CELAVI

Welsh bilingual nu-metal duo C E L A V I have announced their new EP ‘PRAELIA’ arriving on Friday 13th November 2026. 

Who is in CELAVI, how did you meet and what do you play?

We’re Gwion and Sarah, both from Bangor in North Wales. Gwion is originally from Blaenau Ffestiniog and Sarah from Bethel. We’re both from, and still live in, rural communities. We’ve both been in the music scene growing up and we met in a different project. It became apparent in the other project that we both had the same musical ambitions, and that we were both equally driven. It was a natural progression to create C E L A V I together. Both of us have some similar musical influences, and we both have some different musical influences. We think that’s what makes C E L A V I so authentic. 

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

Gwion – For as long as I can remember, there was always music in the house growing up. It was always something different from Abba to Johnny Cash. My grandparents had a piano in their house and I remember there was always someone playing it, especially my uncle when he was in town. I think watching someone playing live music in front of my eyes as opposed to hearing it come from a stereo was a catalyst for me to latch onto music very early on in life.   

 

Sarah – I remember playing keyboard at Christmas when I was about 5 years old. I also remember Slipknot at a signing in Cardiff and seeing the masks for the first time. My friends at the time thought they were weird, I was so intrigued. 

 

When did you begin songwriting?

Hearing ‘Ace of Spades’ by the band Motörhead first inspired Gwion to make music. In terms of influences on Gwion’s playing, he was very inspired by the early 00’s nu-metal scene by bands like Deftones, Korn, Slipknot etc. Gwion then started delving into more sub-genres of metal, discovering bands like Nine Inch Nails, Cradle of Filth and Combichrist.    

 

Sarah grew up listening to Avril Lavigne, Evanescence, Christina Aguilera, Little Mix, and was also influenced by her brother and watching Slipknot, Linkin Park, Korn and Limp Bizkit on Kerrang!. 

 

Bring Me The Horizon has definitely inspired us both, they are such an influential band. We love how they have developed over the years, and how they continue to develop. They always stay in their own lane, and experiment creatively doing what they want to do, regardless of what anyone says. We love this, something that we definitely can relate to.

 

You have your single ‘Plaster’ out now. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

PLASTER was inspired by some toxic people and difficult situations that were having a negative effect on us. It was also about those moments of self-doubt and the negative voices in our heads. Sometimes it can be challenging dealing with both external and internal negativity, but it’s important to find the strength within ourselves to fight back – and to be kinder to ourselves too. It’s our fight-back anthem. 

 

 Where did you record the song and who produced it?

PLASTER was produced by Romesh Dodangoda (Bring Me The Horizon, Motörhead, Nova Twins, Holding Absence) at Long Wave Recording Studio. We love working with Romesh! He has worked with so many of our influences and he’s so much fun to work with. He always gets the best out of us in the Studio. 

 

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

We met Romesh’s dog Ozzy! He’s such a legend! We both follow him on Instagram and were so excited when we met him in the Studio! 

 

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

Gwion – We use ESP/LTD guitars equipped with EMG pickups. Growing up listening to bands like Deftones, Rammstein, Soulfly and Chimaira who had the same setup left an imprint of how I feel a metal guitar should sound. I’ve tried other brands using various different setups and nothing else has come close to that. It’s something I’ve strived for years to achieve and I’m very proud of how the guitars sound on our recordings as well as live.

 

Which of your tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

Happiest – SORI? and EYELINER. We feel that these are empowering and unapologetic songs. As a band, we stand for self-worth, authenticity, and unapologetically being yourself. 

 

Angriest – PLASTER and MORGANA. These songs are about tackling toxic influences and negativity head-on. 

 

Most reflective – Our nu-song AR DY LINIAU (ON YOUR KNEES) and MORGANA. These are cathartic songs that explore accepting and confronting the people and situations that push boundaries and fail to show you respect. It’s about finding the strength to stand your ground, fight back and demand to be heard. 

 

Was it a difficult song to write?

All of our songs are honest and we feel that we’re becoming more vulnerable. We’re recognising and acknowledging these internal and external factors that can cause negativity, but finding the internal strength to continue on our own path, to fight back against the negative voices, and find resilience. 

 

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind it and who directed it?

With our song PLASTER, we wanted a fierce video to match the energy of the song. The music video was directed by Loki Films who has worked with so many sick artists we’re fans of including Sleep Token, Lorna Shore, Limp Bizkit. We filmed the music video at Atlas Studios in Bolton, such a fantastic place and the team there are so welcoming! 

