Interview with Baal from the polish band Hell-Born

How has "Hellblast" been received in the undeerground?

We've received quite good reviews worldwide, and the response of
the metalheads was very good too.

Obviously, we caused the people dramaticaly want to have a HELL-BORN
full-lenght at last, so I think we did pretty well.

Are you planning a new recording or do you prefer to concentrate on promoting "Hellblast"?

We are focused on our new album now, but still we want to carry on
with the promotion of the band's elder recordings.

How would you compare "Hellblast" to your first MCD?

More structured, I would say... I don't know, really. Both are
HELL-BORN style recordings, you know.

The vocal lines are more "worked-out", the songs seem to be more "logical".
But I gotta tell you, that the drums on the '96 Mini-album were way better. I simply forgot how to play during those fuckin' 5 years!

How has been the European tour? Do you have any expectations on the American tour?

It wasn't something you could call a major tour, although we enjoyed
it and the audience was quite responsive to our music. As you probably know, we've already played in the USA and it was a killer experience in general.

How important is brutality for your music?

In my opinion brutality is the very essence, the core of metal
music. So is the music of HELL-BORN.

Which are your memories on the beginnings of the band?

The will to create something original, unusual, coming straight
from our hearts. I think we've managed to do it somehow.

Why were you so silent between 1996 and 2000?

There was a couple of reasons for that. We've had problems with
the record label, Les was forced to give up HELL-BORN because of his work in BEHEMOTH and DAMNATION. Although he tried to help me with the line up, I couldn't make it, and I didn't have enough skills to write music myself.
I was getting more and more fucked up... And so HELL-BORN died. Fortunately we're back on earth.

Which are your favorite bands nowadays?

Hard to say, man. I dig mostly to classic heavy and power metal
stuff, old thrash and death metal. There is a couple of very good bands nowadays, and if I would be force to name the most impresive one, I would say KRISIUN. We toured with them as DAMNATION. Their attitude is 101% metal.
They are the men MANOWAR writes songs about. Real metal people!

Which is your feeling on the Polish extreme metal scene?

Very strong. VADER, BEHEMOTH, DEVILYN, AZARATH, WICHMASTER, LOST
SOUL, and the list goes further.

Any final words?

Interview by Federico Marongiu