Interview with Hellpass from Thessaloniki

In 2023 they released their first full-length work titled "Gates Of War”.

Can you give us a quick rundown on how the band was formed?

In 2021, after 12 years abroad, our frontman Βασίλης Υάκινθος came back. Άγγελος Μουρατίδης, along with our former drummer and a guitarist, were on the hunt for a singer and a bassist. The name 'Hellpass' is a blend of the Scandinavian word 'Hell,' referring to an afterlife realm of Midgaard in Viking mythology, and the word Passage (Pass). In short: The Passage to Hell.

A lot of people naturally tend to link the word with hell itself, but the meaning behind our name actually has to do with the reality we live in, which often feels like a 'personal hell.'

Did the pandemic affect the release timeline of the record at all?

I wouldn't say so, the composing process happened in the summer of 2022 and the production of the record followed in October 2022, by which point things had already calmed down quite a bit. It's true that the pandemic definitely put a damper on live shows around the world, including in Greece, so in general things were moving at a pretty slow pace for most artists, regardless of genre or scene.

I think the recovery that followed the pandemic era gave the music scene a real push, because people were 'starving' for new things after 2 years of on-and-off lockdown. So the timing probably worked in our favour. We want to thank people for the warm reception of our record and for showing up to our shows! Anyone who's been to one of our shows knows the crowd is our 5th member! We sing together, we headbang together, we drink together, we tear it up together! So stay hungry for more, it's coming soon!

Which artists have influenced your sound?

I wouldn't want to drop specific names since our influences span entire genres and the list would be endless! I'll speak to our musical influences as a whole:

On the Album we experiment with elements drawn from British Heavy Metal, American Thrash Metal, mixed in with Melodic and Doom touches, as well as Scandinavian Viking Folk Metal melodies in the guitars and vocals. In that sense the record could be called a concept album, each track has something completely different to offer the listener, something different to take away and experiment with on the ear.

Will the material that didn't make it onto the Hellpass record come out as a single or on your new album?

We're about to record and shoot a Music Video Clip for our new Single, called 'Raging Bull'. From the title I think the reference to the historic boxing film is pretty obvious, and the theme the track deals with, both lyrically and musically, is nothing other than fighting.

It's a really interesting production, with a huge list of contributors, including, among others, champion athletes from the world of Martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Muay Thai). At this point I'd like to thank the company 'Everlast' for their kind sponsorship and their willingness to back our project!

Now let's get to the big stuff (!):

In the first half of 2025 the production of our 2nd record is scheduled, titled 'New Dawn'! It marks a new era for HellPass, with big, noticeable changes: A refreshed Roster, new structure and lineup with new members, an emphasis on the Symphonic and Epic side, epic melodies for the most demanding Metal virtuosos! 

"Gates Of War" is an album shaped by current geopolitical events, is the future really as bleak as you're presenting it?

The record 'Gates of War' is inspired by the events of Russia's invasion of Ukrainian territory. It's a lesson for everyone, that war can knock on anyone's door and change life forever: The resurgence of expansionism as well as the human tragedy at the sound of the siren, lessons in humanity as well as human arrogance.

In your opinion, which track stands out from the rest?

It's hard for an artist to pick among their own creations. Even more so when it's a band where different members have different influences, and therefore different listening backgrounds. Our compositions are like our children! Personally I'd pick Light in The Dark because of its subject matter. That particular track is actually a story that came from a dream. Essentially it's a track about hope.

What kind of feedback have you gotten from listeners, and how much will it shape your future work?

We get messages and comments almost every day and that's a really beautiful thing, it fills us up! On the songwriting side we take in suggestions and work them in, but always with respect for the creativity and authenticity that defines our composing process. Through fan Feedback we've improved our live shows both on the technical level and on the level of show performance!

Which bands from the domestic scene would you like to play with?

The Greek scene has big bands with huge names, both at home and abroad! Without wanting to slight anyone, I'll just throw out a few names: Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh, Firewind, Μέμφις.

Can you send a shoutout to the visitors of our page?

We want to thank you for supporting new bands trying to get their start in the music world! You're the ones who give them strength, and we thank you wholeheartedly for that! Just know that you fill us with passion and energy to keep writing music, to keep getting up on stage and tearing it up, and to have a great time together! We're here for you, one message away on our Social Media!

Stay tuned to HellPass's Social Media, lots of big stuff coming! Keep rocking!