Hazy Hamlet
Classic, raw and punchy Heavy Metal, is what can be found when listening to Hazy Hamlet. Aiming at the roots, the group seeks in vintage hard/heavy bands from 70s and 80s inspiration for its music, timbres, attitude and a great passion for valved amps. Its lyrics approaches epic themes, death, war and praise to Heavy Metal itself.
HazyHamlet
Hazy Hamlet delivers promisingly and are a band that will revive what started it all to satisfy old school headbangers well as influence the newer generation of metal heads.
“Classic Metal To Its Finest!” – Scream – HeadbangToday.com
Arthur Migotto – Vocals
Julio Bertin- Guitars
Fabio Nakahara – Bass
Cadu Madera – Drums
Interview By: Scream
Theinterview
Headbang Today: First and foremost, welcome to the Headbang Today family. Although we specialise in dealing with South African bands, it never hurts to get hold of those who’s absolute awesomeness catches our attention!
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur Migotto) Thanks, Scream! It’s a true honor to be welcomed as part of Headbang Today family, as you’ve got great work there! We thank you for inviting us for this interview, and we really hope you all like it.
Headbang Today: So where, when and how did Hazy Hamlet come to be?
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Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) Hazy Hamlet was established in 1999 by bassist Fabio Nakahara and guitarist Julio Bertin. It was initially a quintet with Julio’s Brother – Mario Bertin – as singer and as most groups it firstly aimed at playing metal covers, later evolving and beginning compositions. Because of the other instrumentists’ influences, it sounded a bit more like what they call today «power metal» – though we now think the «power metal» label relates originally to bands like Running Wild, Grave Digger or Liege Lord, not this melodic stuff.
Headbang Today: You’ve released your first full-length album titled, Forging Metal, earlier this year. Tell us a bit about what you’ve been up to since the big release?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) Does drinking beer apply as answer? (laughs) Well, up to now nothing too wild. Things for unsigned bands are really hard demanding a lot of patience and dedication. Also, Brazil is huge, and we live about ten hours away from São Paulo, which is the Metal capital of our country. This keeps us out of many important concerts and raises the transport values for a promoter to take us to their show. All this told, we must say in short that Hazy Hamlet have been playing regionally and concentrating a lot in Forging Metal promotion through the internet, achieving some important goals, like the song that will be out in forthcoming tribute to W.A.S.P «The Crimson Covers». We will keep this strategy, and by the end of the year we will start schedulling concerts for the first half of 2010, trying to fulfill most weekends possible.
Headbang Today: As mentioned earlier, you’ve sought vintage heavy metal bands from the 70′s and 80′s for inspiration… Which bands would you say were your main influences?
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Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) This would be an endless answer, really. So we will cite some of our individual influences. Mine would be Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Sabbath with DIO and Martin, Accept, Grave Digger, Omen, Liege Lord, Manilla Road and tons of 70s hard, NWOBHM and classic/thrash metal groups of the 80s.
(Fabio Nakahara) I would cite Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Grave Digger, Black Sabbath, DIO, Amon Amarth, among others.
(Julio Bertin) Too many bands, really… Queen, Manowar, Lucifer’s friend, ZZTop, Grave Digger, Uriah Heep, Testament, King Diamond, and the list goes on and on!
(Cadu Madera) Mine would be mainly of 70s and early 80s. Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, DIO and others.
Headbang Today:Hell, what a list of classic influences! “Funeral For A Viking” is most probably one of my most favourite songs on your new album! It has one killer solo! Which song do you love playing live the most?
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Hazy Hamlet:
(Julio) Thanks, I’m delighted you like it!
(Fabio) In fact we think it sometimes sounds like a screaming alien… (laughs)
(Arthur) The songs have different cadences and themes, so they all are fun to play somehow. My favorite ones live are Chariot of Thor and Field of Crosses.
(Cadu) Metal Revolution and Forging Metal, because of the classic punch.
(Julio) My favourite are Metal Revolution and Field of Crosses, really nice to play.
(Fabio) Chariot of Thor, Metal Revolution and Field of Crosses too.
Headbang Today: Tell us about some of your craziest, worst and best gigs so far.
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Hazy Hamlet:
(Fabio) (laughs) I think this is an easy answer for us!
