The Metal Crypt - Hypnos Interview

Interviews

Interview with bassist Bruno
Interview conducted by Michel Renaud

Date online: December 3, 2001

I found out about the Czech Death Metallers "Hypnos" when I got their newest album, "The Revenge Ride" from Morbid Records. Immediately it became one of my favorite Death Metal albums, in part because of the Thrash sound that is mix with a more "standard" Death Metal sound on that particular album. Bruno was kind enough to answer a few questions via e-mail... Enjoy! :)

To start off, could you tell us the history of the band?

HYPNOS has been found by me and drummer PEGAS in fall of 1999 year, we released MCD "HYPNOS"(2000), debut CD "IN BLOOD WE TRUST"(2000) and second CD "THE REVENGE RIDE" (2001), all on MORBID RECORDS. During our existence we played about 80 shows across the central Europe with bands as MAYHEM, IMMORTAL, MACABRE, OBSCENITY, BEHEMOTH, AETERNUS etc...In december 2000 we did Eurotour with MORBID ANGEL, ENSLAVED, THE CROWN, DYING FETUS AND BEHEMOTH. Full story in on http://www.hypnos.cz

I have to admit I'm completely ignorant when it comes to the Czech metal scene. How are things over there? Do you get many shows from foreign bands? How about Czech metal bands? Are there many, and which ones?

Yes there is a lot of metal concerts, almost every metal Eurotour has some date or dates in Czech. Concerning the scene, it is pretty large, my favourite ones are for example KRABATHOR, ROOT, ARAKAIN, FORGOTTEN SILENCE, PANDEMIA, SILENT STREAM OF GODLESS ELEGY, INSANIA, MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM, GODLESS TRUTH, SABATHORY, FLESHLESS, LOCOMOTIVE, FROM BEYONG, LANIENA MENTIS, DEBUSTROL, COWARD, DISFIGURED CORPSE etc.

How did you come up with the name Hypnos for the band? Does it have any special meaning?

HYPNOS is ancient Greek god of sleep, I found it on debut album of PUNGENT STENCH. Opening track is just called "Hypnos".

I unfortunately don't have your albums prior to "The Revenge Ride". How would you compare the material on "The Revenge Ride" with the material on the previous albums?

New album is a bit more brutal and sounds better.

The cover art on "The Revenge Ride" is great! (At least I think so!) Who did this? Was it something you gave guidelines for, or you were given some choices and picked this one?

I have really old book fulfilled with tons of pictures like that. I wanna continue with this pictures as a HYPNOS front covers to make something significant for the band.

Is the songwriting a team effort or is there just one main songwriter? How do you guys go about writing new material?

Most of the stuff is written by me, some riffs on new album are coming also from guitarrist DAVID M., final arrangements use to be done by whole band on rehersals.

How did the recording of the album go? How long were you in the studio? You were working with a known producer this time, how did you like working with him?

This time we spent 13 days at German SPIDERHOUSE STUDIO with Harris JOHNS behind the board. He is pretty experienced producer and he easily made the sound we tried to reach, he used some new processes with us that he never used before and the result is pretty good to all of us.

Now that the album has been released, by looking back, are you pretty much satisfied with the result?

Definitely!

How did you get Mika of Impaled Nazarene to sing some parts on your previous album, "In Blood We Trust"? Is he a friend of yours? Have you toured with Impaled Nazarene?

We have toured with Impaleds with Krabathor back in 1995 year and we became a good friends, staying in touch etc. From that time we did another tours and shows together. When I decided to make debut album more attractive to listeners by inviting some special guest, I just gave a call to Mika and he agrred immediately. He flew to Prague and spent one day with us in a studio. It was a cool session.

I think Hypnos has toured with Morbid Angel? How did that tour go? Have you done any other tours with "major" bands?

It was thanks to our record label MORBID RECORDS, they booked us on this tour. In April 2002 we are supposed to do Eurotour with IMMORTAL and HYPOCRISY.

How do you guys like life on the road? What countries have you played in so far?

With HYPNOS we played several states of Europe, except Czech and Slovakia it was Germany, Austria, Poland, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland. With Krabathor I reached also some ex-Russian states including Russia, Hungary, Spain, Sweden, Great Britain, USA and South Africa.

Do you have any tour planned for "The Revenge Ride", and if yes, where? Yeah I know you won't say North America. :(

Not yet in America, I told you, In April we go with Immortal and Hypocrisy.

The music on "The Revenge Ride" sounds like Death Metal with some Thrash influences mixed in. I take it your musical influences are quite varied? Are you planning on experimenting more in future material?

I have no idea, I just do what I like and I don´t really think what it sounds like.

I'm not familiar with your previous band "Krabathor", but for the readers who are, how would you describe the differences between the music of Krabathor and the music of Hypnos? Are there any similarities or have you taken a whole different musical approach?

I guess that HYPNOS is pretty similar to Krabathor between 1994-1999 years. Also due to the fact that i was together with Christopher major writer of music and lyrics and my style of creating the music is reflected in HYPNOS as well.

What are respectively your best and worst memories from a gig or tour?

There are some really great shows and some not as good but actually you can never choose best and worse show, who should remember all of that?

Here's an existential question... Why Death Metal? What made you want to play that rather than some other genre of metal?

Because we like it most of all and we simply wouldn´t enjoy playing something else.

We've reached the point where I'm out of questions so I'd like to thank you for your time answering this interview and also for a killer album! If there's anything else you'd like to add, plug some merchandise, etc.., here's your chance

Anyone interested in more informations, visit: http://www.hypnos.cz or http://www.morbidrecords.de

KILL ON!!!
BRUNO

Other information about Hypnos on this site

Review: The Revenge Ride

Review: The Whitecrow

Review: The Blackcrow