Interview The Hellectric Devilz

The Hellectric Devilz emerged in 2017 post the Alien Fist split. Combining ex-members with new talents, they fused hard rock, thrash, and punk for a distinct sound.

1. Can you tell us about the origins of The Hellectric Devilz and how the band came together in 2017?

Hi Redouane, the group was born in 2017 following the split of the group Alien Fist. Oso (bass), Niko (guitar), Rob (vocals) previously played in this group and with the addition of Flosh (drums) (ex-Killers) and Eric (guitars), the line up was quickly complete and at the end of 2017, we already had several original compositions and the desire to play live.

2. Your debut album "The Hellectric Club" was released in September 2020. What was the inspiration behind the album, and how was the recording process? 

After 2 demos and numerous concerts, at the end of 2019, we had finalized the 10 songs that we wanted to record for our first album. We went to record them at the « La Tanière studio » (Mont de Marsan) in 4 days in order to fit within the budget but also in order to maintain the spontaneity and live energy of the compositions. As all the members of the group compose, you can find in all these songs our multiple influences which range from hard rock to thrash through heavy and punk. The main objective of all compositions is to remain simple, effective and with catchy choruses, which are the group's trademark.

3. You've toured extensively, both as an opening act and headliner, sharing the stage with renowned bands. What have been some memorable experiences from these tours?

We mainly toured in France and Spain and certain dates will remain in our memories. What a pleasure to have shared the stage with Killers, Su Ta Gar or Tygers of Pan Tang. These are bands that we all listen to and it’s always a great honor to play with them. Overall, we love performing live and we hope that the release of the new album will see us tour some new places.

4. Your lineup saw significant changes in 2022 and 2023. How did the addition of JP "The Dude" on vocals and Sebastien Blanc on guitar impact the band's sound and dynamics?

We actually had a line up change between the 2 albums. They arrived when the 2nd album was already composed but they were able to add their touch to the songs. JP "The Dude" evolves in a much more heavy metal and less thrash metal register than Rob, which allowed us to develop the songs in a more melodic direction while keeping the power and the energy of the first album. The solos in the group have always been shared between the 2 guitarists, so you will be able to hear Seb's solos (guitars) on the album. We hope that they will actively participate in the songs of the 3rd LP, it's in the DNA of the group.

5. Your upcoming album "The Devilz Playground" is set to release in May 2024. Can you give us a glimpse into what listeners can expect from this new record?

It's a direct sequel to the first album but this time, we wanted to take our time in the studio. The album was recorded in 2023 at Studio 117 (Landes) and we are extremely satisfied with the final result. Musically, you will find the hard/heavy/punk/thrash & rock’n roll mix specific to the group but we wanted this time to gain power and I think the production is really good. Lyrically, you will be able to discover the continuation of the story of Jerry Seven (The Devil Curse) of which 2 chapters were on the first LP. On this 2nd album, there are 5 new chapters. The rest of the songs deal with our favorite themes: partying, alcohol, fantasy and horror but also more serious subjects like war. I also think that the album is - at times - darker than the first LP, probably due to the covid period which marked the period of composition of the album. In any case, we want the listener to take a trip with us to the world of Jerry Seven and come to the Hellectric Club to drink beers with us.

6. The cover art for your albums, done by Stan W Decker, is quite distinctive and striking. How does the visual aspect tie into your music and themes?

We have a very precise vision of the visual aspect that we want to develop and in this sense, Stan W Decker is a real high-quality partner who brings our ideas to life in a brilliant way. The 2 covers (as well as those of the singles to a lesser extent) are all based on the story of Jerry Seven and his Hellectric Club.

7. Your music is described as being resolutely oriented for live performances. How does the energy of a live show influence your songwriting and stage presence?

Like we did for the first album, we played the songs live before recording them. This allows us to test them, to see what works and see what needs to be reworked or modified. For example, we discarded a few pieces which - in our opinion - need to be reworked. Maybe they will appear on a future album or maybe never. We can also mention the song "Bed of Death", a ballad with a dramatic side which was already composed at the time of the first album but which we did not consider successful at the time. This time it's exactly how we wanted it to sound so you can check it out on The Devilz Playground. On the other hand, other songs like Whiskill satisfy us from the first draft.

8. Could you share some insights into your songwriting process? How do you collaborate as a band to create your music?

As said before, the whole group composes. Generally, one member of the group comes up with an idea for a song and everyone contributes their own touch to the song to give it its final form. There are still specifications to respect in order to stick to the group's standards in terms of choruses, choirs or melodies but overall we do not set limits in terms of musical style. The primary objective is to compose pieces that we like and that we will enjoy sharing live with the public.

9. The themes in your songs often touch on dark and intense subjects. What inspires your lyrics and the overall mood of your music?

Through lyrics or themes may seem simple, there is often a double meaning in all the lyrics. Certain sentences are deliberately subject to multiple interpretations. Indeed, many of our texts deal with serious subjects such as, for example, the power of the money (Blinded), the death (Bed of Death) or the torment of an airplane pilot after the war (Wings on Fire). But there is also a message of freedom. We do not want to convey any political or religious message, we just want to say that everyone is free to live and enjoy their life as they wish without anyone imposing anything on them. We also have very light subjects like Slinky Lingerie or Down in One which are themes approached in a rather fun way, like AC/DC would do for example.

10. In addition to your studio albums, you also have a strong presence on social media and platforms like Bandcamp and YouTube. How important is digital presence for The Hellectric Devilz, especially in today's music industry?

In the digital age, the presence on the Internet for a band like us is indeed very important. We are the first fans of the objects and - like every band - receiving their album in physical format is always a moment of happiness but we know that most people will listen to us or discover us through the internet. A video on Youtube is often the first contact with a new fan, which is why we plan to release at least 2 other songs as music videos from the album.

11. Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the future of the band? Any upcoming projects or tours that fans can look forward to?

We hope to be able to defend our 2nd album on stage and we already have a few dates and festivals planned to present it to the public. The stage is our element and as the songs are totally oriented for live performance. So we are ready to come and play everywhere. We will also start working on new songs because the story of Jerry Seven is not over! Redouane, thank you very much for the interview and we hope that you like our new album as much as we do.

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