SOURCE – Every album has a story to tell. What is the central concept or theme behind this record, Hamelin, and how did it shape the songwriting process?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – That is a wonderful question. Interestingly, the title of the album Hamelin was conceived just a few months before we actually released it. By then, we had already shaped the songs, finished the production, and only afterward decided to name the album Hamelin.
Hamelin, as some of you might know, is an ancient German myth. It tells the story of the Pied Piper, a musician and artist who was asked to save a small town in Germany from a rat infestation. When he played music and led the rats away, the town council—the people in power—refused to pay him what he was owed. Instead, they mocked him. In retaliation, he used his art—his flute—to guide all the children of the town away in the night, into a land far, far away.
We found this to be a concept of great artistic power, and one with many social and political implications. Although it’s a dark and grim story, we believe it also contains light, because art—as you might feel yourself—has great power and responsibility. It can change cultures, influence people, and bring out both the best and worst in human beings.
The story of Hamelin can be interpreted in a multi-dimensional context, and when we first learned about it—and considering that we don’t have a singer, but rather a musician who plays trumpet and clarinet—it all just made sense to us.
SOURCE – The album cover is often the first thing fans see. What message or emotion did you want the album artwork to convey to the audience?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – That’s another interesting story. The photograph on the cover was taken many years ago by a friend of Costas, our guitarist. It was taken in London, and when we first started rehearsing five years ago, Costas showed us this picture. At that moment, we all knew that one day it would become the cover of our album.
It took us five years to compose and record these songs, but we’re so happy to be here today. This cover visualizes the emotions we feel for our band and for this record.
SOURCE – One of the most important aspects of music is authenticity. How would you say this album reflects the band’s true, unfiltered identity?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – I don’t want to say that our music is “authentic”—because, at the end of the day, what is authenticity? What I do know is that when we first formed the band, we didn’t want to set any boundaries for art. We just wanted to create music—music that we love, music that makes us feel something or conjure something.
We had no aspirations in terms of recognition. So, long story short, we simply created music that we would listen to ourselves.
SOURCE – What was the biggest challenge you faced while bringing this album to life from a production standpoint?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – I wouldn’t say the challenge was related to production, because we had amazing people working with us—great teams of professionals who knew exactly how to shape what we had in mind.
The real challenge in 2024 was—and still is—finding a label that would not only release the album but also respect it and give it the attention it deserves. We’re happy to announce that Vici Solo understood what we created and has been promoting it with the same passion and heart that we’ve poured into it.
That was the main challenge, and I think it’s one that many bands face today.
SOURCE – Music videos have become an essential part of album releases. How do you view the role of music videos in promoting this new album?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – Music videos are still important for releases—whether we like it or not. The video medium is, today, even more essential for promoting any type of product or service, and the same applies to art.
We don’t just shoot music videos to promote our music; we also focus on creating online content so people can see who we are, what we do, and get a glimpse into our unique universe.
SOURCE – How has the advent of streaming platforms and digital distribution impacted the way you think about the production and release of an album?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – It hasn’t. We never think about platforms or distribution when we compose music. Those are things that sound engineers need to consider when exporting files.
We will never create music for specific audiences or specific platforms. That’s simply not how we operate.
SOURCE – How do you see this album standing out in the market, given the crowded landscape of new music releases?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – I think it will find its place and its audience. It’s definitely not something you’ll hear on the radio during your morning commute, but there’s an audience out there that will understand what we’ve done—and hopefully enjoy it.
SOURCE – Do you feel that music has the ability to transcend language barriers in a way that brings fans from different parts of the world together?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – It definitely does, yes. And in King Garcia’s context, this is even more true, since we don’t have lyrics. There are no language barriers between us and the audience.
SOURCE – After this album’s release, what are the next steps for the band in terms of live performances and touring?
Kamil Kamieniecki (Drums) – Our plans include shows, interviews, and social media content. Hopefully, 2025 will continue to be as busy as it is now.
Thank you for the wonderful interview. I hope people enjoy the album as much as we enjoyed creating it, and hopefully, we’ll see you on the road.
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