HELL MILITIA (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to?
T. Persecutor : We are currently working on new materials, visual and musical.
– Though your latest «Last Station on the Road to Death» was released last 2010, I would like to talk a bit about it if you don’t mind. First off, how was the feedback it got and the support from your followers?
It was good. It was a special album, because the writing started after COTFS and ended at the end of 2009. So there were a lot a different songs from different years. Of course there were other songs written, but we decided to keep these as marks of these years that had passed in Hell Militia and to discard all the others. It also marks the time where Meyhna’ch and myself got more time working on Hell Militia as Mutiilation and Arkhon Infaustus splitted. «last station» is a mix of these times, a huge turn for Hell Militia.
– And now that I guess you have had the chance of listening to it carefully, is there anything you would like to change? In general terms, how do you now regard at it?
I don’t think I would change anything. An album is a landmark of a moment. That is what we have recorded and played for years, and that is the sound we wanted to do at BST studio. We will soon release some 7″ split where we will re-record some songs from the beginning that were never released, not because we want to change the records that we have, but to see what they would sound today as we have become.
– Between your debut album and this last one were 5 years; why did it take you that time? Some other projects maybe?
Yes, Arkhon Infaustus and Mutiilation among others, were taking us a lot of time, and we didn’t want to rush Hell Militia. You know, Hell Militia is made of special people for me. We have kept the same line up for more than 10 years… There is a reason to it. So we preferred to have it the slow way, until the right time occurred. And this is now, we have with «last station» marked the end and the beginning of two eras. The album starts as the writing did and ends in the latest HM songs, «the pig that became a god» and «last station on the road to death».
– Anyway, I read some time ago HELL MILITIA is now main priority for all band members so, does this mean we won’t have to wait other 5 years until your next full-length?
Yes, there won’t be so much time between «last station» and the next album, than between the two first opus. I am working a lot on Hell Militia and I have left all forms of work, so that I can focus all my time on creation. We will also release some splits that are already programmed with comrade bands…
– In the album we could find a cover for GG ALLIN’s «Shoot, Knife, Strangle, Beat & Crucify»; could you please shed some light on this? Who came up with the idea, why this song, etc.
We like to cover songs that marked us and that we still like, and of course especially when they are different to black metal. We have a fucking list of covers that we still want to do… At Meyhn’ach’s place one harsh night, we were listening to GG Allin and the Murder Junkies, and he said he wanted to cover that particular song. I just felt like it was an evidence, and we all learned it and played it the next day. We really liked playing it and paying a tribute to GG Allin, so we decided to feature it on «last station» immediately. Since then, we have played it on stage with many comrades on the vocals, like MkM and Aosoth, St Vincent and Blacklodge, James Read from Revenge, Impurath from Black Witchery, Steve from Metalkommand and many others…
– Your music has always been harsh, straight-foward, with lots of attitude… Has Punk been an influence to you? And if so, what are your other main musical influences?
Well, Meyhna’ch, Dave and myself listen to punk and Black Metal mostly, like Exploited, Dead Kennedys or the Murder Junkies… I remember being a teen and seeing on stage french punk bands like «Gogol premier et la horde» where there were nouns being whipped, anti christian stuff and anti all… that I sometimes didn’t find in black metal, what I would call today as nice and clean black metal. I like black metal when it stinks, when it fucks everything, when it reeks with spirituality, when it’s filled of bitterness and violence… It must be a door, a path, a pilgrimage.
– And something I’m curious about; what can you tell us about the 
sample in «Always the Same»?
It is a state advertisement from the US government against drugs from the 50/60’s. We were using it on stage in our intro, but then again as this album was the turning of so many years, it was natural to put it on the album… It’s a very cliché video where they point out how all drug users will steal money in the streets to harm the american citizens…
– This record was released through Debur Morti Productions; how’s everything going with themso far? As you seem fit perfectly among their rooster.
It was important to do that album on Debemur Morti, because he had made an important tour with us and Archgoat and Behexen. «last station» was a real monument to Hell Militia’s last five years. There was not even a question about where to release that album.
– And why did you leave Total Holocaust?
We didn’t really leave THR, it was a one album contract, and during the tour, we had shared many things with Void and Debemur so that it was logical to do the next album with him. THR is an excellent label as Debemur Morti is. We have talked lately about re-releasing COTFS on THR as it’s sold out since a long time, but I haven’t had the time of working on that yet, but it will come for sure.
