Interview: Henere
Image: Henry (from ‘The Chosen Path’)
I can’t stop bumping some of the blistering and boisterous melodic black metal crafted by New Jersey’s Henere at the gym lately. The artist’s exploration of the power and mythic nature behind frigid snowstorms and icy passages sits well alongside other stronger-every-set music like Frozen Soul and Sepultura. Namely, I keep spinning Henere’s latest release The Chosen Path. You can check out our review for it here, but we also got to chat with the mastermind behind Henere, Wretch, to get a deeper understanding of Henere’s music and artistic vision.
Thank you so much for being willing to do this interview! I’m excited to discuss your music with you. You are based out of New Jersey, right? Do you find that influences your music in any way? What’s the connection there with Henere’s themes of icy storms and deadly blizzards?
Yes, I am based in New Jersey. I have always been fascinated with nature, especially winter, the way it strips everything down to silence and survival. The cold, the isolation, the stillness, all of that connects deeply to how I have seen the world through different parts of my life. Those experiences, the moments of struggle and reflection, shapes how we create and what we write.
For me, darkness and death are not separate from beauty. They coexist. The most desolate places can hold the most truth. That atmosphere is what we try to capture with Henere, the calm within the storm, the beauty within decay.
Is there a good scene in New Jersey for black metal? What are some artists, black metal or not, that have influenced your music?
Yes, I would say the scene in New Jersey is waking up again. It has always carried a certain darkness, and back in the day, bands like Krieg, Abazagorath, and others were true catalysts for what became the underground here. They embodied that early USBM spirit when it was still taking shape.
Today, there are musicians and fans finding that same energy again. It is not a massive scene, but it is genuine and growing. People like Pedro from Eternal Blasphemy Productions have been keeping the shows going, giving bands a place to perform and connect. That dedication keeps the flame burning.
I am also lucky to have brothers here who keep that spirit alive. Bands like Gersey Deofuls, Syn, and Open Grave continue to create with the same conviction and honesty. We support each other and share the same respect for this craft. That sense of unity is what makes the NJ scene strong.
As for influences, I am drawn to that raw, atmospheric side of black metal. It is never about perfection, but about emotion and truth. I listen to what carries weight and purpose, what moves me to create. That feeling is what shapes Henere.
Out of all the themes and topics to explore in black metal, why winter storms and ice?
Winter has always spoken to me. There is something pure and merciless about it. Storms and ice represent struggle, isolation, and the will to survive. These same elements have shaped me in life. The cold strips everything unnecessary away, it leaves only truth. For me, it is not just about weather or landscape, it is about reflection. Winter reveals what is hidden, and in that stillness, you find clarity. That balance between beauty and pain defines Henere. In the cold, everything feels honest.
'The Chosen Path’ by Henere
Your previous work seems to almost purely focus on the natural, material elements of winter storms, like Frozen Veil of the North. The Chosen Path seems to take it into more mythic and symbolic territory, though. What caused that shift for you? What went into that?
The change happened naturally over time. When we first began writing Eye of the Storm, it was all about the raw power of nature, the chaos, the destruction, the way the world can turn against itself. Those songs were focused on natural disasters, the forces that remind us how small we really are. There were hints of winter even then, in songs like Frozen Land and Darkness in the North, but the theme was more about nature’s fury than its silence.
Frozen Veil of the North became the bridge between those worlds. It carried the same cold atmosphere but began to feel more alive, more connected to human emotion. By the time we reached The Chosen Path, everything had settled into place. The sound felt natural, like it had grown from where we started. It reflects the strength we all need when things fall apart, the will to move forward no matter the storm. Bloodcolt and Lament brought their own energy and spirit into it, shaping the record into something honest and full of life. It became a reflection of resilience, not just mine, but ours.
That sense of endurance runs deep in Henere. It mirrors the old northern spirit — the idea of facing the cold head-on and finding meaning in survival itself. The Chosen Path carries that feeling
I found The Chosen Path to have an attitude of triumph and determination to it. It sorta motivates to brave the elements while also respecting them. Would you agree with that? How do you work to make sure your music embodies the terror and devastation of these forces of nature while also not making it purely cynical?
I would agree with that in a sense, but it was never something planned. When we write, it is all instinct, what feels true in the moment. The balance between devastation and melody, between beauty and terror, happens on its own. Nature itself has that same duality, it destroys, but it also creates.
I think that is why The Chosen Path feels like it carries strength. It is not about winning or overcoming, it is about enduring, standing in the middle of the storm and still moving forward. There is no cynicism in that, only honesty. The music reflects what is real, chaos, pain, and sometimes, the faint light that cuts through it.
Another thing I love about The Chosen Path is that it doesn’t play into a standard black metal template for what Henere does. It’s melodic at times. It’s groovy at times. It’s blistering at times. It’s restrained at times. What went into mixing and matching these different approaches? How deliberate was that?
That mix of sounds was never deliberate. It just happens naturally when you follow feelings instead of formulas. Some moments need melody, others demand chaos. We never sit down to calculate how something should sound. It is about honesty, whatever emotion needs to come through, we let it.
Henere has never been about chasing fame or fitting into what people expect black metal to sound like. We take chances because that is how the music stays alive. You can expect that from us going forward. If something feels right, we will follow it, no matter where it leads.
From the outset, there seems to be a Nordic history and mythology influence on The Chosen Path’s themes and songs. Are there other sources you pulled inspiration from, though? What might those be?
The Nordic influence is there in spirit, but not in a literal or mythological sense. What draws me in is the strength and endurance of those cultures, how they faced the elements and survived through them. That defiance against nature, yet deep respect for it, is something I connect with deeply.
Beyond that, most of the inspiration comes from life itself from isolation, reflection, and the will to continue when things fall apart. The cold landscapes and the mythology only serve as mirrors for human struggle. The Chosen Path is not about worshiping gods or legends, it is about finding meaning in survival and the beauty within the storm.
As people of faith at Blacforje, we really like to understand each artists’ worldviews and perspectives. Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? What sort of spiritual or philosophical worldview do you have?
I do not see myself as spiritual or religious. Whatever force moves through this world, I do not try to name it. I feel it in nature, in silence, in decay, where most refuse to look. Light and darkness walk together. I find meaning in that balance, in the void, in what others call nothing. That is where truth lives.
Perhaps the pun intended here: The Chosen Path seems to be setting Henere up on the right path. What’s in store for Henere’s future? What should we look out for?
I am grateful for the support behind The Chosen Path. Both Void Wanderer Productions and War Productions have done an incredible job spreading the record and giving it a real home. The response has been strong, and it pushes us to keep creating.
Bloodcolt and I have already started discussing new material, slowly shaping ideas for the next chapter of Henere. Nothing rushed, everything natural. Lament and I have also been talking about the possibility of bringing some of this to the stage if the right moment presents itself.
The path for Henere continues, steady and cold, wherever it leads.
Final question: how does Henere prefer to brave the winter whenever it arrives? Is it all staring into its blistering face to fight and brave the day? Or are there some hot coco and comfort movies involved?
There is no comfort in winter, only clarity. I prefer to face it head on, feel the cold, breathe the silence. That is when everything slows down and the noise of the world disappears.
Maybe there is a fire somewhere in the distance, but I would rather stand outside and watch the frost take shape. That is when the ideas come, when the music starts to form again. Winter has always been both punishment and inspiration. I would not want it any other way.
