Hellish greetings to the horde of Human Serpent! I don’t know what your music emanates but it causes worst addiction than a drug. When I put your new material into the player I can’t put it out until I listen to it at least 4 times. It is a really catchy and possessive masterpiece!
Greetings, we are very glad that you feel this way about our debut album. It means a lot to us!
But let’s stop for a while and talk about the birth of Human Serpent. Why did you choose to create this beast? What were the influences that helped you to summon the band? Were there any previous musical activity of the members before Human Serpent?
We have been active musicaly since 2006. That is when we started our first band. Many changes took place and a lot of people were coming and going, the musical style of that band changed a lot as well, but the Black Metal element stayed present throughout. During the year 2011 the line-up of that band was still changing all the time, this fact made us feel that the people that were, at that time, part of that band could not share our visions and aspiration for the band. There was also a serious lack of communication between us and them. We decided that the only way that we could actually make it work and make our aspirations come true was only if we worked as a duo, however we still made efforts to make things going as an 5-man band. As you can imagine, things didn’t work out any different than they did in the past and we decided to split-up on late 2012. On 2013 we begun working and rehearsing as a duo and it was easily seen that this way was the answer all along, the gears were finaly set in motion. Our road was set, the only thing we needed to do was walk it.
What is the message of Human Serpent and why did you choose this name? Is there any serious ideology behind it or you just put your state of mind and soul into the music? Is it important for you in music that it should have an ideology and a message or the main point is just the painting of a mood with which everyone can do what they want, find their own interpretations.
"Human Serpent" has a certain meaning and weight in the Occult circle although its meaning can have different names in different spiritual castes. For some moronic people it means just a human in a serpent-like form, but for us "Human Serpent" represents the organic purification that substancially breeds a spiritual pursuit, outside the narrow borders of anything that bears light or darkness.
It really depends on the way each individual identifies the word "ideology". For us, our state of mind and soul, our cast of mind, the very way we concieve the state of life in its every form, humanity and reality is our ideology. These are the soul and the very being of "Human Serpent".
We think that it is of the outmost importance that music must include a piece of its creator soul, a piece of their mental state, a piece of their beliefs, without that music is just plain notes, soulless, worthless sounds.
You released a demo in the year the band was formed which contained two tracks and it went under the title „The Eternal Loyalty to Misanthropy”. Was not that too early? Are you still satisfied with this material? How were the feedbacks for it?
We get why anyone would think that the release of our demo "The Eternal Loyalty to Misanthropy" took place too soon, as the band was at its young state, but we felt that the time was the ideal one for us to release a sample of our music and a sample of what we stand for. Of course we are still satisfied with this material, it was exactly the start that we aimed for. Even if we could, we wouldn’t have changed a single thing. The feedback was greatly positive, we were and still are very happy for the feedback it received.
As far as I know, it was released in 300 copies. Is it still available? Did you send some copies to labels and zines? Do you find promotion important or you don’t really deal with this and you think that those who should find you will find you anyway?
Yes, it was self-released in 300 copies and at this moment it is not available. We did sent some copies to several labels and zines. Promotion is extremely important, especially for bands that are new and at their young stage. There is a vast amount of bands out there and promotion is the only way you can get people to know about you, your music and what you stand for.
Since I also don’t know these songs and the readers possibly don’t know them as well, please introduce them to us! Was it in a similar vein such as the album? Do you think you were mature on this one or you were in the beginning of searching your real path?
These 2 songs had been worked on, more or less, throughout the period of 2008-2012 but for the reasons that we stated previously they weren’t released before 2013. It was our original intention for them to be released with this exact lyrical context.
At the end of 2013 a split material was unleashed on which you participated with 5 other greek bands. I think it is very good when bands are uniting for a greater cause. Is there a strong unity and community in Greece for Black Metal underground or in private life?
The word "underground" is also a word that has several meanings, in our opinion. For some the underground is a way of life, a way of thinking, for others the underground is a place in which they can create their world of plot and intrigue, while for others it is simply their business, we have all stumbled upon these "underground" distros with tapes priced 10€. So, if you feel that the underground embodies and promotes friendship, unity or the oportunity to make money, this is something that is utterly based on your personality and your personal beliefs.
Are you friends with the other bands from the split? Please introduce all of them in some sentences in order to have a little promotion for them.
