In our current interview we talked with Ákos Olt, the guitarist of Beneath the Void, known from the Hungarian death metal scene, about the history of the band, their songs and their album …Into Oblivion, released last year, was not left untouched as a topic! Stay tuned!
Interviewee:
BENEATH THE VOID
Ákos Olt (guitar)
The current line-up of Beneath the Void:
Krisztián Gyémánt (vocals) Patrik Pornói (bass guitar, vocals) Ákos Olt (guitar) Tibor Szokán (guitar) Bence Turcsák (drums)
How would you describe yourselves in a few words? (W.)
Ákos: Welcome to all the readers! I would describe the band Beneath The Void first of all as a fast-paced Death Metal. I recommend it especially to those who enjoy the music above 250bpm. We mainly operate with technical and Brutal Death elements, but we also sneak some Grindcore and Oldschool into the new album.
What is the name origin of the band? Who came up with it? (T.)
Ákos: I’d start by saying that the band was called Kill With Hate until the beginning of 2021. It’s amazing to think about, but the whole story goes back to 2003, our former drummer Khrul (Funebre, Nocrul, Black Altar) came up with it back then. Then in 2008 the band started to get more serious, and already then we were thinking about something more serious to try abroad, but we stayed Kill With Hate and released 2 EPs and an album. However, in 2021, when we finalised the album, we decided that there had been so many changes from the previous material that this album deserved a new look. The idea then came from Patrik (who is also responsible for the lyrics) that the new name should be something that describes the insignificance of human existence in the perspective of the infinity within the universe. Thus we became Beneath The Void, luckily the name was free, only a band that had been inactive for several years had been using it until this point.
How did music and death metal in particular become prominent in your lives?
Ákos: I have been interested in music and making music for as long as I can remember. In the beginning, Beatles, Deep Purple and their contemporaries were my favourites, later as a rebellious teenager, after the must-have Tankcsapda, Nirvana era, a good copy of a mix tape got me into classic metal. It was then that it became clear that I wanted to play guitar. I got into Death Metal thanks to the old Z+ channel show Zúzda, where I was shocked by the clip of Cannibal Corpse Devoured by Vermin. From then on there was no looking back.
Which bands are your biggest source of inspiration?
Ákos: Biggest influences from the beginning are Cryptopsy, Origin, Necrophagist. The speed and the ambitious solos, which is a common characteristic of all the material so far, is derived from them. Obviously our horizons have broadened since then, the new material has been influenced by the Synthwave trend for example, or even the completely insane band Igorrr to a lesser extent.
You recently had your first self-organised concert! How did you enjoy it? How different was it from what you had previously imagined?
Ákos: It was a huge experience, we had a feeling that there would be a lot of people, with bands like Agregator and Reason it was predictable, but we ended up with a sell-out, which is a great feeling. A lot of organisation and work went into it, I think everyone grew a few white hairs in the last 2 months, but in the end everything went to plan. As well as all the background work, we hired a film crew to capture the evening, so that the experience didn’t get lost in the alcohol haze. With that in mind, we rehearsed a lot for the concert and I feel that the end result was a satisfying one, both for the audience and for us.
Which is your favourite song from your discography and why?
Ákos: It’s hard to answer this question, as each song is special in its own way. The one I am most proud of as a composer at the moment is the album opener Elegy. One of the most enjoyable songs for me in concert was Refugee and Terraform, I think they will be in the repertoire for a long time. Of the old ones I think Fuck Humans is one of the most rewarding songs.
At the previously mentioned album premiere, the audience was able to experience the world of …Into Oblivion! What themes does the album cover? What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “…Into Oblivion”?
Ákos: Lyrically, the album is basically a futuristic end of the world story in the context of a body snatching. However, this is only an allegory, the other interpretation of the lyrics on the album deals with themes such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues and the idea of suicide, among others. The lyrics were written by Patrik with a childhood friend, Máté Blazsovics (to whom we owe both of our clips). I wasn’t really involved with the lyrics, I only read them when I got them. Yet in hindsight I can see that both the lyrics and the music were inspired by common feelings (at least on my part).
What is the biggest challenge for you in terms of what you do?
Ákos: From my side, it’s about showing something new, being special in some way, having our own style that separates us from other bands.
…Into Oblivion has a pretty spectacular album cover. Where did the idea come from? Did you know straight away that you would like to have artwork like this or were there other alternatives?
Ákos: The basic idea of the artwork came from Patrik, Krisztián added a little bit to it, the rest was completely left to Gyula and I can say again he did a great job. Before that, he also did the cover artwork for the album Voices of Obliteration, which was released under the name Kill With Hate. As long as we have the opportunity, I think we will work with him.
What is your favourite free time activity?
Ákos: Playing music, partying, which is the main thing that brings us together, but apart from that, obviously everyone has their own way to relax.
Is there any venue that is an absolute bucket list location for you, in terms of performing? If so, who do you like to rock out with?
Ákos: The one that is probably even realistic is the Czech Brutal Assault festival. Krisztián has already been attending and organizing the Hungarian outing for more than 10 years. One thing that will probably remain a dream is the Maryland Death Fest. After all, Gutted did it, maybe even we can do it:D
What are your plans for the future?
Ákos: Lots of concerts, summer festivals, and now that the virus situation is going down, maybe a foreign tour next year. In the meantime, we’re working on new ideas, we don’t want to wait too many years for the next album, as we’ re getting old, we don’t have much time left:D
Lastly: When and where can your fans and death metal fans meet you next?
Ákos: Next time we will play at Robot on April 25th in front of the Danish band Baest, it will be a special treat for Death Metal fans. Then, on May 7, at Undead Festival with all the great bands. Thanks for the interview!
Thank you very much for the interview!
Photos: https://www.instagram.com/vidaniphoto/
If you would like to stay up to date on the upcoming events of Beneath the Void and explore the world of …Into Oblivion, you can find everything you need by following the links below!
BENEATH THE VOID
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beneaththevoidhungary
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beneaththevoidhungary/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ozYRq5x5jzsDDaoeOlJHg
- Bandcamp: https://beneaththevoidhungary.bandcamp.com/releases
- Merch: https://metal.hu/shop/beneath-the-void-into-oblivion-bakelit/
by: Wolfy & Traidusk
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