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Interviews : “It’s our most complete package” – An Interview With Douglas Skene (Hemina)

By on December 6, 2016

hemina

Douglas Skene – Hemina

If you’ve been privy at all to the previous works of this Sydney-based melodic progressive metal band, no doubt you would have been impressed by what you heard. However, set that aside for a moment and prepare yourself for the ambitious, sprawling work of art that is their brand new album Venus. It is something else altogether, and if there was any justice in the musical world, it would be a true landmark release for Aussie heavy music and put them on the map worldwide. Guitarist, frontman and founding member Douglas Skene of Sydney’s Hemina is justifiably chuffed with their fabulous creation.

“While I am proud of the first two albums, this new one is by far the best thing we have done,” he enthuses, “I mean that beyond the stand press release rhetoric and rose tinted glasses. It’s the most collaborative work we have done, with our best playing, the most heart and soul poured into it and just the feeling of us having fun but still being very serious and prog. Above all, I just think it was the most complete package we could make at this time with our most engaging songs.”

Skene is more than happy to shine a light on some of the themes, stories and concepts that are dealt with in the album’s lyrics, vibe and imagery.

“While I see all the work I have done so far connected by some conceptual thread, I feel like this one was the most real story with the most visceral characters and message,” he explains, “That’s not new for us, I mean, we have touched on metaphysical and spiritual stuff like the concepts of religion, suicide, lucid dreaming but this concept of examining love, trust, domestic violence and when it all goes wrong even when it started oh so right. It’s highly informed by my time working in social work and child protection and the sorts of power play at hand and the ostracism between partners when trust has been violated.

“I have tried to not to be ever too prescriptive with my views in the concepts I do, but rather let the story play out and let people make their own minds up as to who is the victor/victim/ violated.”

The inspiration to be so ambitious, epic and expansive in their writing, recording and general execution of the album apparently came from a number of different places, both musical and non-musical.

“I guess the whole idea of the epic and expansive thing is just the tonalities I like and the feeling of being swallowed by the sound,” he says, “There is something body tingling about having big guitars and huge synth layers wash over you. I aim for those climactic emotional moments in the songs.

“In terms of the scope and it being a long album and with so much going on, I guess that boils down to my desire to create a cinematic experience. I see the concepts in my head as like an abstract movie playing out with very clear images that go along with the music.

http://hemina.bandcamp.com/

The new album ‘Venus’, out now via hemina.bandcamp.com

“All that said, I don’t think I’ll make any more 80 minute albums by choice, it was gruelling to say the least!” He laughs.

And musical inspirations?

“Nothing in particular to influence the album more than our normal stuff we listen to,” Skene says, “I know we get the Dream Theater comparisons a lot but we don’t really listen to them that much at all.

“I don’t like to wear the influences on our sleeves and try as much not to copy anything. There was a bit of a cheeky nod to Pain of Salvation on Dream State of Mind but that was a one off.

“I know Jess and I were listening to a whole heap of pop for a big part of the time the album was being put together and I always go back to 90s vocal groups to be schooled on how to build the touching harmonies and to know whether or not I am up to scratch on it. I was a child of the 90s so all of that stuff is peak nostalgia for me but even taking that away I love it. Yes, I am serious!” He laughs.

“Mitch and I were also getting into some retrowave stuff which complimented our love of 80s anyway so there are a few more 80s synths I got into on this record.

“Nath as the newcomer brought his whole personality of hard hitting metal, busy prog like the Mars Volta with the interesting playing of Aussie Alt Rock/Prog like Karnivool and Cog. We also wanted to make sure the cymbals were really energetic like Good Tiger and The Ocean and not just the super down mixed metal style that is so common today.”

The band are in the midst of the Venus national tour as we speak, with a number of dates still to come. Skene is pumped about touring, and is always reminded of what a sensational progressive music scene we have here in this country when he is on the road, and sharing the stage with many of the great bands we have in this scene.

“We’re pretty damn pumped to be going interstate and playing with some amazing bands,” he says, “Australia has a burgeoning progressive scene and sometimes I feel like we don’t appreciate that from deep within the Great Southern Land, but I always see it on international metal press that ‘there must be something in the water’ or words to that effect.

“Playing with Caligula’s Horse, Teramaze and Vanishing Point to name a few is going to be awesome and we can’t wait. I am a big supporter of our music, always buying music of the bands I like so I’ll be appreciating it as a performer and punter in equal parts.”

Purchase the band’s new album Venus via the band’s official Band Camp page: http://hemina.bandcamp.com

Catch Hemina on the following tour dates.

Tour Dates:

Friday, December 9: Mr Boogieman Bar, Melbourne w/, Phoenix Day and Kill: Death: Ratio

Saturday, December 10: The Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong w/ Teramaze, Vanishing Point, and Damnation’s Day

Friday, December 23: The Basement, Canberra w/ Taliesin, and Genetics Tix from hemina.bigcartel.com

Keep up to date with all things Hemina on the band’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/heminamusic

 

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.