Firstly, thank you very much for the interview! How are you today? 

Hey ! Thank you, too ! I´m fine, thanks. I just came home from a fertile band practice, that always lifts the spirit :) 

Could you give us a brief biography of the band? 

Everything started with me and our drummer Tim on a trip through Sweden 2005! We found out that we share the same taste in music – so we tried out to make Death Metal, too! Hackneyed started after Devin - the kid brother of Tim, Alex and IX joined the band in summer 2007! Last spring, IX left the band. But fortunately, with Juan, we found a great musician to close the gap! 

You have just come off the Nile tour, how was it? 

It was really, really cool! It was the first time for us travelling in a night liner and we had a lot of fun with the crew and the other bands. It was a great experience for all of us! And sharing the stage with our idols from Nile was just amazing. It also was our first time in the UK – both as a band and as visitors. Especially London was stunning. We´ve never been in a mega city like this before. And fortunately we had the time to visit Piccadilly Circus so we got the mandatory tourist pictures for our families ;) 

You were a very impressive live act I have to say, do you enjoy playing live? 

Thank you. Of course we do! Being on stage always seems to be a dream! You cannot describe the feeling when you play in front of a great audience. And the positive reactions are very important for us. It´s great when someone appreciates your sound! And it isn´t a matter of how many people are in front of the stage. We played shows in front of 50 people which were more intense than playing a stage with 500 people. 

Who has inspired you to create you brand of death metal? 

There are too much to name them all, hehe. Of course we listened and listen to many bands like Hypocrisy, Suffocation, Kataklysm, Vader, Nile or Dying Fetus and this also influences our songwriting. But everyone of us listens to other music too and we cannot say which band influenced us the most! I think the Summer Breeze Open Air brought us into this kind of music! It took place in our hometown for several years – so we grew up with extreme Metal and it always was the only sound we wanted to play! 

Where did the name Hackneyed come from? 

To be honest, we searched a dictionary for cool and unused names – and so we found “hackneyed”, hehe. We just liked and like the sounding of the word. And I really hope Hackneyed is not going to be hackneyed too fast :) 

You say your lyrics deal with ‘social topics’, what would these be? 

My lyrics are – like most in this genre – about some gore stuff mixed with a lot of black humor and sarcasm; especially on my new ones the lyrics are also mixed with political and social problems like racism or prejudices! To my regret both topics are getting more and more present in our society these days. 

You are quite a young band, are you surprised at how far you have come in such a short time? 

We still can't believe it! It's quite amazing what happened in the last two years. We were really lucky with almost everything. Our Manager Achim Ostertag (Silverdust Records, Summer Breeze Festival) helped us a lot getting started and still supports us in every possible way. With Nuclear Blast we got the best partner we could ever  dream of. They are doing a lot of promotion for us and their crew really rocks. And our bookers from Dragon Productions and Catapult Promotions organized a whole lot of gigs for us to play, so we had the chance to reach a lot of people. 

How does it feel to be living every metalheads dream? 

We're really glad to have this chance! But it slightly differs from the metalhead dreams I had before :) Of course we´re having a whole lot of fun. Playing shows, meeting cool people, partying backstage (and in the crowd), being on the road, sleeping in hotels (good and bad ones ;)), there´s always something new, cool and interesting for us around. But it´s also lot of hard work. As we still have our jobs and go to school we have to spend all of our free time for it! But we always have this huge, pleased smile on our face :)! It´s definitely worth it :) 

What has been the highlight so far? 

We haven´t had THAT highlight but we had a lot of great moments so far: For example our shows at the Summer Breeze Festival !!! As the festival took place in our hometown for several years, it always was a dream of all of us to play there. But we never thought this really could come true. So as we entered the stage it was an really incredible and stunning feeling. Also the signing with Nuclear Blast. Hanging around in the same room where all of our idols have been before – it was fantastic! And also playing the With Full Force Festival and Metal Camp, our tour with Nile...  we had a lot of amazing moments till now, and we hope for some more to come :) 

Could you give any other young bands any advice on how to get along? 

