HELL-BORN
Possessed with Metal

Many moons ago I stumbled across a Polish-English record company on the net. That site promoted a couple of Polish bands whereof one was HELL-BORN. I got a promo in the mail and got hooked right away! With Cronos fallen there was simply no one to soldier on with VENOM-ous metal. How very wrong... HELL-BORN are the new kings of heaviness with a perfect mix of evil and musicality. That's no surprise with e.g. former BEHEMOTH personnel in the ranks. Throat malevolent bass-axer Baal took the time to provide the facts of a band with a future.

By Miggo

After the usual chit chat we looked into the crystal ball.

A History of Changes Within
Please describe the history of the band including the latest personnel change.
-I came up with the idea of forming this band in 1996. At that time both me and Les were BEHEMOTH members. I felt this band started to head a direction I don't want to go, and I told Les (guitars) about my idea of starting a new band. He appeared to be very enthusiastic about it, and soon after we started with the rehearsals. After 3 months we entered the studio and recorded our debut, self-titled mini-album.

The world hold it's breath and the response was good but instead of taking over, HELL-BORN broke up. It's not the first time in history and they also did "a DEEP PURPLE" and reunited five years later. In spite of being the lead singer in DAMNATION Baal tells me how they decided to get back together in 1999. The result was "Hellblast" and Baal moved from drums to bass. An instrument Les had skipped in favour of his main tool, the guitar. This may sound like the time on Top of the Pops when IRON MAIDEN changed instruments with each other all the time but don't be fooled. They got reinforcements from DEVILYN in the shape of drummer Basti for the recording of "The Call of Megiddo", one of the best albums of 2002/3. Then Basti got replaced by Chris (ex. GHOST, a well-known Polish band) for geographical reasons. And here we are, right at present when HELL-BORN are about to release their brand new album "Legacy of the Nephilim".

A natural question is whether and how these personnel changes and various incarnations has affected the sound of the band? Baal elaborates
- The funny thing about HELL-BORN is that our sound doesn't depend of those line-up changes. Actually, both Chris and Basti have their own style, and used to play different stuff before the joined HELL-BORN. And, believe it or not, I heard of a lot of people telling them "It's not you who's recorded those drum parts" after listening to the HELL-BORN albums. I think the reason for that is the very natural way the HELL-BORN style "absorbs" the new band's members.

The band seem to have a life of it's own, I wont argue, who knows what might possess me if I do? According to my interview victim the spirit of real fucking metal has taken over and that some things are impossible to change no matter who joins the band.

Influences and Possible Similarities
Quite a few record companies have a penchant for stickers claiming ex. this and ex. that. But not Conquer in spite of the mighty connections in the case of Hell-Born. What's it really like, do they feel "bound and gagged" by their past lives?

- Well, no one ever told me about some BEHEMOTH or DAMNATION influences in the music HELL-BORN plays, and I don't hear them either. Of course, we are somehow experienced due to our past, and that's the only connection between HELL-BORN and the bands we were/are in. And I can honestly tell you, that I've never been so close to any band I played with, as I am now to HELL-BORN.

This really need no clarification. But I felt relieved to hear about their influences. I positively screamed VENOM when I first as much as saw the picture on the disc (Ever seen Cronos with an evil pose and a skull?) and even more after the "Hell-Born". Baal completed that list with DESTRUCTION, POSSESSED as well as the early incantations of DEICIDE and MORBID ANGEL.
Nevertheless Baal is also careful to point out that what one hears in the bands music is Les important. They don't copy their faves, they move for originality!

The Albums that Will Rule the Wastelands
I felt compelled to get Baal to compare the old album with the forthcoming, not least since the promo of the newcomer hasn't arrived yet... Was "The Call of Megiddo" exactly what you wanted it to be?

- The Call of Megiddo" was, first of all, our gratification to all our fans who didn't loose their faith in us during our absence, and were dramatically awaiting a HELL-BORN full-length album. The other thing was to prove, that the metal scene doesn't need all this speed- and-technique-records-breaking-competition stuff. We wanted to contribute some raw, infernal energy, some fucking spikes and chains, and we wanted to do it with class.

I couldn't agree more! The album has also seen them taking to the road in the States and a few compilation songs hasn't put them in a worse position. But as all good spokespersons Baal adds that the new one will take them further.

So what can we expect?
An album in the same tradition apparently from what I gather. An album that will make the band hordes of maniac forces. Baal adds that they will try to be what people expect of them and they can expect the "Hell Fucking Metal Warriors"!

The production seem to have been in focus but not in a STYX-way. The song structure and the themes are here to stay but will be improved. The worst thing about is must be the price, that the band will be "able to drag even more souls into the fires of Hell!" Can that be anything but a declaration of total fucking metal?

The Darkness... but Hardly into the Light
With forerunners in dark satanic metal like KING DIAMOND and VENOM I feel strangely compelled to ask if their message is true or just an image?

I don't expect to be seen genuine, "true", or shit like that. If someone wants to talk about it, and check out if I'm serious with what I'm saying- here's my invitation to our show, come and see. After we finish blasting your heads off and tearing your souls apart, we can hang out, have some beer and talk. HELL-BORN is the way we are.

Aw well, no members of the Church of Satan lurking about here. Just some truly devoted metalheads. But the vocalist claims to hate the Catholic church for its crimes against humanity and what he strongly feels is its oppression of peoples minds, free wills and dreams. Any one objecting? He also tells of books, movies and games with themes of necromancy, undead life, sorcery and stuff like that. That could pretty much be a description of me.

The Future and a Message from Poland
As HELL-BORN prepare for their second US tour they feel confident about the future. They are who they are and are proud of it. They all have jobs on the side so they are not in it for the big sales, nor are they likely to sell out. They may have a slight focus on the USA but they want to reach out to you, the true metal maniac, wherever you are.

Before we end the interview Baal sends a special message for Brazil! I know he means it, are you ready for it? Poland has a fine tradition of bands dating from DRAGON onwards, don't miss out!

Here goes Baal unleashed;
Keep fucking supporting metal, motherfuckers! It would be great to play live in Brazil, so if someone would like to organise a HELL-BORN tour- get in touch, we'd be honoured! You have a very strong scene (hail KRISIUN!), so I believe it wouldn't be difficult to complete a pack of great bands to make a tour. Drink beer and bang your heads for Satan! Leather, spikes and chains forever!

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