We had some form of communication with all of the bands that were part in this split release, at this point in time we communicate mostly with "Varg Order" because they are great friends of ours. There are bands from the split that we still maintain some form of communication with and others that we no longer do, there is nothing personal and we have no hard feelings towards them, it is just that many of them have been put on-hold.
For this material you chose the song „Whores of the Coming Plague”. Did you change something in it or you used the same version as the demo?
There were thoughts of using another version of the song that we had recorded, but later it was obvious to us that the original version was the best choice for the split release.
This tape was released by the greek label Abyssic Black Cult Records, limited to 60 copies. Guess this material is sold-out for a long time. How were the feedback for this record? What should we know about it? Why were there only this small number of limitation? Is there any possibility for a re-release?
Our tape copies of this split release was given by us to some of our friends and relatives. We don’t feel that it was such a big deal and that it should be re-released. Once is completely fine as far as we are concerned.
In 2014 your debut album was vomited to the earth under the title „The Grandual Immersion in Nihilism”. I told you in the beginnings how much I liked this material. In my opinion, you did not create anything new but you materialized your music from the traditional Black Metal elements with an own identity which turned out to be fantastic. I think in these days this is a big thing because there are really many bands filling the underground. The reason is simple: you write music very well. What is your opinion about it?
We are very contented that you feel this way about our music. We know that we didn’t create anything new, to be honest, we didn’t want to create anything new, at least, not in the way that "new" is perceived nowadays. We are huge fans of the oldschool sound, we have been huge fans of the oldschool sound since the first time we got to know the Metal scene as a whole. So, we try to honor the oldschool sound through our prism, through our own feelings, through our own being. Don’t forget, that even though the underground has many gems that are waiting to be found, by the patient ones, it is also full of awful garbage.
What do you want to express with the title of the album? What does Nihilism mean to you? How it appears in everyday life? Or it appears only just in the music and it is not present in your private life?
The title of the album is rather simple, actually, it is the reality in which we all live! The average lack of dignity that everyone experiences each day, whether this lack of dignity refers to social characteristics, economic ones or racial ones, is nihilism. Money is nihilism, fascism is nihilism, anarchy is nihilism, politics are nihilism, the modern-day interpersonal relations are nihilism, rationality is just typical now. And this typicality is so deeply rooted in our feeling of substantiality that simply leaves us hollow, a shell of what we could and should be. This is the reason that "Human Serpent" exists, to remind people that none of us can escape our soul-consuming routine and also, to let us speak our mind on everything rotten and sick that exist in our lives.
According to the inlay, the recordings took place in Greece but the rest of the work was done in Poland? Why? Would not it be easied in your home country? Are you trained in studio works or not really? Many don’t like when people who are not members of the band are trying to overjudge things in a current work. Is there a big role of an external, studio guy in case of Human Serpent?
K. Filip who is the one responsible for the mixing, engineering, mastering and producing of all of our releases is a long time friend of ours and the amount of trust that we have in his abilities is huge. He is really a man of high principals and unconventionality when it comes to music and has a unique perspective not only in music but in the work that should be done while in studio. We can truly say that our co-operation with him helps us improve greatly, his suggestions, his input, his views help us get better and better. There wouldn’t be "Human Serpent", as it is today, without K.Filip.
There are some bands who don’t record their actual albums until they don’t find a label who pay the fees for them. Others pay it from their own wallets. What is your opinion on this?
We live in a country that is devastated by the economic crisis and the mistakes that the previous generations made so for many bands the financial aid that the labels, you mentioned, provide is vital for them in order to record their albums. The drawback of this is that if the finding of such label takes too much time, months or even years, there is the risk of finding your matterial not expressing your present self and feelings. Then you must start from the very begining. We are most certainly sure that there is an enormous amount of great music that was lost in this vortex, that the lack of money creates. We believe that the band paying the studio expenses themselves, although very difficult, is the way to go.
The tape version was unleashed by a Hungarian label called Funeral Chants Productions in cooperation with the greek Nebular Winter Productions and it was limited to 300 copies. How did you get in touch with the Hungarian label? Do you know his older releases? Are you satisfied with his work?
They both did a great work, we are very satisfied from both of them. We did know him from his previous releases and we thought that it would be great if we could work with him for any future physical releases.
Nebular Winter Prods is also a bit unknown, small label. Do you know them from old times or you just get in touch considering the album? If you think so, you can make here a little promotion for them. What should be known about them?
