Mirrorcell Talk Identity, Collaboration, and Building Their First Album, Long Nights in Lovescape
Mirrorcell’s first official full-length album, Long Nights in Lovescape, is set for release on February 20, 2026, via InVogue Records. I had the pleasure of chatting with Nate Cell, vocalist of Mirrorcell and the project’s sole official member, about the album’s creation, influences, and the vision behind the project.
Stream Mirrorcell's recently released single Ichi (Feat. VCTMS) here
Watch Mirrorcell's Official Music Video Ichi (Feat VCTMS) here
Formed in 2022, Mirrorcell began as a solo project before quickly evolving into a full band with a broader creative scope. Since then, the group has built a sound that moves between modern metal, atmospheric textures, and alternative influences, without tying itself to a single genre. With their debut album Long Nights in Lovescape approaching release, Mirrorcell are entering a defining chapter, one shaped by cinematic influences, emotional contrast, and a growing confidence in their identity. We spoke with Cell about the project’s formation, creative process, and the ideas driving its first full-length release.
Presave Long Nights in Lovescape here
You first formed Mirrorcell in 2022. What was the original vision for Mirrorcell, and how has that vision evolved as your sound has developed? What do you feel is most important for listeners to understand about the identity or philosophy behind the band?
Since Mirrorcell’s inception it has refined its identity sound and look-wise. Before any music was released this was solely a solo project. But by the time we finished writing our 3rd song “bleach” I felt like this had more potential to be a formidable band that performs.
Your band name connects deeply with introspection and the idea of “reflecting the inner self.” How does that concept influence your songwriting and the emotional direction of Long Nights in Lovescape?
The idea of Mirrorcell for the listener is to reflect on what the music we write means to them. The songs on our LP can be served as introspection or a looking glass into deeper meanings one is faced with.
You’ve said before that your inspiration comes from not just music, but also other forms of media and experiences. What non-musical influences played a major role in shaping the sound or themes of the band and of this new album?
Films/Cinema was the primary influence when writing this album. Most notably “Fallen Angels 1995” by Wong-Kar Wai, “The Doom Generation” by Gregg Arraki, and “Buffalo ‘66” by Vincent Galo. Some songs are directly inspired by the films and some just serve as a motif for the album feeling/vibe.
If each member of the band could describe the album in one word, what would those words be and why?
I think the band would agree that “Romantic” would be a good word to describe the album.
Your recent singles “Lovebomb,” “Otherside,” “Pleasure,” and the newest release “Ichi” with VCTMS, each have a distinct tone. How do these tracks represent the different corners of the world you’re building on Long Nights in Lovescape?
The ups and downs from track to track are a metaphor for relationships and the complexity that can be love. Some songs there can be deep embrace like our song “U(phoria)’ and alternatively there can be a darker self-destructive song like “Ichi” to convey the push/pull feeling in the album.
You’ve collaborated with diverse artists like Cane Hill, VCTMS, and Moodring. What draws you to certain artists for collaborations, and how do these partnerships shape your sound?
All the bands we collaborated with on this album I was a fan of before the idea ever got brought up. I’d never want to collaborate with an artist or band just for the sake of doing it. I’ve looked up not only to what VCTMS, Cane Hill, and Moodring do on a sonic level but also what they stand for as a band and individuals. So, I felt like they fit the direction and overall world we are trying to build with this album.
Mirrorcell isn’t tied to a single genre, and your music pulls from everything from modern metal to more atmospheric or alt-metal influences. What does “genre” mean to you as a band? Something to embrace, something to break, or something else entirely?
Genre for me is made to be bent and evolved into new things. Rather than be what we bring physically to the music scene or sound-wise. While the band is categorized as “Metalcore” I’ve never claimed that genre for us. I want the evolution of this band to show that we are our own entity only defined by ourselves.
Since Mirrorcell only began performing live in the last year, how has the live show experience shaped your chemistry as a band, and what have you learned about yourselves from being on stage?
We have grown tremendously since our first show. As musicians and people, we have changed so much and gotten so much closer through this craft. This is the happiest I have ever been in a band/project. I feel like that is largely attributed to the good people I have in my life and on my team because of Mirrorcell.
Which song from the new album are you the most excited for fans to hear?
There's two actually! There is a song in the middle of the album called “Hurt Me” that has a great transition into the following song “Candy” that completely flips the feeling of the A-side of the album upside down that I can’t wait for people to experience.
You seem to exist in a sound space where you could tour comfortably with bands ranging from Deftones and loathe to Bad Omens, to deathcore bands & modern metal bands. If you could hand-pick a dream tour lineup that matches the Mirrorcell energy, who would be on it?
The first bands that come to mind for a dream tour would be Thornhill, Loathe, Bad Omens and Deftones or Nine Inch Nails, ironically enough haha.
What was a moment during the creation of Long Nights in Lovescape where everything “clicked” and you knew the album had found its identity?
The moment that it all clicked for me was when we spent a whole day writing a song that did not feel right for the album that I had originally envisioned. We cut our losses, came back the next day, and started writing what is now “Otherside”. Since that moment every song we wrote felt perfectly in line with the album’s identity.
The upcoming album Long Nights in Lovescape marks your first album. What do you hope fans old and new feel or understand after hearing the album from beginning to end?
I hope they feel the cinematic experience we are trying to bring through our music and visuals. I hope it also interests people to look deeper into the album and find the little references and easter eggs we sprinkled throughout each track.
With the album dropping in February 2026, what’s on your bucket list for the next year, musically or personally?
We hope to play some larger festivals, possibly get another tour booked for the year and continue our crusade of world domination!
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with Evaporated Mag, very excited to hear Long nights in Lovescape come February 20th, 2026!
Watch the official music video for U(PHORIA) here
Long Nights in Lovescape captures a band still in motion but clearly aware of where they’re headed. Across the album, Mirrorcell lean into contrast, romance and self-destruction, intensity and restraint, while maintaining a cohesive vision informed by film, lived experience, and collaboration. As they continue to expand their live presence and reach wider audiences, the record serves as both an introduction and a statement of intent. For Mirrorcell, this debut isn’t about fitting into a scene, but about establishing a foundation they continue to build on.
Watch the Mirrorcell Official Music Video for Pleasure (ft Cane Hill) here
