The Rise And Fall Of The Classical World

Xiphos are a three-piece project that creates an atmospheric and epic mix of martial industrial and neo-classical music, focusing on the tales and legends of Ancient Greece. Formed in the year 2022, it brings together three key/ important figures from the genre, Miklós Hoffer (HERR/Donderdag), Troy Southgate ( HERR/Seelenlicht), and Simon Shelmerdine (Dark Awake, Schatten Muse). To date, the band have released two albums- 2023's The Rise And Fall of Athens, and this year's The Age Of Alexander. All three of the band members kindly accepted our invitation for an email interview

M[m]: Please talk a little bit about how Xiphos formed. How did you go about selecting the name? What does it mean, and did you have any alternatives?

Troy: Miklos and I had already been very active with the Anglo-Dutch project, HERR, but once things began slowing down on that front, we started discussing the possibility of providing lyrics and vocals for something new. Naturally, this would also deal with various historical themes and the fact that we both have a strong interest in the Classical world soon led us to the tales and legends of Ancient Greece. I believe it was I who first came up with the name 'Xiphos,' but I don't think there were any other suggestions. Many of our songs include references to military conflict, so it seemed natural to choose a weapon of some kind, and the word refers to a one-handed, double-edged short sword used by the Ancient Greeks themselves.

Shelmerdine: Yes, the classical weapon was a double-edged sword with a blade 50–60 centimetres long, while the Spartans used shorter ones around 30 centimetres long during the Persian Wars. The gladius of the Romans evolved from the sword.

Troy: The music in HERR is mainly composed by Michiel Spapé, so Miklos and I were eager to find someone else who might be able to add a similar level of musical craftsmanship to Xiphos. That was when we began collaborating with the Italian musician, Matteo Brusa, who was already known for his excellent work on the projects Medhelan, La Tredicesima Luna and Krios. After completing our first album, The Rise and Fall of Athens (2022), Matteo decided to focus more on his work with the medievalist Italian band Murmur Mori Ensemble, so Miklos and I suddenly found ourselves with a problem. At first, replacing someone like Matteo seemed impossible but we were very fortunate that Simon Shelmerdine agreed to join us. He had been extremely prolific over the years, particularly with Dark Awake and Schatten Muse, and it was Miklos who first recognised that Simon would be a perfect addition to Xiphos. I think our second album, The Age of Alexander (2025), proves beyond all doubt what a wonderful talent Simon is. The fact that he is Greek clearly helps, too!   

Shelmerdine: For me, the name Xiphos symbolizes a turning point in the history of Martial Industrial / Neoclassical music, making visible an epic lyrical world accessible through contemplation.

Miklós: from the outset, the name had to be classical Greek and it had to be martial. We found the name Xiphos quite rapidly once these parameters were set. It was also a pleasure to dive into the field of epic storytelling again.

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M[m]: When starting the project, what was your mission statement, and has this changed or evolved over the project’s existence?

Troy: There was no formal mission statement. Miklos and I are close (and old) friends, so we tend to have a very informal relationship, and that is helped by the fact that we have very similar tastes. I think we simply intended to do what we had always done, and that is to write and perform lyrics that not only bring to life the events of the past but also to inject a little humour and satire to proceedings. Not to diminish or parody the figures we sing about, but merely to convey the great irony that permeates many of the personalities and stories from the Greek period. We have a lot of fun doing it, too. 

Shelmerdine: As the musical composer for Xiphos my goal is to create unexpected sonic impact that resonates long after the listening is over. Repetitive motifs that develop into epic music and become anchored in memory. Music that recalls forgotten wild impulses. A heavy sound that becomes a redemptive exorcism of history. Then  the  spectral voices from Troy and Miklós seal the melodies in a glorifying way. And the obsessive lyrics give meaning to the sound by repeating eclectic variations of the eternal battle waged between light and darkness.

Miiklós: The project started with the idea of doing a song cycle with The Rise and Fall of Athens by Plutarch as a basis. The new sound is somewhat heavier and it is very cinematic. It has these unusual structures and sometimes I hear blocks of sound interwoven which creates a dynamic of it’s own. 

 

M[m]: What do you see as the key influences on Xiphos, be they sonically or lyrical?

