“THE HIRSCH EFFEKT” INTERVIEW by David Maloney
First off , hello and welcome to Metalheads Forever Magazine. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our publication. How are you? how are are things in the World of The Hirsch Effekt? Can you tell our readers about the roles of each band member’s within the band?
Thanks. All in all we’re pretty ok. Times are busy though, sometimes. There’s a lot of tasks to do for the band, since we still manage a lot of areas on our own.The band, mostly in prominent roles and considering live on stage, consist of Nils Wittrock (vocals, guitars), Ilja John Lappin (vocals, bass) & Moritz „Mr. Moe“ Schmidt (drums).
Besides in the studio, Nils and Ilja also play acoustic instruments like piano, accordeon, acoustic guitars and cello, rarely other stringed instruments. Moritz handles some additional percussion stuff, too. All of us are songwriters as well and, considering our last record, we produce also quite a lot at home in the meantime. Lyrics are handled by Nils and since the last record Ilja has also stepped into the process.
The Hirsch Effekt have realized their philosophical dream of outdoing perimeters and Pigeonholing, can you tell our readers what this statement means in terms of the bands outlook on life?
We didn’t write that description of the band. It was done by an external writer. I guess the sentence is meant more in a musical sense. I don’t really have a satisfying answer to that. The only thing I can tell you is that we’re not conservative with our music and none of us are a big fan of certain traditions or the forces, that sometimes comes along with them. We believe there’s rarely one absolute answer to things. Many roads and ways can lead to Rome…at least in terms of music. Maybe in a sort of way it can also be projected upon the outlook on life. We’re three individuals and actually differ quite much from each other, so maybe we just think you should do your thing, think for yourself and most importantly be yourself…just go for it, you know?
The trio, hailing from the Unesco City of Music Hanover, Germany, seem eerily to embody the musical resonance chamber of the black hole. What is the current state of the music seen in your hometown? It is well known Germany has been a hotbed for metal for decades. How easy or hard is it to live up to such expectations from your native Country and Internationally?
To be honest we’re pretty much outsiders in our hometown (also musically) and there’s not really a big scene around here if there’s a scene at all. Especially styles like progressive metal are not really significant or big. Germany has surely been a hotbed for a lot of more mainstream or classic oriented, sometimes even pretty dull metal bands, but certainly not for us or the style we create. But we don’t really care about expectations that much – it’s a subjective matter in the end anyway. Though, of course it’s very nice to receive some positive feedback from outside our country…and from our own country as well.
The band’s musical spectrum, ranging from Hardcore, Chamber Music, Den into an highly individualistic mash-up of its Math Metal, Jazz, Electronica, Pop to any other imaginable genre, is being completely deconstructed, and woven in it’s own. I’m not one for Genres and Categorizing of music but you guys fuse a lot of genres and sub genres. Was this by design? Or is it is a mix of all band members influences or just a case of music evolving organically?
I believe it began with the mix of each band member’s influences and tastes. Certain things just happened by trying things out. From there on it probably evolved organically at some point. We found some sort of formula by which we write, as a band and individually throughout time. We’re not fans of genres either so we really don’t think that much about it when writing. Either one is in the mood to write a dark metal song and feels it or then not. Or then you’d just end up writing a ballad because you’re sad and depressed or whatever…driven by your feelings. Sometimes though the writing gets theoretical as well. Maybe it’s a mixed process in the end.
The End result, is nothing less than a homogenous and enormous sound nearly beating your speakers to death. My first impression into an epic and sinister sound but such a specific personal touch and frankness in the German Lyrics. What are your thoughts on Genres and fusion of different sounds? Was it a fair assessment of the thought provoking German lyrics?
We encourage to mix things together that traditionally, or at first sight, may not make that much sense or blend well. The musical future probably lies more in the hands of polystylism since pretty much everything exists nowadays. So new things can come out of some weird and contradictory stuff you might just (accidentally) throw together. We starting singing and writing lyrics in German because it’s our mother tongue – for us it just was pretty natural.
You guys just released your brand new effort The Hirsch Effekt-Eskapist on August 18th, how has it been received thus far? What can new fans to expect to find on it?
Until now it has been received very positively. Every review has been quite positive, that’s of course a little extraordinary, sometimes maybe even a little dubious, but it’s nice to hear or read the commentary. It seems to speak to people – that’s a good thing and you can be a little proud of yourself if something like that has occurred New fans can expect our most ‘metal’ record as well as probably our most compact record to date, without leaving out the softer indie, alternative or ambient sides, that always have been present in the band. Just on this one the metal influence is a little stronger.
What are your plans for the second half of 2017 heading into 2018? Can we expect some touring?
We’re going on a club tour from mid October to November, mostly in Germany. A few dates will follow in winter and there are a few weekends already planned in the beginning of next year. But that’s it until now – I’m sure a few festivals next year. No US dates yet, I’m afraid.
In closing if music wasn’t your first choice to make a living what would you be doing?
Each of one of us would answer differently but in my case it would probably be something with language and linguistics.
Do you have any closing words for your fans and readers or our publication ? All the best with future endeavors.
We hope you enjoy our new record ESKAPIST and thank you for the support! We always love to hear feedback from fans so don’t be shy to get in contact with us or leave a comment somewhere on the net.
Thank you. All the best to you as well.
David Maloney/MHF Magazine
