In 2009, a well-known musician in the Egyptian Metal Scene Alfi Hayati decided to form his personal project, which carried a different taste of music to the Egyptian Metal Scene. This year, the band released their second release ‘Jagerbomb’. In this interview we will discuss more details about the band and about ‘Jagerbomb’.
Can you tell us why did you choose “Industrial / Symphonic Metal” genre to play?
Industrial and symphonic music are the types of music I was touched with while I was for a lifetime stubbornly listening to metal. These kinds of music I could handle besides head banging and distortion sounds, everything else I wouldn’t easily accept or get the real meaning of it.
How did the band members meet?
You know, the first album was a one-man band; I recorded all instruments, all vocals and wrote all lyrics. It felt good to have thefreedom to whatever you wanna do about your own music and how crazy or far you want to get with it, but it just needed the magical feeling of the band, like US playing the songs TOGETHER.
So I decided to get help of other musicians to share me such magic.
First one to join was Mayas Jr., he’s an old time friend, and I couldn’t miss the chance of sharing such experience with him.
And after a while, Moustafa joined the band touching us with his talent and spirit in guitar playing.
Was “Industrial / Symphonic Metal” your first destination or you went through different genres before it?
I have played Oriental black metal with ODIOUS for more than 10 years before I decided to do my own thing, it was such an amazing experience that really reflected a lot on my confidence in playing solo later.
What is the lyrical theme of the band?
The lyrical theme of the band is always or almost talking about personal stuff that happened to me or personal thoughts, nothing political and nothing hypocrite, in a time in my country that all was talking about political or patriotically filled stuff, but I wouldn’t talk about that. It’s all about love, hate, senseless manners that I can face or question about.
What were the problems the band faced?
That we play in a poor metal scene, in a poor taste country, nothing can drive the band forward through this scene.
Honestly we are looking to be more appreciated internationally, we know as long as we don’t play what people need us to play, the deal wont be that much, but we only care about what we feel like playing. That’s the fun part of it in my opinion; anything else will be pure hypocrisy.
Give us more details about the concept of ‘Jagerbomb’ and the subjects, which the tracks of the album talked about?
JagerBomb is the complete opposite to my first album, which was depressive and could reflect very negative vibe that I was living. On the contrary, JagerBomb is full of energy, life, and insistence to live the happiness. As much as you have the energy to stand up and give more energy, do it till the last drop.
How did you receive the opinions of the listeners?
We released it online, didn’t want it to pass through this label/buy/sell process. It’s a fun album, so I thought as long as its fun, why don’t we just spread it with no complications. The reactions were cool, people liked the mixture of the old (orchestral) with the new (industrial) along with their favorite music (metal) and that’s mainly the concept I was exactly looking forward to.
How do you see the Egyptian Metal Scene now?
Poor and not serious!
Tell us about that special memory from first track the band composed?
I composed the first song in the army, humming while standing attentive for more than 6 hours.
I tried saving the melody in my head till I go back home and once I was there I ran to my guitar and played it. It sounded great!
Talk to us about the band’s concert in “Music Room festival” in Dubai in 2013?
It was fun, loud, good experience and such respectful scene there, it was more organized and more serious, people really want to develop. We had fun being a part of all of that, and we’d go again if we were asked to.
Photo by: Samir Nedal
What is your favorite Hate Field track?
‘Hope overdose’.
What bands inspired you in composing?
Everything I ever listened to, but mostly Metallica and Rammstein. I can’t hide that.
What are the different influences that the band’s members carry?
Mayas jr. is more into old school, such as Iron maiden, while Mostafa – since he is kinda younger than us – so his influences are different, but that came for the good interest to the band.
What is the next step of Hate Field‘s career?
A new album with new music and new feelings that we want to share with the world, that would be always the answer to this question.
