Interview with HELLISH FORCE
Hello Liz, and welcome back to our webzine, FILTHY DOGS OF METAL. The last time we talked was in January 2019, when we did an interview about Black Mask. Now you have your new project from Oslo, Norway, this time under the name Hellish Force. Tell us a few things so we can get to know the band and how it is based in Norway, considering you are from Mexico.
Hellish Force was born after joining the Marchant brothers at a rehearsal for their other project, Shuzo. We share the same musical tastes and see eye-to-eye on many things, so one day we just started messing around with some riffs, drums, and vocals. That’s how Hellish Force came to life. As for how I ended up in Norway, well… over the past few years I made a series of decisions that slowly led me here. I’ve now been living on this side of the world for a year.
In May 2025 you released your demo (in digital format, I hope it will also be released physically!!) featuring two very powerful songs. What has the response been so far from your audience and from the press?
The response has been slow, but quite positive. In fact, I think this is the first interview we’ve done.
The cover artwork has a killer atmosphere! Tell us a few things about it.
We’re very much into the DIY philosophy, so when there’s no budget and you’re a new band, you can always rely on the pencil and paper everyone has at home to create something. That’s basically how the cover art came to life: handcrafted by us.
And what about the lyrics?
As for the lyrics, I drew a lot of inspiration from end-of-times themes. Heaven’s Decay is rooted in the Bible, especially the Book of Revelation. Victims of Funeral Pyre was inspired by rituals, particularly those of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. I think the themes in our songs will end up being quite diverse.
Are you searching for a record label? What do you prefer, Label or DIY and why?
As we mentioned earlier, we’re strongly aligned with the DIY philosophy, but having the support of a label to release our material is definitely a good thing and always welcome. We believe that a balance between both worlds is ideal. And as for whether we’re looking for a label — the answer is yes. We’d love to release this demo as a 7", which is the format we have in mind. Later on, we’d love to put out a full-length album on 12”.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
So far, we haven’t played live yet. There are a few shows being discussed, but time will tell. As for funny or weird stories from the recording process… honestly, not really. However, something that wasn’t exactly funny but definitely challenging was the fact that we recorded everything in a single take. We had absolutely no idea how to do punch-ins or record in sections — still don’t, to be honest — so tracking the whole thing that way was intense. We also decided to invest in our own gear so we could record whenever we wanted without spending a single extra krone, haha. And of course, Salvador, former vocalist of Black Viper, helped us a lot by showing us the basics of recording. That support was crucial…
Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
That’s a hard question to answer… the three of us are the kind of people who listen to everything — Heavy Metal, Hardcore Punk, Death Metal, Speed, Thrash… But if we have to mention a few specific influences, I’d probably go with Sentinel Beast, Détente, Znowhite, Chastain, and of course the classics like Slayer.
What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?
Metal that comes from a machine doesn’t carry the same sickness, rage or spirit. Hellish Force is built on distortion and human error — not algorithms. AI can replicate patterns, but it can’t summon the raw tension, the inner violence or the real intention behind a riff.
From your experience in the music industry so far, what would you tell a new Metal band to avoid or what to do?
Just value your music, play what you genuinely enjoy, and don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Too many new bands get obsessed with aesthetics, trends, or what people might say, instead of actually sitting down and writing riffs. In the end, that’s what really matters.
In my humble personal opinion, the countries of Latin America are still holding the metal flag high, playing heavy metal with passion and without limits, something that Europeans (and the Western world in general) have forgotten to do (or got tired of doing… hahaha) for many years now. Of course, there are exceptions, but they are few, at least based on what I personally listen to. I tend to believe that the more difficulties a person has to face in everyday life, the more true and passionate their musical expression becomes. Maybe Western culture nowadays feels like Disneyland, and as a very good friend of mine (Hail my necro-brother Danihell!!!) says, the new generations are the so-called “Nutella Generation.” Liz, do you see differences between Mexico and Oslo, social, cultural, or even musical?
I get what you mean, and I agree with some parts of it — but I don’t think it all comes down to having more problems or a harder life. In Mexico there is a different fire, that’s true, but I think it comes more from the culture, the energy, the way people live and connect with music. There’s a sense of urgency and passion that comes naturally, not just from difficulties. Norway is a completely different world. Everything works, life is stable, and that shapes the atmosphere in another way. It doesn’t mean people lack passion — but the expression is different. It’s colder, more structured, sometimes almost too clean. In Mexico the scene feels chaotic, alive, unpredictable. Here it’s more controlled. So yes, there are differences — social, cultural, and musical — but I don’t believe passion only comes from struggle. It comes from identity, from how you grow up, from what music means to you. Latin America just carries that spirit in a very particular, intense way.
What does Metal mean to you? And give us 10 metal albums that run in your veins.
Metal is the music that feels the most real to me. It has been a constant presence through different stages of my life, and it’s what keeps me creating and thinking in my own way. It grounds me, keeps me honest, and reminds me why I care about music in the first place. It’s almost impossible to narrow it down to only ten albums that run through my veins. There’s simply too much music in this world to trap myself in a list… but here are some records I truly enjoy from beginning to end:
Ritual - Widow
Pokolgép – Totális Metál
Megaton – Megaton
Luzbel – Pasaporte al Infierno
Sortilège – Larmes des Héros
Running Wild - Gates to Purgatory
Slayer – Show No Mercy
Riot – Thundersteel
Judas Priest – Screaming for Vengeance
What are your future plans?
Keep writing, release an album, and play as much as we can.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you for the space and the support. We appreciate anyone who takes the time to listen, read, or care about what we’re creating. We’ll meet somewhere in the noise!!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
HELLISH FORCE CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578737888828
https://www.instagram.com/hellish_force
https://hellishforce.bandcamp.com/album/demo-i