Sarah Jezebel Deva returned to the Scars And Guitars Podcast to discuss her experiences with the reformed Covenant and reflect on the band's reunion. She also discusses the development of her philosophies since her Cradle Of Filth days, strategies for managing her music career alongside family responsibilities, her view on her legacy in extreme music, and balancing personal and band commitments. The conversation extends to what the future might hold.
Sarah: "I had no real intention of doing anything live again. My son comes first, your family comes first, and I was afraid of being away from him and how he would deal with everything. There was a lot of anxiety. I had many conversations with the guys, and when all these conversations were happening (over the years), it was the fantasy thing. I really, really wanted to do it, and then when it started happening I shit myself. Speaking to (booking agent) Håkon (Grav), he said 'You have a life, too. You're not just Mom, you're Sarah, you deserve a life.' So I decided to do it, and the first show comes through (Eindhoven Metal Meeting 2024), and at one point I thought about backing out. Then I went over (to Norway) for rehearsals - and you have to bear in mind that we haven't seen each other in so long - and by the end of those rehearsals I was well up for it. They went so well."
On December 14, The Kovenant - featuring Nagash, Steinar Sverd Johnsen, Sarah Jezebel Deva, Astennu and Hellhammer - reunited for the first of several scheduled reunion shows at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting 2024. Fan-filmed video of the entire comeback show can be viewed below.
Setlist:
"The Sulphur Feast"
"Bizarre Cosmic Industries"
"Planetarium"
"The Last of Dragons"
"Bringer of the Sixth Sun"
"Dragonheart"
"Planetary Black Elements"
"Chariots of Thunder"
"Interlude"
"Jihad"
"In the Name of the Future"
"Towards the Crown of Nights"
Sarah followed up with this message:
"Seriously, hands down, the most incredible experience ever. So humble, so grateful and so ready for what's next. I think this morning, I'm on a major come down, as usual I wear my heart on my sleeve and will always say what I feel, and I have to say, not only do I love these guys so much, but the crew also. What a team. I met some old friends and met some new friends that I had only met online and worked with. It's been a long time since I've cried laughing, and I cried a lot.... laughing.. think maybe a bit of wee came out too.... Thank you."
The Kovenant originally formed as a symphonic black metal act known as Covenant in 1993, but in 1999 were forced to change their name to The Kovenant due to a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name. The band's name change also marked a change in sound/style, as the band from there on began to focus more on an aggrotech / industrial metal sound heavily influenced by Europe's EBM scene. Despite their style change, The Kovenant did however later reissue their early albums under The Kovenant name.
The Kovenant's live schedule is now as follows:
January / February
30-3 - 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise - Ocho Rios, Jamaica
May
1-3 - Karmøygeddon Metal Festival - Kopervik. Norway