Troy: For me personally, and in terms of the genre in which we tend to operate, I would say there are occasional (but not deliberate) similarities to projects such as The Protagonist, Puissance, Der Blutharsch, Rukkanor, Horologium, Von Thronstahl and Deutsch Nepal - even Laibach and Test Dept. In our quieter moments we may reflect the more Classical strains of Ozymandias (Christophe Terrettaz) or Dustin O'Halloran. I have also been greatly influenced by the work of Current 93 and David Tibet, whom I admire tremendously. Perhaps Xiphos also represents some kind of unholy marriage between HERR and Dark Awake!

Shelmerdine: My main influences come from Martial Industrial, Neoclassical, Neofolk,  Dark Ambient, Ethereal, Dark Wave, Noise, and Classical Music .

Miklós: In my vocal style, perhaps some echoes can be heard from Dead Can Dance, Dernière Volonté and indeed Test Dept. Lyrically, there are quite a bit of classical and contemporary influences. I read work from Pindar to Hesse for example.

 

M[m]: Can you discuss how the band writes songs?. Do each of you have a set role? And what comes first, the texts or the music?

Troy: Once we have decided on a theme, such as the history of Athens or Alexander the Great, we choose ten or eleven personalities that we would like to focus on and these are divided between Miklos and myself. We tend to alternate on the tracks, as well, which keeps the vocal style varied and interesting. Simon will compose the music first, however, and then particular pieces are applied to the historical figures in accordance with the mood they convey. Something bombastic might be considered suitable for a war scene, whilst a more melancholy track will fit better with a sad or tragic theme. 

Shelmerdine: I compose the music . Lyrics and vocal lines composed by  Troy and Miklos.

Miklós: This time around, I already had the lyrics for about a song and a half before getting the music, these were Pyrrhus and Eumenes. 

 

M[m]: Between your two albums, you’ve lost/replaced a member, with Brusa leaving to be replaced by Simon Shelmerdine. Are you able to talk about what happened, and how do you feel each has contributed to the band's sound?

Troy: We are not in regular touch with Matteo, simply because he wanted to create a bit of space for himself in order to work on the folk material, but everything was handled in a very friendly manner and we still admire what Matteo was able to achieve in such a short space of time. He will always be part of the Xiphos family, no doubt about it. 

Shelmerdine: Troy Southgate asked me to compose and play as a musician in the band XIPHOS. It was an honour, as I knew and appreciated the musical work of  Troy and Miklos, mainly from their work with their band HERR. The result, through a very friendly, pleasant and effective collaboration, was the creation of Xiphos' second album 'The Age Of Alexander', which was released by Gladivs Records in 2024.

Miklós: We like the results on both albums, and they do have a distinctive character of their while both sounding like Xiphos.

 

M[m]:  All of your work has a focus on ancient times - what is the attraction, and is this the ancient time/place you would have liked to have lived in?

Troy: I'm not sure I would like to live in Ancient Greece permanently, but I would certainly be open to making the occasional visit if someone would be kind enough to invent a time machine! Meeting Plato would be fascinating, I'm sure, although accompanying Theseus through the labyrinth or Jason in search of the Golden Fleece might provide some entertainment as well. Call me 'retro,' but I tend to have a penchant for Anglo-Saxon England.

Shelmerdine: We reveal in our own way antiquity, because Time is the moving image of Eternity.

Miklós: The ancient times still reverberate in a variety of ways with us today. In many fields of interest, we see pioneers in antiquity. Works of art, literature, philosophy and science still make a profound impression on us. 

 

M[m]: Have you started work on any new tracks yet, or got an idea of what you want the next album to focus on?

Troy:  We are already working on our third album, but would prefer to keep the theme of this project under our hats for the time being. Needless to say, it will involve another 'visit' to Ancient Greece.

Shelmerdine: A new album is on the way. Currently, we're working on new songs that we hope will soon manifest into audible form.

 

M[m]: Could you talk a little bit about the recording of each of your two albums? Were you in the same space to record them, or was it a matter of file sharing?

Shelmerdine: First, I compose the music and send the audio files to Troy and Miklós, who, in turn, compose and record the lyrics and vocals. When everything is recorded, I complete the mixing and mastering.

