Danish psychedelic doom rockers Bogwife are set to release their third album, From Ashes, on November 7 via Majestic Mountain Records. The record arrives after a significant lineup change and a deliberate shift in focus, delivering a message of hope and renewed energy in an otherwise bleak world. The writing and recording process for From Ashes marked a distinct period for Bogwife, beginning with the departure of a founding member and the introduction of a new guitarist.
“Writing this record was new and special to us because during the writing process, (our former guitar player … decided to focus on other parts of his life,” drummer Jonathan Rosendal Iversen shares. “We tried playing as a trio for a while, and then we found out that being a four-piece fits the music better, and we like that more. And then Michael joined.”
The shift in personnel led to a refreshed creative energy, with the band intentionally circling back to the spirit of their debut album. “We were getting to know each other, playing as a new lineup, and with all the excitement that brings, it was a lot of fun,” Jonathan Iverson says. “We tried to go back to what we did on our first record, where we weren’t overthinking it as much … We tried to go back to that a little bit. And it was awesome.” This rejuvenated approach also translated to the recording process, which was kept raw and collaborative. “We recorded (the album) semi-live, without click and without layering on the bass track, so it was all of us in the studio at once, which was also more fun than layering tracking one by one.”
While much of the heavy music being released today reflects a bleak, despairing worldview, Bogwife chose to focus on a message of hope—a theme directly inspired by their own experience.
“It’s been a process to kind of lose a band member,” guitarist and vocalist Mikkel Munk Iversen adds. “It’s been a huge loss, (and we were) thinking that we couldn’t continue playing the way we did.” This personal experience provided a lens through which to view the difficulties of the wider world. “Looking out at the world, of course, there’s a sad and dark time we’re going through right now,” they continued. “It’s just very easy to dive into that, but it’s very difficult to say, how do we go about our day and try to see the great stuff that we all have?”
The band believe in the power of music and communal experience to be a constructive force. “I think that we need to get together now and listen to some rock music and go to concerts and stuff,” Mikkel continues. “We need that more that we need despair and even more darkness, definitely.” In contrast to their more conceptual second album, which heavily featured Scandinavian myths, the lyrics on From Ashes are more straightforward. “We have the melancholy, some of the darkness we bring into the music, because it’s also like a huge embrace of all that’s difficult,” one member elaborated.
“It’s more constructive—it’s like, we build stuff up instead of tearing it down.”
Bogwife’s third record sees them shift away from the doomier sound of previous efforts toward a more driving, immediate feel. “It’s more rock and blues and stoner rock than the previous two records that were maybe a bit more doomy, slower, a little bit heavier on the fuzz.”
Despite the growing international popularity of their genre, the band note that their native Denmark presents a unique challenge for stoner rock acts. “In general, Denmark is more of a death metal country and (has more) hardcore bands,” bassist Jonathan Tex Rønne Hansen says. “I think that Denmark has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to rock music … and it’s typically harder for just a stoner rock band to break through in Denmark than it is to break through internationally.” This is reflected in their listenership: “The majority of our listeners are from Germany, the States, Canada, and not so much in Denmark.”
For now, touring plans remain limited due to the band members’ family commitments, prioritizing festival appearances over long stretches on the road. “Many of us have kids, and that’s wonderful,” Mikkel says. They plan to play a release party on December 6 in their hometown and will support The Devil and The Almighty Blues in Denmark in April. Internationally, they have bigger goals.
“Nothing has been booked, but we really hope to go play during the spring, summer next year with the record,” Hansen adds. “I think part of the hope with this record is that it’s going to maybe open some doors to some of the festivals that we dream of playing in Central Europe, Southern Europe.” Despite the current difficulties with international logistics and tariffs, the dream of playing in the United States remains strong. “I’ve always dreamed of playing in the States,” one member shared. “We love the States and we love the vibe.”
From Ashes is out Friday and you can preorder it from Majestic Mountain Records. Follow Bogwife on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo courtesy of social media
