héréditaire is their heaviest and most heartfelt offering yet, a pulse-pounding new direction for the band. It features plenty of blast beats, post-metal atmosphere, and headbanging musings on the doom that lies ahead. Songs like “Oath Ov Prometheus” examine the moral collapse of society in a world drunk on power.

Unverkalt views every new album as an opportunity to experiment and do something drastically different than the last time. Héréditaire introduces extreme vocals for the first time from lead singer Dimitra Kalavrezou. The band reaches a whole new height of intensity, and Kalavrezou’s vocals have a lot to do with that. Their previous two albums were heavily inspired by French painting and European film noir. With Héréditaire, it looks back to mankind’s deepest and darkest origins. It would only be appropriate that heavy topics go along with such a heavy band.

Unverkalt joins us today for a Behind the Video interview to discuss the band’s drastic and primal new music video for “Oath Ov Prometheus.”

What’s the concept behind the video? Help us to understand the video’s concept in more detail and how it ties into the lyrics.

Themis Ioannou: “In the myth of Prometheus, fire was meant to be a catalyst for progress and enlightenment for humanity. With this single, we wanted to question what happens when knowledge turns into a weapon used for power, a world where humans do everything to stand above all else, even if that means destroying everything around them.

“We chose to shoot the video in the forest because we wanted nature to lead. It existed long before us, and for us, it felt important to place it at the center of everything. Throughout the video, we move between the figure in white and the figure in black, two states of the same being. The figure in white embodies purity, a blank canvas we are born with. As awareness grows, this purity begins to fracture. Confusion sets in, and emotional tension emerges. The figure in black reflects awareness shaped by pain and experience in a world intoxicated by corruption. It marks the birth of resistance, a presence ready to face this world without fear and stand against its decay.”

What was your favourite part of the creation of the video?

Ioannou: “One of the most meaningful parts of creating this video was the support we received from our friends in Eisenhüttenstadt. Without their help, many things wouldn’t have been possible. Their support gave us the freedom to experiment with different settings within the forest and to try out many ideas. The most special part of the process was simply sharing that day together, seeing everyone bring their own creativity into the shoot, surrounded by an isolated, rainy forest. Having each other truly matters to us. We always begin with an idea, but once we’re all together on location, that’s when the real magic starts and our vision comes to life.”

What are some of your favourite music videos? What about when you were growing up?

Ioannou: “I was deeply influenced by these videos, and they also helped me find my path as a graphic designer. Videos like ‘High Hopes’ by Pink Floyd, ‘Freak on a Leash’ by Korn, ‘Lullaby’ by The Cure, ‘Black Hole Sun’ by Soundgarden, ‘Stinkfist’ by Tool, ‘Closer’ by Nine Inch Nails, and ‘Come to Daddy’ by Aphex Twin left a strong and lasting imprint on me.”

Demetria Kalavrezou: “Some of the ones that stayed with me are ‘Breathe’ by The Prodigy, ‘Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us’ by Paradise Lost, ‘Dragula’ by Rob Zombie, ‘Human Behaviour’ by Björk, ‘Charlie Big Potato’ by Skunk Anansie, ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ by Nirvana, ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings’ by The Smashing Pumpkins, and ‘Schism’ by Tool.”

Christian Eggers: “When I first saw ‘Cloud Connected’ by In Flames, I was completely blown away. Not only is the song perfectly arranged, but the video crew did a fantastic job, too. Growing up, I was a huge MTV and VIVA kid – I watched everything.”

Eli Mavrychev: “Red Fang have made some of the most brilliant music videos out there – I’m a huge fan. They prove that you don’t need big budgets or fancy effects to create something fun, memorable, and engaging. Growing up, I mostly watched whatever rock and metal was on MTV in the ’90s. But when I first saw ‘I’m Broken’ by Pantera, it completely blew me away. The video itself isn’t flashy, but the riffs, the energy, the sheer force of it, that was a whole turning point for me.”

