Hermit Hill Interview

1.Can you give us an introduction to the band for those that will be hearing of you for the first time?
1. Hermit Hill is Progressive Folk Black metal band. We try to bring together the rustic and primitive ferociousness of black and folk metal with progressive feeling riffs and song structure. We are still developing our style and have a long and hopefully rewarding path ahead of us for our sound.

2.When i listened to the music I heard alot of true black metal elements being mixed in with a lot of original parts, in your own words how would you describe your musical sound?
2. What I feel our sound is really about is being organic and uncanny. I want our music to sound like it was unearthed from a deep pit from a parallel history. I want to put modern or futuristic sounding riffs next to ones that sound ancient and fierce but at the same time make them feel off and unfamiliar as if discovering a both new and old culture. I hope that the more experienced we become the more we are able to live up to these words.

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
3. Our lyrics often explore many of the injustices in the world. Some of them story like such as "The Executioner" while others like "It Deteriorates" and "The Migration of Stars" do so on an allegorical level; exploring the frustration of an unexplained and forced existence or spiritual enigma. In our newer work we explore political hypocrisy and blindness to the needs of those that are different to ourselves.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hermit Hill'?
4. A hill for a hermit. A person who becomes a hermit has escaped from society and lives with themselves and nature. We like that idea; getting away from what existence has dealt to you and making your own worldview and philosophy.


5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band are you planning on expanding your line up or do you chose to remain a duo, and also how does it work out in live shows?
5. We are a two person band right now mostly due to lack of interest. We have had two bass players quit due to lack of time and commitment so far. We would love to have a full band with two guitar players, a bassist, drummer and keyboardist but Illinois is not the best place to find people willing to play in a black metal band. We keep our eyes open though.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played during its 2 years of being in existence and also how would you describe your stage performance?

6. The best show we have ever played easily was the show with Ode Vinter, Decay Crawler,Thor Axe and Empyrean. The music slayed, everyone was energetic and there was plenty of moshing all around.

Our stage performance is something that I am trying very hard to work on. I am not a natural performer. I don't like to try to fake an "attitude" and crowd banter is simply not my cup of tea. I do try to have fun when I'm up there though. It's a lot easier than it was when I played my first shows to move around and make things interesting but it still is not a thing that I excel in.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2014?

7. We have no concrete plans for any shows in 2014. We do want to play but we're currently focusing on writing and recording new material.

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

8. We are unsigned as of now and happy with it. We don't feel that we've made an adequate impact with our demo and we want to really prove ourselves before attempting to go down that road.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

9. The internet is an interesting beast. Only a day after we released our demo it was being shared on Russian forums. We had an amusing and understandable accusation that we plagiarized our art from the Pokemon "Parasect".

10.When can we expect the next recording and also what musical direction will it be heading into?

10. We hope to release our next work titled "And they were Taken by the Great Roots" this year. This album will be much more mature in song writing, lyrics and production and have a much more dynamic sound. I am very exited to hear what the songs sound like as a complete piece.

11.What are some bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

11. Our biggest influences are most likely Agalloch, Woods of Ypres, Burzum and Mayhem. I like to attribute our progressive flavor to the unhealthy amount of Coheed and Cambria I used to listen to. Lyrically I take a lot of influence from Current 93 and Neutral Milk Hotel.

12.Do you have any non musical interests?

12. I enjoy reading fiction and watching thought provoking movies. I also enjoy building computers and dabble in video game design.

13.Before we wrap up this interview do you have any final words or thoughts?

13. It was fun answering these questions. Thank you for giving us your time and attention. Keep an eye out for our new material and keep up the good work. -Caleb

https://hermithill.bandcamp.com/