Interview Black Hill Cove

Join us for an exclusive interview with Black Hill Cove as they discuss their second album, Ex Tenebris Vita, and the band's creative journey and future plans.

1. Congratulations on the release of your second album, "Ex Tenebris Vita"! How has the reception been so far compared to your debut album, "Broken"?

First off all, thank you. And the reception for the album has been very good, I've seen some people singing he new songs at shows, that always gives you a good feeling. The album has been selling, and we've been getting great feedback after the live shows. The reactions have been similar to when “Broken” came out, but a bit more surprised by the songs.

2. Your music blends elements from various metal genres. How do you navigate the creative process to achieve such a unique sound?

We all like different types of music and have different influences, so we try to mix it and incorporate other sounds. Nuno, the guitar man, does all the samples for the songs, and they sound great. Even I like to do different melodies with the voice, we just want to make good songs without barriers, but keeping our identity.

3. Could you share some insights into the themes and inspirations behind "Ex Tenebris Vita"? How does it differ from your previous work?

“Broken” was created during the corona pandemic and the lyrics are a reflection of feelings during those times. This album, "Ex Tenebris Vita", is more about growing, living and being true. It has darker moments, the song Enemy Of Self is about what Man does to the world, but the main message is growth.

4. Your music videos often carry a distinct visual style. How important is visual storytelling to your band, and how do you approach creating visuals that complement your music?

When we thing of releasing a song, and we chose the song, the other question is video images or real video? And again, it’s Nuno who does the visual effects or the videos, also we want to use them in the future for live shows.

5. You've been part of the Portuguese hardcore and metal scenes through various other bands. How has this experience influenced your approach with Black Hill Cove?

All my years in the hardcore scene gave me the confident to sing what I want and how I want it, and I also love metal since I was a kid, so Black Hill Cove just gives me a chance to sing how I want and also to try other ideas. And the way to spread our message will always have that hardcore attitude.

6. "The Calling," "The Wolf," and "Angels Fall" have all received significant attention with premieres on various platforms. How do you choose which songs to accompany with music videos, and what role do these videos play in your overall artistic vision?

The songs sometimes are hard to chose, for this album we had the first single, Another Step To The Sun, that was the first song recorded, prepared because we only had that song then and we wanted to release it. Now for the other to release it has not been easy, but there’s always a song or two that you want to be the first ones. We are trying to show songs that are different from each other, but that stay in the head.

7. Your live performances are known for their energy and passion. How do you translate the intensity of your recorded music into a live setting?

For me, the live sets are the release of the energy that is on the record. The record can be good but on stage you have to show what you did directly to the people, and we love to show what we can do best, it’s the best release. I invite everyone to go to a Black Hill Cove when you can, you will not regret.

8. What challenges did you face recording "Ex Tenebris Vita," especially given the ongoing global situation?

We are lucky that Nuno has a small studio where he records the guitar, bass, voice and work on the record, our drummer Xinês also has his own studio, where we rehearse, and where we records his drums. So we have the luck to record it all at home, and we used the tools we have to send stuff to each other to work we we are together.

9. As a band formed during the pandemic, how did the circumstances of 2020 affect your creativity and collaboration?

Me and Nuno lived close to each other, so it was easy for us to record. He and João, our former drummer, made the songs and recorded them, sent them to Nuno and I would go to his house at the end of the day to record the voice. It was a crazy process but we had time, because we could not play shows. And the record “Broken” was born like that.

10. You've performed at festivals both in Portugal and internationally. What are some memorable moments or experiences from these live shows?

The best from the live shows is the reaction of the people enjoying the songs, headbanging, singing  and having fun. Also we meet lots of great people and good professionals. You make friends and have people you appreciate you. We played a show in a bar once where the owner was not very confident on the band, did not know us, and after the show he was a fan, and that’s the kind of experiences we want.

11. With the availability of both your albums on major platforms, how do you see the role of streaming services in today's music industry, especially for metal bands like yours?

Streaming platforms nowadays are one of the best tools to get access to the music worldwide, and it helps for someone who otherwise had no way to know the band, but it also has a lot of variety, and you can get lost with all that information. But it gives easy access to our music to everyone. Being a metal band, we have to try to show our music anyway possible, and we feel that the bands should make more money from the music they created that is in music platforms online, videos and audios.

12. Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Black Hill Cove in the coming years? Any future projects or goals you can share with your fans?

We want to take our music to other places, other countries, continents, and show what we do best to other people, that is our goal for the future. For now we just want to play and show our music, and make a new, and if we can, an even better record than this one, "Ex Tenebris Vita". To our fans we can promise great music and great shows.

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