Hi! How is the stuff in the band now?

                    Hey there. Stuff in the band’s really good right now. We’re currently about halfway through writing the follow up to Virulent Rapture, as well as booking shows for 2015. Loads of exciting stuff lined up for next year (particularly looking forward to Blastfest and Hammerfest)!

                    How did you get into Hecate Enthroned? Have you been a long-standing fan of them?

                    I’d been aware of them for a few years beforehand, as the Ode video is hard to miss when you’re into this kind of music, and I’d always liked the Slaugher of Innocence album. Basically after their previous vocalist Dean’s departure, they announced to the public that they were holding auditions and my friend Daniel Saunders (Phyrexia) brought it to my attention. I ventured up north, sang a few songs and the rest is history.

                    Are you the author of the lyrics on the last album? What's it about?

                    I’m the author of all the lyrics on Virulent Rapture with the exception of Life, which was penned by Dean and the title track, which I co-wrote with Dylan (Bass). I write about a lot of different things on the album, from ritual suicide to more conceptual ideas originally meant for guided meditations (as I wrote the album in a very short timeframe). Most of the songs centre around either antichristianity or my experiences with the Occult. The lyrics are there for anyone who wants to read them.

                    

                    Why was it a such a long break between the penultimate and the latest albums?

                    The other guys took care of their more mundane commitments, mainly family and work based, and this was unavoidable. In addition to that, there were the usual setbacks all bands go through such as line up changes, financial constraints etc.

                    I think on the last album the band tried to return to the sound of the first albums ... Is it your influence?

                    I won’t deny that I am more influenced the band’s early material than Redimus, though it’s still a solid album. The band’s direction is a product of everyone working together to create a whole new creation and different people being in the band will obviously create a different product. I think my vocals are more similar to Jon’s in a lot of ways, and that contributes to the overall sound as well. But ultimately, we will write what we write, and for the moment, things are getting progressively more old school.

                     Are all other musicians older than you? How do you work together?

                    Yes, they are older than me but that doesn’t really affect how the band works at all. We do the same stuff any band does – drink, play and lament how much cooler bands were back in the day. Me being based in London and everyone else being based in Wales or the North is a bit more of a challenge, but we still manage without incident.

                    What kind of music are musicians of Hecate Enthroned listening to these times?

                    We all listen to very different kinds of stuff. Personally, I’m listening to a lot of bands that are just making a name for themselves now like Svartidaudi, Nightbringer, Lantern, The Great Old Ones, Bolzer, Cult of Fire and Beastmilk. There’s so much great stuff coming out at the moment I find it hard to follow! As well as that, I never really stop listening to Behemoth and Dissection for very long. If you want to know what the others are listening to, you’d have to ask them but it’s a fairly eclectic mix. I’d also recommend anyone with spare listening time to check out any of these UK bands- Verdelet, De Profundis, Vehement, Sathamel, Nan Nolti Nan Gana Nan Nolta, Decrepid, Old Corpse Road, Reign of Perdition, Deitus, Towers of Flesh. All are deserving of far more attention than they get!

                    

                    You also sing in symphonic black-metal band Phyrexia and in black-death metal Aeternum. How are they doing? When come the albums? Do you have time for each of the bands?

                    I no longer sing in either band. I left Phyrexia in April 2013 due to not having the time between going to University, my other band commitments and scraping enough money together to live but still remain great friends with them all. They’re actually most of the way through writing their second album and it’s sounding killer! Ironically, Aeternum ceased to be shortly afterwards due to musical differences but again, we remain friends.

                    At the moment, I’m singing in a number of bands – primarily Ereskigal, a project with a number of old friends. I also play bass in Thurs, an atmospheric Black Metal band which bears a lot of comparison to Wolves In The Throne Room, Drudkh and the late 70’s prog scene. Both bands should be releasing material in 2015, so look out for that. In addition to that, I’m most of the way through writing a solo EP which will also be released some time in 2015.

                    How do I have the time? I genuinely struggle to see how other people don’t.

                    

                    Do you know, why the 1st vocalist Jon was not asked to come back?

                    Jon was fired from the band after the Dark Requiems album for a number of reasons, which shall remain between the band and him. But I’d also like to point out that most people tend to judge new singers on their own talent, rather than harking back to tales of days gone by and singers who can’t string a lyric with coherent meaning together.

                    Btw, is it any connection of your band with Cradle Of Filth (sorry for this question)?

                    Jon was also in Cradle of Filth for a period, which was also the period where Dani’s style of singing changed. Draw your own conclusions.

                    What are the further plans of HE?

                    We’re aim to get the new album out, tour as much as we can and destroy every last venue we visit.

                    Good. Name your personal top 5 favorite musical albums of all time, please:

                    

                    Storm of the Light’s Bane – Dissection

                    Thelema.6 – Behemoth

                    Live & Dangerous – Thin Lizzy

                    Collapse – Panopticon

                    At The Heart of Winter - Immortal

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