Exclusive Interview: Helve talk “To Be Forgotten”, Hundred Year Old Man and reviews in Italian!

One of the highlights of September was debut album “To Be Forgotten” from Leeds based Post-Metal act Helve via Ripcord Records. Some eight years in the making and yet feeling like the band had barely left the studio after their debut EP “Faint Hope” in 2015, it can be considered nothing short of a triumphant return… from a band who don’t really do triumphant returns. We say down with guitarist duo Joel and Andi to talk about the record and the conversation went something like this…

It’s been eight years since the arrival of your debut EP “Faint Hope” in 2015; does the release of your debut album “To Be Forgotten” feel like a weight off the shoulders?

Joel: “That’s a great description for it. We’ve had these 4 songs ready for years now, and have gigged them extensively. They have evolved over the years, even from when we started this album recording. Now the album is finally out there it kind of feels that that chapter is complete for sure. The songs are new to some people but for us we’re ready to move on”

Andi: “Yeah, absolutely. It’s been a long road to get here and it’s something we’ve been working on for a long time, so it’s a relief to have reached this point and be happy with the result. It’s kind of like coming up for air after being immersed in that process. You’re constantly second guessing yourself, does it sound good enough, did we capture what we set out to, should we add something, should we take something away… It’s difficult to be objective about your own work so for it now to be out of our hands is a relief in itself in many ways”

We’ve described the album as being as melodic as it is abrasive; bleak and barren and yet tinged with hope. What’s the strangest description you’ve heard about your music?

Andi: “I think that has to be an album review google-translated from the original Italian. I don’t know if it was that reviewer, the language, the translation or some combination of all the above but the whole review is this fantastic, almost poetic barrage. It reads like a philosopher drank a bottle of absinthe while listening to us, but as far as we can tell they thoroughly enjoyed our “Intricate labyrinths that lead to unexpected clearings where a sense of abandonment and contemplation dominates” and “excursions into territories over which sinisterly imposing architecture looms”.”

In your time together you’ve played shows with everyone from Hundred Year Old Man, Conjurer to Blanket; what are some of your fondest memories from those shows?

Joel: “We’ve played a couple of shows on the same bill as Conjurer in our early days, around the time we had our first ep out (back when we were shit!! Haha). Sonically and stylistically we were very different back then, and for me it was very much a feeling of self doubt. Conjurer are, and always have been an incredible band, but I kind of felt like we were ‘light entertainment’ in comparison. It would be amazing to play with them again now we’ve gained more confidence and found our feet sound wise. Hundred Year Old Man are close friends. We shared a rehearsal space with them in Leeds for a while and started around the same time, so we forged a relationship with them early on. Before Owen passed I would regularly speak to him, whether it be to chat about gigs, or generally seek his incredible knowledge or advice. Both Andi and I have filled in on guitar for a couple of their gigs. They’re an incredible band, and incredible humans, and definitely have had a lasting impact on our evolution as a band. We had honour of playing their first gig after Owen had passed. It was incredibly hard and emotional for me personally but will forever be a lasting memory along with all the many conversations I had with Owen. We are indebted to them as a band as they’ve all done so much for us, they’re like our older (more successful!) brother.”

If we are made up of our genes and our influences, what is in your jeans and who would you consider your influences?

Joel: “I grew up on Grunge and that was my DNA until I discovered Nu Metal, and then Deftones. It’s only when I joined a band years ago with our ex vocalist Jay, that I had my first foray into Post Metal, like 13 or so years ago. Post metal is now my core, it’s my go to. It’s opened up other genres to me but I find myself always gravitating back to Post metal. I will always hold Deftones as an influence but now also Cult of Luna, Amenra and Rosetta among many others. When I met Andi back in 2015 he put me onto YOB, who I would definitely also consider a big influence on me now”

Andi: “Post metal is an odd thing to define, but I doubt any post-metal band would exist without Neurosis. I saw them live in I think 1997 or so, and it was this suffocating wall of noise played with such intensity and passion that was a truly life changing experience for me so they have to be first among my influences. The other early bands in the scene too, ISIS, Pelican, Cult of Luna are all inspirations along with heavier stuff like Crowbar, YOB, post-rock bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mono, This Will Destroy You and countless others”

What are your aspirations? Where do you see yourselves in the next five years? Touring Europe? Appearing on the cover of Metal Hammer Magazine? Releasing a signature guitar model with someone like Carillion or simply to be full time musicians?

Joel: “One huge aspiration we’ve already achieved is actually releasing an album through a label, and oh my god, what an incredible label Ripcord Records is! Charlene and Ripcord have far surpassed what I used to only imagine a record label being, she is a complete legend. I’d love to tour the UK first as there are so many towns and cities with incredible venues and scenes that we’ve yet to explore. Of course a European tour would be incredible as would playing a festival like ArcTangent, Damnation or Portals”
Andi: “Definitely playing somewhere like Arctangent is a goal for us, I doubt we’ll ever make the cover of anything but so long as we keep making music we enjoy and are passionate about I don’t think the rest matters really. It sounds pretentious but the music is the point for me, anything above and beyond that would be a bonus”

What’s next for Helve?

Joel: “Gigs, lots of gigs, hopefully including a bit of a tour. We have a steady line up again now with the recent addition of James joining us on vocals so we’re determined to get back on the gig horse”

Andi: “Another album, hopefully having learned our lessons from the last one! We have most of the basic material lined up, so we’ll keep working on those songs until they feel ready and then try to build on the foundation of this album and see where the journey takes us”

Joel: “We certainly won’t be taking another 8 years to get the next album out either!”

“To Be Forgotten” by Helve is out now via Ripcord Records in physical edition here and digitally here.