Eld Varg Talk New Album, Favourite Instruments and More

Scottish heavy metal power trio, ELD VARG, return with their thunderous sophomore album, ‘Destroyer’, set for release on Friday 14th November 2025. The band sat down with us to chat about the record, favourite instruments and more:

 

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

In the band we have myself, Ollie Noakes, on Vocals and Guitars, Micah Snow on Bass and Andy Hedges on Drums. The band originally started as my solo project through lockdown. But after the great reception of the first album, I decided to put a band together. After a few auditions, Micah came in on bass, who managed to convince the drummer from his other band to try his hand out for Eld Varg. It was clear from the first practice that we were onto something, and it’s been the 3 of us since!

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

Music has been around from a very young age, my dad is a big music guy. I remember him sticking on vinyls around the house, sometimes to sit and listen to, sometimes just in the background, but it was always there. There are pictures of me as a toddler wearing his headphones listening to music.

 

When did you begin songwriting?

I started learning guitar when I was 16, and tried writing not long after. Admittedly, they weren’t ‘songs’ just bits, but the interest was there early on. I think I wrote my first complete song at about 18, it was called “Raise Your Glass” and was supposed to be a sort of AC/DC, upbeat Rock song. I wrote another one not long after called “Silent Hunter” which was a clear step towards writing metal music. It just hasn’t really stopped since!

 

You have your new album ‘Destroyer’ released on Friday 14th November 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

Most songs that I write for Eld Varg will start with a guitar riff. Some get recorded and sit and wait, others are very clearly something worth developing. The idea for a follow-up to our last album, One Man Army, was going to be an EP, but it quickly became clear that the songs I was writing should form a full album. Songs like Destroyer, Crestfallen and Darkest Waves all formed really quickly, probably in an afternoon or so, and songs like The Hell of Mirrors took a bit more time. But I think the album overall is really strong.

 

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

The album was recorded and produced by myself in my own home studio, Fort Noakes. It is where everything for Eld Varg has been done so far, and we’ve been happy with the overall sound we’ve been getting, so decided to do the same again. There’s also a great freedom of doing it at my own studio as we can afford to experiment more and try different things without being on the clock.

 

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

I think the most memorable thing for me is when I did a preliminary mix for the title track, Destroyer. I did some very quick editing and mixing, just to get a general idea of where everything was at, and after I listened through that first rough mix I was absolutely buzzing. It just hit in all the right ways, it was heavy and impactful and had really captured the feeling the song was supposed to invoke. It just really said that we were onto something and to keep pushing down this path.

 

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

For mics, it was a mix between the tried and true Shure SM7b and a Rode NT2A. I really can’t say anymore about the SM7b that hasn’t already been said, it’s as good as they say. And the NT2A was a really detailed mic for the acoustic guitars and a great choice for the gang vocals.

In terms of plugins, I lean on the iZotope Ozone 9 a lot. I found it to be a really versatile plugin that has helped me solve issues on a lot of occasions. I know there are newer versions, but that one just does what I need.

 

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

I think happiest may be Black Starlight. The big chorus just screams big unifying moment live to me. There may have been a part of me that subconsciously wrote it, wanting to sing it with the crowd.

Angriest may be Darkest Waves. There are a lot of layers to that song, musically and lyrically, and with it being the shortest song, but fastest and one of the most intense, it just doesn’t let up for the 4 and a bit minutes it’s there.

And reflective is definitely Crestfallen. I wrote the lyrics about something I was thinking and feeling at the time, but wrote it from the point of view of the warrior on the front of both of our albums. I think it’s a song that a lot of people will get something from as we’ve all been through what the song is saying.

 

Was it a difficult album to write?

I’d say in general it wasn’t, especially on the music front. I just find it very clear when a song wants to be written. And most of the parts just flow and the song writes itself. Lyrics can take a little longer, sometimes it’s finding the subject matter, sometimes it’s expressing the topic in a way that suits the song. It was great fun writing this one, I really happy with how all the songs turned out!

 

Who designed the album artwork?

