Danny Felice

The Heretic Order

It is about the nature of the soundtrack, the testament of the sound, the power of the heaviness, and of course, the darkness within. With each story, each song to be exact, there is a pure reflection on reality, upon its darkened nature. Things aren't right, there is a general feeling that destruction is imminent, and only time will tell. The Heretic Disorder, one of the legions of the darkened art between Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, fulfil yet another vision with the release of "III". Steinmetal had a good talk with the band's Danny Felice, about the new album, what is going on in the world and even aliens.

By Lior "Steinmetal" Stein

• August 14, 2022

The Heretic Order's Danny Felice: "…an advanced alien species colonizing the earth in the remote past and creating modern humans by mixing their DNA with the primitive humanoids living on earth? The elusive missing link? Why not?" interview

Hello Danny, or should I address you as Dominus, it is good to have you for this conversation with Metal Temple online Magazine, how have you been doing?

Awesome ,yourself ? thanks for the interest in the band.

I believe that the subject in question, in concern to The Heretic Order, and its brand new album, "III", is the ills of the world, which crosses so many aspects of our lives as a world social order. Frankly, two of the biggest disasters, which have been carried by the media at least, are the pandemic and the war in the East. Have these two ills, let's call them that, been troubling you?

Well, you have to be a hermit not to realize the world problems have being getting worst, humanity is regressing, but I guess it's the way of the human world its always being a volatile place. I try not being over pensative in those matters, in a way it's so out of my better said our control. Its s a very depressing topic and yes worries me but we should even more worried about the changing climate in the planet that is the real game changer, we are destroying a paradise, some still don't see that nature is the only connection we have with something pure, and we need it to continue life.

Talking about the pandemic, these have been a rough 2.5 years of uncertainty. When it comes to the music world, cultural life in general, it was barely an option to perform, and up to the point to head for a drink at a bar, due to restrictions. What can you share about how this pandemic affected your mental state? What form of signals did you conjure from its existence about mankind's situation overall?

It was a hard couple of year's couldn't do much from going out playing live music even work, it makes you realize how precious the things we take for granted are and how easy it is to loss it, freedom is all. I had to disconnect and live day to day never knowing when it's going to be over luckily, I have my family that and making music save my sanity even when I ended up getting the damn covid.

As it seems, The Heretic Order continued its activities within the pandemic's grasp. Was there any doubt, at any particular time, that perhaps a hiatus until all this is over was in order?

Well, we used the time to finish the new album so never even contemplated the idea, I had plenty to do music artwork, luckily we made sure we used the time for something productive.

Maintaining your relationship with the German label, Massacre Records, you pushed on and released your third album, simply titled "III". After going through everything that you wished to cover on the album, I can understand, maybe slightly, why this simple title was chosen. So, let's make it clear, what has been mainly troubling you that you gave it an audience on the record?

I had many ideas but didn't want to represent the album as a specific subject so it was obvious it had to be 3, check the number in numerology terms ha ha Also would add that I loved the way it fitted on the artwork.

What interested me within the topics that "III" covers is the Illuminati, and its secrets, along with the alien connection. Is it possible, since it is highly interesting, to get your side of things, since there have been so many speculations about these?

I am very tuned to the theory of ancient aliens, an advanced alien species colonizing the earth in the remote past and creating modern humans by mixing their DNA with the primitive humanoids living on earth? The elusive missing link? Why not? I've heard more crazy stories in our accepted commercial religions. Think of it, how easy would be for an advance society that can travel the speed of light to create live.

Us humans already started the voyage of creating life in a lab and as a species comparing to the age of the universe we are at our beginnings. Mind you I am open to other ideas but in my experience is the idea that makes more sense to me, we should all have the freedom to think outside the normal patterns our society dictates. With the illuminati it's just another of the many power control elite secret societies who are immensely powerful they know the secrets and have the knowledge of how to better the world but chose to hide it so they can retain power 'Greed is the enemy. I could talk all day on this subject not enough space ha ha.

In light of "III", upon its nightmarish nature, how does its aura fit your system of beliefs this time around? How would you say you were able to channel your inner wishes, perhaps even fears through the record?

I see my songs as short stories , as chapters in a book rather than my personal feelings , surely it reflects the way I felt when I wrote it at the time. This time around I wrote more on current subjects which affect me directly and it surely shows though 'Mark of the beast ' is about the cathar genocide and 'Invictus' tells the story of ancient warriors, it's my obsession with medieval times rearing its ugly head ha ha I would say it's more of a concept on the darker side of the human evolution and its journey which sadly hasn't change much apart from technology.

The album's artwork appears quite fresh, bearing what seems to be a new logo, and in general, a book cover display. What do you make of it? What can you share about the symbols and what do those mean to you?

