Photograph by Joe Singh

In truth, the co-nerds that run this column are usually not the most important followers of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Having performed it someplace round its preliminary launch over a decade in the past when the sport’s buzz was at its peak, our curiosity in different genres and collective lack of expertise with the collection left us feeling like we have been lacking… one thing. After talking with in the present day’s participant character Serena Cherry—frontwoman of UK post-metal band Svalbard—we are able to’t assist however marvel if the world of Skyrim warrants a revisit. With equal elements pleasure and eloquence whereas beaming from ear to ear your entire length, the lifelong gamer made a compelling case not only for the celebrated Bethesda property, however each recreation she’s grown so keen on over time. This similar power for the artwork type helped land her a job writing for the gaming column at Kerrang!, adopted by her present positions at each PC Gamer and GamesRadar. This can be our pastime, however we’re actually speaking to a professional.

So deep-seated is her love of gaming that’s often bleeds into one other core trait—music. “The right way to Swim Down,” the most recent single from Svalbard’s upcoming album The Weight of the Masks, is a mournful ballad of unrequited love—as instructed from the attitude of a healer in World of Warcraft (extra on that later). The pandemic allowed Cherry to go a step even additional with 2021 seeing the discharge of her solo black metallic venture Noctule and the Skyrim-themed album Wretched Abyss, permitting her to discover all that she liked concerning the fantastical realm in far more granularity. Even going all the best way again to her teenage years exploring the intense metallic underground, the guitarist felt compelled to mix in references to the medium that instantly formed her. With such nerdy bonafides in addition to a prolific discography of gaming worship already credited to her title—one that’s nonetheless rising to at the present time—we have been actually prepared to take an arrow to the knee to listen to her story.

What was your first online game expertise?
My first online game expertise was Alex Kidd in Miracle World, which was constructed into the Sega Grasp System II. Nonetheless, I feel, one of many hardest 2D platformers on the market. It was so brutal. You had the Janken match bosses, the place it was like rock paper scissors. I bear in mind—doing a strategy of elimination—writing down whether or not it was stone stone scissors, that form of factor, for every completely different boss. And I’ve a enjoyable truth about this as properly: After I was a moody teenager, I did a dungeon synth venture as a result of that’s what you all do, proper? And it was named Radaxian, which is the title of the fortress degree of Alex Kidd. [Laughs]

What have you ever been enjoying currently and what are a few of your favourite titles? I can think about that based mostly in your musical output that Skyrim and World of Warcraft will likely be in there.
Yeah. I imply, I’m at all times enjoying WoW, at all times bought my character on the go performing some raids and stuff like that. I used to be a bit of upset with Dragonflight, if I’m completely sincere. It’s nonetheless one among my favourite worlds to get misplaced in. Completely one among my favourite video games within the final couple of years is Elden Ring. I feel it’s FromSoft’s masterpiece. I do know type of lots of people weren’t too eager and so they really feel like mechanics like summoning made the sport too straightforward for a FromSoft recreation, however I extremely disagree with that. If you’ve bought the Godskin Duo, issues like that, you have to summon. I’m attempting to do each single boss within the recreation. I nonetheless haven’t completed it completed it but, however that’s as a result of I’m attempting to do every thing. [Laughs]

In the mean time, I’m enjoying the Cuphead DLC, The Scrumptious Final Course. I… Oh my god. I like Cuphead so a lot. It’s so irritating, however the animation is superb! It doesn’t seem like anything. It’s so form of addictive and also you be taught every time. Yeah, you would possibly die to the identical boss for hours, however you see tiny little bits of progress each time. That’s the form of recreation that will get me hooked. If you happen to haven’t guessed already, I like my video games to punish me. Soulslikes and Cuphead and stuff like that.

I’m going to be enjoying Starfield, I don’t have time to dig into that now. And clearly this 12 months, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Diablo IV. I imply, two of the perfect RPGs ever made in the identical 12 months! It’s been a very good 12 months for video games.

What’s the attraction of excessive issue video games for you?
I feel it’s the payoff. The funding after which the reward that you simply get out of it. I discover gaming probably the most immersive after I’m feeling tremendous challenged by one thing. I completely love after I’ve bought an Elden Ring boss that I simply can’t do. It’s not so simple as you simply maintain repeating it. You must go away, it’s a must to respec, you may need to alter your weapon or improve a special weapon. There’s a lot to it. I feel I get fairly fixated on a difficult boss and I like that. To me, that’s the final escapism: If you’re simply tunnel-visioned on beating this factor. Stuff like Mario doesn’t maintain my consideration in any respect. If you happen to’re simply type of working round, leaping on platforms, that’s not my form of factor, actually. I prefer to be pissed off on a regular basis after I’m enjoying. [Laughs]

Do you will have a choice between PC and console gaming? At this level, does it even matter? It looks like apart from exclusives to every, they’re all form of fairly on par with one another.
If I needed to choose a console, I’d choose PlayStation over Xbox. Clearly, I feel PC gaming is probably the most versatile. I work for PC Gamer, so… [Laughs] I’m gonna lean in the direction of the PC gaming aspect of issues. I feel it’s a tough query. I feel PC gaming isn’t nearly enjoying video games on a PC. It’s concerning the constructing, it’s concerning the modding. There’s a lot extra to it. There’s a lot extra freedom and creativity concerned. It’s way more involving and in-depth. So, with that in thoughts, I’d most likely say PC over console, however I actually don’t need to come throughout like a “PC grasp race” form of individual. [Laughs]

It’s so much much less accessible. Entering into PC gaming is actually daunting. There may be a lot to be taught. It’s not the identical. PlayStation, Xbox, it’s so accessible. You purchase your console, you plug it in and also you’re carried out. I like that facet of consoles. There’s no form of headache concerned in gaming.

Your new album, The Weight of the Masks, options the track “The right way to Swim Down,” which you described because the story of unrequited love instructed from the attitude of a healer in World of Warcraft. Why don’t healers get any love?
[Laughs] The analogy is that clearly you’re form of silently liking somebody from afar. And while you’re enjoying as a healer, you’re quietly standing on the sting therapeutic everybody. There’s a little little bit of disconnect from the motion, I feel. It was all about utilizing that to signify what I used to be attempting to say within the track about secretly having a giant ol’ crush on somebody.

It’s an attention-grabbing analogy, however how did that come to thoughts?
Every thing in Svalbard is at all times about what I’m going via on the time. I discover my feelings are typically actually all-encompassing. I used to be feeling that form of unrequited love at the moment and I used to be additionally enjoying World of Warcraft. I feel when you will have these feelings that you simply’re struggling to course of, I are inclined to search for the symbolism and that form of feeling represented elsewhere. I discovered I used to be watching myself enjoying as a healer and type of “selflessly therapeutic all of those folks.” I used to be like, Oh, it’s so symbolic! [Laughs]

WoW is developing on 19 years because it launched. What model of the sport [do you play]? As a result of I perceive that there’s WoW: Basic, there’s the fashionable WoW, there’s Hardcore WoW. There’s all this WoW that I don’t actually perceive at this level.
I attempted WoW: Basic. Oh my god. Whew. Yeah, tried to do Wrath of the Lich King on Basic. Not for me.

Why is that?
As a result of clearly it’s like the way it was once and I feel there’s a purpose that WoW fashionable is as in style as it’s; it’s as a result of it has made so many enhancements. I simply discovered it a bit type of clunky to play in Basic. As a result of I didn’t play it from 19 years in the past, I haven’t grown up with that nostalgia for what’s now deemed to be basic WoW. I simply didn’t get on with it, I suppose, as a result of I began with fashionable, the WoW not too removed from what you’d play in the present day. That’s form of my consolation zone with it. And going and attempting Basic, it felt like a leap backwards for the flawed causes in the event you don’t have already got the nostalgia established. And WoW hardcore, I’ve watched different folks play this and—sorry to swear, however—fuck that. [Laughs]

Do you usually want single-player experiences or multi-player experiences?
It’s attention-grabbing. I’ve simply sat right here and talked about enjoying an MMO, however the actuality is I a lot want a single-player RPG. More often than not, I don’t need to be interacting with folks. You may play Baldur’s Gate 3 with a gaggle of individuals and clearly—being based mostly on [Dungeons & Dragons]—it’s all about that interactive aspect. However I’m like, No! I’ll play it by myself. No pals! I’m all concerning the form of escapism of gaming and the immersion. Generally I discover that enjoying multiplayer takes me out of that. I perceive the attraction of an excellent spherical of Mario Kart with a bunch of avid gamers and stuff like that, however generally, far more into the single-player stuff.

Do you discover you’re extra drawn into the mechanics of a recreation or do you discover that you simply take pleasure in moving into that world and sinking into it? Which of those can be the larger draw for you?
It depends upon the sport. I feel a recreation like Skyrim, it’s all about being in that world. Skyrim appears like residence to me. Generally I can simply wander round and probably not truly obtain something within the recreation, nevertheless it’s nonetheless good to be in that world. For a recreation like that the place the richness comes from the world-building, then that’s form of my precedence. However then I feel with FromSoft titles, it’s extra concerning the mechanics.

Do any of your bandmates recreation?
On various ranges. All of them like an excellent recreation however all of them like completely different stuff. [Rhythm guitarist] Liam [Phelan] performs so much on his Change. He’s actually into sim video games, like Cities: Skylines and The Sims and that sort of factor. [Bassist] Matt [Francis] likes the type of AAA titles like Murderer’s Creed, God of Struggle, that form of factor. Though I did get him to play Elden Ring. He usually hates video games which are ridiculously onerous. His character construct was higher than mine. I used to be a bit aggravated after I noticed it. [Laughs] After which [drummer] Mark [Lilley] is de facto into Purple Lifeless Redemption, Rockstar Video games, GTA. All of us have actually completely different tastes in video games, however we do all play video games, starting from the informal to the form of extra hardcore gamer, I suppose.

Is there any specific title that everyone overlaps on?
You recognize what? I don’t suppose there may be. I’ve tried this at a number of factors. There was within the studio, there was a kind of emulators with Sonic on it. All of us bought concerned with Sonic, however then that’s like saying, “Everybody likes…” I used to be going to say chips, however what I imply by that’s American fries. It’s so generic that after all everybody likes it. You’re not going to bond over Sonic. It’s so ingrained. There isn’t actually the one recreation. There was one time the place we have been staying at a good friend’s home earlier than a present and so they had Elden Ring and I attempted to get everybody to play it. It simply didn’t finish properly.

You’re additionally the mastermind behind solo black metallic venture Noctule, which launched the Skyrim-themed album Wretched Abyss. What made you create an entire new venture for the topic versus exploring it with Svalbard?
I feel as a result of I actually needed to signify that fantasy world of Skyrim—I needed to jot down songs about my favourite weapons, my favourite dungeons within the recreation, that form of factor—that felt a bit of bit too indulgent for Svalbard. Svalbard, we’re form of recognized for the hard-hitting emotional or sociological lyrics. It felt like writing a Svalbard album about Skyrim can be an enormous form of curveball for us. Additionally, with many of the band members not even enjoying the sport, I don’t suppose I may have gotten them on board. I at all times consider Noctule as my super-indulgent venture. I wrote it throughout lockdown. On a regular basis, simply get up, play Skyrim, write some songs about Skyrim. It was very immersed in my very personal little RPG world. I feel exploring my ardour for video games by writing songs about them is unquestionably what Noctule is about now. I’m writing the second album now. It’s a couple of completely different recreation. That is smart to me, to maintain it separate from Svalbard.

You additionally stated in an NME interview that, “All through my life, I by no means stopped enjoying Skyrim—I simply take prolonged breaks!” Give us the gross sales pitch on why Skyrim is worthy of a years-long exploration. What retains bringing you again?
Primary, the Skyrim soundtrack by Jeremy Soule is probably the most lovely piece of music ever written in my view. It matches the sport so properly. The sport is lovely. Considered one of my different favourite issues to do in Skyrim is to simply stand and watch the sky within the recreation, watch the night time sky. Particularly in the event you go to Sovngarde, the place the sky is [like the] Northern Lights, purple and blue swirls. Oh my god! Simply stand there and watch the sky. You’ve bought the visible facet, you’ve bought the gorgeous music, however then the quests—particularly the aspect quests. Generally you don’t know the place you’re gonna find yourself. I like that quest the place you get drunk on Skooma and you find yourself on this seedy underworld. It’s like, Whoa! I used to be not anticipating that.

It’s the most magical world ever constructed in my view. There’s a lot. There’s at all times one thing else you are able to do within the recreation. There’s at all times some weapons you will discover, one thing you may improve, some books you may learn, some locations you may uncover. It’s an enormous recreation that by no means feels overwhelming. It at all times feels homely and cozy. Whereas in the intervening time I discover the thought of Starfield fairly daunting, with it having 1,000 planets and being completely big. That nearly appears too large to me. However Skyrim, it’s huge however intimate on the similar time.

Are you holding out hope for the subsequent entry within the Elder Scrolls collection or are you simply snug to discover Skyrim for years longer?
I’m actually excited for Elder Scrolls VI. I feel it’s gonna be a great distance off nonetheless, however sure, I’m excited to see what they do.

Apart from the video games that you simply’ve written about and apart from the sport that you simply’re writing about at the moment, what different tales do you are feeling are worthy of a musical reinterpretation?
Closing Fantasy VII, clearly. So tragic, so lovely. Once more, typically I fear that I’m doing it a disservice as a result of Closing Fantasy VII additionally has one of many biggest soundtracks ever made. By making another, is it by no means gonna be nearly as good, by no means gonna do it justice? Kingdom Hearts as properly.

Do you are feeling like you might put these collectively below the Noctule title as properly or do you suppose that you would need to department to one thing else?
I feel I’d department to one thing else for Closing Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts. I feel the Sq. Enix aspect of my mind lives in a special musical realm to the dragon-riddled RPG realm that’s Noctule and the opposite realm that’s Svalbard. I feel it will be completely different. In my head, If I have been to do one thing about Closing Fantasy, it would even be energy metallic, you understand?

On the subject of Closing Fantasy, have you ever spent any time on the brand new one [Final Fantasy XVI]?
Not but, no. The great thing about working within the video games business is that you simply by no means have any time to play video games. [Laughs]

You’re employed for PC Gamer, Video games Radar and also you’re a video games columnist for Kerrang! What’s the actuality of working within the video games business like this?
It’s so stimulating. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. It’s the one job I’ve had the place I’ve been capable of put my ardour and my data into my work day-after-day. It’s tremendous enjoyable. It’s so thrilling. The ripple of pleasure when Diablo IV got here out, when Baldur’s Gate 3 got here out and now with Starfield popping out, you are feeling such as you’re residing on this tremendous artistic, thrilling time. However on the similar time, you do work actually lengthy hours and also you’ve bought to essentially be fairly selective about what video games you’re gonna have time to realistically play in your spare time. You must type of prioritize.

What lead you to pursue work within the video games business versus being an off-the-cuff enjoyer?
Earlier than I labored within the video games business, I had a string of actually, actually tedious jobs, like being on the assistance line for an web service supplier. All these form of issues, plenty of customer support jobs which actually type of turned fairly soul destroying. I feel in the course of the pandemic, it induced me to mirror so much. I had much more time. Earlier than the pandemic, you simply do your soul-destroying job, however then you definitely go on tour. The job is simply there with the intention to afford to eat and pay your hire, and then you definitely take all of your day without work to go on tour. That’s the reward. However with the pandemic, with touring not being viable for over a 12 months, I feel it made me mirror a bit of bit extra on, I must do one thing in my on a regular basis life that’s extra aligned with one thing I consider in and one thing I care about and one thing I’ve ardour for. Ultimately, I bought concerned with Kerrang! writing the video games column for them after which from there I went to PC Gamer and Video games Radar. It’s so loopy having a job the place you are feeling fortunate to be there day-after-day. I are available and I’m like, Yeah! I’m so pumped! [Laughs]

Your final byline for Kerrang! noticed you going to MCM Comedian Con in 2022, [for] which you gave a really glowing evaluate. Are you usually a fan of conventions?
Yeah! I often work at conventions now. My good friend creates a load of Sonic fan artwork and Dragon Ball Z fan artwork and I assistance on his artwork retailer in artist’s alley. After which in trade for that, I promote my bizarre little Pokémon fan artwork that I make. Once we’re on tour and now we have a ten hour drive within the van, I make Pokémon fan artwork to move the time. I promote it at these cons. I’m gonna say now, my good friend Joey’s Instagram is @saiyanhajime and it’s best to all test it out as a result of he’s a tremendous artist.

This 12 months, I went to MCM Comedian Con in London and labored there, Hyper Japan Con, which was superb. It’s extra form of centered on Japanese tradition. I like watching all of the cosplay. If I may simply sit and watch the cosplay masquerade for days on finish, I’d as a result of I discover it so fascinating. It’s so artistic, how folks can create these appears to be like. It’s superb.

I [Michael] talked my means into San Diego Comedian Con in 2012. That was such an amazing expertise. Do you are feeling a way of group while you go to a conference or do you are feeling that very same sense of being overwhelmed by every thing?
I do suppose cons are a little bit of a sensory overload. There are simply so many individuals, so a lot to see. It’s fairly loud. There have been occasions the place I’ve been there and been like, Whoa, I really feel like I must type of cover in a chilly, darkish room for an hour as a result of that is very intense. On the similar time, I do really feel a way of group. I’m such a socially anxious individual and even within the music business, after we play reveals, I really feel like I’m not “cool” sufficient to be there, even when it’s at my very own present. Generally I haven’t actually felt cool sufficient for the metallic world, whereas after I’m at a con, I have a tendency to satisfy a number of likeminded folks or individuals who have the identical form of mannerisms, the shy awkwardness I’ve. I actually admire that. I discover after I’m engaged on my good friend Joey’s retailer, that provides a way of objective. You’re there to do one thing and also you form of have a approach to discuss to folks, a gap to work together with folks. That basically helps fight the overwhelming aspect of it as a result of you may simply be working and getting on with the job.

You had talked about in that piece that, “Regardless of how huge nerd tradition will get, it can at all times stay area of interest.” Do you are feeling that also rings true in the present day?
Oh my god, sure! I feel it’s a generational factor. After I was explaining to my mum that I bought the job at PC Gamer and Video games Radar, she was like, “Oh, is that like a pastime factor that you simply’re gonna be doing in your spare time?” I used to be like, “No, no; it’s a full-time job.” There may be undoubtedly this close-minded mentality in the direction of gaming and a whole lack of expertise for a way huge it’s. I overheard this the opposite day: I used to be in a gasoline station ready to be served and there have been two folks in entrance of me going, “Oh, my son, he watches these different folks enjoying pc video games and it’s so boring! I don’t perceive why you’d need to watch different folks play pc video games.” That’s an actual generational distinction as properly since you don’t get folks my age or under asking that query as a result of they perceive the attraction of it or they’re concerned in it themselves.

There undoubtedly appears to be a little bit of a looking-down-their-nose at video video games or individuals who assume that video video games are nonetheless what they have been 20 years in the past. They suppose it’s nonetheless side-scrolling Mickey’s Fort of Illusions—which is a good recreation. I’m generalizing massively right here, nevertheless it simply appears like I’ve had a great deal of interactions with individuals who aren’t avid gamers the place they don’t understand the hugeness and the scope of creativity and the world-building. To me, a online game is best than any e-book or any film at drawing you in. [It] undoubtedly appears to be appeared down on, prefer it’s type of a counter tradition factor.

As was talked about earlier, 2023 has been superb for video games. Are there another video games that you simply’re wanting ahead to?
It was simply launched this week, so I haven’t gotten to play it but, however I’m actually wanting ahead to enjoying Sea of Stars. It appears to be like so good. I like how nostalgic the sport appears to be like. The pixel artwork is beautiful. From what I’ve heard of the soundtrack, additionally actually good. Trying ahead to getting concerned with that recreation.

Can a soundtrack make or break a recreation for you? Are you prepared to place up with a worse recreation due to an excellent soundtrack and subsequently are you turned off by good video games with unhealthy soundtracks?
That is one thing I would like on my tombstone after I die: “Video games with unhealthy soundtracks are unplayable.” The soundtrack for me is a big a part of the expertise. Considered one of my largest musical influences as properly. When folks say, “What are your influences on your guitar leads in Svalbard?” It’s the Closing Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Skyrim soundtracks. I’m on the lookout for those self same form of evocative feeling that these melodies have. I by no means, ever play video games on mute and the soundtrack is a big a part of it for me.

If there was one title that you’d suggest to readers for them to raised get to know you higher, what wouldn’t it be?
OK, I’m going to not say what I feel folks would count on. I’m gonna say Spyro [the Dragon] on the PS1 as a result of that is among the first video games that, despite the fact that I used to be gaming means earlier than that on my Sega Mega Drive and stuff, Spyro 1 was my recreation. That was the sport that actually hooked me onto gaming and I nonetheless play it the entire time. If I’m feeling anxious, I’m going into the house world in Spyro and simply do them over and over. I believed the remaster was completely attractive, the Reignited Trilogy. What a recreation. Every thing about it’s pretty and it nonetheless holds my consideration now. I’d say there’s video games I like extra. I like Elden Ring and Skyrim greater than I like Spyro, however Spyro, I’ve grown up with it and it’s the sport I maintain coming again to. Oh my god! Pokémon Blue as properly! Why do I’ve to select one?

The Weight of the Masks is out there October 6 through Nuclear Blast Information and could be pre-ordered right here.
Comply with Svalbard on Bandcamp, Instagram, Twitter and Fb.