With:	Tony Z [Guitars]
Conducted by:	Deadsoulman
Published:	22.06.2005
Band profile:	Hell Within

- Hell Within is a relatively new band that most people on Metal storm probably don't know. Can you give us a short biography?

Well, we started in 1998 and after a succession of different singers and bassists this line up was formed. We've had the same line up since 2002 and we consider this to be the original line up of Hell Within. Our past members were just a bleeding out phase to find the right line up. Then over the years we just found the musical direction we needed and here we are now. We just had to make a million mistakes before we got it right.


- What made you change your name from Twytch to Hell Within after one EP and one album? Does it have to do a new musical direction, copyright issues, etc??

No not really, just think about which is a better name Hell Within or Twytch. We just felt Twytch was a terrible name and we did something about it. Also, Hell Within fits what we do much better than our old name.


- Have you ever feared it could lead some fans astray? Like they would wait desperately for a new Twytch and not even notice the release of the first Hell Within?

No, the only fans that knew us by Twytch were people in our home area. On a national or international level the fans were few and far between that knew the name Twytch. Now there are a lot more people who know the name Hell Within than ever knew the name Twytch. So it worked out for the best.






- Let's get on to the new album Asylum Of The Human Predator: how did the writing/recording process go?

We started writing it in the spring of 2004. After we returned home from an East Coast tour in July we kicked it into high gear and really started to write the music. In September we practised recording the album a few times on our home recording gear to make sure everything was right and tight before we entered the studio in November 2004. So we spent the month of November in the studio recording the album, the 1st 2 weeks of December 2004 mixing and then a few days mastering. It all went really smooth and we got shit done quick and tight.


- Do you have a concept as far as the lyrics are concerned? Do they stick to modern day issues or deal with more personal problems?

We really don't like to say what the lyrics are about. We like people to gather their own personal meaning from them. They are about real life events that range from the war in the Middle East to drug addiction. The best thing to do is just read the lyric sheet. There are many meanings to find.


- You're a young band, yet although your influences are recognizable, you've assimilated them very well to create a personal style?

Well man, there are bands that influence every band no matter what a person says, like Pantera, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth. I mean those bands are true musicians in every form of the word. Then you have bands like Killswitch Engage, Unearth, The Haunted, which are paving the way for the bands of today. We just take our influences and add our own twist to it.






- Asylum Of The Human Predator is a very brutal, "straight in your face" album. Was it a conscious move to separate yourselves from the rest of the modern US metal scene that sometimes seems to tend towards a kind of unified, more or less formatted sound?

For years we cared what people thought, but not anymore. We just wrote what we wanted and this is what came out. On this album we made ourselves happy 1st and people like it better than anything we've ever done before. All I have to say is "Do what comes naturally and from the heart and you won't go wrong."


- The end of the album - from Soul Revulsion onwards - is quite different from the rest. The hardcore/thrash bits leave space to more melodic parts out of which I hear the influence of the Scandinavian extreme melodic metal styles and bands like At The Gates for example. Do you consider yourselves to be close to this scene? (if you don't agree, never mind, I tend to see At The Gates everywhere)

A lot of people have said that we sound Swedish, which is cool. I mean At The Gates is a bad ass band. So, we take it as a big compliment. Yes we are very influenced by European metal so I can see why people say that. We listen to so much music and it comes out in our own music.






- Asylum Of The Human Predator was released two months ago. Are you satisfied with the feedback from the press and the audience?

Yes!!!! People have really responded to it well. The critics have given us mostly positive reviews, fans are buying it and people at shows are giving us all great feed back. It's really cool to have kids come up to us at shows and tell us that they're into the album as much as they are. People are comparing us to some really great bands and we're like shit I can't believe people dig it as much as they do.


- You're right in the middle of a US tour that is supposed to end on July 8th. How's life on the road for you?

It's been a learning experience, I'll tell you, but a very positive one. We've learned the do's and don'ts of the road and met some really cool people. We love it and plan on touring the rest of the year in the U.S. and Europe. If you're sitting at home you're not selling albums.


- What are your plans once you've finished touring? Holidays, rehearsals, more gigs, start writing for the new album?

What else is there to do? "Tour, Tour and Tour some more"!!!!!!!! We won't be done touring for another year at least and then back into the studio.






- The last word is yours. Promote yourselves while you can! Or say whatever you want.

Well, we'd like to thank everyone for the support hey have given us and go to www.Hellwithin.com for more info. Come out to our shows, buy the album and we'll see you on the road. Come up to us and we'll burn one with ya and buy you a beer.


- Cheers guys, thanks for your time and good luck with the rest!!
Thank you and take care.