We needed a fresh approach you can't keep on doing the same concept, so we decided to change things a bit even the band logo. I designed the cover, it's my first album cover design so I put a lot of time and detail to get what the music needed as a visual. All songs are represented in the cover they are ghosted and embed around so dare anyone to look in detail I leave it to the imagination. Symbolism is present

To refer to you guys' as merely Heavy Metal would be inaccurate to say the least. "III", as your previous records, is expressive about its darkest nature. However, it produced heavier moments, uplifting the darkened feel of the experience, tweaking the King Diamond / Hell mysticism just a bit to get the person's heart beating fast enough. How do you find "III" as the next step of The Heretic Order music wise?

I am very satisfied that we are going in the right direction, from the beginning we have been evolving it feels natural. For me THO music is a soundtrack to the stories in the songs and I try to take each song on a different journey with no limits on where the music will take you, kind of grows a mind of its own.

Other than my notion of your musical prospect on the record, in your view, what are the game changer elements that made "III" to become a special milestone in your career?

Well, I am surprised we lasted so long ha ha , it's a good feeling seeing how everything evolve from just an idea I felt proud finishing the third album now let's see what happens and where it will take us.

In a way, the songwriting of "III" produced songs that are mostly straightforward, even though each delivers different mini atmospheres within your darkened realm. What can you share about the experience of writing those songs for the record? What lessons of the past were implemented due process?

I really felt with the topic of the lyrics the music needed to be direct to enhance the story, glad you mentioned the different mini atmosphere's as I had the concept of all the songs their own kind of world inside the album. Importantly we wanted to create a furious vibe to add to our live sets these new songs work amazingly.

One of the many challenges for every band is to find that perfect cohesion between the lyrics and the music. With "III" being a harsher kind of fiend, how were you able to find that edge to channel yourselves through the music in order to fit the lyrical end?

Definitely it was a challenge and I very much kept changing some stuff through the composing process, it needed the edge and came naturally , as I said before ethe music is a mini soundtrack to the stories enjoy the ride.

What I liked about the record is the sort of theatrical attribute of your singing. At first, I thought that you had several guest performances, but in reality, you had only one. What can you tell about these sorts of characters, each with a voice, if those were actually characters that you were showcasing on the record?

Thanks, glad you noticed I try to change mentally into the character who are narrating the different stories, it's kind of acting. It's kind of vocal acting maybe if that exist ha ha I could say I became possessed by the character whilst recording.

"Dark Shadows" delivered a massive blow on the head, such a heavier dosage of a refined modernized edge of one ton of Metal. In my view, the album's darkest chapter, with a simple, and to the point, chorus that leaves no one unattended. What can you tell about your appreciation of this particular track?

Agree, I love the heaviness of it ,it was one of the last songs I composed for the album who knows it may be a new window to the next chapter style wise. The guitar riff is vicious and suits the angst theme of the song which is the search of the truth in knowing and hoping there is something beyond death, it's a dangerous notion the song tackles ,its thinking when you have failed in life I can chose to start again but doubts creep in is the after live real , I personally think we have one life, think of it as just a one off and enjoy it and if there is something after we die, well good I'll deal with it then. Though the idea of reincarnation or of living in a matrix of energies at different levels some call souls appeals and intrigues me.

A catchier, and serving its purpose as the grand opener for this album, is "Children Of The Sun", presenting the band's nature. What can you tell about the creative process of writing this track? Would you say that it has an impact on what is going on the record itself?

Not sure you notice the prologue and epilogue are connected to that song , the directness and theme about human sacrifice which always showed to me as one of the most depraved act committed by human beings, We thought it sets the mood to open the album very well. There are many connections to later songs, alien visitation, the sprit realm and the speed and heaviness of the track worked well to open. We worked hard on that track.

"Deaf Forever" had me at a surprise. At first I thought to myself that this is a memorial, a tribute, song for Lemmy. You practically sounded just like him on this number. Furthermore, the music has that rocking edge of Motorhead. What is this one all about? Please elaborate

I love Motorhead, one of the first metal bands I ever heard, lyrics are amazing I loved recording that song we just put our rock n roll spirit in and made our little tribute I am glad we did that song and left it raw ,though we have a couple of guitar harmonies added . The story is we had played the song live and love jamming it, so somehow it ended up on the album I don't know destiny.

Even though there is still a sign of the pandemic, there are festivals and tours going on, and with delight of course. Where do The Heretic Order fit in all this?

We are ready and eager to go so promoters and agents get in touch ha ha and get THO to grace your stage ha ha. We will try to do as much as we can.

Danny, I wish to thank you for your time for this interview, thank you for contributing this piece of darkness with the Metal world, a fine record it is. All the best

All the best and thanks