We went with a new artist on this album, a guy called Rezki Akbar. I had a general idea of what the cover could be, specifically around the Blue/Purple colour scheme, and I gave Rezki some basic themes and idea explored in the album, and he came back with what you see on the cover! It feels like the perfect visual accompaniment to the music on the album.

 

You have released the single ‘Black Starlight’ . What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

Once the riff was written and the rhythm section locked in, it was clear that the song would be a nod to some of the bands that inspired us to pick up our instruments. It needed to make you tap your foot and bang your head, and have a massive chorus that anybody could sing. Lyrically it’s about unity and coming together to overcome a common obstacle. It has gone down live really well so far, and we hope it continues that way!

 

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

The video concept was a discussion between myself and a guy who goes by Steve Oi! I knew that I wanted a play through video of the song and we working together to find a location, and shooting style. We shot some trial footage, agreed on the style and got to work. Steve’s great camera work and my choppy editing both work with the style of the song, and being black and white just seemed to suit it well.

 

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

I grew up just outside of village called Keith in the northeast of Scotland. Not much going on there! 5 words would probably be, Fields, Cows, Peace, Freedom and Escape. It’s a mix between the farms, farmers and farm animals, and the freedom and tranquillity of living in the countryside.

 

How do you look after your voices?

Before a show I do my best to get some vocal warmups in, which the key one for me being breathing exercises. If I haven’t done that, it’s very easy to over push and run out of gas before the end. And before and after I usually take a Vocalzone lozenge. I’ve found them great for keeping everything running smoothly.

 

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025/2026?

We’re working on getting some shows planned in to celebrate the release of the album around the end of the year. Heading into 2026, we’re aiming play further afield, and cover across new places in the UK. We’re working hard to get some shows in Europe, as we haven’t been there yet. We’ll being doing the round of the festival circuits too. If you’d like to book Eld Varg, give us a shout!

 

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

The priority every night is to make sure that everybody has the best time they can. To be able to head to the show, leave everything at the door, and to share a night of heavy metal with everybody in the room. We end with a song called Wolfpack, which has a large choral moment towards the end, it’s become a great way to get everybody together!

I think alongside that is to make sure we leave everything on the stage. To make sure that we’ve given everything we have, to each and every show.

 

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

My number 1 guitar until this album has been an Epiphone Explorer, which I absolutely love. It has been a really dependable guitar! But for the new album, I’ve built a new guitar, to help overcome some of the shortcomings of the Explorer. It’s a take on an Ibanez Iceman, with some intentional upgrades. It’s been taken out a few times live and has been incredible, definitely looking forward to getting it out on the road soon!

 

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?

There’s a song on the album called The Hell of Mirrors, which is written about the story of the same name by Edogawa Ranpo. It would be really cool to explore weird, dark, twisted soundscapes for that, but try and keep some kind of heavy metal edge to it.

 

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

Kiss got me into rock in the first place, it just blew my 12 year old mind when I saw them for the first time! Metallica sent me down the metal path, and arrived right as I started to learn guitar, so a lot of my early guitar days we spent learning Metallica tunes. But it was when my brother introduced me to Swedish metal, and specifically Grand Magus, that everything fell into place. Grand Magus remain a massive influence on me and my song writing to this day.

Recommendations would obviously be Grand Magus, but I’d tag Amon Amarth as a heavier option, Wintersun as a more epic choice and Ningen Isu for an option most won’t have heard of. All of them have been big influences on my music.

 

What makes Eld Varg happy and what makes you unhappy?

Just music in general. I think all 3 of us share a deep love of music, as fans and performers. Whenever we get to enjoy a new album of our favourite artists, or get to head out and perform an Eld Varg show, we’re definitely doing what we love.

In terms of unhappy, not being able to perform more! It’s hard on the lead up to an album as all the time and energy goes into nailing it, that we can’t perform as much as we’d like. So our plan for once the album is out in November and into 2026 and beyond, is to perform in more places, to more people, further afield!

Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By San PR

Eld Varg’s new album ‘Destroyer’ is released on Friday 14th November 2025.

Pre-Order Here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/eldvarg/destroyer

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