HeKz Talk ‘Terra Nova’ Album, Instruments and More
Words by Glenn Sargeant
Photo Credit: Supplied By PR
Prog-Rock band HeKz are back with their fourth album ‘Terra Nova’. We were intrigued by their sound and were grateful when band member Matt Young chatted to us:
Who is in HeKz and what do they play?
The music of HeKz was once described as sounding like “Queen having a barney with Dream Theater as Rush and Iron Maiden duke it out on the sidelines!” We think that’s a pretty accurate description! On ‘Terra Nova,’ you will hear Mark Bogert (guitar), Irina Markevich (violin) and Moyano el Buffalo (drums), along with a very special guest appearance by Adam Holzman on keyboards on 3 songs. I sing and play bass / keyboards.Your fourth album is entitled ‘Terra Nova’. What was the idea/concept behind the album?“Terra Nova” is a concept piece that weaves a tale of ambition, duality, and the relentless fight to conquer the darkest parts of one’s personality to become the person you were born to be.Where was it recorded and who produced it?
‘Terra Nova’ was recorded between January 2021 and April 2022 by the musicians in their home studios in the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain and Ukraine. The album was produced and mixed by me at Moleman Studios in the UK. I believe that “Terra Nova” demonstrates an undeniable chemistry between the musicians and, despite the challenges of remote collaboration, the result is an album that boasts intricate arrangements, dynamic delivery, and an undeniable sense of passion. For the mix, I worked hard to achieve a sonic landscape that bridges the best of classic rock records from the ’70s and ’80s with the clarity and depth of modern production.Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals etc?
I have a beautiful white Ricken-faker that I’m using live for the ‘Terra Nova’ shows and it sounds gnarly! I have a simple pedal board with a Sansamp, phaser, octave pedal and an Electro Harmonix Big Muff. My in-ear monitors are also an essential part of any live performance.Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
I grew up in and around Bedford. I’d describe Bedford as the “place I feel at home.” Does that count as 5 words?Do you have any plans for live shows in Europe/UK to support the release?
Yes! We performed a launch show for the album at The Cart & Horses in London on 5th November, it was an amazing night. Now, we’re looking ahead at 2024 and have a few bookings in the diary already. The current plan is a few shows before the summer, as many festivals as we can and then a concentrated run of dates around the UK / Europe between September & November.Your new single ‘Too Far Gone’ is out now. What was the story/inspiration behind that song?
The lyric in that song is about looking back on a toxic relationship while reflecting on the moments of happiness that once existed with a sense of nostalgia. The song contemplates the doubts that arise from this and ultimately concludes that such uncertainty is simply the price of the newfound freedom.The single is accompanied by a music video. Who did you work with on that?
We’ve been working with a great Romanian designer called Raz. The video for ‘Too far Gone’ is interesting, because it’s the first time that Raz has used AI-generated imagery in one of our collaborations. He always comes up with visually arresting ways to tell the story of the song – I’m already looking forward to our next project.
Was it a difficult album to write?
The writing was the easiest part of the process. The recording took a long time due to the pandemic and, later, the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The most difficult part of creating ‘Terra Nova’ was the mix – I never wanted to mix a HeKz album, because they are so detailed. Ultimately, I simply didn’t have the budget to pay for a professional to mix the album, so decided to take the long way round. After a lot of trial and error, I am pleased with how the mix turned out. It was a great learning experience, though I’m not sure if I’ll do it again soon.What makes HeKz happy and what makes you unhappy?
The thing that makes HeKz happy is getting up on stage and playing live.What makes us unhappy? Waiting too long to play live again.
HeKz fourth album ‘Terra Nova’ is out now.
For more information visit the following links:
Website: https://www.hekztheband.com/terranova
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeKztheband
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeKztheband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hekztheband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HeKztheband