Practice, Practice, Practice... :)! I think this is the most important thing – and maybe the only way to make and save your position! We're practicing at least three times a week! It's really important for us to play a good show on stage and to keep pushing our skills on our instruments!And with platforms like MySpace and Youtube you have a way to easily reach a lot of people with your music. 

You are playing Wacken this year, how do you feel about this? 

Just GREAT :)! Four years ago it still was a dream to VISIT Wacken and this year we are actually playing there. Really incredible, isn´t it ? What are the plans for the future? Oh, that's really hard to say... I would rather call it “wishes”, hehe! I think we´re still going to practice a lot and work out some cool songs for our third album! We want to play many cool shows this year! And we still have some countrys to tally :-) We´ll see :-) ! 

Thank you for doing the interview, do you have anything to say to our readers? 

Thanks a lot for the Interview! It would be nice to meet you and your readers on one of our next concerts. And perhaps we manage to come back to England in 2010 :)

Questions: Carl Sucharyna Thomas

Answers: Phil

Firstly thank you very much for doing this interview, how are you today? 

Fine thank you, I was writing new material ;) seems the inspiration is still there.

You have just released your first album, ‘Disciples of the Unseen’, how are you feeling about it?

I am very happy with that, we are lucky to be on a major label which allowed us to release it worldwide. The album was ready since April 2009 and we waited to release it on our new label. People seem to love it and that encourages me a lot. 

What are you referring to with the title of the album?

The title ‘disciples of the unseen’ means disciples of nothing. The word ‘unseen’ refers the gods that alienated human beings since the beginning of history. The major goal of the album is to show the negative side of believing in a superior power. We want the listener to open his eyes to the different contexts we approach on every song. There is a strong message behind the album.

Your lyrics seem to deal with Egypt, what attracted you to these themes?

Well, it’s not specifically about Egypt. We talk about different ancient civilizations that inspire us. We are not trying to praise those ancient gods but rather using their socio-historical context as arguments.  We are fascinated about the Mayas, Sumerians, Arabs, and Egyptians.  These civilizations have an intriguing knowledge that inspired the west in the field of medicine, spirituality, and science. We think that the past is a very important thing for humanity; we have to learn from those who preceded us.

To me there seems to be influence from Nile and modern SepticFlesh, who would you say influenced you to create your music?  

Many Metal and non-Metal musicians inspired us to do what we are doing, specially the new wave of British heavy metal and thrash metal.  We are huge fans of Judas priest, Metallica, Maiden, Blind Guardian, Crimson Glory, Ozzy… and naturally, Death and Black Metal; Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir, Nile, Marduk, Morbid Angel, Death, Behemoth, Opeth, … 
 

Yes it’s something natural. I was born in Morocco and I lived there for about twenty years. I really think that the atmosphere of the place you live in influences your creativity.  I started incorporating those scales in Aeternam’s music and the guys loved it. I’m also very familiar with traditional thrashy heavy metal scales. But, I don’t use them very much on Aeternam.
 
Why the name Aeternam? 

It refers to the eternal knowledge of the ancient civilizations that influence our society nowadays. We pick this name because it represents our lyrics and it sounds epic.
 
Ash used to be in the band Imperium back in Morocco; does he still keep in contact with them?

Yes of course those guys are my childhood friends. They are like brothers to me. We are still very close, but because of my studies, I don’t have much time for chatting and stuff like that.  So, I do my best to be in touch with them. By the way, I’m going back to Morocco next summer to see them and to get the inspiration for the next album so it’s going to be amazing!  

How does Aeternam compare with Imperium?

We had 5 songs with Imperium and it sounds extremely different from what we do in Aeternam. Imperium is a traditional Thrash Metal band you know…   

What was the scene like in Morocco compared to Canada? 