 

M[m]: Each of you, please select two of your favourite martial industrial albums, and discuss the reason for each of said choices?

Troy: Mine would be (a) 'A Rebours' by The Protagonist, simply for its overwhelming sense of triumphal power, and (b) 'Back in Control' by Puissance, for its uncompromising drama and impishness.  

Shelmerdine: (a) The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud - 'Amara Tanta Tyri' and (b) Les Joyaux De La Princesse - 'Aux Volontaires Croix De Sang',  both combine Spirit and Power.

Miklos: That probably would be 'Gododdin' by Test Dept/Brith Gof and 'Devant Le Miroir' by Dernière Volonté. The former is epic, theatrical and powerful in a most profound manner while the latter combines martial industrial with pop structures in a very organic and infectious way.  

 

M[m]: Any chance of the band ever playing live? And if you could, could you talk a little about how you’d want it to be?

Troy: The ideal, for me, would be to perform at the Parthenon, but more realistically, I think I would settle for a less ambitious setting on Athens' underground circuit. Given Simon's connections, I'm sure that remains a possibility. 

Shelmerdine: A Xiphos live performance will not be just a performance, it will be an authentic and original desire for apocalyptic epic music with power and spirit which breaks the hard core and liberates repressed patterns.

Miklós: I imagine an adequate visual dimension to our sound would do well on stage.

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M[m]: What is the modern martial industrial scene like? And do you have any favourite projects?

Troy: I don't tend to follow the scene very closely myself, not any more, but I do hope that Xiphos might encourage a few from the old school to brush off the cobwebs of time and make a return. It would be nice to see a few new faces as well.  

Shelmerdine: Unfortunately, there isn't a big and alive scene in the genre like there used to be… maybe a "Summer" at the end of the cycle, we will all return together, through the fire!

Miklós: It is good to see Arditi are still active.

 

M[m]:  I’ve heard mention that there is new HERR material due out/ already out. Could you please discuss this?

Troy: Yes, we have just self-released our vinyl album, 'Vondel's Lucifer: Second Movement', which is available through Steinklang. The album took many years to complete, and we are very pleased with the results.

Shelmerdine: The return of HERR and their new album is truly amazing. An explosive music of militaristic romanticism and poetic fantasy, which reveals the metaphysical relationship between things and ideas.

Miklós: Sonically, it has elements of both the first 'Vondel' album and 'XII Caesars'. The arrangements are a bit more layered and choral this time around. The record is being received quite well.

 

M[m]: Will there be a CD or digital release of 'Vondel's Lucifer: Second Movement' down the line?

Miklós: There are currently no concrete plans for a CD release. Should an interesting opportunity arise, we can certainly explore it. Recently, a digital version has been released.

M[m]: What has impacted you in the last year or so - be it music, sound, books, or art?

Troy: The books I have read and found interesting this year have included 'Plato of Athens: A Life in Philosophy' by Robin Waterfield, 'Maurice Nicoll: Forgotten Teacher of the Fourth Way' by Gary Lachman, 'The Last Crusade: The Epic Voyages of Vasco da Gama' by Nigel Cliff, 'The Magus' by John Fowles and 'The Conspiracy of Life: Meditations on Schelling and His Time' by Jason M. Wirth. I also write and publish books through Black Front Press. Musically, I listen to a lot of reggae and post punk music, but that means delving way back into the past rather than spending too much time in the present. The music I tend to play the most includes Desmond Dekker, King Tubby, The Specials, The Stranglers, Lebanon Hanover, The Sound and The Fall.

Shelmerdine: In the last few months, I've been watching a lot of documentary series with serial kilers.

Miklós: Recent reads I found inspiring and or impressive include 'Six Memos' by Italo Calvino, 'Wanderlust' by Hermann Hesse and 'The Master and Margarita' by Mikhail Bulgakov. Music: Coil, Philip Glass, Béla Bartok - I play these quite often.

 

M[m]: When do you hope to finish off/release the new Xiphos album?

Shelmerdine: We have already started composing new songs, so we hope that next year the new Xiphos album will be released.

Thanks to Simon, Miklós, and Troy for their time and effort with the interview.  The Age Of Alexander is available now on  Gladivs Records/ In Illo Tempore