American neo-folk is making an increasingly strong mark on the global music scene. Among the most compelling acts to emerge from the United States is undoubtedly Blood & Sun. Ahead of the band’s upcoming concerts in Poland, frontman Luke Tromiczak reflects on the group’s history, the importance of offering hope, reconnecting with cultural roots, and Blood & Sun’s ties to Poland.
Wojciech Żurek
Wojciech Żurek: This year marks Blood & Sun’s 15th anniversary. Looking back over all these years, how do you see your musical journey?
Luke Tromiczak: It’s been a wild ride. Blood and Sun has been a spiritual companion for me. It has helped me work through so much in my life and brought me much joy and much pain. It’s been an incredible journey to create an aesthetic world through music and lyrics and I’ve been steadfast with the project and it seems to be steadfast with me even if we’re both hard on each other and have run the Gauntlet together at times. It started as a way to express heart break away from the Metal I was writing and began to explore pagan themes. It was a great honor to visit Europe for the first time in 2015 when WGT invited me to play. I’ve been all over the States, Canada, and Europe to sing these songs and that’s been a dream come true for me. The quality of musicians and companions who have lent me their time and skill to make these records has also been a blessing. I’ve also been lucky to find a dedicated group of people I can call fans and friends.
W.Ż: Your new album will be released soon. You decided to “go back to your roots” and record it on your old Tascam four-track cassette porta studio. What made you choose that approach? Do you think today’s emphasis on technical and digital perfection in recording has taken some of the spirit out of music?
L.T.: I wanted to go back with all the knowledge I’ve learned over the years working with Big Bad Bob (producer of 16 horsepower, Wovenhand, Tarentella, Ingowan Ring) to see what I could produce with restrictions but quality microphones, preamps, and instruments like my Drawmer 1960, ADK A-51s, 1940s Gibson, and 1970s Guild 12 string . There is an over emphasis on digital perfection and editability. And now just AI driven plagiarism really confuses the whole field. I wanted to push back into something tangible, something I would have to use cleverness and give my full attention to master. It was nerve racking as I’m using a 25 year old Tascam tape machine that could use a tune up and some repair. It was a great challenge to bounce tracks down to only 4 with often 6-8 performances 2 guitars, drums, hand percussion, bass, synthesizers in the mix along the way. It took faith and nerve as in many places there was no turning back. I made rules too. Each song on the album is the exact order I wrote and recorded them. So one song led to the other and I had to envision what I would write before recording. It was a great experience. I definitely don’t have anything against working with a Daw. I used Reaper and some fantastic UAD plug-ins to master the record. In the end I’m really happy with the atmosphere created in the process and proud to share it with the world.
W.Ż.: Although your work often explores very difficult themes, there’s also a great deal of light in your music. In these challenging times, do you think music can still give people hope?
L.T.: I know Music can. One of the biggest surprises in working with this project has been receiving many messages from people who were helped through tough times with the songs of the first two albums. This type of interaction means the world to me. The music isn’t just about the hardships but it’s also about building personal and cultural strengths through passions, stubbornness and full participation with your life. Love and Ashes is about coming through the dark night of the soul and there has to be life on the other side of that night. I think this Album is darker but I think the fever dream quality will be inspiring.
W.Ż.: You’re part of the American neofolk scene, which has been making an increasingly strong mark on the genre. More and more interesting bands and albums are emerging from the United States. In your opinion, what makes this american style so outstanding and why the scene has been growing so much in recent years in US?
L.T.: There are indeed some great projects from people I consider friends like Waul of The Weald, American Bhanvana, Sunken Stag, Scout Paré-Phillips, Backworld, Cradle of Judah, Third Black Day, Society of the Silver Cross, Monk Hammer and I recommend everyone listen to Christian Wallowing Bull. It’s a vast landscape in America and we have a lot of romance and yearning to pull from. That said there is tons of great stuff happening in Europe from lesser known bands Polish bands like By the Spirits, Spears of Nimrod, Lithuanian bands like Romowe Rikoito, and the Welsh Tanahanner. These are all groups that get regular attention from me.
W.Ż.: Your website states that “the band does not align with hateful rhetoric or ideologies and is not political in nature.” May I ask why it was important to you to make that statement?
L.T.: I find it important to speak your heart when you’re misunderstood and stand in the truth of the light you hold. Blood and Sun is very much moved by the spiritual currents in broad strokes of European Paganism but we are all citizens of the world and in my ranks I’ve welcomed many people of many faiths, ethnic backgrounds, sexual expressions, and political perspectives. These things should go without saying but I’ve had reason to state clearly the truth. I also value freedom of speech, expression and association no matter what your background or perspective is. I believe very much in Democracy, personal sovereignty and freedom to express your views in the world of ideas.
W.Ż.: You’ll be performing in Poland twice in the near future. Is there anything you’d like to say to your Polish fans? And how are you feeling about your upcoming visit to our country?
L.T.: I’m incredibly excited to perform in Poland again. We will be playing five shows in Poland actually including Wroclaw Industrial Festival 6th November, Alchemia in Cracow 7th November, Warsaw 8th November, Pod Minoga in Poznan 10th November, and Blues Club in Gdynia 12th November with Society of the Silver Cross (Seattle) and Linnea Hjerten (Sweden). My great grandparents were from Poland, likely from around the Cracow area before immigrating to the Chicago area and later moving to Minnesota. My fathers father and his wife were very proud Polish Americans but my father’s generation lost the language. So coming back and learning about Poland today has been an incredible privilege. My wife (who was born in West Virginia and has Polish and German heritage from the Gdansk area two generations back) and I were married in Gdansk in 2022 and we’re playing in Gdynia on the anniversary. It just means a lot. So to my Polish fans it’s a great honor to be able to play in Poland and see how beautiful a place you are making Poland today.
W.Ż.: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. The final word is yours.
L.T.: I really appreciate the questions and thank you for my first interview in Poland. I hope to meet in November! Dziękuję Bardzo!
Tickets: linktr.ee/eurotour2026
bloodandsun.net
