1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Doomsayer: Matt and I go way back, from the early Suffering/Beyond Mortal Dreams days, to ONI and Darklord. Life takes you in all kinds of directions, as anyone would know, but the metal spirit and the fire to conjure some musical savagery never really dies. Not for us, at least. The time felt right to rekindle our collaborative spirit once more and see what would emerge from our new pursuit of creative sorcery. We wanted to resurrect the atmosphere of what we were doing before, forging something new from the embers of the past. What's come out of that now has captured that, I think, but has also become its own beast.
2.You have an ep coming out in November, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
Doomsayer: It's a bit of a blend of styles we both love and have been a part of in bands past. A union of the more symphonic elements like Emperor, with the downtuned bulldozer-ish feel that Darklord had, with a savagery more found in the War Metal genre. They were the three main ingredients that we focused on when we began crafting the songs for our debut demo CD. Some are more heavily weighted in one style or another, while others are more evenly balanced out.
3.Both of the band members have history playing in other bands or projects, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Hellstorm Apocalypse' that you have not been able to do with your other groups?
Doomsayer: Probably more of a stripped-back, raw savagery paired with a heavy-handed dose of atmospheric synth. I'd say that HA is more closely aligned with Darklord than anything else we've done, but as I've mentioned, it's become its own beast in the process. These elements are also not too far removed from what I'm doing with Oath of Damnation, but whereas the new batch of Oath songs are sounding quite technical, we've kept HA deeply rooted in a much more old-school, primal sense.
4.Some of your lyrics cover Occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?
Doomsayer: I look upon these old practices and disciplines as a realm of fiction, the same as one would embrace the horror movie or sci-fi genres, be it in either film or literature. The angle I approach these themes has always been influenced by that space. Old Gothic horror films, in particular, such as what you'd see in an old Hammer film. Honestly, and by no means any offence to the serious practitioners out there, I don't really take too much stock in its legitimacy in the world at large, much like with any religion, really. That aside, I do find it all to make for some interesting reading.
5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
Doomsayer: In a nutshell, ritual sacrifice, nuclear annihilation, undead armies, Faustian-like pacts and dark allegiances. All the good stuff when making this kind of dark music! The lyrics to Nocturnal Deviltry was inspired by one of my favourite old Gothic Horror movies, City of the Dead (starring the late, great Christopher Lee!). Fact: the intro to the song/CD is a soundbyte from that film. Turn to the Dark was initially inspired by the biblical story of Job, but it evolved into a statement of rebellion and allegiance to Lucifer, drawing inspiration from the 1967 Richard Burton film Doctor Faustus.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hellstorm Apocalypse'?
Doomsayer: Well, for some time, Hellaeon and I were juggling around band name ideas, but nothing really seemed to stick. It had to be something that reflected the brutal, yet atmospheric nature of the music. It wasn't until I wrote the song 'Hellstorm Apocalypse' that the idea of it being our moniker came about. That song encompasses everything we are musically. Bestial brutality with cinematic-like, symphonic atmosphere. It seemed to resonate with both of us, so, behold! Hellstorm Apocalypse was finally born!
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new ep cover?
Doomsayer: We just wanted something simple and old-school to start us off, so I whipped up a devilish creature who now lurks menacingly on the CD cover. The more I look at it, the more it could well become a mascot of sorts. We'll see how that goes as we progress towards future releases.
8. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?
Doomsayer: For now, we're quite happy remaining as a duo. As we're both located in different states, it's pretty much impossible to rehearse regularly as a band other than throwing ideas around via email or video call. I am open to the idea of it becoming a live band, but for now, we will carry on as is. You never know what the future holds, though. Time will tell.
9.The new ep is going to be released on 'Sphere Of Apparition Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Doomsayer: Sphere of Apparition is a Queensland-based label that is dedicated to keeping the Australian Death Metal flame burning Bright, resurrecting the works of older bands such as Encabulous and Neuropath, and promoting new and upcoming underground Aussie Death Metal. Their first release, I believe, was actually the Incantation Superstition CD from our previous band, ONI. When we were getting the Hellstorm material finalised, I reached out to see if they were interested in collaborating with us again, which I'm happy to say that they were, so here we are!
10.On the new ep you also done an 'Armoured Angel'. cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?
Doomsayer: Hellaeon and I used to jam that song a lot many years ago. We're both big fans of Armoured Angel, and the Stigmatyr EP in particular. We were wrapping up writing the songs for the demo when I brought up the idea of including Hymn of Hate as a cover. Seemed only logical, so why the hell not?
11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
Doomsayer: Well, it's only just begun, really, so it's too early to say. So far, though, I'm starting to see some feedback and chatter about the demo now that it's out, and so far it's being received really well, which is always a good sign. I'm beginning to get requests for an interview from various places around the world, so the interest is already starting to spread. I'm keen to see where this goes.
12.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Doomsayer: Can't really say how long it'll be at the moment, but there is new material currently being conjured for a future full-length. As far as how the music will manifest, I think the path we're on right now is pretty concrete, so I would expect some further storms of brutality and cinematic devastation to come!
13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Doomsayer: I'd say as far as HA goes, being a part of Darklord was of considerable influence. Carrying on the atmosphere that music had is pretty much the foundation of what we're creating now. Stuff like old Emperor, Krisiun, Nile, and the more savage and primitive styles like Bestial Warlust's Vengeance War Till Death have had a hand in shaping us as well, I think. Hellaeons' tastes are probably a bit more eclectic than mine, but at the moment, for me, it's been a mix of anything from WASP, Manowar, Iron Angel, Twisted Sister to more aggressive death and black metal. At the time of writing, Black Sabbath's 'Headless in Osaka' is playing away. The Tony Martin era is massively underrated, in my own opinion.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Doomsayer: Thanks for the interview and the support. And hail to all who've embraced the 'storm thus far, as it only begins to smash your shores! Cheers!
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