Serena Cherry of Svalbard: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

Feature Photo: Courtesy of Serena Cherry

Bristol-based heavy metal band Svalbard is on fire now. In August, they set the stage alight at ArcTanGent festival—a true moment of triumph. And their latest record, 2023’s The Weight of the Mask, showed that not only is Svalbard, which is led by guitarist/vocalist Serena Cherry, one of the finest metal bands in the world today, but one of the most authentic rock acts, in general. Of course, it’s been a long time coming, as Svalbard has been at it for 11 years. The phrase “good things come to those who wait” never seemed more accurate. But still, the band’s recent success is akin to years’ worth of pent-up rage that’s now suddenly being unleashed and allowed to explode upon the masses.

Songs such as “Faking It,” “Defiance,” and “To Wilt Beneath the Weight” are chugging anthems in the making. Indeed, a decade from now, as the old guard continues to fall off, no one should be surprised when Cherry and his cohorts, as leaders of the modern era of heavy metal, are screaming their message from the top of the mountain.

Metal heroics aside, there’s more than a bit of tasty guitar badassery here, too. To that end, Cherry isn’t only a fine soloist but an immense riff writer with a penchant for songcraft that few, if any, can touch. In short, most of what Cherry touches turns to bristling gold, and we, as listeners and consumers of all things guitar and metal, are the willing recipients of it all.

During a break from the madness, Serena Cherry beamed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to dig into her origins, influences, songwriting, riff-creation process, and the gear that makes it all possible.

What inspired you to pick up the guitar?

Before I played guitar, I played drums. Nu-metal inspired me to play drums, but discovering melodic death metal made me want to switch to guitar. When I heard the glorious leads in Children of Bodom, I wanted to play guitar. I have never actually had a guitar lesson; I used to sneak into my sister’s room and play her 3/4-size nylon-string classical guitar. Eventually, I saved all my money from my job as a paper delivery girl and got myself a cheap starter electric guitar. I sounded awful for many years [laughs].

Who were your greatest influences?

A huge influence on my guitar playing is Obsidian Claw from Keep of Kalessin. I love the way he mixes flamenco-style picking patterns with black metal riffs. His sound is so unique, his melodies are beautiful, and the intricacy of his picking still amazes me to this day. He inspired me to trem-pick the way that I do.

How do they remain within your sound, and how have you diverged?

My love of Keep of Kalessin is very evident in the leads I write in Svalbard and the fact that I constantly trem pick [laughs]. I have diverged by exploring the sounds ape element to guitar playing, creating vast, reverb-drenched passages where layers of melody intertwine. Video game soundtracks like Skyrim and World of Warcraft influence the sections I write.

Do you remember your first guitar and amp?

My first guitar was a black Crafter, but it was shaped a bit like an Ibanez Iceman. I can’t remember what the model was called. It was not a good guitar! It sucked to play. My first amp was obviously the Roland Microcube. What a legendary amp! I think it was great and versatile for the price and the size.

What did that rig teach you that stuck?

That reverb makes everything sound better. Oh, and get the action on your guitar fixed [laughs].

What was your first professional gig? What did you learn?

My first professional gig was with a metal band I formed as a teenager. We opened for a black metal band called Gallhammer. I learned the importance of having a low-stage volume on your amp. I learned that you need to be able to play without needing to see because the stage lights will prevent you from seeing your frets sometimes.

Tell me about your side project, Noctule.

Noctule is just my solo side project. During lockdown, I wrote an album about Skyrim that came out on Church Road Records in 2021. I played two live shows, then realized I didn’t want to play it live anymore as I put so many layers of guitar on the record that I can’t do it justice live.

How did Svalbard form?

Svalbard was formed 11 years ago by Liam Phelan, Mark Lilley, and me. We worked our way up through the underground metal scene by gig-swapping, arranging D.I.Y. tours, and playing live as much as possible. We signed with a couple of small independent record labels around the globe and released three albums that way.

What got you this far, and how will you keep it moving forward?

We worked on developing our sound for many years, blending black metal with post-rock and hardcore elements. Then, in 2022, we signed with Nuclear Blast Records; we just released our fourth album, The Weight of The Mask, this October on Nuclear Blast.

The album entered at No. 9 on the Official U.K. Rock Chart, and the response from fans and press alike has blown us away. What has gotten Svalbard this far is our work ethic. We are very disciplined, putting all our effort and focus into the band to ensure things keep moving forward. Our plans include some big, exciting tours in 2024, hopefully seeing us reach new fans in new places.

How do you view the way you play today vs. the past?

I don’t try to overcomplicate riffs anymore. I am way more comfortable writing a simple but effective lead, as opposed to throwing more notes or off-kilter rhythms in just for the sake of it. As a player, I am much better at serving the song now.

Tell me about your riff and solo writing process.

I hear music in layers—my strength when writing riffs is arranging multiple lead parts that intertwine in pretty ways. I never try to think too hard on a riff – when creating, I search for the feeling. If a riff has “the feeling,” then that’s when I run with it.

How do you view guitar solos in the modern era?

A truly great guitar solo will always be the highlight of a song for me. It’s the bit I look forward to hearing the most. Some modern metal guitarists like Donny Burbage from Aether Realm and Michael Romeo from Symphony X are writing some of the most exciting guitar solos you can imagine.

Do they need to be deconstructed and changed from being overblown?

A good guitarist will know how to write a solo that serves the song. And in walking that tightrope between restraint and self-expression, the restriction of serving the song will breed innovation.

Tell me about your gear: guitars, amps, pedals. What goes into those choices?

Jackson endorses me; I play a Jackson Monarkh SC Pro Series on stage with Svalbard. This guitar absolutely sings; it’s perfect for my reverb-drenched leads. I also play a Jackson Soloist at home while working on projects like Noctule.

I also use a QuadCortex live because it sounds great and convenient. I also have an Orange Dual Terror amp with a great tone on the distortion channel. I have a beat-up old Laney cab from the ’80s that sounds great. And pedal-wise, I use a Boss RV6, a Boss RV5, a Boss DD7, and a Strymon Big Sky. I am all about reverb and delay!

What are your short and long-term goals? How will you achieve them?

I’m working on a second Noctule album in the short term. My goal is to get better at drum programming so I can have more diverse drum patterns with the riffs—long-term, for Svalbard to continue to grow as a metal band. I’d love for us to tour with some of the metal giants that inspired me as a teenager. Another goal is to tour the [United] States finally; we are just trying to figure out how to afford the Visas for that one!

Feature Photo: Courtesy of Serena Cherry

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