Hell Poemer (Greece) 29/03/2011
Hell Poemer from Ioannina have already 5 years of existence and they recently re – released their first two demos. So I found the opportunity to contact Infernal Lord, the band’s frondman and gave me information about the history, the music and generally everything around the quite interesting project, Hell Poemer…
1. Hi Hell Poemer, thanks for the interview. Do you want to give me some information about the band?
Infernal Lord:
Hail Brother! HELL POEMER was formed in the summer of 2005 in Ioannina a small city of northwest Hellas. The band’s music is influenced by the classic Hellenic black metal scene (mainly 90’s), early Scandinavian majestic black metal hordes and epic/dark ambient acts from centre Europe. In the beginning of 2007 the band recorded their first official demo simply called "HELL POEMER" produced by Nick (The eternal Darkness) with 3 tracks full of Wrath and dark atmosphere released by the band in limited copies. The next 2 years the line-ap changed, new material composed and some selected underground live acts followed. Finally the band recorded their new demo "Worshipers of the apocryphal ages" during autumn and December of 2009, produced, mixed and mastered by ACHILLEAS of VARATHRON. Re-released by WOLF'S PATH PRODUCTIONS on July 2010 with special artwork and a new logo by KERVEROS (ATHOS).Included 2 bonus re-mastered songs from the first demo....Then the band played some live shows stronger than ever and appeared in local metal radio shows and magazines. During the band’s existence many line-ap changes have become (including return of members) but the horde now is Infernal Lord (Vocals, keyboards), Dark Archon (Drums), Knafos (Guitar), Neron (Guitar) and Gragonith (bass).
2. How long do you know each other? Did you know each other before becoming a band? Does that relationship helps in composition and generally in cooperation?
Infernal Lord:
Most of us we are friends from small kids and we studied music (mainly classical instruments).from the age of 10-11 years old we were into extreme metal. Some years later we started rehearsals in order to play like our influences (many of us changed instruments) and around 2005 when we were teenagers we formed the band in primal state playing a mix of raw black metal with epic influences but since then many things have changed. I believe that relationship helps in composition and the development of the band because first of all we are friends and we must be united. Usually some of us go trips into forests, mountains, landscapes and ancient monuments, we share ideas, feelings and I believe that a part of inspiritation and knowledge comes from all this experience. Black metal first of all is the “feeling” and the unity of a small “mass” under the “banner” of same ideas and then comes the music activity.
3. What inspires you to write music and lyrics? What do your lyrics deal with?
Infernal Lord:
Many things influenced us to make this result. Some of our music inspirations that help us to develop our style are: Varathron, Naer mataron, Rotting Christ, Old mans child (early years), Legion of doom, Vinterland, Sorcier des glaces, Dissection, Summoning, Kataxu, Kawir, Order of the ebon hand, Burzum, In the woods, Darkthrone etc…Also soundtrack music, Nature sounds and battle sounds. As for the lyrical concept we are influenced by the dark side of nature, Hellenic and indo-European paganism, medieval battles, sectrets of ancient civilisations, ancient theories about human existence (mainly by Hesiodos and Plato), darkness worship and personal dark feelings .Our “philosophy” stands against the modern hypocrisy and this multicultural world that makes people to forget their roots and the mother nature and to become one with the “pathetic” mass of trends.
4. Your last release is a re-release of your two demos. I noticed that in your first demo you were more inspired by Varathron and the first era of the Greek scene. In your second I found a big influence of the second era of Rotting Christ. Do you want to comment on that?
