Classic, raw and punchy Heavy Metal, is what can be found when listening to Hazy Hamlet. Aiming at the roots, the group seeks in vintage hard/heavy bands from 70s and 80s inspiration for its music, timbres, attitude and a great passion for valved amps. Its lyrics approaches epic themes, wars, human degradation and praise to Heavy Metal itself.
Conceived in 1999 as a Power Metal band, in Maringa, Parana, south of Brazil, Hazy Hamlet has suffered several line-up changes during the first decade, having released four distinct materials in this period. They are "Hazy Tales" demo-CD (2001), "Revelations" EP (2003), "Chrome Heart" single (2005) and "Forging Metal" full-length (2009), and each release has taken Hazy Hamlet farther and further, in distribution and recognition respectively.
Hi Arthur, we start the interview taking a step back, speaking about "Forging Metal" an album that helped the band become more known. What has been the response so far? How do you, as a band, view this release now that some years have passed?
Forging Metal was an essential material for us, as it presented the transition from the power metal we played before to the classic metal approach we were aiming, and that suits better the current line-up. The response has been amazing, and it is great to observe people comprehended this transition and embraced it. There are some minor things we don’t like in it today, that are some details in the production and some mistakes in the execution – but as it was entirely self-produced and we learned everything from zero, we still see it as a great achievement.
In November 2013, see the light of day "Full Throttle". The new album, is once more produced, recorded and released on your own, right?
Exactly. We recorded it in Hazy Hamlet’s “Bigorna Studio” and I mixed and mastered it in my own home studio. For the release, we had opted for releasing through a European label, and we even had reached an agreement with one, but it ended not working out. As I had plans to have my own label, decided for anticipating this so I could release the album before the end of 2013.
The songwriting procedure was more fluid than the past? Did it satisfy you?
The songwriting was completely different to Forging Metal, which was all collaborative, due to the fact that I composed the whole album myself in 2012, from riffs to lyrics. What happened is that when I moved to another city by the end of 2010, I suffered a strong dysphonia, and we had to halt activities so I could seek treatment. The pause took much longer than we expected, and by 2012 all guys were dispelled, involved in personal compromises. I thought that composing and recording a new album was the best manner to gather the band and resume activities, and fortunately it worked out really well.
Although the style of the band still flirts with European Power Metal, an approach to a more Traditional Metal can be heard… was this a deliberate choice or it came along the way naturally?
When the band started composing songs, back in year 2000, the songs sounded more Power Metal because that is what was more natural for some of the members of the band. When those members started leaving the group and the core of the current line-up was strengthened, we soon decided to start a transition to more traditional style, because that is what suits the current members better. The problem is that we always had some problems that led the albums to take long to be released, and consequently the transition, that was finally concluded in 2013 with Full Throttle. We are now very satisfied with the path our sound is taking.
I know it's hard, but what's the differences between the two albums? Do you think that the band has grown up in the last four years?
We sure matured a bit in each instrument, but I think that what makes the albums different from each other is, first, the decision of making the songs sound more direct, feeling coming over technique, and second, a better production. This time we had a better equipment and more know-how. And not only we learned a lot more, we also invested in more equipment and software after those sessions, so we are pretty sure the next album will sound even better.
The line up of the band has remained unchanged for many years, did you have found a secret recipe?
Hope so! (laughs). Well, all previous members left when there was something in their lives that was a priority, so it is a thing we respect. I just believe that there is nothing happening in the lives of the current members that is big enough to demand a departure.
Adversities are obviously unpredictable, but I hope this line-up remains unchanged, as we have a very strong friendship and we all agree with the sound the band must keep forging.
Would you care to expand a little bit on your lyrics. Which are the themes that inspire Hazy Hamlet?
We write about our reflections on death, wars, humanity, and of course, heavy metal itself. Some of the lyrics use Norse mythology, that we like a lot, as metaphors to transmit these messages. It is the case of Chariot of Thor, Chrome Heart and Odin's Ride, for example. There are also some songs with literary influences. Full Throttle cites a bit of Asimov and Carl Sagan, despite being a song about humanism and the carpe diem, and Vendetta is influenced by the comics of Alan Moore, and has a very strong character of secular humanism and revolution. There are songs that cite historical events, like Red Baron and Field of Crosses, which recall the first and the second war, respectively. Field of Crosses also draws influence from The Seventh Seal, a movie by Ingmar Bergman. It is dark and cadenced, one of my favorites. And of course, there are those true classic metal songs, like Forging Metal and Symphony of Steel, which are only hymns about heavy metal lifestyle.
