"Hellfire Society"
"Hellfire Society"
Hellfire Society was born in 2001, founded by the leader/singer David whose dissatisfaction with the socio-political and religious status quo of his native Italy caused in him a desire to question what he saw around him every day, and, when he found answers that he could not accept, to find a way to respond and be heard. David formed HFS to give voice to his anger and serve as a method of spreading his views to others. The reception to his project was unprecedented, with Hellfire Society's first ever live concert being attended by over 1500 paying fans. HFS's gut-wrenching guitars, carried by the force of David's powerful voice and balanced by his excruciating attention to detail and musical arrangement, incited a response from crowds that soon had them performing on national television and touring throughout Europe.
The band starts writing what later on will become the debut album "The Angry Army", they refuse several offers from labels looking and waiting for the right one, in this period the bassist Trauma joins the band bringing new life into the band, choosing carefully their moves they record and release a cover of "Bang Bang" which receives a unexpected success all around the globe: the song was originally born as bonus track for all of those fans who were waiting the album.
On September 2008 HFS is called for the official remix of "Runaway" by the world famous artist Ladytron (toured with NIN), the remix is released by the major Nettwerk Records in 17 countries around the world, included in the cd and also printed in a limited edition vinyl.
In the meantime Hellfire Society signs its most important contract with one of the most important Artist Development & Music Marketing companies in Europe Brainstorm (DE) already responsible for the promotion for acts such as AC/DC, Metallica and Guns n' Roses among others. Follows is what HFS has been waiting for a long time: a contract with the major label Hellfest/Universal Records.
The video for the first single "Mad About You" is filmed in an old asylum in Florence (Italy), a very evocative location that sets the atmosphere of what will soon become the lite-motif of the band, a WWII set surrounded by wicked medical experiments. Buckles and goth accessories are left behind, replaced with tactical wear and post nuclear urban guerrilla gear, they start to call their fans "soldiers" and "The Angry Army" was born. Mind blowing guitars wisely mixed with electronics, granitic rhythmic section and the powerful voice of the leader/singer make the band stand up in a crowd of anonymous industrial rock bands.
Controversy is behind the corner, a picture of David with the writing "WAR" on his chest is published, immediately becoming the icon of a screamed and powerful rebellion is warped and misunderstood by the masses, accusing them of being "pro-war", David replied in an interview: "HFS is not pro-war, we only provide music for fighting. Everywhere, every day people have to fight a battle, no matter how small, we all have to fight our wars, often just to save our right and freedom. We only provide the right music to do it to."
Waiting for the extensive promotion that Brainstorm is preparing for the album and the tour the band decides to start a mini-tour in Europe in order to test the new line-up that sees David on vocals and guitars, rock solid Tramua on the bass, the return of AK-47, the former guitarist of the band, and the last member that joined the army B3N on the electronics, live FX and samples. This completely new live set-up is tested with great success in a series of sold out shows, among which the one @ Siddharta Club in Prato where the band plays in front of an excited crowd followed by an exclusive DJ Set by Morgan (Bluvertigo/X-Factor), then is the time for their show @ the Club Semifinal in Helsinki where once more the show is sold out.
The album, "The Angry Army" released on June 19th 2009 by Hellfest/Universal Records is what they call a Fight Rock Manifesto, cutting edge, powerful and catching, a synergy that is rare to find in a debut album, which is the emergence of a project that you won't want to miss!
"..This stuff here, this is the good shit …Anyone else remember the good shit?! Well if not this is what it sounded like!! What a credit to the genre! I'm nearly speechless.."
HFS soldier