(Arthur) Indeed… The craziest and best one was by far in 2003 at a motorcycles gathering called «On The Road». It was the biggest biker gathering in the southern hemisphere, the night was perfect, and there was a huge festival with lots of bands and melodic group Shaman as close act. We played a bit before Shaman, and were stressed-out about the style difference and anxiety of headbangers present there. We told to each other: «OK, the crowd may not be so kind, so let’s have some fun, do it right and quickly!». We couldn’t be more wrong. When we entered the stage running like animals and jumping the monitors, the crowd – that did not know us – went absolutely crazy, banging their heads and singing along. The promotion guys told us that there were nearly 7 thousand people present at the concert, and by the end of the show there were a lot of headbangers crowded behind the stage. We spent the rest of the night selling material, doing autographs and exchanging contacts with national and international partners.
(Julio) Yeah, it was a night not to forget! Our first big one and it really pushed us at that moment.
(Fabio) On the other hand, the worst show… Wish we could forget it.
(Arthur) It was at a place about 725km from our city, and we hit the road taking all our equipment on a small lawn trailer. Getting there, we were first hostilized by a local band, then we realized all the equipment the promoter had promised was a lie. Then the promoter told us that he couldn’t pay for our dinner as agreed before. After that, due to bad organization, the bands’ line-ups were changed and the concert was delayed. When everything was over, (almost 6am) we sought the promoter and he was nowhere to be found. He ran away, without paying our transport expenses or any hosting at all!! We had to pay for the gas from our very own pockets. We were extremely tired and it took us nearly 10 hours to drive back home. It was so frustrating we didn’t see each other for weeks and almost disbanded.
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Headbang Today:Sounds like hell on earth to me! It’s moments like those that only made the band stronger, seeing that it didn’t kill you! Now, the headbangers here are without a doubt the most advanced and metal lusting breed of headbangers. True to themselves and devoted to what they love most. When can we expect a show from you in South Africa?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) I am sure about that, and we really want to check it out! However we don’t have plans to go to South Africa anytime soon. Being independent makes things a bit difficult. We have to build a strong structure for us first , mainly with the first album promotion. Only then we will be able to evaluate it all and try reaching farther. But we surely want to check it out!
Headbang Today: What’s the response like from fans when you play gigs in Brazil compared to other countries?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) Unfortunately we still don’t have a reference, as we had never had a chance to play outside Brazil yet. As I said, being independen makes it really hard, and as Brazil is huge, it is even harder to play and tour the entire country, because of travel expenses. But we have lots of plans for a not so distant future and we want soon to achieve this goal. All I can say for now is that, in the heartfelt side Brazilian bangers are crazy. They are really fidel to metal and to what they believe, and concerts here ar e all really exciting. After the concert in «On the Road», we never worry about the lack of response from the crowds anymore!
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Headbang Today: You’ve received a number of good reviews for your album and I’m considering doing a review on it myself! Have you got any up and coming gigs where fans and potential fans can catch you?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) Wow, we would truly apreciate a sincere review at Headbang Today! As for the concerts, now we are concentrating in the album promotion and distribution via the Internet. We’re also only going after bigger shows, maybe opening for some foreign bands, but we have got nothing closed right now. We are expecting to take part in a lot of concertsduring the first half of 2010 and promoters here are already aware of that. If everything goes well, the n we will try reaching other countries in South America, to start working on a new album for 2011.
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Headbang Today: The modern-day band is capable of promoting their very own band via the various types of channels, tools and websites available on the net. What would you say is the best way to get your band recognised out there when you really have good material to show off with? (Advice for new bands?)
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) There is no magical tool yet. It is not one of them that makes you known, but the whole. The more exposure the better, and the best is to run profiles in all the social networks you can think of- avoiding to be invasive – and also run a good official website, where what matters is not the visual, but content. You should have relevant information and material easily accessible to both the press and bangers there. Also, it is a good idea to run some kind of mailing lists where those who desire can subscribe to it and keep updated of news about the band in a no invasive and relevant way.
