Interview Hail

Welcome to our interview with Hail, a symphonic metal band hailing from the South of England. Today, we delve into their journey from solo beginnings to a collaborative force in the British metal scene.

1. Can you start by introducing the members of Hail and sharing a brief background on how the
band came together?
• Hayley: We have Chris on bass, Charlie on guitar, Jake on drums and I do the vocals.
The band started as my solo project, where I was recording with a producer. I
decided I wanted to branch out and start gigging, so I put out an advert and found
the others. Thankfully, we are all quite likeminded and share the same goals and
ambition.

2. Your music draws influence from prominent symphonic metal bands like Evanescence,
Within Temptation, and Lacuna Coil. How do these influences manifest in your music, and
what sets Hail apart from these bands?
• chris: although we take some influence from these bands, bring a British band out roots
are very much in the British metal scene. There are symphonic elements, but you can
also hear bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead and even early Muse and
Radiohead.

3. "Fallen Angel" is your final solo recording as Hayley before forming Hail. Can you tell us about
the transition from your solo career to forming a band and the reasons behind it?
• Hayley: I really enjoyed creating music in the studio, but the sounds were so big! I spent a lot
of time releasing music online, but it was hard to get out and gig because I wasn’t able to
create the right atmosphere by myself just singing with a backing track.

4. Being based in the South of England, how has the local music scene shaped your band's
sound and opportunities for live performances?
• Jake: . We have all come from bands of different genres and have made have made
good friends with people here we are looking to take all we have learned and apply it
to symphonic metal
• Chris: over the last 10 years, I found the music scene in the south of England has
diminished somewhat. I think for us personally that spurred us on to do even better
and put ourselves on the map.

5. What is the typical songwriting process like for Hail? How do you blend the symphonic
elements with metal in your compositions?
• Jake: Typically chris or Charlie will come up with a bass or guitar riff and then we
figure out a symphonic part i then come up with a drum beat. We then form the
structure for a song and Hayley comes up with ideas for what the song is about and
writes lyrics we then play song with lyrics and tinker with structure until it’s a song
we are all happy with. Once we have the initial structure nailed, then Chris goes into
hiding and arranges the orchestral elements before we all give it the thumbs up.

6. You mentioned that one of your goals was to start gigging. How has the live performance
experience been for Hail so far, and do you have any memorable moments to share?
• Hayley: Our first gig was interesting – we saw an advert for a Battle of the Bands with
an open slot less than 24 hours before the performance. We just decided to go for it!
We didn’t win, but it was good fun to try out and see how the audience and judges
reacted to our sound.

7. How do the dynamics within the band contribute to the overall sound and direction of Hail's
music?
• Hayley: I think where everyone is quite mature, like-minded and courteous, it’s
making the writing process enjoyable. We have open discussions about where the
music is heading and we spend a lot of practice time just experimenting with
different ideas. Often someone will work on something in their own time and come
back to the group with a new idea. It’s lovely to see everyone being so enthusiastic
and I hope that will come across when we perform or record.

8. Can you talk about the evolution of Hail's sound since forming the band and how it has
grown from your solo work?
• Hayley: We are still in the early stages of creating music as a band, but so far the
sound has a similar vibe to the latest solo songs. I know that the others like Oblivion
and Fallen Angel the best, and so far we seem to be following on from that. We
might add a fair bit of orchestra and some higher pitched vocals though!

9. Are there any new releases or projects in the pipeline for Hail that fans can look forward to?
• Jake: We are currently writing new material and are looking to record and release in
2024

10. What challenges have you encountered as a symphonic metal band, and how have you
overcome them?
• Chris: When we initially set up the band we went for a couple of lineup changes before we
found what was the right fit for us. On top of that, being a symphonic metal band,
it’s difficult to incorporate the orchestral elements into a live setting with very few
people in the band. This is what we are currently working on as part of our rehearsal
schedule.

11. Lyrically, what themes or concepts do you explore in your songs, and how do they relate to
your personal experiences and emotions?
• Hayley: The three most recent songs have explored different aspects of loss and
grief. Oblivion, In Time and Fallen Angel are three connected songs released as a
trilogy. Oblivion is about the numbness of grief, In Time is coming to terms with loss
and finding hope for the future. Fallen Angel is about seeing the lies and betrayal. I
wrote all three songs surrounding a bad break-up and they are the first songs I’ve
written that I’ve felt an overwhelming emotional connection to.
• Chris: For me personally, lyrics always come last when I write a song. It’s the music
that guides the theme for the lyrics and I wrote to match how the song makes me
feel.

12. Could you delve into the instrumentation and techniques used by the band to create your
unique symphonic metal sound?
• Charlie: Riff, chord structure, song structure, twiddly bits, lyrics, orchestra. In that
order.

13. What are your long-term ambitions for Hail, both in terms of musical achievements and
personal growth as artists?
Jake: Long term we would like to be playing festivals regularly every year
• Hayley: I would definitely like to see us gigging regularly and creating new music
together.
• Chris: On a personal level, I’m really enjoying the challenge of arranging the songs for
an orchestra. Some sections have really taken me out of my comfort zone and I’m
pleased with the results.

14. How do you connect with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your journey as a
band?
• Jake: Social media has a massive part to play with us connecting to fans everywhere
they are as much a part of the band as we are and want to get them involved any
which way we can

15. What do you think of the South of England's metal scene, and how do you see Hail
contributing to it in the future?
• Hayley: There’s definitely a big community out there, supporting all sub-genres of
metal. I’m personally looking forward to getting out there and making connections
with other musicians and music fans, and just generally having fun.

16. Finally, is there a message you'd like to convey to your current and future fans as you
continue to evolve and make music as Hail?
• Jake: Get ready we are all going on an adventure!

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