Interview by Dave Martin/Faversham Photography
Nottingham based melodic metallers Phoenix Lake are set for a new album release later this month followed by a headline tour of the UK. The band who have played major music festivals such as Bloodstock, Maid of Stone and Call of the Wild are on the brink of the release of their concept album Seraphina: The Fall From Eden . Following the announcements, we reached out to them to discuss all things, Phoenix Lake.
Q. You mentioned new material was on the way when I interviewed you at Bloodstock last year, how long has it taken to complete the album and can you describe your journey in making the album?
“The first song we wrote for the album was Fractured Wings, which we released in November 2023. At the time, we weren’t planning on making a concept album at all. That song sparked something creatively and inspired us to reimagine the lyrics in a more literal sense. From there, the whole concept just grew naturally.
As we kept writing, we started expanding Seraphina’s world and the story around her. We released Serenity at the end of 2024 and Woven in Time at the start of 2025, each one revealing more of that story.
By May 2025, we’d finished recording the whole album. A few unexpected setbacks meant the album release was pushed back, but if anything, that’s just made us even more eager to finally share it.
Our most recent single, Bells of Variel, came out in October 2025. It’s one of the heavier songs on the album, so it felt like a good contrast to Woven in Time, which leans a bit more into a commercial sound.
The whole journey has been really fun, but also pretty demanding. With it being a concept album, every little detail has mattered. We’ve put so much thought into building Seraphina’s world, and seeing it come to life through the music and artwork has been incredibly rewarding. It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s absolutely been worth it”
Q. Listening to the album you clearly have a real mixing pot of influences. What other bands would you cite as influences that would give new listeners an insight into your music?
Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of influences on the album, one of the biggest influences for the idea of the concept album was actually Black Veil Brides Wretched & Divine, I (Ash) was listening to that album a lot when mapping early ideas for our album & it definitely played a big part in creating it, Parkway drive another massive influence for the melodic guitars side, Within Temptation for the symphonic elements & Orchestral arrangements, Bullet for my Valentine was also an influence on some of the thrashier moments & we actually added in some influences from Poppy as well as we had just started really getting into her music during the final sessions of writing/recording the album.
Q. Which track do you suggest to new listeners that they hear first to get them hooked on you and why?
Probably Fractured Wings or Bells of Variel, there’s a lot of different parts going on in those tracks, melodic but powerful however This Abyss is very catchy so that could also be a good one to listen to first.
Q. Individually which track on the new album is your favourite and why?
Lana – “That’s such a hard question! I genuinely love every song, and my favourite changes all the time. Right now, I’d say This Abyss. It’s one of the heaviest and most high-energy tracks on the album, with electronic elements and harsh vocals in the breakdown.
This song pushed me vocally and took me out of my comfort zone. The harsh vocals really bring out Seraphina’s anger and frustration at that point in the story. It’s such a fun song to perform live, especially because I love a challenge”.
Ash – “I love them all for different reasons, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be I’ll Let You Go. It’s the track that challenged me the most as a songwriter, as it’s our big ballad.
Growing up listening to ’80s bands like Guns N’ Roses, Poison, and Mötley Crüe, I always wanted to write that kind of ‘November Rain’ style ballad. That’s when I started writing I’ll Let You Go.
It fits perfectly at the end of the album because of where the story leads, and Lana did an amazing job with the lyrics, they really made it a powerful and emotional track.”
Zak – “Seraphina. It’s a fantastic track to play live, it just has this energy that really connects! There’s something about it that feels almost old school to me, which I love. It’s got a strong, driving beat that pushes everything forward and gives it that powerful momentum.
It’s always hard to choose because I genuinely love all the tracks for different reasons, but there’s just something about Seraphina that hits differently for me. It has a special feel every time we play it.”
Joe – “You’d expect Heart of Obsidian, Fall From Eden, or another frenetic drumming track… But for me, It’s gotta be The Divine, it’s fucking beautiful, man.”
Q. You are going out on tour with some great bands. I have reviewed Black Lakes several times and they are really energetic on stage. How did you go about selecting your supports for the tour and did stage presence have any bearing on your selection?
“Hell yeah, Black Lakes are an incredible band. We’ve seen firsthand how energetic and commanding they are on stage, so having them was a no brainer. They bring such a powerful live presence, and we knew they’d set the bar high!
When it came to choosing supports, we wanted to make this tour feel as big and exciting as possible. We weren’t just looking for bands we wanted bands that could really own the stage. Black Lakes, Dacara, and Aethoria are all making serious waves in the scene right now, and each of them brings something unique to the lineup.
We wanted every show to feel like an event from start to finish, and we know these bands will bring the heat, the energy, and the passion every night. It’s a stacked lineup.”
Q. Your tour has 14 dates, are there any venues or cities you are particularly excited to visit?
“We are excited for a few shows in particular. Glasgow is high on the list, as we didn’t get a chance to play there on our last tour because I (Lana) was ill, so it feels great to finally make it back. Brighton is another one we’re looking forward to; it’s a lovely city by the sea, and it always has a really fun vibe. London is a highlight too, the crowd energy there is amazing, and it’s just a really good time every night. And of course, Nottingham will be special for us because it’s our hometown! It’s always great playing in front of friends, family, and people who know your story from the beginning.
Honestly, we’re just excited to play all the dates, especially as this is our first ever headline tour! It’s going to be an incredible experience.”
Q. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you, the album or the tour?
As this is our debut album, Seraphina: The Fall From Eden, it’s incredibly special to us. As an independent band, we’ve poured so much time, and energy into building Seraphina’s journey, and we truly hope it resonates with people and that they love it as much as we do.
It’s also our first headline tour, which makes this chapter even more meaningful. We can’t wait to get out there and perform these songs on stage.
The band are passionate about their music and really excited to share it with the world at large. Their debut album SERAPHINA: THE FALL FROM EDEN’ drops on 27th February and the tour starts on the 5th March in Hull. Grab your tickets here to avoid missing out on this high octane band that is setting the British music scene ablaze.
Phoenix lake are:
Lana Phillis – Vocals
Ash Wilson – Guitars
Zak Smith – Bass
Joe Synnott – Drums
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