HIEMIS is a Spanish musical project belonging to the dark ambient genre that started its journey in 2018 after a period of reflection to an earlier stage with the project of darkfolk Silent Love of Death.
2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
In little more than a year of HIEMIS life I have published three albums: Nachtstücke (GH Records, 2018), Hyperborea (Noctivagant Records, 2019) and Thule (GH Records, 2019) While their sound has evolved to more ritualistic sounds , keeps immersive textures together with drones in dark and disturbing environments.
3.The song themes on the new album deal with Atlantis, Lemuria and Thule, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the Lost Continents and their contributions to the world?
I find fascinating the different theories that make mention of primitive lands where the first civilizations arose. Despite the great advances we are making in many disciplines, especially in technology, we still do not know the origin of man: where we come from and what our future is. We only know a small part of the reality of our ancestors, and it is something that fascinates me, how different cultures coincide in an original land from which the first men or the first civilizations arose, call it Hyperborea, Atlantis, Agartha or Thule.
4.What are some of the other themes you have brought into your music so far?
It is true that the main evolution that HIEMIS has had at this time has been at the conceptual level, the theme of the different published works. Although Nachtstücke was a tribute to the world of the paranormal, especially the mesmerism that impregnated the exalted work of E.T.A. Hoffmann, in Hyperborea, I begin to delve into the different philosophical theories that explain the origin and meaning of human beings such as those of Helena Blavatsky or René Guenon through the imagination of Clark Ashton Smith. In the album Thule I try to reflect my feeling and meaning of a civilization that gave rise to one of the most powerful empires like Atlantis, inspired by the investigations of Georgeos Díaz-Montexano and German Cabello Aethelman among other authors.
5.So far most of the music has been instrumental, are you open to using any vocals in the future?
It is curious that you ask me this question, because although the music of HIEMIS is characterized by its environmental aspect and therefore instrumental, in recent works I have incorporated vocal accompaniments (synthetic) to "humanize" in some way the textures of some ritual passages. If we refer to the more conventional use of the voice, for this I have another musical project called Resurrectina, with a very different musical style.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hiemis'?
It is a decline of the Latin word HIEM and its meaning is winter or that related to winter. I found it very evocative, do not you think the same?
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
It is a very special collaboration. of the multifaceted Argentine artist Diego Arandojo. He already collaborated in the design of the artwork "Donde hanbite el Olvido", the last album of my previous musical project Silent Love of Death in 2011. With HIEMIS, he has also participated in the making of The Offering videoclip. I love his work and his creative capacity as an artist. Thanks Diego!
8.On the albums you record everything by yourself, would you be ope to working with other musicians on future releases?
I already did it with Silent Love of Death. Any collaboration with more people in a project evidently enriches the result of this, but it is more laborious and complicated to manage. Why not?
9.The new album was released on 'Gradual Hate Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
I already published the first album Nachtstücke on GH Records in digital format. The reception was so good that we decided to publish the new album Thule accompanied by a tax form on cassette in a limited space edition. The manager of GH Records, is Avencio Delgado, whom I have known since he interviewed us for the Spanish webzine Sonidoscuro, on the occasion of the publication of The Poet's Senses, the first album of Silent Love of Death. Later we published the second album (Donde Habite el Olvido) on GH Records in 2011. Avencio is a very restless person and committed to what he believes in. He participated in groups such as Gradual Hate and Opus Nigrum. He set up the record label GH Records where he has edited national and international groups of substance belonging to the alternative scene. He is also a promoter of different events and festivals such as La Noche de los Candiles.
I think Avencio will sooner or later be recognized as an important figure in the underground scene of the Spanish and even international scene. And I do not say it because he is my friend.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of dark ambient?
The promotion that the underground has is slow but efficient. We can say that Thule has had a good reception both by the public and by specialized media.
11.What is going on with 'Silent Love Of Death' these days?
Miguel Angel and I have been evolving, acquiring different commitments and vital interests, it is logical and normal. A few months ago there was the possibility of reissuing some Silent Love of Death material but we do not plan to do anything new for now.
12.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
Good question. Let's say I have no perspective beyond day to day. I value positively what I have achieved so far, I am not a person with quantitative ambitions. It is true that everyone likes to value their work and the fact of being able to publish my music on a record label and make it known is more than satisfactory, the rest is complementary.
13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
It is complicated because I would not have enough space to answer you. It is a lot of time that has passed since I began to get excited about music. I remember when I was 16 when I discovered the dark scene with bands like The Cure, Bauhaus, And Also the Trees, Fields of the Nephilim or Lycia among others. In 30 years I have had the opportunity to listen and enjoy different genres and musical groups and I have to admit that one of the most passionate about me is dark ambient. Emblematic stamps such as Cold Meat Industry, Tesco, Cryo Chamber, Cold Spring, Loki Found, Old Europa Cafe or Ciclic Law have marked a before and after in this and other musical genres. Raison Detre, Arcane, Atrium Carceri, Desireii Marginis, Coph Nia, Elend, Inade and a long etc. they are my referents I currently enjoy the music of Paleowolf, Hiemal, Gaetir The Mountainkeeper, Niundi, Apocryphos, Leidungr, Archean Nights or Hillyard among others.
14.What are some of your non musical interests?
Uffff because everything else that a person can do but that lack of time prevents him from covering ... enjoy with my wife and my daughter, reading, movies ... sometimes it is complicated, especially when you become aware of everything what you need to know and discover.
15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for your interest and the opportunity you give me with this interview. A solar hug.
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