Interview by Reaver
Justin: Hills Of Sefiroth is my first venture into creating black metal. Prior to Hills, I played in various failed metal projects of different degrees, none worth mentioning.
Reaver: H.O.S. has been getting a decent amount of exposer in more main stream magazines like Metal Maniacs. Has that gained you any new important contacts?
Justin: Absolutely. I have many brothers all over the world who support H.O.S. & black metal. I have a decent fan base of warriors from all over & have gained many dedicated, loyal contacts through my exposure.
Reaver: When is the release for Wraith Productions due out?
Justin: "Fly High the Hated Black Flag" should be out in January. I am finalizing all the layouts & artwork now, & should be mailing everything to Wraith in the next week.
Reaver: You work only as a one-man band & are quite proud of the fact. Have you found working with other musicians is artistically stiffeling?
Justin: Working with other musicians is a nightmare. More than two people can never be on the same page artistically, musically, ideologically, etc... I have a very specific vision & direction for H.O.S., & that vision would only be poisoned by outside influences. I like to play & create with other people, as I do in various other bands, but not ever will Hills be compromised this way.
Reaver: With more exposure being thrown your way, have you ever entertained recruiting session musicians for any live shows/fests?
Justin: It is always a thought, but these session players will have to come from somewhere other than where I am located. There is not one person I know of close to me who even remotely understands black metal & how it is to be played. If I could rehearse with people I feel know what I am doing, then yes, it is certainly an option to be explored, & a live ritual would have to take place somewhere where it would be understood, accepted & enjoyed. The pityful cavern of the southeastern US in which I live has no grip on what black metal is, or extreme metal at all. We would be a joke to these mindfucks.
Reaver: What bands have inspired you to create the blackened sounds that you do?
Justin: First & foremost, JUDAS ISCARIOT. Akhenaten's drive & position in black metal influenced me more than anyone else, his songwriting being of an unattainable caliber. Then BURZUM, NARGAROTH, AGALLOCH, pre-Nattens ULVER, FOREST, DRUDKH, & GRAVELAND among many others...
Reaver: For being a newer name in the scene, you have released a decent amount of material. Is this because you are free of others to hinder & delay your vision?
Justin: Most likely, yeah. I can write & record when I please, & when I get set on a group of songs to become a release, I like to get them done & out. I do not like songs being recorded months apart & ending up together, they do not mix well. I like a form & function to go along with my creations. I tend to be a prolific songwriter, where one riff forms, a dozen follow.
Reaver: Where do you see H.O.S's music in the upcoming years?
Justin: Exactly where it is now; creating haunting, stoic black metal art. I do strive to gain a bit more of a fan base, possibly align with a larger label, but forever stand firm to my underground roots. The Hills of Sefiroth sound is rooted firmly & shall not falter, nor progress into another form. If & when Hills becomes stale to me, Hills will be dead & I shall move on.
Reaver: H.O.S. utilizes a drum machine (very well & necro I might add). Were you concerned with standing apart from the, what seems hundreds of bands/projects that use a machine for percussion?
Justin: Absolutely. I hate the sounds of a badly programmed drum machine. I only chose a drum machine because I cannot play drums (of course) but also it is very easy to manipulate the sounds the way I want them. But as far as drum machines in underground black metal, I almost prefer them. Live drummers tend to try & be too flashy & technical. We do not need this. Black metal should not be easy on the ears, but at the same time there has to be a degree of listenability. Thanks for the compliment on the drum machine, by the way.
Reaver: Thanks for the interview. Any words for the people reading this interview?
Justin: If we are not careful, black metal is going to rape itself dry. The moment that this genre begins to be understood & accepted, it is dead. We have Dimmu & Cradle of Filth out there promoting so called "black" metal to the masses, & before long, it will be on the same boat as punk rock (which is black metal's dirty, slightly older cousin); bastardized & exploited. Black metal shall remain in the shadows, & be hated, & ignored. This is NOT everyone's music. And hopefully, it will never be. Thanks for the interview & support.
