Black Plagve/Malignant Artist Hypsiphrone Interview is up




1. For most of my reader this will be the 1st time they heard of Hypsiphrone . Tell how the project came to be?

Hypsiphrone was conceived almost three years ago, when I felt the need to manifest into sound a certain concept I had in my mind, very abstract but intense. It seemed that it was already there complete by itself, although I didn't know that at the moment. But as soon as I started recording everything fell immediately into place and every new idea that sprang into my mind harmonized perfectly with what I had already recorded.

 2.Hypsiphrone seems to blur the lines of Black metal, Doom, Noise and Industrial music how did this sound come to happen?

As I already said the concept needed only the suitable medium in order to be expressed properly and since I am quite acquainted with these genres, my ideas had to merge with the suitable aspect of sound so as to evoke a certain feeling. I am a fan of many diverse musical genres and I have no inhibitions in merging one with the other if it helps me complete the puzzle of my vision. The only thing that worried me was whether the result would be successful or not.


 3. Your Current release is on Black Plagve home to Sewer Goddess how did you sign to this fantastic sub label of Malignant?

I was always a great fan of Malignant and that was why I got in touch with Jason through MySpace. When he told me that he heard my project and asked me if I was interested in releasing it through his label I felt more surprised than ever, since Hypsiphrone was a completely unknown project, without even a single demo! Needless to say I accepted immediately! Without his faith in Hypsiphrone and his professional attitude none of this would have happened. Our collaboration was flawless in every way and if it wasn't for him and Vitriol, who did the artwork and some of the vocal parts, Hypsiphrone would probably be almost nothing now...


 4. So Hypsiphrone perform live being a solo project or do you leave it to studio for all you do?

That is something I have yet to decide. I have no objections in playing live but it surely won't be an easy thing for me to do, since I have to work a lot on the arrangement of the sound on stage and use some more musicians, so that I don't have to rely only on prerecorded layers of music. But all depends on my desire to do it. If I feel that it is neccesary for me and I get the chance to do it, it will be done.

 5. Is there a theme or story line behind the release And The Void Shall Pierce Their Eyes?

Certainly. The whole project was created for this reason. From my personal point of view it refers to worship and ecstasy, though not to any particular deity, other than what inspired me to manifest this sound. As Aleister Crowley puts it That which causes us to create is our true father and mother; we create in our own image, which is theirs. And for me the means to feel this ecstasy was through these soundscapes and these particular themes. It had to do with plunging in the abyss of my own self, manifesting what I found there and using it as explanatory to the actual abstract meaning of the soundscapes. It is obviously considered abhorrent or sick by some, but if it was identical with the mundane none of us would have the need to transmute it into sound or listen to it. On the other hand the whole album deals with the acceptance that these things are around us and in us, and their knowledge really turns one's world upside down, even though most people want to convince themselves otherwise.


 6. What's  your thoughts on the current digital age for underground artists? Does it help or hurt with so many free download and social media outlets to over expose a new artist before they have time to develop?

On one hand it is something positive, since many bands and especially undeground ones have the means to become known and spread their music. On the other hand when there are so many releases appearing everyday most of them go unnoticed, and some of them surely have to be very good. Also it hurts most of the labels a lot, which are created by people who love this underground sound and try to keep it alive regardless of any financial profit. Now concerning the fact that artists are exposed before they have time to develop, I believe it is mostly their own decision, no one is obligated to release anything if they don't want to. But apart from all these, the most interesting thing in my opinion is that through all the social network pages artists and audience can communicate directly and more easily than in the past, when the only way to get in touch with someone was through regular post.


 7. Do you feel Myspace and Facebook are all bands need today to promote themselves or would you like to someday have a proper website and digital outlet just for Hypsiphrone?

Surely these social networks help a lot for promotion for all the obvious reasons, but I certainly want at some point to create a proper website for Hypsiphrone, that expresses also aesthetically what the project is all about and not just some webpage with a common design for all users.


 8. Where do you see Hypsiphrone heading in future releases?

I believe it is a little bit too early to comment on that. I don't know how the spirit will move me, but all the key elements of the debut album will be there.


 9. I like to ask to to all I interview. What music/ sounds  out there is impressing you currently?

I listen to a lot of music and many diverse genres as I've already said. These days I am listening to Rasalhauge by Malignant Records, some of the latest releases of Cyclic Law and Kalpamantra and a lot of Hermann Nitsch's music.

 10 Your from Greece what is the scene for Extreme like in 2011 I know at one time there was a huge Black/ Death metal scene going on..

There are still many good bands around, some of them quite interesting and with fresh ideas. I don't know a lot of people from the scene personally, since I am a bit of a recluse type myself. I was a huge fan of the whole early 90's extreme scene in Greece, one of the contemporary bands that I enjoy listening to these days is "Sun of Nothing".


 11.  Do you think Image and presentation are as important in Occult or Blackened themed music. I see Corpse paint, Blurred Images, Grim feels etc if done right add so much to the final ideals?

Sure, image is very important, even the absence of image is somehow a declaration of the theme surrounding a project. But image as with everything else is there to enrich and accompany the music, explain it in visual terms and help those who resonate to your stigma get attracted to your work. But to focus more on the presentation neglecting the music, falls to pure commercialism.


 12. If you could sum up what Hypsiphrone sound was in 3 words what  3 words would you use?

Ecstasy – Blood – Annihilation.


 13. Thank you for the time any close thoughts here..

Thank you very much for the interview, keep up the good work and support the underground.

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