Blackened post metallers from Poland, i.e. Hegemone will be delivering their new album in September. From what I heard already it is going to be their heaviest and most unique stuff to date. Therefore, I've had to address a few questions to the band. Answers by Kacper Jachimowicz (guitar) and Jakub Witkowski (bass/vocals).
Hello Kacper! In July Brucia Records from Italy announced the signing of Hegemone. How do you feel about it personally? What are your expectations towards the label like?
Kacper: Hi! We have been looking for a home for our new album, and we wanted to release it on a label that isn't strictly focused on metal music. Brucia Records have many releases, and many of them are hard to name "metal albums". I think artists in our new label are exploring different genres more than traditional metal. Also both us and guys from Brucia like, let me say "syncretic" and "open-minded" approach to making music, and I think this is the "thing" that can make us and Brucia a well-oiled machine.
Your third full-length album is named "Voyance" and it will be officially released by Brucia Records on September 15, 2022. What kind of musical alloy will be waiting for the fans of Hegemone there? By the way, where do you get the inspiration to write such melancholic, dark and monumental music?
Kacper: "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture" you know. As a great shortcut, I can only say that "Voyance" is more aggressive and heavier than "We disappear". Of course, we didn't stop writing depressive songs. The form has changed a bit, but still, it is not that far from our previous albums. Of course, it is my opinion, haha.
Inspiration goes from everywhere I think. The more time you spend digging into your thoughts, the more melancholy you can pull out to the surface. For example, last year I moved out of our band's home city. So every week I'm traveling two hours by train for rehearsal and back. So ask me, how would I be able to create not-melancholic music, if I'm spending many hours staring through the train window for example in autumn or winter? Every one of us has something like this.
The new album was recorded at MAQ Records & Sore Sounds by Kim Teglund. How was it to work with Kim? Tell us your impressions, please.
Kacper: Actually, it was our second time in MAQ and the second time with Kim. He was working with us also when we were recording "We disappear". So for us, it was much easier to work with them for the second time. The difference is, that in the recording session for "We disappear" he was responsible only for album recording. This time he took care of everything – from recording to the final touch. So the sound of "Voyance" is completely his child.
Context-wise, what topics did you cover in the seven songs of "Voyance"? Who wrote the lyrics? How do they connect with the artwork of the album?
Jakub: Context or let us say the concept for lyrics came after creating a few first songs. We did not think about this album as a "concept album", but all songs have a similar theme musically and in lyrics. We like to place our music in some places in the world, so "Voyance" is in some desert of the middle east. We thought that this place has a strong religious background, so we decided to include this theme in the lyrics. Of course, we do not want to propagate any religious ideas, we focused on the role of religions or atheism in people's lives. So we ask questions: Has god created us, or do we create god as a religion to avoid the fear of death? If god created us does it mean that our fate is known and can be predicted by some kind of clairvoyant (Voyance)? Most of the lyrics I wrote with help from other bandmates. The artwork fits 100% with a concept, it was created after explaining to the graphic artist what the album is about.
Is there in plan to shoot a video clip for any of the songs of "Voyance", like you did for "Raising Barrows" out of the "We Disappear" album? If so, which song will it be applied for and when can we expect it?
Kacper: For now, there won't be any video. We are thinking about making a series of "live in the studio" with songs from "Voyance". But time will tell.
You've recently played at MetalDays festival in Tolmin, Slovenia. How was your stay there? What were the metal fans' reaction to your show? Apropos, how many songs in total did you play there?
Kacper: We were positively surprised by the number of people before the stage. In my opinion, the gig was quite aggressive and physically exacting for us (we haven't played any gig for almost a year for some private reasons). We played five tracks there – two of them were from "Voyance". Only thing was that we have been playing in the daytime, which was kind of a challenge, 'cause till MetalDays, all our gigs were at nighttime.
Jakub: For me, it was like a dream came true, but now I want more, haha. In terms of song amount, I had a funny situation. Someone from the audience asked for our setlist, but because we played only 5 songs (our songs are long) we don't create setlists, it is easy to remember what song is next. So I just gave her my guitar pick instead.
Have you any more gigs booked in support of "Voyance"? Will you plan a release party for it?
Kacper: Yes – the release party announcement will be soon I think. Of course, it will be in Poznañ. We are also planning a polish tour with "Voyance", but it is too early to reveal more details.
You are from Poznañ. How's the metal life over there? I mean, do you have a lot of noticeable metal bands, stores and venues there? What would you recommend to visit in Poznañ for a foreign tourist?
Kacper: As I said before, I have moved from Poznañ to another city, 'cause for me, it is a tiring city to live in. For tourists, I would recommend seeing the cathedral district and maybe the old market. And... that's all! If someone is interested in seeing traffic jams or everlasting roadworks – then the city is worth seeing! But still, it has a nice working metal scene, good promoters, and some very decent clubs. Also, there is the oldest squat in Poland, where they are making metal, hc, and punk shows. Time-to-time you can see really good underground bands from all over Europe there.
Please share your last hegemonies for the end. The space is yours...