Headbang Today:Excellent advice to all the noob bands out there! Watch and learn from the masters!Do you think dogs and cats should consider a peace treaty, team up and then use hamsters as slaves to take over the world?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Everyone Laughs)
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(Arthur) No, it would be just an illusion. Cats and dogs will never stop fighting really, because they are only masses manipulation, fighting for what they are told to, believing that only what each side fights for is the absolute truth. What they don’t realize is that while busy fighting, all hamsters, with those cute faces, are really the ones who control the world. At night, spinning their appearently inofensive wheels, they are articulating and running the plans that make them control the world. Any similarity with reality of religious, political, or financial entities is a mere coincidence…
Headbang Today: HA HA HA! Mmm… I never thought about it that way…And now ait all makes sense! Hamsters are actually the ones in control of The Matrix! How often do you guys get together for rehearsals and what usually goes down during such a get-together?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Julio) We often get together for rehearsals on Sunday afternoons, only doubling it to a mid week rehearsal when there are concerts scheduled.
(Fabio) These are usually the days we also get together to drink some beer, watch some movies, exchange some ideas of new compositions or sometimes we only have achat.
Headbang Today: If we ever go to Brazil ourselves, we need to know what the best beer is there… spill the beans!
Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) Easy shot! For some premium pilsen, you should taste «Bohemia», one of the first Brazilian beers. If you are willing to pay a bit more, «Eisenbahn» and «Baden Baden» are award winning beers, known for excelent export quality. However, if you only want to get drunk, there are a lot of beer brands to choose from .
Headbang Today: Give us your thoughts on the following:
Writing a death metal song and what would you call it:
(Arthur) It would have to be extremely furious with some earlier Amon Amarth and Deicide touches, a head-ripping solo and would talk about all the fucking hypocrites that infest the metal scene. It would be called Hypocricide.
Ha Nice! Your home town:
(Arthur) Maringá is somehow a very pleasant place, butfilled some stupid people, who have peanuts for brains and care more about their appearance than their achievements. Metal here is nice, with lots of bands but too few resources – so it never takes off.
Your Fans:
(Arthur) The most loyal of the faithful bangers! Forget about Maiden or AC/DC fans. Some of them date back to the establishment of the band and have always pushed and motivated us even in dark days, and taking us ten years with no label to release a debut. Hazybangers are unique !
Headbang Today:
(Arthur) A webzine that seems to be breaking the rules of a common webzine evolution time. It being new-born, it has already been revamped a couple of times, always for better, with good (not spit!) articles, giving the same value for an unsigned band as of a signed one. It usually promotes South-african groups, but it is again breaking a rule and adding us as an exception. I truly hope this rule-breaking scent keeps applying, so it can not be mistaken as just another metal webzine out there.
You’re right! Rules are meant to be fooked-up and our goal is to promote promote promote! Your favourite album (other than your own he-he):
(Arthur) Judas Priest, Painkiller! Not because of the song title or who made it so famous, but because it is the true masterpiece of classic metal of all times. Not a single bad tune, only out-of-this world screams and mad riffs. It was the first Priest album I’ve listened to, in a disc store, back in 1995 – attracted by the fucking awesome cover artwork. When the screams of Painkiller ended and the killer riff of Hell Patrol started, I took it off the player and paid to take it home. It has really changed my life – for the better, I believe.
Headbang Today: Tell us a bit about the processes involved in writing new material and also, when can we expect new material for yourselves?
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Hazy Hamlet:
(Arthur) I usually compose the main ideas: some intro riffs, rhythms, some ideas for choruses, and then take the «skeleton» of a song for the guys in studio. They get it and start working by themselves bit by bit in each end of rehearsal session, and the music evolves naturally. There is really no dictatorship in Hazy Hamlet, and everybody’s ideas are welcome. As we all have common influences, it is working great, and this avoids confusion due to big egoes.
Headbang Today: Any last words?
Hazy Hamlet:
(Julio) Thanks!
(Fabio) Beer!
(Cadu) Drums!
(Arthur)( laughs) Thank you so much for this fucking great interview. It is far from the common, and it was simply amazing to answer it – we are honoured. We hope all goes well with the promotion of Forging Metal album, so we can soon play further and eventually in South Africa – maybe with a new album and more songs. Thank you so much for your readers’ support. We will be forever Forging Metal!
HAZY HAMLET = TRUE METAL — Now absorb this truth headbangers!
