Interview with HELLFUCK

Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.

Tell us a few things about HELLFUCK (Members, Starting Year etc).
Hi! Thanks for your interest and support for the Hellfuck band! Generally, Hellfuck was founded in 2021 by me (Skullripper) and the other guys: Nelek, Armagog, and former drummer Darek Mlody. It was quite a spontaneous decision to form the band after a concert by Embrional. We always wanted to step away from death metal and try our hand at thrash speed metal. That’s how Hellfuck was born. In 2024, we parted ways with the then-drummer Darek Mlody. I received an offer for help with recording the second album from Inferno, a drummer known for playing with Behemoth and Azarath, among others. And so began the work on the next album, which will soon see the light of day. I’m very happy with the current lineup for the new Hellfuck album. It was truly an honor to record it with such a group of friends.

You are going to release your second full-length album ''9 Nails Hammered Into the Flesh of God''. Tell us a few things about this project.
The melodic-rhythmic structure of this album was prepared by me in 2024. Back then, I wrote down guitar parts, some drum sketches, and the general outline of the song visions—what’s called pre-production. I uploaded everything to a shared cloud drive for the band, and then silence fell… Three months passed, and apart from the declaration of the then-drummer about his willingness to record, nothing else happened with that material. No rehearsals dedicated to the new songs. When I was in Warsaw, I showed my pre-productions to Inferno. He really liked the overall concept of the songs, and casually he said that if I needed help with recording this material, he would gladly take on the task. Setting aside the background issues within the band, things then started to unfold rapidly. I sent Inferno only the guitar tracks, without drums. After three or four days, he returned the first three songs, then another two. He brought completely new ideas for drum arrangements, and we adjusted the order and lengths of the riffs accordingly. And so, it all developed consistently. We didn’t need rehearsals for this, only the will and passion for work. Working together under these conditions was incredibly enjoyable and moved forward very quickly. Some of the arrangement changes seemed quite bold for Hellfuck, but very interesting and fitting for this album. We like to experiment, of course, without overproducing. The final result was awesome! In less than a week, we were practically ready for the studio. The reservation at Sound of Records was quickly booked, and by early February 2024. Whole album was completly ready at the end of March 2024.

And what about the lyrics?
The lyrics on this album refer both to the crap that is religion and to our general dissatisfaction with the accepted social norms that, in one way or another, make our lives miserable. They speak about the hypocrisy of rulers and the church, and their constant manipulation of society. These lyrics are a direct punch in the face to religious institutions and other fanatics. The music combined with the lyrics creates a good mix of what we want to convey. We hate when our mother tells us about God and humanity, while the same priests and authorities allow the world to be set on fire and killed in the name of their own interests. This is the filth I grotesquely or brutally express in my lyrics.

What are the differences between ''Diabolic Slaughter'' and ''9 Nails Hammered Into the Flesh of God''?
I think it's safe to say that the difference between these two albums is enormous. First and foremost, we took care of the production to ensure the sound was refined and natural. In terms of arrangements, we had a very open approach to the production of this album, and we focused on making it diverse. I believe all these aspects are very well highlighted on this record. I’m not claiming that the first album was bad—because it wasn’t—but it’s clearly evident that on the second album, you can hear our development.

Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Yes, I think that during the recording of the last Hellfuck album, it was very thrashy ;). Generally, we planned two full days for recording the drums. So, I arrived early on Sunday at Inferno’s place to pick up the drums and bring them to the studio, so that on Monday we could calmly set up and tune the instrument. We haven't seen each other with Inferno for a long time, so right after we transported everything to the studio, we got into a taxi and went to the rehearsal room to have some beers and whiskey. As you might expect, our conversations over beers lasted until 5:30 AM, and only at 6:00 AM, slightly tipsy, I returned to the hotel. After less than four hours of sleep, we started the next day of the session with the golden cure for a hangover. On the first day of recording, our engineer set up and tuned the drums because we wouldn’t have been able to do it ourselves. Very responsible of him. That day, we didn't record a single thing and, totally drunk, we went back home. Luckily, somehow, this happened at a reasonably decent hour… The last day of recording was supposed to start around noon. Unfortunately, it turned out that Inferno forgot the house keys in the studio and in the morning he couldn’t leave the house, where his wife had locked him out as she was going to work. I had no choice but to go to the studio and free Inferno from house arrest. The work on the recordings only started at 1:00 PM. And here, magic happened, because despite a total hangover, fatigue, Inferno laid down the drums in 4.5 hours. He showed world-class skill and proved that metal is not just cream-filled tubes. The results of his work can be heard on our latest album. I am full of respect and admiration because, personally, I was completely shattered that day, like a condom after a wild night at a brothel. It was an unforgettable recording session!

Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
My inspirations are very diverse and actually depend on my mood. I like classic metal from the 80s and 90s because that's the music I grew up with, and I often draw inspiration from it. However, I also love progressive metal and rock, good jazz and blues, and classical music, especially piano compositions. I don't want to list specific names here because there are really many. I try not to close myself off or pigeonhole my inspirations. My mind remains very open in this regard.

Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
I think there is no golden mean for a band to succeed. You can play and try your whole life, and no one can guarantee that you'll eventually achieve it. Besides, each of us has a different idea of success—some see it as a commercial career, others as the opportunity to showcase their creativity live. It all depends on where you are and where you'd like to be. In both cases, you definitely need to devote your time, because a lot of it is required both creatively and organizationally. I dedicate a lot of time to my bands, but I don't expect anyone to give me a medal for it. It’s simply my passion, and I don’t measure it by success at any cost. For me, success is composing another album, recording it, and releasing it. That drives me and gives me a reason to be happy. The process of promotion, especially live, is another success that I enjoy with my bandmates. I think that success is like money—you can have it and still be unhappy. It all depends on how you want your success to look.

Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?'
I have played a lot of concerts in my life. It's hard for me to say which one was the best because each was different and brought many positive experiences and feelings. A lot depends on the audience, because they give us a huge boost on stage. When the crowd goes wild to our music, you literally want to tear the stage apart. However, sometimes there are shows with what are called "observers," and then you feel quite strange on stage.

What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?
I believe that AI's interference in art simply destroys it by definition. I can't imagine using an AI service as a music creator and then signing it as the author. It's just cheating. It's a shortcut for lazy people who are certainly lacking any qualities of an artist. An artist is someone who seeks, expressing themselves through their work, revealing their feelings and thoughts through art. Of course, if you're making music for porn films, go ahead, but if you're creating something that is supposed to be valuable art by definition, then, well, you have your answer above.

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to a new metal band? What should they avoid or focus on?
First of all, every band should do their thing, dream, and pursue those dreams. Patience is essential, and it’s better not to expect spectacular success after the first recordings. Unfortunately, many young bands record a great debut and break up within the next year because the response is often minimal or even nonexistent...Sadly, these days, there is a lot of music, and breaking through to a record label or a broader audience is very difficult. That’s why the process often takes years, and there’s no guarantee anyone will appreciate it. Nevertheless, it’s worth trying because I personally know many young artists who, by acting consistently, achieve success. Of course, the definition of "success" in this industry is quite broad and depends on the artist’s appetite and ambitions.

Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Poland (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
In my opinion, the Polish metal scene is very widely developed. In every genre, you can find bands at a world-class level, and I'm not talking about obvious icons of Polish metal like Behemoth, Vader, Decapitated, etc. We also have other underground groups that record great albums and perform very good concerts. The latest releases from the domestic Godz ov War may not be so fresh anymore, but for me, they are still amazing, for example, Misantropic Rage. Other bands I recommend include the new grindcore EP from Epithome, the technical Planet Hell, Repulsive, Devilpriest. I also invite you to check out my death metal creative side, namely Embrional and Azarath. As for underground press, I mainly get my info from R'lyeh Magazine, Old School Metal Maniac, and Musick Magazine. I don't really follow webzines. Metal clubs in Poland have changed a lot — many small clubs have closed down. The ones I can recommend include Rude Boy, VooDo Club, Proxima, Progresja, Grizzli, Warkot, Zascianek, and many others. It's worth playing there because they have good equipment and an atmosphere conducive to great concerts.

What does Metal means to you? And give us 10 metal albums that run in your veins.
I grew up listening to metal music, so it is an inseparable part of my life. I love listening to metal, collecting records, going to concerts as a regular fan, but also creating and being fully part of this subculture. The absolute Top 10 bands that shaped my personality and made me listen to this music are:
1. Over Kill 'The Years of Decay"
2. Metallica "Ride the Lighting"
3. Megadeth "Countdown to Extinction"
4. Slayer "South of Heaven"
5. Sepultura "Arise"
6. Morbid Angel "Blessed Are the Sick"
7. Deicide "Legion"
9. Burzum "Det Som Engang Var"
10. Mayhem "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas"

Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Regarding the Greek scene, I mostly stayed in the 1990s and I admire the classic albums by Rotting Christ, Necromantia, and Varathron. However, among the newer releases, Dead Congregation really blew me away — I love their dense, dark death metal. The Greek scene is very distinctive and recognizable, which speaks very well of it.

What are your future plans?
My plans for the near future are quite clear. First and foremost, promoting our latest album, HellFuck's "9 Nails Hammered Into the Flesh of God." We plan to play many concerts in Poland and beyond. In addition, we will probably start working on the next full-length album. I think this will be a very busy year.

Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you for your interest and support for the band Hellfuck, and to the readers who haven't yet had the chance to explore our music — we invite you to visit our social media. I hope that someday we will be able to come to Greece and play a few really good shows. Thanks for the interesting questions! We remind you that our album will be released on March 13, 2026, and will be available at Godz ov War and through contact with the band: hfband666@gmail.com.

By Steve the Filthy Dog.

HELLFUCK CONTACT:

https://www.facebook.com/hfband666

https://www.instagram.com/hellfuck666band

https://hellfuckofficial.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/186259947

https://soundcloud.com/hellfuck-music

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6e56etxya3AkIar1WwOxgi

GODZ OV WAR PRODUCTIONS:

https://godzovwar.com/shop/en/

https://www.facebook.com/godzovwarproductions

https://www.instagram.com/godz_ov_war_productions

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/music