– Hello, first off thanks for answering to our questions. How is everything doing at the moment into the band’s camp?
Everything good, thanks!

 

– Last October you played your first gig ever. How was the experience like? Is it easy to transport that hypnotic psyhedelia to a live scenario? Anyway it seems like it was a nice experience, since for instance you have just been confirmed for next year’s Inferno Festival.
Yes, it was our first gig ever and we loved it. We have released 3 albums and it is time now to hit the road. The next one or two years we want to focus on playing live.

 

– How did you go through process of selecting a live line-up?
The three live members we chose were already friend of us. We just asked them if they can follow us on tours and festivals and they said yes. They found it very challenging.

 

– You recently released your latest album, «Mayhem in Blue», and once more shows HAIL SPIRIT NOIR is a band that evolves with every album. Is this evolution something necessary or rather a natural process?
We never plan the style of each album and we nener know how it will turn out in the end.It seems more of a natural process. We are not the same as we were 4-5 years ago when we recorded our debut. We change as people and the music just follows. But to be honest, we like not being stale. Even if it didn’t come out naturally , we would be after it!

 
– Musically I’d say this is your heaviest and most aggressive record. What could you say was the main reason for this aggressive, not just sound, but atmosphere too? Could you say you somehow reflect your inner self and who you are at that exact moment with your music?
Yes, it probably reflects Hail Spirit Noir now. After 5 years of economical crisis, we are more aggressive than ever heheh!

 

hail spirit noir 2
– It also has stronger, or more Prog elements. Was this how you envisioned the record?
Yes, we wanted to dive even deeper on the prog side of our music and for this we experimented a lot with synths and sounds reminiscent of the 70s. We used an old Moog Voyager synth for the first time. Additionally, we wanted a solid and heavy production with a modern touch, that would blend with the vintage elements of the orchestrations. The result was very close to what we had on mind. A balance between black and prog elements, plus a balance between vintage and modern elements.

 

– You have a lot of different elements in your music, specially from 70’s Rock of different kinds, even the band’s name has a certain 70’s vibe I belive. How did you come up with it?
We are fans of the synths that were created at this period. They rule…yes they totally rule! I can listen to hours of mellotron, organ or moog sounds in order to choose the proper one. I love these sounds. Of course we are also fans of bands of that period. But we think our music is metal with prog rock elements and not the other way around. The structures, the orchestrations etc are mainly rooted to metal tradition…We are metalheads after all!

 
– It also has a certain horror touch, in fact for lyrics you seem to be inspired by Lovecraft, but at the same time they feal quite real, like reflecting the darkness of the human kind. Would you mind to tell us where do you draw inspiration from to write your lyrics and what are some of the topics covered in «Mayhem in Blue»?
The lyrics are actually written by Theoharis, not me. But I know that he is mainly inspired by horror stories of all kinds. He also loves horror movies of the 60s and 70s, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and the likes. Our previous albums were all about short horror stories that unfolded within every track. The new album is lyrically a bit different. It is also inspired by horror movies but it is a bit philosophical as well. Its main and central theme is the revenge of nature against man. ‘’Mayhem in blue’ depicts some scenes of this mayhem, animals and trees are taking their revenge.Let’s say ecological horror….hmm, yes sth like this.

 

– On the other hand the cover artwork is disturbing s it’s inspiring, it can have different interpretations I think. Could you shed some light on its significance and who was the artist?
Olia Pishchanska is the artist. You can find elements of mayhem and elements of blue there. The crows are planning a revenge. And they are lots of them….I shouldn’t say more, the rest are a bit obvious (or not?). I just want to give a hint and not spoil the whole thing heheh!

 
– It fits with the feeling of the lyrics, the sound and the whole ambience on the album. Is it important to build this sense of wholeness?
Yes, a piece of art should reflect emotions as a whole. Every tiny aspect of it should be a miniature of the whole piece.

hail spirit noir mayhem in blue cover
– Due to this I would like to know what is HAIL SPIRIT NOIR and your music to you.
Hmm, it is theoretically a hobby but as the years go by, I realise it is more than a hobby. Maybe it is one of the things that I love in this life and the things that keep me going. Evey album is a piece of my thoughts, a piece of my feelings, a miniature of me…The virus of music has colonised my body and will die one month after I am dead..!

 

– As I said earlier, you mix different styles in your music, which helps to get a more dynamic final otuput and to create some contrasts. How important is this for you both as musicians and songwriters?
Dynamics, an importance essence of music are actually contrasts. And contrasts are essential to music, just as contrasts are important to our lives, otherwise we would feel dull. A huge contrast is described in the title of the album . From one side ‘Mayhem’, from the other side ‘blue’ (a colour that represents serenity).

 

– Every song on the album has its own distinctive identity, but what could you say is the link that unites them?
The lyrics, the orchestrations, the production, the sounds, the structures,the atmosphere, all these spring from the same source which is our aesthetics as a band.

 

– In fact songwriting really shines throughout the whole album, was it any different this time around? How is this process like in HAIL SPIRIT NOIR?
I usually write the main idea and the initial structure in my PC and send it over to Theoharis.He usually suggests some changes and when we get together he suggests some more! We change lots of things and the final track is much different than the initial one. When we start recordings, Demian also brings his own ideas to the table and we try to reject them but in the end he wins!

 

– You have used uncommon instruments in heavy music, such as a humdrum. What other instruments have you used and what purpose do they fulfill?
Hmm, you are the first person to notice that this is an actual humdrum and not a harp. We Also used ‘Laterna’, an old Greek intrument that was famous in old Greek movies. I haven’t found Laterna in other countries. It is a huge and rare intrument, so I had to sample it through some songs, instead of actually recording it live.

 

– All this about «Mayhem in Blue» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Mayhem in Blue? (sorry, I ran out of ideas)

 

 

– Before we wrap this interview up, and now as the end of the year is drawing nearer, could you please tell us what have been your 3 favourite albums of 2016?
1. David Bowie- blackstar
2. Coldworld – Autumn
3. Cult of Luna- Mariner

 

hail spirit noir– Finally, what are now your near-future plans?
Regarding the band, gigs, gigs, gigs.

 

– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
We have to thank you guys for the honour. Keep up the good work, the metal music scene needs fans and journalists like you…!

 

Tania Giménez
Tania@queensofsteel.com

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