Kenny Hallman

Infernal Majesty

Infernal Majesty, one of the most historical Thrash/Death Metal bands around, gave Metal-Temple.Com an e-mail Interview. Eleni asked Kenny Hallman (guitar) about their latest album, One Who Points To Death (through Black Lotus Records), their past (lineup changes etc), their newest members and much more!
By Eleni
August 17, 2004
Kenny Hallman (Infernal Majesty) interview
You signed your first contract with Roadrunner Records without even sending them a demo. You were recommended by a Magazine. Did this fact affect much your opinion about the press in general?

The press has always treated us good. I don't always believe everything that they print but we are just happy to have them write about us, whether good or bad.

What is your relationship with the press nowadays and especially electronic press? Do you use the internet for any purpose?

I love the fact that we can do interviews in a split second. Before you would do it by phone or by mail, now it's instantaneous. We use the internet for everything, our web site, our merch etc... people can go to the site and everything you need to know about Infernal Majesty is there.

Your new album, One Who Points To Death, was released a month ago in Europe through Black Lotus Records. Are you satisfied with your co-operation with your new record company?

So far everything has been going as expected. We know that Black Lotus really likes the new CD so we know that they will do their best in promoting us the best that they can.

How's the promotion campaign going? Is there any scheduled tour? Will you be performing in Greece, too?

We are on tour now in Canada. We started in June and we will finish in Mid-August. We are getting lots of interest in more tours as we speak. We are looking at fall for Europe, December we will be in the USA, January we will be in South America and hopefully in February we will be in Japan.

What's the fans' response to the new album so far?

The response has been great. A lot of people were waiting for this album as it has been six years since Unholier Than Thou was released. The press has for the most part have given One Who Points To Death great reviews and that helps records sales greatly.

In One Who Points To Death your music is the usual mixture of Thrash Metal with many Death Metal elements. We may all be reviewing your work but I'm sure everybody would like to learn what you yourselves have to say about this release. Could you characterize it for us?

Well we write the same way as we always have. We just can't keep doing None Shall Defy over and over again. We try new things all the time and if we are happy with it then we will keep it in. If we aren't happy playing what we write then what would be the point. A lot of bands have changed over the years, but some have done complete 180's like Metallica which drives me crazy as they use to be a great band.

What's the difference compared to your previous albums or what do you believe that has evolved since them?

Not much really... we now have a great drummer who knows what we want. We've now got blast beats here and there and some of the vocal lines have change to a degree, we just try different things and like I said if it fits in then we will keep it. Steve [Terror] and I have been together now so long that we know what we like a dislike so that makes it all that much easier.

Who has composed the songs? I suppose it was done by Chris Bailey, Kenny Hallman or Steve Terror, like it was from the beginning of all.

Yeah... we do all of the writing. We know how Infernal Majesty should sound so to have others come in and write for us would make no sense. Everyone in the band has ideas and we do use them but most of the time we know what works for us.

In the promo-cd's booklet it says that One Who Points To Death is the best US Thrash album since Slayer's Reign In Blood. How do you feel when people put you in the same rank with such huge bands? Were Slayer in particular among your main influences?

Ha Ha....I didn't write that but we get compared to Slayer and Death all the time and we are not ashamed of it. People will always compare us to something or someone anyhow. Sure Slayer was influence but so was Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate, Kiss, Iron Maiden etc.... without those bands being there in the first place then Infernal Majesty might have never existed.

Chris Bailey left Infernal Majesty before the recording of Creation Of Chaos (1997) but returned to sing in Unholier Than Thou. What had happened?

That was a weird part of our life...lets just say that we leave it in the past. We always knew that Chris [Bailey] would be back with Infernal Majesty and he did return in 1995 but he had some issues at that time that had to be worked out, and they were.

Tell us a few words about your newest members, Eric Dubreauil and Kris Deboer. How are things between all of you?

Both Kris [Deboer] and Eric [Dubreauil] have been a great addition tot the band. They were both friends before they joined us so once they joined Infernal Majesty it was easy for them to learn the songs. Both Kris and Eric come up with ideas that we would have never thought about for the band so we have branched out more musically then we have in the past, new blood is always a good thing.

Were there any side projects all these years?

Nope...no reason to. Infernal Majesty is the only thing that matters.

Despite the fact that you have only come up with 4 studio albums since 1986 you have inspired numerous bands of your genre's scene. What do you think was the reason that Infernal Majesty became a really important band, except for your talent?

I really don't know... people ask us this all the time and I don't really have an answer except to say that the songs are good, they have to be since a lot of people still rave about None Shall Defy and how it influenced them over the years. We have stuck to our guns, we haven't changed are style over the years and don't plan on it in the future. I guess if you write great songs then people will enjoy them for a long time.

That was it. Any message for your fans, worldwide?

Hope to see you all in the near future and thanks to all the support that Infernal Majesty has be given over the years, without you guys it would be pointless to carry on.

crossmenucross-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram