EDITOR'S NOTE: Across 14 years and four albums, Svalbard have become a beloved force in the British metal underground. But after this interview the band announced plans to go out on a high in 2026, splitting up with a final tour and song still to come.
Serena Cherry is a woman of many passions. Besides being the singer for emotionally devastating post-hardcore stars Svalbard and videogame-inspired black metal project Noctule, she loves to indulge in her other favourite things: gaming and rollercoasters.
We caught up with Serena between epic sessions of Elden Ring, and trips around the world to check out new rides, to see how she would fare answering your questions. Get ready to discover how she learned guitar, whether she’d play for polar bears, and what Pokémon her bands would be. Hey, you asked…
Svalbard albums usually have themes, how do you decide what the next one is going to be? Adriank91488, Instagram
“Whatever I write about in my diary. It’s that simple! I write in it every day, and there’s usually some theme or something that will come out of that, threading throughout. I write lyrics in a very selfish manner – whatever resonates most with me. It’s usually not until I’ve finished writing that I realise certain themes will present themselves. I don’t have to look for a theme as a lyricist, they appear over time.”
What got you into playing guitar?
Hosepirooz, Instagram
“I started playing drums and I wasn’t any good. Guitar was easier! I had a drum teacher who wasn’t teaching me double-kick, not teaching me the Slipknot songs I wanted to learn, so I was frustrated. I’ve never actually had a guitar lesson; I’d sneak into my sister’s room and pick up her acoustic guitar to try and learn how to shred with a 2p coin. I think because I never had a guitar lesson, it became my vessel for self-expression because I wasn’t trying to think about scales or musical theory. I was doing whatever was in my head.”
Will you ever play a gig in Svalbard? Aaron_Go_Bruh, Instagram
“We’d love to! I think it’d be fantastic, but I think we’d only be playing to an audience of polar bears. But if the opportunity ever arose, we’d love to… I’m not holding my breath, though.”
If Svalbard and Noctule were Pokémon, which would they be and why?
Jamielikesvinyl, Instagram
“Svalbard would be a Mimikyu. That Pokémon really encapsulates [latest Svalbard album] The Weight Of The Mask, now I think about it – this idea that no one sees what they really look like, because they’re hiding in the shadow of a toy of someone else. It feels really obvious to pick a ghost type for Noctule, and with Noctule being tied to other videogames I’d never really thought about them in a Pokémon sense. I’m gonna go really specific and say an Alolan Ninetales, because it’s got that icy beauty to it. The artwork on the Pokémon card looks like an Immortal cover! It’s beautiful, and Noctule is where I try to create the most beauty with leads and melodies.”
What’s your favourite 80s horror film? Namelesswraith, Instagram
“Halloween III: Season Of The Witch. The one that doesn’t have Michael Myers in. It’s very Orwellian, very dystopian to have this town with these workers who are robots. I like this idea of these masks being sold to you and it being inconspicuous, rather than a masked slasher going around with a knife. That is very cut and dry, so Season Of The Witch played with my imagination more than any of the Michael Myers ones.”
What’s your favourite/least favourite videogame boss?
Thespiritofjazz, Instagram
“My least favourite is Rom, the Vacuous Spider in Bloodborne. It’s such a war of attrition! Rom really betrays Bloodborne – the rest of the fights are so epic and incredible, Rom just feels slow and relentless. You can’t get into a rhythm with it in the same way you can with others.
My favourite, off the top of my head, is Rellana, Twin Moon Knight in the Elden Ring DLC [downloadable content] Shadow Of The Erdtree. I really enjoyed that fight – there’s nothing particularly special about it, but I found the rhythm of the fight almost musical. I got into a real flow-state playing it and she’s just the right level of frustrating, where I died several times but I could still see the progress I was making.”
Hammer: What makes a really good boss battle?
“The design of the creature, the area you’re in… A good example: hippos are my favourite animal, so I got excited when there was a hippo in the Elden Ring DLC, but then I got there and he’s so big, in such a small arena, that you get pushed up against walls the whole time and it’s not fun.
You have to think about how the arena plays into the rhythm and cadence of the boss itself – so if you are somewhere where you’re prone to falling off cliffs, you might want a boss with really far reach. I really love Red Wolf of Radagon in Elden Ring because of the atmosphere there, with this violin soundtrack playing as you fight in a library where books are crashing to the ground. That sense of destruction, I think, is key to a boss fight! I hate it when I can beat a boss first time.”
What’s your dream collab (with bands and/or games)?
Anotherboringcatinst, Instagram
“I’d love to compose music for games, but I’m not good enough. In terms of an artist… I’d love to jam with Michael Romeo from Symphony X, because he’s my favourite guitarist. I want to see that ingenious ability on guitar in real life and just bounce off that, have him play around me in circles. It’s interesting though, because would Michael Romeo even work on a Svalbard or Noctule song? Not really, because everything I listen to is very different from the music I create. But, I’m writing a power metal record at the moment…”
What’s the best venue you’ve played and why? Velobetty, Instagram
“Everything that makes a venue special to me is what wouldn’t make it special to anyone else! I’ll talk to people and they’re like, ‘Oh, it was this decrepit old church!’ Or, ‘It was a punk squat!’ I’m just like… ‘It was a clean building in the Netherlands.’
Actually, that’d be my choice – Doornroosje in Nijmegen. It’s just a great-sounding room, excellent facilities and chocolate milk in the fridge, friendly staff… I just like it to feel as comfortable as possible! The whole punk, grimy thing is not for me.”
What are your biggest non-metal influences? Alexjthacker, Instagram
“Videogame soundtracks! I’m really heavily inspired by the World Of Warcraft composers, and the soundtracks are among my most listened-to music, along with Skyrim and Elden Ring. I saw the latter performed live last year by a philharmonic orchestra, which was fantastic.
RPG soundtracks have an effectiveness with melodies that hit you in the heart. I still remember the first one that grabbed me – it was Final Fantasy VII, but I also loved Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2 on the Mega Drive. I want somebody to do a metal cover.”
What’s your favourite videogame? Ethanchinnerypoetry, Instagram
“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, of course! Although Elden Ring is a very close second, I think I’ve almost put as many hours in now on my fifth playthrough.”
What advice would you give to young artists reading this?
2evqw, Instagram
“Be careful about who you work with. Take your time when you are speaking to people in the industry and receiving offers to make sure everything is what it seems, and you’re not getting false promises that’ll end up biting you on the bum.
Make the music you want to make, not what you think is going to be trendy. Play as many DIY shows as you can, but also see shows by other bands. It is a community and a social thing, so the more you’re out there and supporting bands, the more opportunities will open for you.”
Will you make more Skyrim-inspired black metal [with Noctule]?
Normywyrld, Instagram
“I was literally in the studio working on the second Noctule album last night, with Sammy Urwin from Employed To Serve producing! It’s not about Skyrim, though. This Noctule album will be a little different. I wanted to honour games that have been a part of my life.”
If you had to compare your music to a rollercoaster, which would you pick?
Rachburf, Instagram
“I’d compare Svalbard’s music to Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers. It still has a roar in the same way Svalbard does, it’s aggressive and fast, it’s got very dark themes and isn’t afraid to be a little bit scary with its story. Plus, Nemesis is a lady creature – a big, roaring, angry lady, just like me."
Svalbard play Download Festival on June 13. The band have announced a Final UK tour for November 2025.