The man behind "Nebular Winter Productions" is one of the few people that we keep in touch with from the very creation of the band until today. He truly supports the underground scene and all of his releases are worked thoroughly, professionally and are of the highest level, quality-wise.
How were the feedback for the album? Are you interested in reviews and what people say about your music in general?
The feedback for the album was extremely positive, so positive that it is already sold-out! We are very interested in reviews because not only you can see what aspects of your music people like or dislike, but you can also hear many interesting things because everyone has their own perspective and they view things in their own personal way. We love to hear the way people perceive and feel our music, they provide a new viewpoint for us.
The CD version of the debut was handled by Death Knell Prods. Do you think it is important to release the materials in different formats? Are there any plans for an LP version?
Yes, we think that the release in different formats is really important because it gives people, who are interested in buying the release, the choice of getting the format that best suits their taste and financial capabilities. There are plans for an LP version, just nothing certain at this point in time.
There was a T-shirt for the album too. Do you think it is important or it was the idea of the label. I will get my own copy very soon.
It is safe to say that the ideal was mutual, we quickly came in agreement regarding the design, the quantity and the rest of the details. We are happy to hear that you will get your own t-shirt soon, we hope that you will be most satisfied from the final product. We most certainly are!
What do you think about those bands, who upload their materials to the internet in order to make it available for anybody? I heard it several times that there are bands who does not even publish their stuff in physical format. Others are striving against this. Is it important for you or you don’t really deal with it and the point is just to make people hear your music?
We are against the idea that you should only release your music in digital form. We believe that the artwork of each physical release co-exists with the music, the pictures that are inluded, the lyrics or thoughts that each band chooses to include serve as another window into the mind of the musician and their music. These are all parts of the atmosphere each band aims to create. The artwork enhances the whole musical experience, you can feel the music not just through your ears but through your eyes as well.
Have you ever performed live? If yes, do you have a special visual for these rituals or you rather prefer the simplest solutions? Do you like to play live?
We have performed live and we really prefer the simplest solutions. We believe that the simplicity of the on stage decor is the one that suits us best. We do like to play live, but the fact that we are a duo band and we must depend on session members in order to perform live gigs, makes our live appearences to be less than we would like.
What kind of audience you like? Who get mad to the musick and destroy the whole place or the calm audience that are just standing and immersing in the depths of dark energies of your art? To be honest, as a usual gig visitor, I hate that everybody just stands and do nothing. This goes to the band on stage as well.
Of course it always gives every band, us included, great feelings to see the crowd going wild and tearing the place up and of course, the crowd gets even more pumped up if they see the band on stage being active, communicating with them and enjoying themselves, but on the other hand people experience music in their own way. There are people who experience music better by lashing out and, as you said, destroy the whole place while others experience it by standing and immersing themselves in the depths of the dark energies of music, to use your words. We just want people to enjoy our music the way they honestly feel like doing it, this is the best way to enjoy music in any form, with honesty.
How is the greek underground scene? What bands, labels and zines would you recommend to us? Is there a strong community and togetherness there or rather a faction is what present a the Greek scene?
As we said before, the term "underground" has many and often contradictory definitions. It can mean friendship, unity, brotherhood or manipulation, mockery, opportunity to make money, it all depend on each individual’s beliefs and way of thinking. So, we think that it is better not to give you any particular answer, because there won’t be any pleasant, kind, nice feelings, words or opinions about the Greek underground scene..
What can we expect from Human Serpent in 2015, what are your plans?
On the 1st of February a Split with "Human Parasites" titled "Servants in Extreme Misanthropy" will be released by the Peruvian "MercyfulHell Productions" and Greek "Old Graves Productions". Later in the year, probably during the Spring-time, we plan to go on a Balkan tour to promote our new material. Lastly, our second full-length titled "Inhumane Minimalism" will be released on the 25th of June in Digipak-cased CD format by the Mexican "Self Mutilation Services" and on Pro-Tape format by the Hungarian "Funeral Chants Productions" and on the 1st of July in Jewel-cased CD format by the Greek "Nebular Winter Productions".
Thanks for your answers and hope I helped the band with this interview. It will be released in English as well at a separate, xeroxed paper with a minimal design that could be promoted and reproduced. The last words are yours…
Thank you for this in depth interview and thank you for giving us the chance to express ourselves and our views through it. Support the Underground!
Interview by Dr.A.
