‘The gods made Power Metal’ is written in the press release for the current album “King Of Gods”. ‘Born from the ashes of Aeternitas’ is the headline on the Encyclopaedia Metallum. We are talking about the recently founded band Aeon Gods from the Hanseatic city of Lübeck in Schleswig-Holstein. But the musicians are not entirely new to the metal scene. Aeternitas masterminds Anja and Alex Hunzinger are also the creative duo behind Neon Gods. But it would be wrong to describe Aeon Gods as the direct successors of Aeternitas. The musical concepts are too different. After the interview with Aeternitas guitarist Alex Hunzinger, it’s probably time to talk to him about the new project. And he answered my questions again.
MHF: Hi, I’m Rainer and I write for Metalheads Forever Magazine. I’m happy to be able to do this interview with you. How are you doing?
Alex ‘Sol’Ra-tu’ Hunzinger (messenger of the gods and singer of Aeon Gods): Fine, thank you very much. It’s an exciting time for us! We are delighted with the release of our debut album ‘King of Gods’ and the overwhelmingly positive response from fans and press. It confirms us in the important mission that the gods themselves have given us.
MHF: Aeon Gods are a new band. Please introduce yourselves briefly.
Alex: With pleasure! We play Epic Power Metal and see ourselves as musical messengers of the gods, bringing ancient myths and legends into the modern world. Our journey only began last year, but the idea behind Aeon Gods has been maturing for some time. With powerful hymns and epic stories, we want to bring the messages of the Aeon Gods – the old gods from times far away – back into the minds of the people.
MHF: After the end of Aeternitas, you quickly threw yourselves into a new project. How did you motivate yourselves to make a new start so quickly?
Alex: In each ending there is also a new beginning – a well-known saying that has taken on a whole new meaning for us. After the end of Aeternitas, we took a short break to take a deep breath and reorient ourselves. However, it quickly became clear that we couldn’t do without music. It was precisely at this time that we felt the call of the old gods, which ultimately led us onto this new path. This call was like an inner flame that we simply couldn’t ignore.
MHF: Aeon Gods play Power Metal. There are a lot of bands in this genre. What is special about Power Metal in the colours of Aeon Gods?
Alex: We combine classic Power Metal elements with a variety of other influences such as Melodic Metal, Heavy Metal and Symphonic Metal. This allows us to create an epic yet multi-layered sound that emphasises our stories. However, thematic depth is particularly important to us. Our lyrics take the listener into the world of ancient myths and gods, and we see ourselves as narrators of a musical saga. We don’t just want to entertain the listener, we want to take them on a journey to distant times and worlds.
MHF: You have given yourselves stage names and in your band photos you pose as gods. Where did the inspiration for this come from?
Alex: An important point first of all: we don’t portray ourselves as gods but see ourselves as messengers of the gods. The Aeon Gods – those ancient, powerful entities – have chosen us and destined us to carry their stories and messages into the world. Our stage names (or rather messenger names) and the visual concept reflect this role. We are the voice of the gods and carry their legends through our music.
MHF: Speaking of gods. You took the ideas for your song lyrics from Babylonian and Sumerian mythology. Did you study the history and beliefs of the ancient cultures intensively?
Alex: Yes, absolutely. Our debut album is entirely dedicated to the myths of the Babylonians and Sumerians. It was important to us to interpret the legends as authentically as possible, of course within an artificial context. We did a lot of research, read ancient texts and studied the symbolism of these cultures. It is fascinating how timeless many of these stories are – they tell of power, greed, love and the eternal battle between light and darkness.
MHF: Are you satisfied with your debut album?
Alex: Very satisfied! Working with producer Seeb (Sebastian Levermann from Orden Ogan – note: the author) and cover designer Peter Sallai (e.g. for Sabaton, Feuerschwanz, Fellowship – note: the author) was a great experience. It was our first project with them, and we were a bit nervous at first about whether everything would go smoothly. But the results exceeded our expectations – both musically and visually. The album is a powerful entity, and we are proud to present it to our fans.
MHF: What was the reaction from the press and the fans?
Alex: The fans were thrilled, many had been waiting a long time for the album. The press also reacted mostly positively, which of course makes us very happy. There’s always criticism, and that’s fine – after all, it’s not our job to please everyone. We appreciate all forms of feedback, because it shows us that our music awakens emotions and makes people think.
In any case, we are happy to hear from everyone who gets involved with the old stories and walks the path with us.
MHF: Will you also be presenting ‘King Of Gods’ live?
Alex: Yes, absolutely! We’ve already had the opportunity to perform some songs live and are planning a series of concerts for next year. Live performances are something special for us because they allow us to share the old stories directly with the people – with all the energy and passion that can only come from the stage.
MHF: I noticed that Alex is obviously only a singer now and has put the guitar aside. How did this decision come about?
Alex: That’s right. I wanted to concentrate entirely on singing to fulfil my role as the voice of the gods. Without the guitar, I can move more freely and interact more intensively with the audience. It’s a conscious step that has significantly increased our stage presence.
MHF: There are two other guitarists in your band, both of whom are already well-known. Nino Helfrich, for example, is a member of the Kiel Metal band Inner Axis, and Robert Altenbach plays with the Hamburg band Iron Angel. Only drummer Elias Knorr is largely unknown (to me). How did you find your new band members?
Alex: Our three additional messengers of the gods – Nino Helfrich, Robert Altenbach and Elias Knorr – come from our musical environment. Nino and Robert were already known to us, and Elias was recommended to us. It seems as if the gods had a hand in this, because all three fit perfectly with our mission.
MHF: What will happen next with Aeon Gods? Are you already planning the follow-up?
Alex: Our initial focus is on live performances in the upcoming year, because we want to bring the old stories to the stage. At the same time, we are already working on our second album, which will be dedicated to Egyptian myths. So the journey continues!
MHF: I would like to thank you once again for this interview. Is there anything else you would like to say to the fans at the end?
Alex: Thank you very much for supporting us and bringing the old legends back to life with us. We hope to see you live soon – may the word of the gods be with us all on this journey!
Live photos were taken by Annika and Thorsten Samesch
Aeon Gods are:
Alex „Sol’Ra-tu“ Hunzinger – Vocals
Anja „Su’en -Chel“ Hunzinger – Keyboards
Nino „En-Atum“ Helfrich – Guitar
Robert „Abzu’Kean“ Altenbach – Guitar
Elias „Iš’Taru“ Knorr – Drums
Discography:
The Beginning – Single 2023
Ereshkigal – Single 2024
Aeon Gods – Single 2024
Sun-God – Single 2024
King of Gods – Single 2024
King of Gods – Album 2024
Social Media:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AEONGODS
Homepage – https://aeongods.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/aeongods/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@aeongods