Classic Metal bands, be it the huge quantity of new releases/reissues, or the fact that big labels after years focus again on this sound. Is this an actual need or marketing?
Every time a style comes under focus of all media and press, there is obviously marketing and commercial interest. I'm sure there is a bit of it happening right now with classic metal. But better it happening with good music than with bad one, like most 90s modern thrash stuff. And it is worth mentioning that Hazy Hamlet is not following any trends. The band was founded in 1999, and has being chasing classic heavy metal for more than a decade now, when this style was judged “cliché” and “dated” by most redactors and reviewers, and long before its resurgence. We never knew this was going to happen.
What you can say to me about Arthorium Records? I've noticed that the shop is very huge for a small label...
Arthorium Records first segment is the label. It was founded in October 2013, as a way to release Hazy Hamlet's new album, and in this month (September 2014) we have released the latest CD by Brazilian veterans Fates Prophecy. Arthorium Records is still young and small, surely, but focusing on high quality material, both graphic and sound wise. We aim steady growth and we are working to double the amount of releases each year with the same level of quality. Arthorium Webstore is the second segment, and is just a way of support to the label. Like most independent labels, we trade material with other labels, as a way of spreading our releases through the globe and offering good underground material here in Brazil in a good value, what wouldn't happen otherwise. We also order material from some awesome independent bands to offer here. I'm very happy of being able to distribute some distinct material for heavy and thrash metal collectors. We aim also to offer very soon the professional works of music production and audio engineering (mixing and mastering), and if we can find a good new home until 2016, professional recording services, under the name of Arthorium Studio.
Which are the bands you distinguish from the Brazilian Metal scene, old and new? I know as Arthorium Records have done a re-release about the new Fates Prophecy cd, right?
Exactly. Fates Prophecy is a veteran heavy metal group from Sao Paulo, founded in 1991. Last year they released the album The Cradle of Life only in digital format. It is the fourth studio album by the band. It sounds more contemporary than the previous ones, but it is a unique piece, very well crafted. Arthorium Records have remastered it and licensed an old recording of a cover for Crimson Glory song In Dark Places as bonus track. Talking about other bands, I particularly find Orquídea Negra (heavy metal) and Vulcano (thrash metal) as perfect representatives of our older metal. There are some other awesome mature groups, contemporary to Hazy Hamlet, like Fire Strike, Blazing Dog, Dominus Praelii and Hellish War. About new bands, there are two True Metal acts that I'm enjoying, Grey Wolf and Thunderlord.
Now that the year 2014 is near to the end, which would you state as your favorite releases of the year?
Easy one. Redeemer of Souls by Judas Priest and Blind Rage by Accept, as this are among my favorite bands ever and they have surely not disappointed me with these two killer releases.
..yes, but sometimes it seems to listen the same album every time...
Well, I'm a lover of traditional heavy metal, so I don't expect surprises. It is traditional. If it sound cliché, but still well crafted and exciting, it is perfect.
I also saw on your website that you play live very often. Describe us a typical Hazy Hamlet show and name us some shows that have been most memorable for whatever reasons.
We don't play that much, especially after I moved to a city almost 500 km far from the rest of the band, but this year started great for us, playing concerts aside bands like Raven, Picture and Grim Reaper. Our concerts are straight but very energetic, as we really enjoy presenting some performance on stage, and our choruses help to retain the crowd involved. For us, the most memorable concert was in 2003, supporting Shaman – not because the closing act, that does not play the sound we like, but because it was held in the biggest motorcycles encounter of south hemisphere. It was a free event, and there were about 5 thousand crazy bangers that surprised us very strongly and got involved from the beginning to the end of our concert. A scene we will not forget. And there is also the recent one, aside both Picture and Grim Reaper – two legendary influences – in the same night. Couldn't ask for more.
End this interview any way you like.
Thank you so much for this great interview! We will be releasing a video-clip in the coming weeks and we hope we can find a way to tour Europe very soon. Hazy Hamlet has a huge support there and it is an old dream that we want to come true soon. We see you on the road. Keep Forging Metal!
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