Well, there is a lot of metalheads in morocco, but the majority did not understand what metal is all about. They love the music, the guitar works and everything, but they aren’t much against religion, social conformism...Islam is very present in Morocco and there are a lot of dumb ass morons trying to ban many sorts of heavy metal events … however, living as a metal head in such a country made me realize a lot of things and gave birth to a lot of inner frustration that inspires me a lot to write music. In Canada there is a huge Metal scene, but it’s not a good place to get the inspiration because everything is going well here (joking) 
 

What is next for Aeternam? 

We are planning to tour the Canada next summer and maybe Europe next winter. We are already on the writing process for the next Aeternam album. 
 
Are there any plans for UK shows?  

Not for the moment, but we would love to. It is such a beautiful place…HEAVY METAL WAS BORN THERE!  Maybe next winter… who knows?  Wait and see ;).
 
Thank you very much for doing this interview! Is there anything you would like to say to our readers? 

Thank you very much for supporting Aeternam! Stay brutal and keep supporting Metal!  

Carl Sucharyna Thomas

So, hows the tour going so far?

Awesome, super fun. Last day, going home tomorrow. Miami here I come!

How do you feel being on this bill? Do you feel out of place at all?

Yea but it’s awesome. Good out of place.

What’s the crowd reaction been like?

Some days it’s been really good, some days it’s been like huh? Some days we just get looked at.

What was the recording process like for The Tropic Rot.

It was pretty whirlwind, we spent about two months writing it and then we went into the studio for four weeks and just banged it out.

And how do you think it compares to the previous albums?

I think it’s a little more focused but still diverse. It’s a little heavier than the last record.

Were you worried about alienating your fans with.

Na, I never worry about that. I prefer to just put out, you know, records that I believe in and fail rather than put ones out that I don’t believe in even if it means success.

Have you got a favourite record of the ones you’ve put out?

The newest one.. every other one I’ve had too much time to think about shit I did that I didn’t like.

Any good tour stories...

On this tour our friend Lucas put Led Zeppelin on his USB stick.. but the songs don’t play in order and they randomly switch so like you get twenty seconds Communication Breakdown then like five minutes Trampled Under Foot. It’s awesome, it’s called Led Zeppelin Mashup. We like to listen to it late at night, really loud.

Your sound has evolved through the albums. Where do you draw your influences from?

Everything. Every kind of music that I like. Heavy metal, punk rock, hardcore, surf music, classical, spaghetti western soundtrack music.

Obviously you get interviewed a lot. Are there any questions that you never get asked that you wish you were?

No. I think I’ve been asked pretty much every fucking question possible!

Have been asked that one?

No.

Good stuff.

So I guess more of that one because it’s different.

Out of the UK bands are there any bands in particular that you really like, any up and coming bands at all?

Um.. name that band. A couple of friends of ours are in a band called Hexes.

Are there any bands in the UK you really like being supported by?

The Ghost of a Thousand are probably my favourite one. Hexes would have been fun but stuff got mixed up.

Do you prefer the bigger venues such as this (Cardiff University Great Hall) or Cardiff Barfly type smaller venues?

Yea Barfly.

Is that for the reaction of the crowd or the atmosphere in general?

The atmosphere, my comfort level, what I’m used to. They’re like the small divey places, real intimate.

Charming

Yea, and you feel like you’re actually connecting with somebody.

The Cavern (Exeter) is like that, sweat dripping back off the roof.

Yea, love it!

TJs in Newport, is that a favourite venue when you come over?

We love that place too!

Whenever I read interviews with bands from America they always say the foods terrible. Do you think British foods up to scratch when you come over?

No I don’t think that most people eat like good British food when they come over. If you use the kebab stand all the time..

Do you plan to play any festivals next year?

We’ll see what happens. I don’t know of any yet but if one comes asking we’ll come rock it.

Have you ever played a big festival over here?

We’ve played Reading and Leeds. That was 2004..