– Yourself did the cover artwork for the album; how positive/important is this for the band?
I have almost always done artwork for the bands that I play in. It’s another part of my creation process. Of course there are works that are done specifically for Hell Militia as I am working on the same concept in music, lyrics and visuals. Besides, it allows me to be sure that everything fits together. In fact, it all comes from the same vision, so that the expression is pure in its form from the beginning to the end.
– Due to this I guess the visuals are also an important part for HELL MILITIA; do you consider your albums as pieces of art?
I’d say yes. I always learn more and more about art history and my artworks are full of symbolism that will only appear for those who ask questions. But that is just like anything I do…
– Everything in your albums seem to work as a whole as well, as everything fits; your artwork with your lyrics, etc. That’s why I would like to get a bit into your lyrics; what are the main foundations behind them? Do you think they represent, in any way, what Black Metal is all about (at least for you)?
The lyrics have been worked between me and Meyhna’ch. They represent half the bitter taste of life that we have experienced and our unshakable faith. It’s about the smell of the street and the smell of incense. It’s about life that passes and leaves that fucked up taste in your mouth. There is a very close connection between me and Meyhna’ch, so that we can easily work on a text together or separately, and the result sounds like Hell Militia. When I compose music I always have a vision linked with it, and sometimes it is almost scary how he can put his words on it like I would have done even though I didn’t say anything. We would sometimes place vocals differently and that is something I like a lot, arguing about what fits the most. I think that next time we will include lyrics, or at least some songs’ lyrics. There is an interest sometimes to not display them, because what someone will think the lyrics are by listening the song and reading the title, the listener will do the same process that we do, and if he really feels the songs, he will get a close text line to what we have written. What I have read in reviews are very often close to what we speak about. In the booklet were a part of last station lyrics because Meyhna’ch’s words and my artwork matched perfectly. Hard to say what Black Metal should be about exactly, but it’s easy to say what it shouldn’t be…
– Some weeks ago was released the vinyl version for «Last Station on the Road to Death». How much imput did you have on this decision? And how important is nowadays for you to have a vinyl version as well? As it seems many people seem to be again quite interested in this format, as back in the days…
I like the sound of LP’s but as we move a lot, it’s hard to take our collection around… Both Hell Militia and Debemur Morti are impatient about that LP. So many people ask me at gigs about it… I also like CDs, even though I guess I have more LPs than CDs.
– Also you played some weeks ago the Deathkult Open Air, along with some other great bands. How was that show/festival like?
The show was as it was supposed to be. Extreme, harsh and cult. Almost all the bands were comrades, and the organization as well. It was fucked up for Hell Militia as LSK was on tour with Secrets of the Moon, and that was their day off, so they took trains for 5 hours to get at the fest 5 minutes before the Hell Militia show and then they left to re-join the tour bus in Berlin… We couldn’t have the video with our VJ as it was still daylight, but we could make a first try with BST who will be now our live sound engineer.
– You tend to be considered an «all-star» band, as all of you are playing or have played in some other well-known bands for the underground followers. What do you manage to work in these different bands? How do you organise your schedules?
I don’t consider that we are an all star because we have only work with dedication in the underground scene. It’s now very easy as Hell Militia is the main project for Dave, Meyhna’ch and myself, so it easy to go forward. We manage as we can with SOTM and TOB timelines. and sometimes work with replacement comrades for gigs like Steve from Metalkommand…
– France seems to have a huge and still growing Black Metal scene but, how do you see it as an «insider»? Any bands you would like to suggest?
The black metal scene was always there, but it was not easy to export as people were only looking for just any norwegian crap music more than other great bands from the rest of the world. I listen to a lot of french bands, like Antaeus, DsO, Blacklodge, Aosoth, VI, Diapsiquir, Ritualization… In general, french bands have faith and they have attitude.
– From Queens of Steel we have always wanted to let people know women can also play any kind of Metal actually but, what are your thoughts on this? Are women equally able to play Black Metal? As some people seem to disagree on this.
I don’t care too much about these matters. I am looking for extreme people with a deep faith. Male or female is of no concern when it comes to perform a religious music.
– Finally, what are the near-future plans for HELL MILITIA?
I am working on new songs and new visuals, we have played a few feasts and gigs…
– That has been all, thank you once more for taking the time. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Fuck the world.
T. Persecutor
