Surrounded by mountains, forests and cloudy skies, the college town of Bellingham, Washington State, one of the northernmost towns in the contiguous United States, located about one and a half to two hours north of Seattle, depending on traffic, is home to a gem called
Inpathos. The band (2020-present) has steadily built their discography with a debut album in 2020 titled Divinity, the sophomore in 2021 named March Towards a Blackened Sun, an EP in 2023 called Ascension, and now their third album, Apparitions in 2025, which features 12 tracks spanning approximately 57 minutes. Brimming with ideas, their latest release represents very well their dedication to their craft. From their debut, Inpathos demonstrated a clear and well-formed musical identity: intense, fast, shredding guitar work combined with melodic yet heavy and brutal sensibilities. By releasing albums in rapid succession, they have honed their sound through growing experience in songwriting and recording. Fans of melodic extreme metal would do well to look into this hidden treasure of a band in a town near the border between the United States and Canada.
Thanks! Yeah, we try to do as much as we possibly can ourselves so we can maintain total creative control over our music. Plus, it pushes us to learn and grow as artists and generally as creative people.
It seems like there is a metal music scene in Bellingham. How many of your members are Bellingham natives?
It’s pretty great here! A bit expensive, but we have a dedicated scene with a lot of surprises. Black Breath were originally from here, which is pretty awesome, we have some pretty notable acts that roll through here (Red Fang, Helms Alee, Anciients, High on Fire, etc) and some seriously awesome venues like the Shakedown, the Makeshift, Karate Church, the Wild Buffalo, and many more. Three of us grew up in Bellingham or the surrounding towns, and our previous guitarist grew up here as well (check out his new band Hunter’s Dream btw!)
Metal Archives says that your band began in 2020, but also that you did your debut album in 2020. That doesn't add up, does it? You must have had this bun cooking in the oven way before 2020.
Yup, the band officially formed in 2020. Adonis (Ado) had already written and arranged most of the songs before that though, some coming from ideas written as far back as 2009!
Metal Archives lists two brothers, Adonis (guitars) and Nabil Reed-Boulos (drums), as the constant members since 2020. Therefore, these brothers must have had music written since their middle school or high school days, correct?! What metal bands did you like when you were younger?
That is correct, Ado and Nabil have been writing and playing music together since they were both in middle school, and some ideas from then ended up becoming songs on future albums (see The Void Above and Starless Void... two “Voids”, quite the coincidence huh?). Our biggest metal musical influences were Opeth, Avenged Sevenfold, and Metallica in those years, which is funny because they only shine through clearly once in a while. We’ve always taken our influences and put our own unique twist on them, even from the beginning. That said, we had a ton of influence from the music we grew up with, and since we’re Lebanese that meant a LOT of Lebanese and French music. Dabke, oud music, Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf, and so on.
The rhythms and melodies blended into the metal influences and our own self-expression to create something vastly different from the original inspirations.
As if an album in 2020 was not enough for an independent band, then you recorded and released a second album in 2021. What do you remember about this period of 2020-2021 for the band? It seems like you must have been very busy.
Oh yes, we were definitely excited to get the music out. Plus, with all the lockdowns during those years, we definitely had some free time. Our guitarists would both write constantly, so there were a ton of songs already in the making by the time Divinity was released. It is always stressful too, but in the end it’s worth it, especially when we finally get to play the new songs live and connect with the scene and fans!
At that time, you had the same line-up for the two albums, but nowadays only the two brothers remain from those days, and are now joined by bassist Brendan Brendible and Patrick Bradford on vocals. There was an EP in 2023, but it does seem like it took you some time to build the band back up with new members and to record your third album Apparitions in 2025. Did the stress of being in a band become too much for previous members? Do any of you have children yet? Are any of you students at Western Washington University, given that you live in Bellingham?
So funnily enough, Brendan has actually always been our only bassist. We had lined someone up originally that was going to play bass with us when we started playing live, but he ended up not being able to before we even started. And since Ado recorded the bass on Divinity, it’s really just been Brendan from the start! So, I’d say the three of us are all still original members, with Ado and Nabil being the founding members. We parted ways with our first vocalist Jordan around early 2022 as I recall. He had some other really exciting plans he was pursuing at the same time, so when the opportunity to build them further presented itself, it was a no-brainer! We definitely missed him, but it was really exciting to see him get to pursue his dreams!
