1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Helgrind is a pagan metal band founded in 2012 in Havana, Cuba by the bassist Daniel López Lameiro, the guitarist Jordy Fuentes Serrano and the vocalist Ernesto Riol Betancourt, in the beginning the band was focused on melodic death metal and Viking metal which lasted for a few years until the shift towards pagan metal evidenced in its lyrics, artworks and in the appreciated influence of black metal on its music. The band has been growing in national and international acceptance after the course of their career, signing in 2020 with the British record label Black Spark Records which released in digital format the Ep: The Tragedy Of Túrin Turambar in late 2020 and recently the album Return To Motherland in 2021.
Helgrind are the pioneers and only pagan metal band from Cuba being at the same time one of the most representative bands of Cuban extreme metal today.
2.So far you have released a demo, ep and 2 full lengths, musically how do they all differ from each other?
2 - Our studio work is a perfect example of our evolution as musicians and as people. Always from less to more, initially shy and inexperienced, but with the courage to defend a genre unknown in Cuba and never before performed. Each album has its own backstory ... lineup changes, personal differences, skepticism on the part of some, learning from mistakes. Until we reach the present day where we are already a solid, entrepreneurial band, not at all conformist and launched towards increasingly ambitious projects. It has been pleasant all the way covered with its ups and downs and we are grateful that each stage has been recorded.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover Viking and Paganism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these paths?
3 - As Eurodescendants we feel the need to honor our heritage, whether they are Germanic, Celtic, Hellenic, Slavic ... etc. Our lyrics and songs have never stopped being a tribute to our origins and ancestors. Today there is a change of roles between what was previously bad and well seen. The past is being criminalized and this is causing a totally dystopian present. They have tightened the rope so much that humanity has lost its way and is irremediably marching towards the abyss and only to satisfy the needs of a few.
4.You also have one song based upon the writings of J.R.R Tolkien, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his works?
4 - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was a lover of European languages, mythologies and cultures in general and dedicated his entire life to their analysis and subsequent compendium of fantastic stories. He originally devised them for his own consumption and that of his children even when other literary currents predominated in his time ... Something that shows his enormous courage and determination. He never gave in to social pressure. His work transcended his death and remained for posterity as a source of inspiration for millions of people. Leaving aside details such as time, geography, cultures ... we feel a parallel between our stories of which we are very proud. We simply cannot stop admiring him and taking him as an example to follow.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Helgrind'?
5 - Helgrind for those who do not know it is the gateway to the underworld of Norse mythology. We loved their concept from the first time we read it and it was out of the question - that's what the band would be called. The idea of a mysterious and spiritual place coincided perfectly with our most melodic part and on the other hand its most cruel aspect, of difficult conditions adapts to the most aggressive and metal essence in our music. It totally represents us.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the recent album covers?
6 - We never wanted to go for the obvious in that regard. If we had dedicated time and effort to the musical composition, so would it be with the idea for the cover. We proposed that an image would convey everything that was captured in the album. From there the idea of a ritual was born (Blota) Where a person who longs to find their ancestral roots (Return to Motherland) and feels alone and excluded in their beliefs (Last Pagan Resistance) performs a blood sacrifice ... and From the smoke caused by the reaction between blood and fire, the figures of a seductive woman (Rusalka), an old warrior (Vainamoinen), several magical Runes (Song of the Runes) and a ram or goat skull (Mighty Fallen One that is a tribute to Quorton and Bathory). Two important details are in the first place that it is observed from the perspective of the character so that anyone can feel represented. And second that blood is a powerful magic element, in it the memories and lived experiences of our ancestors persist ... The answer to who we are is in it.
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
7 - The answer is unanimous on the part of all ... to open a concert for the legendary Polish black metal artists Besatt on their tour of Cuba in October 2018. In every aspect it represented a test for those involved and for true Cuban metal in general. It was the ultimate expression of doing it for yourself and everyone put their grain of sand to make it possible. We are very proud of it. On the other hand we also have several very good presentations at the Maxim Rock room in Havana. As for our performance on stage, we are very demanding that our performances never be repeated ... we use guest musicians, set elements, we premiere new songs. We also try to enjoy and believe what we transmit more than anyone else, otherwise we would never reach the present public.
8.You also have done 'Falkenbach' 'Forefather' and 'Wolfchant' covers, what was the decision behind doing your own versions of their songs?
8- Falkenbach, Forefather and Wolfchant are bands that influenced us a lot, they have a great importance for us and logically for the world pagan metal scene. Their influences on the composition of our songs are appreciable both lyrically and musically speaking. Ours are just a small tribute to those legendary bands. It should be noted that both our covers of Theodish Belief by Forefather and A Pagan Storm by Wolfchant were heard by both bands and Forefather even shared the link to our Ep on its official Facebook page.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of pagan, Viking and black metal?
9 - Globally the band has had good acceptance by parts of fans of black metal and Viking metal. Our music has been shared with Rob Darken from Graveland who loved it and supported it with promotion, also Tom from Dwarrowdelf, JC Ymir from Burden of Ymir, Haze from WintermoonShade, Besatt,band with whom we got to share the stage in Cuba on their 2018 tour And of course we have had acceptance in several viking / folk / pagan / black metal groups on social networks. Finally to say that the release of the album Return To Motherland is having a good reception in Europe and the United States of America.
10.What is going on with 'Folklorica' these days, which also shares a couple of the same members?
10 - Well, “Folklorica” is a Death/Doom metal band with some traditional Cuban Folk music touches and all HELGRIND members contribute to it in a way. First album was released last year but we are still waiting for a label interested in it. It goes without saying that “Folklorica” has a lot of material ready to be released but we are just waiting for an appropriate moment for promoting this band properly.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
11 –Helgrind plans to continue growing musically within the pagan metal scene, we want our music to be better known in our continent and in the rest of the world. We have plans for a next album which we want to have a very positive impact on our fans. One dream we have is to one day be able to play at the most prestigious festivals of the genre, for example: KILKIM ZAIBU, RAGNAROCK among others.
12.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?
12- When we talk about our influences it is a bit complicated at times, in our beginnings in 2012 we can clearly talk about Ensiferum, Amon Amarth, Finntroll, Bathory, Turisas, but later in our transition to pagan metal we can talk about: Windir, Kampfar, the early Ulver and Enslaved, Moonsorrow, Falckenbach, Forefather, Folkearth, Wolfchant, King of Asgard, we also like and in a certain way are influenced by the epic black metal bands based on J.R.R Tolkien such as : Summoning, Emyn Muil, Moongates Guardian,Dwarrowdelf etc. Today we are listening to other bands which we consider great and in a certain way can influence us: Havukruunu which we think is one of the best bands in the genre today, Mooncitadel, Panphage, Saiva, Faanefjell, Hawkmoonmor, Land of Fog, among others that to continue we could not stop mentioning.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13- We would like to greatly thank OccultBlackMetalZine for interviewing us and share information from Helgrind and that the followers of black metal and pagan metal take us into account when talking about style. Thank you very much for your time, we wish you much success as a fanzine, we consider you do an excellent job. A big hug and as we say: IT IS TIME TO CONQUER.
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