What’s it like being on Ferret now compared to a major?

It’s cool, I prefer it much more.

Have you got more freedom this time?

Yea, it’s just I know the people, it’s easier to communicate, it’s just a better situation overall for us. It’s fancy.

Did the majors interfere in the process quite a lot?

Uh, they tried to, that’s why we came out on a... they tried to pull a fast one on me.

Are there any songs in particular you get tired of playing or will you never get tired of playing?

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of playing Letter Thing. Don’t think it’s possible.

Are you excited for the show tonight?

Yea, it should be really fun.

Cardiff got any fond memories for you?

Yea I had this tattoo in Cardiff.

What’s it mean? Florida is it?

My friend Ian from that band Kids in Glass Houses did it. He did it with a sewing needle and Indian ink, we were pretty pissed up but you know, what are you gonna do.

What’s been the worst night of the tour so far?

There hasn’t been a worst night.

There must have been something gone wrong?

Uh, I mean, something went wrong but it was actually hilarious. We were outside of immigration in Calais, our bus broke down and we had to push start it.

This tours come over from America as well then has it? The same three bands?

No we met here. We were in Australia before this.

What’s it like playing in Australia? Quite nice?

Fuck yea! It’s Australia!

Where’s the furthest you’ve gone travelling?

Australia, New Zealand.

Well thanks a lot for the time and the interview!

Cheers guys.

David Phillips.

Firstly, thank you for the interview, how are you doing today?

Work has, as usual, its filthy claws buried in our flesh.
 
You second album, ‘Contamination’, has recently been released; how do you feel about it?

We did finally reach our full potential. Compared to its forerunner, I’d call it more mature and a forceful album which became the vessel of a vast process. Each detail has been carefully placed into the landscape and nothing has been done by mere coincidence. Each composition more worked- and thought through than our previous titles, a note which clearly can be seen by an individual who goes into detail and descend beyond the surface and dares down the deeps. To make variations through contrasts was an ulterior motive from the beginning, thus giving each element and detail the space required to reach the highest of peaks. In short – this is by far the most vicious work we have managed to compose under the banner of Valkyrja.
 
From the statements on your website and other places I would assume that negativity and death still play a large part in the lyrics?

These are two of the fuels that turn sparks into fires, correct.
 
Tracks from the new album seem to have a massive, epic sound to them, was this the intension?

From the beginning we didn’t had a clear vision of what the final result of the studio session would have transformed into. I can for sure agree that you may find some epic parts on “Contamination”, but that generalization doesn’t cover the material in its whole and is simply one piece of many that built the album.
 
Who chose the name Valkyrja?

We had our motives in our early days. Now the name is simply a banner under which we create and let everything that is done by its members manifest. 
 

I know a few members have other projects in this genre, so what attracted you to Black Metal in the first place?

I started to listen to classic rock and found attraction in more extreme music. Black Metal is (at least was…) an extreme genre and I found many interesting acts under the moniker, yet that goes for several genres and not this particular one you mentioned.
 
What are your thoughts on the Swedish scene these days?

Sweden has several great bands, but personally I´m not involved in “the scene” and do not consider our work to be placed within these borders as well. Geographical origin does in no way affect our creations.

You have a few live dates set up for the middle of the year, are there any plans for a tour? Any dates in the UK?

Nothing in addition to what is written on MySpace is yet confirmed. I hope for a tour, and UK dates as well, but can’t tell anything at the moment. Time will spread its cunt sooner or later, so keep the eyes open.
 
What does the future hold for Valkyrja?

Probably a lot of live appearances and hopefully some touring since we have not yet been active outside the borders of Sweden. We’re also working with a vinyl edition of “Contamination” which hopefully will manifest as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for the interview, anything else you'd like to add?

Visit www.myspace.com/valkyrjaswe for valuable information.

Answered by A.L. (vocals) and S.W. (guitar). Questions by Carl Sucharyna Thomas