It took a really long time for us to find a new vocalist, and I think Ascension was instrumentally complete sometime in fall-2022 if I recall correctly. We finally found Patrick in early 2023, and he breathed new life into the band. We finished Ascension, filmed a music video, and released that summer. After a string of shows to finish out the year, we dove into the next album in early 2024. Little did we know 2024 was going to be a brutal year for us all personally. A couple of us were affected by job changes, we had some illnesses throughout the year, Ado had a long string of injuries and couldn’t play guitar for the better part of six months, a lot of our gear was starting to fail and needing replaced, etc... Finally, our guitarist Anthony decided that after finishing the album, he would be parting ways to dedicate more time to some other projects he was passionate about. So, we finally finished recording the album in Fall of 2024, but were now down a member. We still had to mix/master the album, shoot a few music videos, and begin the hunt for a new guitarist, all while preparing to play shows come spring.
That brings us to the present. We’ve found our newest member (official announcement coming soon, though he has been playing shows with us for some time now), the album and several videos are out, and we’re getting back to playing shows! 2024 and the first half of 2025 were tough, but it can only go up from here!
As for the last part of the question, no kids for any of us at present. Nabil and Brendan both studied at Western, and Ado almost did but headed down to Seattle for a few years to attend UW instead.
What are the Inpathos lyrical concepts? Your very first single, according to Metal Archives, in 2020 was “The Void Above” and the lyrics can be read as a contemplation on the skies. For readers who do not know, in the Bellingham area there are a lot of mountains, hills, forests, and trees. Therefore, at night, it is easy to see the stars and to see the sky. Looking at the night sky makes human beings react with awe. “The Void Above” could be read as atheistic and nihilistic, which carries over to the first album in general, while the second album seems more brutal and gruesome in the lyrics. Where does the year 2025 find you?
Lyrics are a funny one for us, because we’ve actually had a different person write them for every release. The lyrics for the Divinity album were almost all written by Ado, with some editing by Jordan to improve the actual execution of them. As can be seen in the lyrics, Ado can be a pretty depressing dude (don’t worry, he’s the one saying as much!) and that definitely comes out in his writing. Moving on from there, Jordan took over primary lyric writing for the second album, which is a super brutal concept album with a dark, medieval feel. With the Ascension EP, Ado was back to writing again, but this time it was more of an abstract concept. That EP is really an ode to this incredible area we call home up in Whatcom County, with undertones of depression inevitably sneaking into the lyrics. Patrick made some edits when recording to improve the structure and flow of lyrics, but this latest album is where he really took the reins. He wrote a full concept story for the new album with the help of his partner Sabrina, and from there they crafted a really cool, post-apocalyptic, occult/sci-fi lyrical journey that carries through the full album. That’s a type of story setting/concept that he really enjoys working with, so from here on out we’ll probably have a few albums in that vein and plenty more concept albums to come.
Was there an overall lyrical theme to the 2021 album March Towards a Blackened Sun? “In Reflection” was an interesting composition that causes more questions than it answers. That album, one could say, seems like the story of a traitor or heretic who has to face his final fate.
Honestly, you nailed it. It’s absolutely the story of a soldier that has been branded a heretic and traitor by the tyrannical conqueror he has been serving. He decided he can’t stand by idly and watch the atrocities any longer, so he deserts and tries to escape and help others, only to be caught and executed in the end. Definitely a really dark story for that one.
How do you approach lyric writing for your band in general?
It’s tough since each release has been written by a different person, but one thing I think those of us that have written lyrics have all had in common is we don’t want the lyrics to be meaningless. Even with the concept albums, there are strong emotional undercurrents and/or personal experiences that give the stories actual meaning and purpose. They aren’t just stories for the sake of having lyrical content - they always have intent and meaning.
Do you ever think: “One day I will be old, and I will have children. Will I be ashamed or proud of my music and my lyrics?” How would they react? If a musician is too embarrassed by their own music and lyrics, what does that say about one’s life’s work and the time and effort spent making metal music?