 

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

We both live in Bangor, North Wales. To describe Bangor in five words, we’d say: 

historic, resilient, community, fierce, home. 

 

Do you have any further music releases planned for 2026/2027?

We’ve just released our nu-song AR DY LINIAU (ON YOUR KNEES) on the 14th August, the second song from our-nu EP PRAELIA that will be released on the 13th November. We’re so excited! 

 

How do you look after your voices?

Sarah swears by Vocalzone’s products – the throat pastilles, tea bags and the vocal spray. Sarah also swears by some whiskey to help with emergency colds, ha! 

 

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2026?

We’ve had a busy year already which we’re so grateful for! We supported As December Falls at Chepstow Castle, such an amazing crowd and stunning venue!

We played Download Festival, an absolute dream come true for us! To be on the huge line up with artists including Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, bands that have inspired us, was a huge honour. We made history at Download this year, we were the first band to perform in the Welsh language! Such an honour and so emotional for us! We’re going to be playing Pro Weekend Fest 2026 in Spain in October, our first international festival! We also can’t wait to headline Hangar18 Music Venue in Swansea on the 7th November, and we’ll be playing Nelly’s Retro and Vintage on the 18th December, with more gigs to be announced soon! 

 

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

We want people to leave our shows feeling empowered, represented and part of something bigger. We always hope to see the crowd mosh and headbang with us and have an awesome, cathartic time with us. We’re passionate about championing the Welsh language, especially through our music. If we can encourage people to discover more about Wales and its culture, or even learn a little Welsh, then we’d be so proud. 

 

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

Gwion uses ESP/LTD guitars. It’s a brand he’s looked up to for many years as so many of his influences have played them. Particularly Steph Carpenter (Deftones) and Richard Kruspe (Rammstein). In terms of amps he’s recently moved over to Neural DSP’s digital modellers. Live Sarah uses a Telefunken M80 microphone. She was recommended this mic at a gig we played at The Fleece in Bristol by the Sound Engineer. She loves the mic and found one in pink too, ha! 

 

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

Gwion – One of my favourite authors is Philip K Dick. I love his bleak take on science fiction and dystopian worlds. Some of his works have already been adapted into popular films like Blade Runner and Total Recall. If his book Lies Inc was ever adapted to screen, I’d love to put our music to it. 

 

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

We draw a lot of inspiration from early 2000s nu-metal, Deftones and Slipknot in particular. Deftones are Gwion’s favourite band. The fearlessness of the evolution of their sound over the years and the intensity of their songs is something he’s always been drawn to. Slipknot has been a big influence on the both of us. The unbridled aggression and combined with their unapologetic chaos, we love it! 

 

Bring Me The Horizon has definitely inspired us both; they are such an influential band. We love how they have developed over the years, and how they continue to develop. They always stay in their own lane and experiment creatively, doing what they want to do, regardless of what anyone says. We love this, something that we definitely can relate to.

 

We’re both massive nu-metal fans and bands like Linkin Park, Slipknot, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Kittie and Bring Me The Horizon have been a massive influence on us growing up. We love the down-tuned guitars, the aggression and the melodic influences. 

 

What makes C E L A V I happy and what makes you unhappy?

Happy – One of the things we love most is the creative process in all its forms. Whether we’re writing new music, developing ideas in the studio, creating mood boards, or bringing our music videos to life, every stage allows us to express ourselves in a different way. Nothing compares to performing live! Seeing a crowd mosh, headbang and sing our songs with us is an incredible feeling. It’s a real connection between us and the audience, and those moments are so emotional. We don’t take anything for granted, we’re so grateful! 

 

Unhappy – AI in music makes us uncomfortable. We feel that music should be authentic, personal and human. We’re also frustrated by artists who replicate other people’s creativity, as well as the prevalence of nepotism. That’s not us being resentful at all. We’ve had to work so hard for everything we’ve achieved, and we genuinely wouldn’t want it any other way. There’s something really rewarding about knowing you’ve built something yourself and that every achievement has come from your own creativity, hard work and resilience.

 

Feature Image Photo Credit: Lou Sinner 

CELAVI’s latest single AR DY LINIAU (ON YOUR KNEES) is out now. 

Listen

Their forthcoming EP, PRAELIA, arriving Friday 13th November 2026. 

Official Website: https://www.wearecelavi.com/