melodylane

MELODY LANE: First of all, also if it can sound a bit expected…Can you tell us where does the name HLADOMRAK come from? 
HLADOMRAK: Hladomrak can be translated from the Slavic languages as "cold darkness". Idea was to merge coldness ("hlad, holod") and darkness ("mrak"). The result led to this name. Best thing is that the name appeared to be quite unique and original. There is no other Hladomrak.

MELODY LANE: The line-up of the band is confirmed, is it the same from the beginning of the band…or have you had changes in the last years? Can you tell us anything about the roots of HLADOMRAK ? And where the band was born?
HLADOMRAK: Starting out as a one man band, Evgenerator, recorded and released the first self titled full-length on his own. Subsequent years releases were recorded with a full line-up which slightly has been changed from time to time. Amount of band members always fluctuated from 1 up to 4 musicians. Hladomrak roots are buried deep in the cold Nordic forests and the band was forged in 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden.

MELODY LANE: Can you list us 5 songs, from  HLADOMRAK  ‘s discography (including new material), that can define the sound of the band … 5 songs that can help our readers to know HLADOMRAK  at the best.
HLADOMRAK: 1- Wistarbor, 2- Cold soul. Dark mind, 3- Arctic Hysteria, 4- Frost, 5- Inner Fire. These songs include music elements most commonly used to build Hladomrak sound. The original recipe consists of Black metal of the 90s with some Death metal techniques in guitar riffs.

MELODY LANE: Tell us something about the creative process of your music. Is there a main composer or we can talk about a team work? The songs come from ideas of a single member and then the band works on these ideas in the studio jamming together, or your songs are written in the studio and all the members compose together?
HLADOMRAK: Songs are composed by Evgenerator mainly except a couple songs were written by Dipa - our ex-bassist. Some tracks from the "Arctic Hysteria" album were created together during jamming at rehearsal. None of the songs has ever been composed during the recording process in the studio. Tracks are passing probe records - demo stage first. If everything sounds cool and parts work nice together then it's time for a proper record. Hladomrak had Evgenerator lyrics and vocals until Talon joined to record the coming album "Archaic Sacrifice".

MELODY LANE:  Can you tell us something about contents and messages of your new album ? …Can you tell us anything about the whole concept of “Archaic Sacrifice"? And please tell us where does this title come from?
HLADOMRAK: The base of the lyrics derive from the concept of Hladomrak, forged in the "Archaic Sacrifice" album with Fall Division-Luciferianism. The album title is a connecting theme name for every track. The name refers to mankind as the disposable, short lived race which was always meant to be erased. It's about nature who sacrifices humanity by removing it from the planet's surface. "Archaic" means that sacrifice action has always been present since mankind appeared first.

MELODY LANE:  …After time, are you totally satisfied with your choices about sound and the writing of your previous  albums? If you could… would you change anything? What did you focus on to make the sound better and perfectly consistent with the musical ideas you had in mind?
HLADOMRAK: We are 100% satisfied with the sound we got since "Inner Death" EP. Would be great to have the same wall of sound for the "Arctic Hysteria" album as well! But some fans like it's rawness. It's better to leave it as it is and just go forward to make new recordings. Why should albums sound the same? Nice that they have a slightly different sound. Who knows how the next material will sound. We already have some ideas on what can be changed in guitar sound. We put the main focus on composing and playing skills. No doubts - the record should be done professionally. Yeah, it doesn't sound like True Black metal in a way of recording but we like when all instruments sound cool, "readable", sound shoots right through the head and blows away the mind.  At the end we have to double check the recording with a Misanthrometer (what the hell is this?!) to make sure everything sounds 100% aggressive and misanthropic!

MELODY LANE:  So apart from the covid/pandemic situation…will you tour in the next future? Have you already a touring schedule? Any chance for us to see  HLADOMRAK playing live here in Italy or in Europe in the next months/year?
HLADOMRAK: Hladomrak were about to play in Balkan countries this autumn but due understandable reasons the “Inner Death tour” was cancelled. There were too many doubts we could travel normally between 5 countries and not be stuck for quarantine in one of them. Let's wait for better times. No touring plans scheduled for this moment. The plan for 2022 is to record new, totally killing, stunning and mind-blowing stuff!

MELODY LANE: Could you tell us two bands, from the actual international scene, you’d like HLADOMRAK to tour with?... Two bands that would represent a perfect line-up for HLADOMRAK to play with and that playing with them would help to enlarge your fan base…And why these bands? 
HLADOMRAK: Hladomrak would fit nicely to share a stage with bands such as Vltimas and Mayhem. These two unique bands fan base and genre itself are quite close to Hladomrak's. Vltimas is just great for their awesome riffs and perfect blackened death sound. Mayhem.. It's Mayhem. Black metal Classics and trendsetter.

MELODY LANE: We know that ‘to define is to limit’… but how do you define HLADOMRAK’s sound? Are you a Black metal band…an Extreme Metal metal band…An avant-garde black metal band ...or? 
HLADOMRAK: Hladomrak’s genre is a Black metal in general. Maybe you can hear some slight Death or Thrash metal influences here or there. Overall the band can be named as Extreme Metal band too. 

MELODY LANE: Which musicians are/have been your main musical inspirations? And which are your favorite bands nowadays?
HLADOMRAK:Evgenerator got his inspiration from guitarists like Jön Nödtveidt, Blasphemer, Abbath, James Hetfield, Trey Azagthoth, Chuck Schuldiner and Van Halen. Bands we put on repeat last time are Vltimas, Havok, Vader, Taake. Italian bands such as Evol, Opera IX and Sadist have been inspiring Evgenerator since late 90s/early 2000s as well. Maybe it's a reason why Hladomrak music so easily finds a place in Italian Metal hearts! Actually there are influences from classical music too. Antonio Vivaldi and Modest Musorgsky are Metal Gods of the past for sure!

MELODY LANE: As a musician, what has been your biggest achievement to date and what do you want to achieve in the near future?
HLADOMRAK: Huge amount of songs written over the years is a great achievement itself. Dominator drumming on a new album and a release of "Archaic Sacrifice" are great too! As a Sound designer Evgenerator did 8-bit retro game music (16 tracks) and sounds (incl. Thor voice) for official Amon Amarth mobile game. For Talon it's probably the organisation of Watain concert and performance at Finntroll tour when he replaced ordinary vocalist. Near future plans are to create a Hladomrak style designed guitar (it's a secret!) and to compose new songs for the 4th full-length album. 

MELODY LANE: Until today...What was the most important concert for  HLADOMRAK  career? And why? 
HLADOMRAK: The first one definitely! Since it started it all.

MELODY LANE: In the end…A message from you to all MELODY LANE readers.
HLADOMRAK:  Don't keep calm. Stay Metal! \m/. Best regards!

WEB: https://www.facebook.com/Hladomrak

ARTICLE BY: MIKE MATTY