HELLSINGLAND INTERVIEW
By John Paul
On February 14, a band named HELLSINGLAND from Sweden released their first EP, called Tystnaden. MHF had a chance to interview their vocalist and co-founder, Erik “Hellbergam” Hillströms.
Hi there Erik, greetings from MHF family! How’s your day?
Hello! The clock is 7 am here in Sweden. I worked all night long and I’m just about to sleep my day away. A little bit tired but I’m ok.
You guys are relatively new on the scene, not a lot of people know about you yet. Mind if you introduce your band and members?
Yes we are. I and the guitarist (Peter Jonsson) started the band a year ago. Nothing happened with our other band Korp at that time. And we felt the need to create some dark music together. We wrote and recorded 2 songs in one day and put it out on youtube and spotify. And then nothing happened in 8 months. Then we decided to give it another try. We recorded and wrote an 18-min masterpiece called Svårmod. And at this time we wanted a drummer. I contacted my old friend Henka Lindenmo and he gave it a try. And after that we recorded some other songs and put out the EP Tystnaden digitally and 2 other singles. Then we started to work on new material but the drummer got injured and cannot play for the moments. But we have a lot of material we are working on.
Hellsingland-Tstnaden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCKOFc9PMhU
Hellsingland-Svårmod: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpdTHXwQJwM
Hellsingland-Förödelsens Spår: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYNL5oTa5EQ
Hellsingland-1597: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLD3ctyeoso
Sweden has an excellent reputation when it comes to metal. Several world legends come from Sweden and that includes some notable black metal bands like you. You know how people expect greatness from Swedish bands. How does that effect you? Do you take that as a challenge? An inspiration? Pressure?
We don’t think of that. We just create what we want without pressure. But of course we are influenced by a lot of Swedish bands. Mostly we are influenced by the early 90s bands. Mostly by Swedish and Norwegian black metal.
What specific bands inspired your music and directly influenced you and why?
When we started we was totally convinced to make the music in the style that Darkthrone got on Transylvanian hunger and Panzerfaust. But we come up with other stuff all the time. It’s a great mix of old heroes like Darkthrone, Mayhem, Bathory and a lot more bands.
Every metalhead has childhood heroes, just like you have mentioned. Also, all of us dreams to be in their own bands, and release their own records. When your album came out earlier this year, how does that feel?
It felt great of course. But it’s only released digitally by our self so far. We hope to do a full-length album in the near future and hopefully some record companies wants to put it out. We’re working on some great songs at the moment.
Wow that sounds exciting! What about your songwriting process? Can you share us about that as well?
It’s a kind of unusual. The drummer and the guitarist haven’t met in real life. Mostly both of them write the music by them self at home and send it through e-mail. And then we all 3 comes up with ideas and I write the lyrics. We all record our own stuff separately at home and then Henka put it all together. We do it through the internet and we write about ideas almost every day.
Wow, that new and unusual indeed. Are you not having difficulties with that kind of process? Does it have pros and cons?
Of course it has pros and cons. But I like it this way. The drummer lives in another city and he got other music projects too. I and Peter have another band together and when we do it this way we can work on the songs when we got the time for it.
Alright, before we end this interview, I have prepared here some questions “just for fun”. Just answer it, no need to explain anything.
First: Three bands you’d love to tour with
We don’t have any plans to play live with this band. But if we will bring back Lemmy and Quorthon from the dead and force Darkthrone to play live again. Darkthrone, Motorhead and Bathory!
Digital formats or CD’s and Vinyls?
Vinyls!
Record label you’d like to sign with
Not any particular. Readily a small underground label that gives the band promotion and put it out on vinyl.
Musician you’d like to play and record with
Think we will bring back Quorthon and Lemmy even on this one.
Wacken of Hellfest?
Have never been there. Wacken I have visited 3 times already.
Ice cream or cake?
I prefer cake
Who has stronger horns? Your national animal or satan?
Satan is our national animal!
One last! This magazine spreads words throughout the world. Any message? Shout outs? Promotions? Feel free to speak!
Check Hellsingland up on Spotify if you’re into true, dirty and cold black metal. We will have new material out later this year you don’t want to miss.
Follow us on our facebook page for updates. https://www.facebook.com/hellsinglandblackmetal/
Guess that’s it! Thanks again Erik for taking this interview, even moments before your sleep. I wish the best of luck for you and your band! Metal on!
And a big thanks to you!
MHF Magazine/John Paul