Infernal Lord:
Our new release is exactly a re-release of our 2 demos (2007) and (2009) expect an instrumental song from our first demo that isn’t included in this re-release. Look, in our first demo we were more influenced by the old Greek Hellenic black metal sound of the early 90’s (varathron, early rotting Christ, zemial, tatir, necromantia) with some majestic influences from Norwegian scene and we made a dark, chaotic and primitive sound to remind these glorious years of “Hellenic black metal empire”. The second demo has a more epic and majestic background with faster tempos and if you listen to these tracks you will see that in the old Greek style influences added some new majestic and pagan melodies in riffs and synths lines that have influenced by the epic feeling of Summoning, Vinterland and early Sorcier des glaces.As for the “second period» rotting Christ influence that you said I believe that we kept only the ancient Greek cult feeling and the majestic character not the “modern/industrial/gothic” face of the band.
5. Are you working on new material at the moment? How will it sound?
Infernal Lord:
Yes we are working on new material this period…The new tracks are more war-cult and violent with more influences from Naer mataron and Kawir…
6. What do you think about the Greek underground scene? Are you in contact or do you have friendship relationship with other Greek bands?
Infernal Lord:
There are many underground Greek black metal bands that they release “strong” material and I really respect but generally I believe that there isn’t so much “Unity” between the bands as in the past.We are in contact with many Greek bands and many of them are close friends of us. Some of them are:The eternal Darkness,Darkthule,Varathron,Spider kickers,Dizziness,Athos,Dawn of division,Chaotic symmetry,chaos virtue,swamp,aasgard,third horde,infected blood and other bands.
7. What kind music do you listen to?
Infernal Lord:
First of all we listen to black metal,but we are also into old thrash,death metal,epic/pagan/symphonic metal,some old power metal bands and NWOBHM bands….and from non metal scene classical music,ancient greek folk music, soundtrack music,depressive dark ambient,alternative/ avant-garde rock/metal.
8. Have you ever played live? Where? Tell me about that experience.
Infernal Lord:
Yes we have played some selected live shows in underground festivals until now here in ioannina and Thessaloniki (Salonika).We don’t play every day live only when we feel that we have something to express to people and ourselves. Live activity is a great experience for us because we feel that we express all the energy and the feeling of our studio songs live to a mass of people (some of them are into black metal but some others have no idea about extreme metal but who cares?)
9. You live in Ioannina a little far from the big centres. Do you believe that this factor makes the evolution (popularity of the band, planning live shows etc.) more difficult?
Infernal Lord:
Look in the big cities there are more places to promote your work and to play live and more people are into underground but as I see all theses years in live shows in Athens and Thessaloniki, people don’t respect so much the local bands and they wait the “huge” bands from abroad at the stage.Here there is a smaller mass into the underground that really support the local bands and they are thirsty for extreme live shows because we don’t see “big” bands every moment here. We have a small problem with distribution here but the distance from the big centres (Athens, Salonica) is not so much and we visit them often to promote our work.Also Post and Internet helps us so…
10. Moreover Ioannina has the big legacy of Varathron. Does it make you anxious? What feedback have you taken from fans from Ioannina?
Infernal Lord:
Varathron is a great band in black metal worldwide and we are very proud that we come from the same city and we are in contact with them. The guitarist of Varathron is a friend of us and made the mix and production of our recent demo. Also Stefan “Necroabyssious” is one of the leaders in Hellenic metal scene and we thank him for supporting us playing our demo in his local radio metal show “twilight zone” and for coming in our lives! As for the local metal fans we are very appreciated with their support in our lives and we have met very interested persons and we made trades in the local metal bars etc. Many of them are members of local bands…
11. Do you have any plans of live performances? Where?
Infernal Lord:
No something serious yet but we have some plans for future lives during summer and autumn 2011 here in Ioannina and probably in Athens!!!
12. Tell me about your near future plans an if you want to add for the end.
Infernal Lord:
A split tape with the Greek blacksters THE ETERNAL DARKNESS with live selected tracks from both bands will be out in May by the polish underground label Werewolf promotion in limited edition. I want to thank you for the interview and the support and I want to send my eternal hails to those who keep the black metal flame alive!!!INFERNAL LORD
beside of HELL POEMER
View The Gallery
