Discover the alchemical journey of Hartlight, a band fusing metal subgenres, as they discuss their music's evolution, enigmatic themes, and forthcoming ventures.
1. What
inspired the transition from being a studio project to forming a full-fledged
band and preparing for live performances?
Noémie
Marie (Vocals, Lyrics) : Adrien D. and I always wanted to put this project
on stage. So when we moved to France, we were able to get our friends together
and let the project grow.
2. Could
you tell us more about the creative process behind your latest album, "As
Above, So Below," particularly how themes of alchemy and magic influenced
the music and lyrics?
Noémie
Marie : In our new way of working, I do the lyrics and Adrien D. the
composition. As an introduction, alchemy is a way of looking at nature. We
believe that when humans transform matter, they transform themselves to be more
in tune with who they really are. For Hartlight I used my personal experiences
of practice and I drew inspiration from old and new books about alchemy and
also philosophy, such as Nietschze. I talk about how to transmute the dross
that has polluted our history and made us suffer, about the equality between
feminine and masculine energy that has to be perfect inside and out to reach
the philosopher's stone, about contemplating the beauty of nature and how
alchemists try to unlock its secret, about the pilgrimage to Compostella to find
the stone that will be used to start the process, and about so much more.
3. How
has the addition of Adrien Guingal as an official guitarist impacted the band's
sound and dynamics?
Noémie
Marie : It's wonderful news that he's joined us, as has Guillaume Remih,
our drummer. These guys are excellent at their instruments and their
contribution gives the music its final shape. They bring their ideas and skills
to bear on the quality of Hartlight, so that the full picture is achieved with
the fine skill and talent of Adrien D.
4. Your
music is described as a fusion of various metal subgenres like heavy,
progressive, power, gothic, and symphonic. How do you balance these elements to
create a cohesive musical experience?
Adrien D.
(Music, Guitar, Production) : I honestly don’t think about it so much. We
immersed ourselves, Noémie and I, into alchemy during the period of creation of
the album. So we were living in a particular ambiance during three whole weeks.
Being in this atmosphere and reading Noémie’s lyrics just brought to me this
sound we created. The genres metling was coming naturally during the
composition, it was not intended as in “Oh I would need a bit heavy there, a
djent riff here”. Everything came very naturally thanks to the very evocative
power of the lyrics. My point when creating music is always to underline the
lyrics and their meaning to give a coherent and strong result.
5. Can
you share some insights into the artwork for your albums, including the
collaboration between Noémie Marie and Adrien Djouadou?
Noémie
Marie : Our logo, the eight-pointed star, the rose and the H, is full of
meanings. The eight-pointed star is a comprised in a polygon, a figure used for
meditation and found in magical Kabbalah. It is also the symbol of Hermes, the
messenger of the Gods, who is a path between the light inside and outside
matter, and it’s also the name of the figure linked to the 'Emerald Tablet',
one of the founding texts for making the Philosopher's Stone. It is also, of
course, the H in Hartlight. I said earlier that matter must be transformed in
order to transform the human being, and the light, the true light of life,
pierces this matter, which can be symbolised by the hart pierced by the light.
The Rose symbolizes the secret, because this path is a quest, which each person
can choose to undertake and which requires a great deal of effort to put the
pieces together. It is an individual work that is guided by its own
compass. There are a lot of metaphors in
this path to encourage people to do their own research and to be critical.
6. "From
Midland and Beyond" received positive reviews, especially regarding its
symphonic power metal elements. How do you think your sound has evolved from
that EP to "As Above, So Below"?
Noémie
Marie : We've mixed the power metal style with other genres and the themes
are now personal. I think there's always that red line of coherence within the
song, the catchy melodies and choruses, the djent riffs give us a more rhythmic
approach, the gothic style gives us a melancholic atmosphere, and the prog
allows us to develop the themes and the complexity of the emotions.
7. The
lyrics in your songs often delve into enigmatic and deep themes. What inspires
your lyrical content, and how do you ensure it resonates with your audience?
Noémie
Marie : It's my practice, my personal thoughts, my discussions with Adrien
D. and anything else that carries a bit of wisdom. I want to inspire people
with mental illustrations, and it's not a problem if not everything is
understood. Sometimes it's just a sentence that makes sense to someone and
that's already a lot. I simply want to encourage people to embark on a quest
for truth with themselves. For those who are curious to know more about the
lyrics, I give some keys on our website hartlight.fr !
8. How
do you envision your live performances, considering the intricate orchestration
and arrangements in your music?
Noémie
Marie : The concerts will be like a ritual, with plenty of space to
appreciate what we love about metal: the honesty, the power, the expression and
the unleashing of passions. We'll be playing with samples for the
orchestrations as we don’t have the budget yet for a real orchestra ! *laughs*
9. Could
you elaborate on the significance of the title "As Above, So Below"
and how it reflects the overarching theme of your album?
Noémie
Marie : « As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe,
so the soul » is the complete sentence from our song. It shows that there
is a movement between the mind and the body, the volatile and the fixed matter
in distillation, the light within us and the light within the sphere of matter
that is life, that what changes inside has an impact outside, that we can
understand nature because we are nature.
10. What
are your future plans and aspirations for Hartlight, both musically and in
terms of reaching a broader audience?
Noémie
Marie : Hartlight will release a new song in autumn 2024 and a cycle of
songs leading up to the second album for 2025. We're grateful to all the people
who write to us and love our work, it's heart-warming. We'll be continuing our
journey with concerts, for the moment in France, and later beyond our borders.
Thank you
for the interview and all your questions about the themes and the quest!
Thanks to
all the readers who took the time to read it, and see you soon for more
adventures!
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