My thoughts on this one are actually pretty straightforward. I think lyrics and music that are written with intent, meaning, and as true personal expression are an insight into who the writer is at that point in their life. Might they be a bit embarrassing at some point down the road sometimes? Sure. Does that matter? Eh, not really. It’s a snapshot of a point of time from which you have moved on. As far as relatives’ reactions to the music, I suppose it really just depends on the person and the individual relationship?
So, in 2023 there was the EP Ascension. It seems like this EP was a time of transition. By this time the band had reached a new level of skill: the music sounds melodic and heavy in a more skilled way, sharper, and tighter.
It was definitely a time of transition for us, and we wanted to try out a lot of new stuff in a smaller format release so we could focus on doing them really well - a music video, pro mixing/mastering, etc. We’re glad you think it was a step up to the next level! That was definitely the goal.
Your 2025 album Apparitions finds the band once again changing course a little bit, a bit bolder and more confident to expand on the melodic death metal sound. For example, tell me about the extra percussion on the song “Last Embrace.” There are more things happening in the music, I sense.
Apparitions was an extremely ambitious project for us in many ways, including learning how to blend all the different elements we wanted into the music. That’s how things like the percussion on “Last Embrace” (Nabil recorded it), the interlude of “Grand Design”, the intro of “Unraveling Creation” and other quirks came about. Ultimately, we don’t want to play typical melodeath because that’s not who we are. We have so many other influences, and we will always strive to express ourselves as much as we can. That said, we’re definitely not a prog band either. What we try to do is focus our diverse influences through the “lens” of melodeath to get something that feels coherent, intentional, and focused, but also unique to us.
The song “Apparitions’ showcases a very tight, sharp guitar sound while keeping melodies at the forefront. I feel like the changes from 2023 are now the permanent state of affairs: At a certain point, your musicianship and your recording skills have become more refined. Your album stands up very well to the more established bands in the melodic death metal genre. I'm proud of you guys and how much you have grown in your abilities.
Thank you so much! We really appreciate that. We’re always trying to do something better or more interesting with every album, so it’s great to hear others affirm that we’re on the right path.
Sometimes metal bands run out of money after self-financing albums. You are not making money, correct? Every album is a net loss in terms of money. That's why fans supporting your music means a lot.
The support of our fans is everything. Financially, it helps us try new things with our shows, get better gear for recording, hopefully tour soon, and so on. More than that though, sharing the music with people and connecting with them is what makes it worth it. There’s nothing more exhilarating than playing music for people that love it and seeing them enjoy it, then nerding out with fellow musicians and metalheads after a show about other great bands, shows, merch, and gear. It’s one of those things that makes being a metalhead so special.
Of course, we also all work full time and split the remaining costs where we can, but I think like with most musicians the dream is that one day this could become a part-time or even full-time thing (I don’t think anybody is happy in a soul-sucking 9-5, and especially not artists and musicians!). Either way, we are just extremely thankful that we get to do this at all and that we have so many people who enjoy what we do and support us in so many ways!
What are your plans for 2025 and 2026? Are the two brothers constantly writing new music? more shows in Bellingham? what about Seattle and Tacoma? What about other towns like Arlington, Marysville, and Everett?!
Oh, we have all sorts of plans! So yes, first of all, we are planning to get more shows lined up all around NW Washington and even beyond (Oregon, Eastern WA, etc), and even a tour in 2026 if finances allow. The brothers are always writing, as well as the other members - we try to use a very collaborative approach to writing. We are planning a few EPs, a new album, etc. We’re just going to see how many of those many goals we can achieve and go from there.
What have I forgotten to ask about? What is the best pizza in Bellingham? Do you ever go swimming in the waters in the bay in Bellingham?! I bet it's cold! Ice cream at Mallard!
I (Ado) have been swimming in the bay a couple times, but I definitely prefer being in the woods up in the mountains. And yes, it is definitely cold in that water! Mallard is a great Bellingham staple, and while I’m a terrible judge of good pizza, The Racket (the other side of the incredible venue The Shakedown) has some of the best food in town in my opinion, plus pinball upstairs! It’s a great place to grab a bite and a drink before heading next door to The Shakedown to catch a metal show.
Apparitions
by Inpathos
https://www.facebook.com/InpathosBand
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