Hel

德国异教黑团. With this in mind Andreas Walther formed HEL as a solo-project in winter 1994. Being guitar player of the death metal band Dismal, he felt that he needed another medium in which he could combine his love for strong and epic metal with his deep fascination for the Nordic mythology. As he had listened to metal for 20 years of his life, Andreas has seen many trends grow and vanish again and thus didn´t want HEL to be linked with any of the superficial but soulless clichées but rather work on a manifesto that speaks for itself. With the jack-in-all-streets Kai Sattelkau (back then drummer of Dismal, also known from the legendary Depression and various other bands & projects) he recorded a five song tape called „Miöllnir" in spring 1995 which offered a first glimpse  of an idea that still needed a shape. Although „Miöllnir" wasn´t convincing in a way that it would be euphonious for outsiders, it nevertheless remains the first important step for Andreas on his way towards higher aims. It took four long years until „Gedanken und Erinnerung", a tape with ten aggressive, hymnic and partly folkloristic songs, was released by Darkmere Productions. In the meantime Dismal had broken up and Andreas had found a strong and multi-talented companion for HEL in Markus Skroch who mainly cared for the melody lines whereas Andreas strengthened his efforts in composing long odes with ancient gods like Bathory or new outfits such as Falkenbach being main inspiration. The tape was received with a mixture of relaxed enthusiasm and curiosity of what would come next.   Some of the editors even claimed that the lyrical expression of Andreas would be unique in a similar way as the skaldic poetry. „Orloeg" is the latest output of a band from Germany who needn´t hide behind international established acts. The CD, in 1999 released on Ars Metalli, features once more majestic hymns, folkoristisc soundscapes and strong, proud metal which the two musicians defined as „Pagan Midgard Art". Be it the thoughtful and sinister „Mutter Erde" („Mother Earth"), the grim „Zeitenwende" („Change of times") or the epic „Der alte Mann" („The old man") - the strength of HEL lies within the strong melodies and the variety of vocals and musical styles – it´s up to you to listen to music which enables the listener to drown in the depths of HEL and to rise stronger than ever again...! As HEL pronounces the importance of quality, it may take some time until the thunder rolls over the land again...