For vocalist Agnė, the significance of the Helsinki show extended far beyond simply reaching the end of a tour. As Black Spikes closed the final chapter of their first major European run with Butcher Babies and Infected Rain, emotions were running high. What had started as the band’s first real adventure abroad had turned into an experience none of the members expected to have so early in their career, making the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye all the more pronounced.

“It’s not only the last one, it’s our first tour and it’s coming to an end. So yeah, it’s very important for us. The word amazing is too soft, because we experienced a lot and we’re so lucky touring with Butcher Babies and Infected Rain. We’re so lucky and we’re so happy to be here with them. We love these bands, we love these people and this opportunity that we’re experiencing now. It’s fucking amazing.”

One of the biggest surprises came from seeing audiences embrace songs performed entirely in Lithuanian. Language barriers turned out to matter far less than expected. Agnė explained that even when listeners had no idea what the lyrics meant, they still connected with the emotions behind the music.

“These people, they don’t fucking know what we’re singing about, what we’re talking about, but they feel it. And you can even see these people sing along. And this is amazing.”

Bassist Ieva added that there was something even more special about discovering that people were attending shows specifically for them.

“People that saw us for the first time, they came over and they said, ‘Yeah, we like you.’ But it’s also very special when there’s like three or four people that’s like, ‘I came for you guys.'”

The band’s current momentum feels all the more remarkable considering how close Black Spikes came to disappearing altogether. Looking back at the release of “Imperator”, Agnė recalled how the members had openly dreamed of one day joining Napalm Records, even researching what it would take to get there. Yet they never felt ready to take that step themselves. At the time, they lacked a large audience, had never toured internationally and had only performed in Lithuania. Convinced they still fell short of the expectations associated with such a label, they never even reached out. Ironically, it was precisely then that Napalm Records came knocking. The timing proved especially significant, as years of investing their hearts into the band without seeing much return had left the musicians wondering whether it was time to walk away altogether. Instead, what seemed like the end became the beginning of a completely new chapter.

“We were dreaming about it. We were googling what criteria you should meet to be there. We didn’t have the courage at that moment because we understood that we’re not meeting all the requirements. We don’t have yet a huge fan base. We are not touring. We’ve been performing only in our country, Lithuania. It was fucking amazing when a week later Napalm Records contacted us.

“We were at this point when we were almost quitting music. We were putting a lot of effort, a lot of our love into this and nobody cared. There are many bands that kind of reach this point. When we were at the point of breaking everything and finishing with the music, things started to change. So I would say: never give up. At some moment of your life, just keep grinding.”

That momentum also reached Lithuania itself. Black Spikes became part of the country’s M.A.M.A. Awards, an event the band views as symbolic not just for themselves, but for heavy music in general. Metal has traditionally occupied only a small corner of the Lithuanian music landscape, something the musicians hope is beginning to change.

“I think that we’re rewriting the whole history of music in Lithuania as well, because there wasn’t any metal awards before.”

While Agnė emphasized that the scene still has a long way to go, she sees encouraging signs emerging.

“Metal bands were only playing in small venues in Lithuania. The metal scene is very small. But besides that, we have so many talented metalheads who are playing. They are amazing, and they were never properly recognized. And now it’s changing in Lithuania.”

Drummer Dominykas perhaps summarized the experience best when recalling a debate he had with his mother.

“I had a debate with my mom about the awards in Lithuania. What is better, to get an award or to actually play on live TV? Now we know what is better. I think it’s better to play.”

International ambitions have not led Black Spikes to abandon what makes them unique. Despite preparing for the release of their new album in August and reaching listeners far beyond Lithuania through their recent tour and Napalm Records signing, the band has no intention of switching to English in pursuit of broader appeal. For them, language is deeply intertwined with identity, and while they make sure international audiences have access to translations, the songs themselves remain firmly rooted in their homeland. Even experiments with mixing languages are the exception rather than the rule, as Black Spikes see bringing Lithuanian culture abroad as an important part of who they are.

“We are creating in Lithuanian. This is our native language. For people who don’t speak Lithuanian, we’re doing all the translations because anyway, for us it’s important that people could understand what we’re singing about. Because it’s not only about emotion. We are bringing very sensitive topics in our lyrics. And yeah, we’re doing that in Lithuanian. And we will do that in the future as well.

“Basically, we’ll have only one song which is mixed language. It was fun for us to do, but we will keep our roots.”

Drummer Dominykas added that carrying their native language beyond the borders of Lithuania had always been one of his personal ambitions.

“Personally, it was my dream to be in a collective, in an ensemble, in a band, which sings in Lithuanian and does it outside of Lithuania.”

The recent tour only reinforced the belief that they are on the right path. Before leaving home, none of the members knew what to expect.

“We didn’t know, will we like it? Will we get tired of it? Will we be good at it? We didn’t know anything. So we just took this adventure.”

What they discovered exceeded every expectation.

“We’re leaving home so happy. All of us, I think, have the greatest experience in our lives here. This tour really has a significant impact on our personal lives as well, not only from the music perspective.”

And as Black Spikes continue preparing for the release of their new album and the next tour that will inevitably follow, one thing remains certain. Music alone has never been enough. The visual and theatrical side of the band has always been equally important, something they intend to continue developing.

As Ieva explained:

“We were never a band which is only playing music. For us, it’s very important stage presence. It’s very important those show elements. We were doing that from the very beginning.”

With a smile, Agnė perhaps offered the simplest summary of Black Spikes‘ ambitions for the future:

“Just give us a room and we’ll show you.”

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