• Black Infinity in 2013

    Sebastian Kluth: “Hello and thank you a lot for taking some of your precious time for this interview occasion. Black Infinity is a modern metal band that came together in Saigon back in 2006. Please tell us more about the formation of your band. How did you come together and what were your goals when you started your band seven years ago?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “We are a group of old high school friends plus my younger brother. First, we played music for fun every weekend and we made some demos that we put on Myspace. Later, people started to get to know our band and they called and invited us to play live on stage.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “Some people say that you play Gothic Metal, others talk about Melodic Death Metal or even Modern Metal with Folk influences. How would you categorize the style you are playing?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Actually, we don’t really know our genre. It’s all just about music. We have six members with different styles. We love all kinds of music like Rock but even Pop, Hip Hop and Classic music... So, we just decided to call our own style “666 Metal”. That’s also the name we gave to our debut album.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “Apart of being musicians, what are you doing for a living? How do you combine your personal jobs, your family lives and your career as a band?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “I used to be an art director for a big agency in Viet Nam and made some good money for a living. But at the same time, I didn’t have much time for the band and we didn’t record and tour very much. Later on, I decided to quit my job and become a fulltime musician. At first, it was very hard. It’s really hard to make money and live from rock music in Viet Nam but you have to be the one who tries first and you need to give your very best to live your dream. Now, it’s finally getting better day by day.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “What are the main inspirations for your lyrics? Do you only write songs in English or also in Vietnamese or in other languages?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “I use a lot of passages from the Bible to write the lyrics and I also adore poetry. I’m also into artists such as JIM MORRISON concerning the lyrics. All of my songs are written in English because I want everybody around the world to understand the meaning behind my songs.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “Can you tell us a little bit more about your inspirations? Are there any particular bands that you like and that might have a significant influence on your creative processes?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “I'm in love with Heavy Metal of the eighties and nineties and artists such as BLACK SABBATH, GUNS ‘N ROSES, SKID ROW and TYPE 0 NEGATIVE. They are the ones that make me want to pick up my guitar and sing until now. I also adore Classical musicians like Bach and Chopin.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “Tell us international metal fans a little bit more about the metal scene in your home country.”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Viet Nam is a quite new country for Metal and Rock music. So we're almost the leaders or pioneers here.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “In 2008, you released a cover of the JUDAS PRIEST classic “Painkiller” that started to spread your name across the internet. How did you come to cover this particular track and what were the reactions?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “During the time when we were recording our debut album “666 METAL”, we did the song for fun and we were actually quite surprised when it turned out that a lot of people liked it.“ 

    Sebastian Kluth: “Many people discovered your band because your song “The Secret” was featured on a sampler of the British Metal Hammer magazine. How did it come to this collaboration? Why did you choose this particular track?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “I just don’t know how the British Metal Hammer magazine got to know my  band. My guess is that they had just checked out sites like Myspace. One day, we’ve received an e-mail from them and it was a big surprise and a dream coming true to participate on their compilation. We choose the song “The Secret” because of the traditional instrument and folk melodies combined with a Heavy Metal sound led by sharp guitar riffs. We’ve thought that this combination might make people from all around the world feel how Rock music sounds in Asia and especially in Viet Nam.”

    Sebastian Kluth: “Your first record is simply called “666 Metal” and was released back in 2009. Tell us more about the song writing, the recording sessions and the promotional work back in the days.”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Our debut album “666 METAL” was created when we all dropped our jobs to stay together for six months in order to write and record songs. We had the chance to do this in our own studio and it was a great time. We went to bed at six o’clock in the morning and got up at three o’clock in the afternoon to play music and get drunk every day. After all, “666 METAL” is just like a black version of the Bible. It tells similar stories and chapters from the second track “Heaven Downfall 666” up to the very last song entitled “Apocalyptic”.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “How would you analyze your first record today, four years later? What are your favourite or least favourite songs? What would you do if you had the chance to this record again?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Our record felt and still feels very dark and fresh. We still play “Heaven Downfall 666” as opening track in all our live shows. We would like to remix and remaster the album if we only had some time because we have learned a lot of great new things and got some more possibilities over the past years that we didn’t know back in the days.“

    Sebastian Kluth: “In 2012, you released a DVD entitled “Rising From The Dark”. Tell us more about its content and the concert it includes. I’ve also watched a documentary of the same name. What is its content and is it included on your DVD as well?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “The DVD "Rising From The Dark” tells the story of the band; for example how we’ve met each other and how we’ve developed from an underground band to a group that conquered the mainstream scene in Viet Nam.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “Let’s continue talking about concerts in and outside of your home country. Tell us about your greatest and your worst concert experiences in your career.”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Our most exotic concerts were when we had been playing at the Asian MTV Awards in Malaysia and in a bar in the United States of America. These were really great moments. Personally, I don’t care about different crowds when I’m playing my music. All shows are a great pleasure to me. Our worst concert must have been the night when we became ambassadors for Jack Daniel’s in Viet Nam. I was so happy when we got this incredible opportunity that I had  a couple of drinks too much and became really drunk. I just don’t know how I managed to play on stage with my band and I still don’t remember anything that happened that night.” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “How can fans outside of Vietnam purchase your music? Do you have plans to rerelease some of your records with the help of a bigger international label one day?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “I think that international fans will probably find our music somewhere on the internet these days, haha. I'm still looking for people who could help us to release our records internationally. Could you help us please, haha?” 

    Sebastian Kluth: “It would be my pleasure but I’m just a poor little journalist and Metal fan. Anyway, do you already have plans for a new record?” 

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Yes, we're working on our second album right now. It’s a really big project because it will be a double album! This means there is a lot of work to do and we have written a lot of songs, about twenty-two new tracks. And do you know what? We’re right now working with one of the greatest producers in the world to get this record done. It’s Tim Palmer who had already been working with BON JOVI, OZZY OSBOURNE and U2 among others. I tell you, it’s going to be a really big album and it’s coming soon!”

    Sebastian Kluth: “Thank you a lot for this interview. The last words are yours. Feel free to tell us anything you want. What would you like to tell the international metal community?”

    Nguyễn Tiến Hưng / Hung BlackhearteD: “Oh man, this was a very long interview! Sorry for getting back on your request so late. We were so busy with touring and just started our recordings for the new album. To all readers from around the world: Just enjoy the life and don't do drugs! Cheers!”

    Black Infinity - New album

     

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