Band Origin & German Metal Scene
Kerrigan started as a duo between Bruno and Jonas in Freiburg in 2019, a city not necessarily known as a heavy metal hub. Did that sense of being slightly outside the main scene shape the kind of band you became, or did it push you to work harder to be heard?
Bruno: When you're talking about the city's local scene, some of us, like myself, are kind of involved — but the scene consists of a lot of "modern metal" which we do not show any interest in. Ever since we started Kerrigan (and also the six years prior with Lone Wanderer), we have never looked to make an impression on our own city. Our focus is and will always be to make great music and put together great albums. Heavy metal has a worldwide passionate scene, and the fans of our particular style of music are who we write and play for. It's fun that we have never played a show in Freiburg, but we also do not want to promote ourselves here when there are a lot of other great places with actual scenes.
Germany has an incredibly rich heavy metal tradition going back decades. Do you feel a sense of responsibility to that legacy, or do you consciously try to carve out your own identity separate from it?
Jonas: When it comes to heavy metal from Germany, I really like Accept, but most of our influences don't come from our home, so it'd be an exaggeration to say I'd feel a responsibility towards the German scene in particular. To me,e it's more of a contribution to a culture that's grown for decades, and in that sense I feel responsible to really give my best to it. The fact that Kerrigan is a part of the story heavy metal tells makes me really proud.
Bruno: Personally, I've always looked up more to the UK and Scandinavia when it comes to heavy metal, but I'm aware there are a lot of legendary German bands that people hold very dearly. So for me, Kerrigan has its very distinct and own identity. We don't try to compare ourselves to any bands, but sometimes it's interesting what similarities people try to find.
Jakob and Jonathan have since become full members after contributing to Bloodmoon. How did the dynamic shift when Kerrigan went from a duo to a proper four-piece, and what did that change mean for the songwriting?
Note: only Jonathan contributed drums to Bloodmoon.
Jonas: The dynamic in the band is as good as ever, as both Jonathan and Jakob are friends of ours for many years, and we have already made music in different bands. We have already played some shows together,r and it was a lot of fun on stage with those "new" guys. When it comes to songwriting, we haven't changed our system, though — it was still Bruno and me who wrote all the songs, but every member recorded their instrument for Wayfarer, which turned out great.
Bruno: To be honest, the songwriting has mostly stayed the same. Jonas and I still write the music for Kerrigan, but of course, Jonathan and Jakob contribute immensely to the sound. They are both great player,s and they add a lot of ideas when it comes to the finishing touches of the songs. Also, being a proper four-piece gives the band a full identi, ty and it allows us to be on the road and enjoy lots of fun moments.
Bloodmoon's Legacy & the Follow-Up
Bloodmoon exceeded your own expectations with strong press reactions, a high-profile festival slot, and a repress in under a year. When you sat down to write Wayfarer, was there a conscious pressure to top it, or did you try to block that out entirely?
Jonas: During 2019 and 2025, we never really stopped writing songs, and some of the material on Wayfarer dates back to the Bloodmoon sessions, so there was never any doubt about the new stuff because we always felt the same passion as we did in the demo days. Of course, now that the album's out, there's a certain excitement about how people will react to it.
Bruno: I wouldn't call it pressure, but we definitely set a goal to top Bloodmoon. We still felt that the Kerrigan formula had not matured to its full potential. And if I dare say so, I believe Wayfarer is the more rounded album, all while keeping Kerrigan's main ingredients. It still feels like we have so much gas in the tank. When we sat together to record Wayfarer, new ideas for a potential new record came up immediately. Sometimes it's hard to stop the flow and finish the current songs.
Bruno, you described being on stage with some of your all-time heroes as an uplifting feeling. Did those live experiences change anything about how you approached writing and recording Wayfarer?
Bruno: Not necessarily. Meeting legendary bands is a nice experience, but we're not exactly fanboys. I still think there's a lot to learn from professional acts, so maybe some parts were written to be more suited to playing live? I'm not sure. Maybe Jonas can agree?
Jonas: We definitely adjusted the vocals on Wayfarer a little bit. Back in the day,y we just came up with cool vocal melodies without giving any thought to how we would perform them live. Now that I really know my vocal range and breathing technique, we've got a little more realism, so there are fewer high-pitched parts strung together, which makes the songs more suitable for a live performance without losing any key melodies.
Some of the ideas for Wayfarer — including "Blood and Steel," "Surrender," and the title track — were already developing during the Bloodmoon sessions. Does that continuity make Wayfarer feel like a natural evolution, or more like the record Bloodmoon was always pointing toward?
Bruno: Absolutely. Like I already hinted at, we've had this experience again. Whenever Jonas and I are in a room with a guitar and too much time on our hands, it feels like the ideas are pouring. We sometimes have to regulate ourselves to keep the focus. But I think that continuity is exactly what makes Wayfarer feel like a natural evolution.
Wayfarer - Album & Songwriting
Jonas, you've described Wayfarer as "dreamy, melancholic, and pretty versatile." Those aren't words you always associate with traditional heavy metal. How do you balance that emotional range with the harder, more aggressive side of your sound?
Jonas: I think for the songs on Wayfare,r we found a very fitting sound by giving a little less gain into everything. We didn't have to balance anything deliberately, but when we knew which songs would be on the album, I think we adjusted the production accordingly by approaching it just a little softer.
Bruno, you've said you want songs that are accessible but rich in detail, and the kind that never get boring, no matter how many times you hear them. Is that a philosophy you bring to every song from the start, or is it something that reveals itself during the writing process?
Bruno: What I meant by this is what makes legendary bands like Maiden and Judas Priest so great. You can give a record dozens of spins and still find something new to get excited about. Some of these moments can be planned, others just happen when you finalize a recording. I want to stress that we really took a lot of effort to make sure the songs don't feel bland or like filler tracks. For me, there's not a single weak track on Wayfarer.
"Red Light Tower" closes the album in the same way "Mesmerizer" closed Bloodmoon, with something grand and unhurried. Is that kind of epic closer something you plan for from the beginning, or does it emerge on its own?
Jonas: Just like most things about Kerrigan, we had to arrange things after the creative process. We exchanged different ideas for the song order during production, but the final order just made sense. As it happens, there was a lyrical connection between some of the songs, and in that regard,d "Red Light Tower" was the perfect choice to leave the listener with the feel of an unfinished journey.
Bruno: "Red Light Tower" was one of Jonas' great songs, gs and it had these fantastic, drawn-out instrumental sections. I think it makes for a great closing track.
"Fighter" stands out as the most uplifting track on the record. Was it important to include that kind of emotional counterpoint, and where did that song come from?
Jonas: For "Fighter," I started with the main riff, and it was so powerful that the song title was right there from the beginning. I had most of the song done and teamed up with Bruno to give it the final touch and write lyrics. Like I said, the song title was set, so there was no way around that uplifting message, and I think it works pretty well on the album. You need some brighter moments; the album would lose tension.
Lyrical Themes - Dystopia & AI
"Dystopia" takes on artificial intelligence, digital overload, and the concentration of power in the hands of tech elites. How do you approach writing about something as vast and current as AI without it feeling like a headline rather than a song?
Jonas: The AI topic is definitely huge, as it's one of society's biggest issues and affects so many aspects of life. Just as I described for "Fighter," I started writing the music for "Dystopia," and the chorus melody and the song title were there right from the start. So the song was done before we started with the lyrics, while the title made it quite easy to come up with something. We just threw in all our concerns about the subject, and as we experienced an exponential rise in the use of AI, we picked it as one of the main aspects of our dystopia.
Bruno, you mentioned that metal artists are already using AI to generate album covers and even full songs. How do you personally feel about that as a musician, and do you think it changes what it means to create something genuinely human in this era?
Bruno: I am absolutely disgusted by it. It sucks the soul out of a genuinely human process: creativity. Unfortunately, this Pandora's box has already been opened, and it will be really hard to tell real albums from fake ones in the future. Ironically, what people once sought after, writing perfect songs, playing perfect solos, might now be turned on its head: we will be looking for imperfections to tell if something is even remotely human. We took great care that every part of our albums, from the artwork to the lyrics, music, and layout, is genuinely made by human minds and hands. There will be no AI in Kerrigan.
Beyond "Dystopia," the album touches on themes of journeys, surrender, and perseverance. Is there a thread running through Wayfarer lyrically, even if it isn't a concept album in the traditional sense?
Bruno: There's not exactly a concept to the whole album, but I guess when we wrote the songs, we were more open to some topics than others. There's definitely a "fighting spirit" we are writing about, and you can see it in songs like "Torchbearer," "Fighter," and others from the past. We are here to defend and fight for the music we love. Some of the songs are just telling a story we found inspiring.
What's Next for Kerrigan
Wayfarer feels like a band hitting a real stride. Are there already ideas forming for what comes next, or is the focus right now entirely on getting this record out into the world?
Jonas: There are always ideas spinning in our heads on how to go on with the band, and we have so many riffs that haven't been used in songs yet, so we aren't done for now! But first, we want to promote our album by hitting the stages and playing the songs live. We just joined Dragon Productions for booking, so we are more than excited for what's about to happen.
Bruno: The focus will be on live shows, of course, but I'm pretty sure once Jonas and I get back to writing, the ideas will flow quickly, and a new record might be around the corner.
Are there live dates or tours planned to support Wayfarer? After the response to your festival appearances behind Bloodmoon, what kind of live campaign are you hoping to build?
Jonas: The gigs we played following the release of Bloodmoon were a huge motivation boost for everyone, because we all want to improve as musicians,ans and it's always great to meet our fans and have a talk or beer with them. For Wayfarer, we will be playing at Black Forest Fest VII, a festival run by Chris from Fucking Kill Records, one of Kerrigan's earliest supporters, who did the first tape release back in 2020. Another gig will be at Großbahrener Schwermetal Fest. There's no tour planned so far, but that's definitely one of our plans for 2027.
Bruno, you said you hope Wayfarer brings Kerrigan one step closer to making a modern heavy metal classic. If someone is listening to this record ten years from now, what do you hope they take away from it?
Bruno: If you're still listening to Wayfarer in 2036, we will be very honored. We've been really flattered by all the reactions we have been getting since Bloodmoon. I just hope this new album brings everyone joy and something to headbang to.
(This interview was conducted via email and has been lightly edited for clarity.)
Kerrigan's album is out now! Go give it a spin if you haven't had a chance to yet!
Check out my review of Wayfarer here: Wayfarer - review
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