Joscha Hoyer: “My favourite music videos are ‘World Ablaze’ by Gaerea and ‘When a Demon Defiles a Witch’ by Whitechapel. Both provide a perfect synergy of music and video in their own specific way. The lyrics and video in Whitechapel’s song are a special reminder for me to keep track of mental illnesses in my environment. This is so important, and we must help each other in personal dark times.

“When I first watched the video of ‘Progenies of the Great Apocalypse’ by Dimmu Borgir, I was promptly hyped. It was the first time ever seeing spikes of boots, corpse paint and hearing gutturals. This song also sparked my love for orchestral metal in general. The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra did an outstanding job and paved the way for all the orchestral metal bands in my playlist.”

If you could get one guest to be in one of your videos, who would it be? Why?

Ioannou: “A huge inspiration for me has always been Paradise Lost. Nick Holmes is one of the very first names that comes to mind.”

Eggers: “Sleep Token’s Vessel would be something special.”

Kalavrezou: “The Cure has been one of the most influential bands of all time for me. If I had the chance, I would choose Robert Smith for his unique voice and style.”

Mavrychev: “Maybe Robert Englund to act in one of the videos? For me, this man is the embodiment of modern horror cinema; his charisma and presence are just endlessly inspiring. He’s one of those rare actors who can carry both menace and personality so effortlessly. I’m not even sure what shape he’s in these days (laughs), but having him on the set would be an absolute dream.”

Hoyer: “If I had the chance to get one guest to be in one of our videos, it’s Seth Siro Anton, vocalist of Septicflesh and an extremely talented graphics engineer. His voice, his art, and the music of Septicflesh in particular are a huge pool of inspiration for me since I discovered Septicflesh in the early 2000s. The dreamy but strong energy provided in the songs influenced me and my way of making music for two decades already. Having Seth Siro Anton in one of our videos would be a lifelong dream come true.”

How does the music for “Oath Ov Prometheus” inform the video in terms of visuals matching sound?

“The video was born directly from the music. The vocals carried strong folk elements, something almost ritualistic, which immediately led us to images of the forest. We were deeply influenced by the atmosphere of The Witch, both aesthetically and emotionally. Choosing to shoot the video during the day rather than at night was a conscious decision. The contrast was important to us. Daylight makes the darkness feel even more unsettling and uncomfortable, allowing the tension to exist in plain sight rather than hiding it in the shadows.”

Any mishaps on the set?

“The shoot was quite challenging because it kept raining on and off throughout the day. Moving through the forest and keeping our equipment safe wasn’t easy, but it’s a day we will never forget. It was so creative, intense, and full, one of the most beautiful moments we’ve shared together.”

What do you think was the most controversial music video?

“‘Happiness in Slavery’ by Nine Inch Nails is often brought up when discussing music videos that sparked strong public reactions and controversy. The video was banned upon release and received significant attention at the time.”

If you worked with a crew to make this latest video, who did it include, and how did you put together the team?

“The idea to shoot this video in the forest came quite naturally. While talking about locations, Christian suggested Eisenhüttenstadt, where he has close friends who have supported us for years. As soon as he mentioned it, we knew it was the right place. The nature there is beautiful, but even more important was the fact that we could create this video together with great people.

“We want to thank Markus Sander, our close friend, who has been supporting all of our videos by providing camera equipment. His help during this album meant a lot to us. A big thank you to Dirk Phillip Struck for being our second camera operator and to Heiko Kaminsky for documenting the day with backstage photography.

“We also want to thank Dirk Woßler and Frank von Mersewsky for their help on set and with location coordination, Hariolf ‘Harri’ Lemke from ZIP SOUND for the lighting, and RockHuette Eisenhüttenstadt for supporting the entire production. We spent the whole day together in the rain, and despite the difficult conditions, it turned into a very special experience. None of this would have been possible without these people, and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.”