HELL ZEN first came to my attention back in late 2021 when he responded to one of my stories treating me to a sneak peak of CRASH COURSE. Since writing for THE COCOON, HELL ZEN has been at the top of my list of artists to cover. His energetic, punch packing tracks have quickly become main stays in my daily playlists. Despite only releasing his first track in 2022, he has quickly established his own sound bringing some fresh air to the underground scene of Australia. With the upcoming release of his ‘Mud’ EP, a three-track project releasing this month, I was stoked to be able to interview the man behind the music.
HELL ZEN[1]
An Introduction to HELL ZEN:
HELL ZEN is an Australian artist making waves in the underground scene for his heavy-hitting music. The kind of high energy, headbanging music that just makes you want to go out and smash shit. His first EP ‘VOLUME I’, released last year and introduced us to his unique sound. With heavy tracks like CRASH COURSE and BAD BLOOD, you can see the influences of metal and rap music blending with heavy guitar riffs and grimy industrial beats.[2] This first project is comparable to established artists like Jasiah and Nascar Aloe who have made their mark on the new wave of counterculture.[3]
About the Upcoming Project ‘Mud’:
HELL ZEN is known mostly for super heavy, aggressive vocals over ‘dirty youtube beats’, but is excited for his listeners to hear a new side to him on this new project.[4] Bringing in help from producers tomurstupid and clearthecache, we can expect some more personalised beats that fit with vocals a little less violent than we have come to expect.[5] I must admit, the unapologetic style of HELL ZEN and his abrasive, guttural chants are what I fell in love with, but I trust that this project is only going to deepen my appreciation of him as artist as he expands his range.
‘I hope it catches people off guard, no one’s really seen me do stuff like that before, let alone think I’m capable of something like that. My range is a lot wider than some might expect, people will see that as I keep releasing.’[6]
Watching the campaign he has put together to promote the EP, it is evident that this project is much more cohesive and thought out then expected from an emerging artist. When talking about the concept behind the EP, he surprisingly said that there was no real direction or overarching concept to begin with.[7] Like most creatives can probably corroborate, he found that the project carved its own path as he put in the work.[8] ‘Mud’ wasn’t even the name for this project… he was actually frustrated during the writing process because he thought he was using the word ‘mud’ too much.[9] But, as he says:
‘… after a while the stars kinda aligned … life imitates art sometimes, as soon as I leaned into the ‘Mud’ concept it all made sense and these random tracks I had seemed to work together in sequence.’[10] Whilst I have not been so lucky as to hear anything at the time of writing, he assured me that this tape follows a thematic story through the stages of grief.[11] ‘It’s about toughing that shit out, getting it out the Mud.’[12]
The Creative Process:
The creative process looks different for everyone; HELL ZEN is no exception. He explained that the best way to get his mind moving is to start with the body, often pacing around or getting outdoors.[13] This has led to some funny interactions passing hikers on desolate dirt tracks, mumbling to himself late at night, but hey, if it works, it works right?[14] As he puts it, ‘I’ll do what needs to be done…’[15]
HELL ZEN’s high impact lyrics are the first thing that stands out in his tracks and I had to ask how he manages to channel all that energy. Unsurprisingly, his emotions are often the catalyst for his creative process, guiding the path from writing to recording.[16] Another key aspect contributing to the violent nature of his vocals is the process of stacking multiple layers of the same verse. However, recording the same screaming vocals repeatedly can get tolling. HELL ZEN touched on this, saying:
‘I’ll definitely use emotion to keep me focused and locked in, but bro when recording stacks of vocals at that velocity I’m really not thinking about much I’m just doing, like I kinda black out and if I think somethings up I’ll feel it physically… I’d say it’s muscle memory at this point.’[17]
BAD BLOOD[18]
When I first heard HELL ZENs music, I was deep into the rabbit hole of the whole ‘trapmetal’, punk/metal/dark/rap wave popularised by artists like City Morgue,[19] Ghostemane[20] and $uicideboy$.[21] The comparisons were evident to me at the time between the artists I had been listening to and HELL ZENs music, but he still managed to carve his own lane and separate himself from the crowd. He was under the impression that, although inspired by this movement, it was a very limiting to put himself into that box stylistically.[22] He took the components he liked but made sure to leave it as that, not allowing himself to be backed into a corner in terms of the music his fans would learn to expect. This approach is evident in his boundary-pushing mixture of genres. By ‘cherry picking’ ingredients from different movements and styles, he continues to cook up his own signature sound.[23]
Personal Sentiments and the Future of HELL ZEN:
‘Man when I first started putting stuff out I never really had other people in mind, it was a “me against the world” kind of thing as corny as that sounds, and even though I’m still so small right now but I’ve had people reach out and message me and there’s this specific message I have saved.’[24]
Message from a Fan[25]
‘That guy is from the other side of the world and that message just reinforced what I’m doing actually means something to other people, that’s what I want my music to do for people that’s how I hope they can feel ... but also take it how you take it, everyone will experience it differently.’[26]
No musician can be successful if it weren’t for listeners and supporters. It is no surprise that HELL ZEN is gaining traction amongst listeners who have connected with his music. He shared his appreciation with me for the people that support him and interactions like this are a huge motivator for him.
It seems perfectly fitting that his taste in music is broad, taking inspiration and vibing to all sorts of styles from ‘Breakcore’ to ‘Southern Rap’.[27] It sounds like his current playlist rotation can only be described as indescribable, but he gave me his top 4 from this week: ‘Fleshwater, Scarlet House, BigXthaPlug, and Kenny Mason.’[28] When asked about a collab he would like to see happen, he called to Zheani, an alternative artist from Australia known for her ‘pixie trap’ music… a combination that I, for one, would love to see.[29]
Summing up an artist like HELL ZEN is always a challenge, so I asked him what he thought. Like, how would you describe it to someone who was deaf? ‘Probably like a cage fighter winning off his back, like an against all odds situation where you come out on top… where you were doomed from the start but still made it happen… that emotion, that’s the vibe… That probably sounds lame as hell but it's true.’[30] A sentiment I could not have put into words myself that perfectly captures his music. It’s about the energy, the feeling… it’s about taking what’s fucking yours.
HELL ZEN’s career in the music industry is just beginning, and he has no plans on stopping any time soon. I am patiently waiting for the first track off ‘Mud’ to hit streaming platforms, eager to hear the evolution of style hinted at throughout our conversation. I have no doubt that this project will demonstrate the artistic maturity that is only found through hard work and experimentation. So, what’s next? Well, everything. HELL ZEN says that we can only expect the output to ramp up with an overwhelming number of plans for new shows and new music.[31] Ominously, he left us with a quote that could be the first hint of his next movements.
‘…people should definitely stay tuned in the new year… it will be a New Dawn.’[32]
This cryptic statement left me wondering what he has in store for us, giving clues to a further shift or evolution in his creative direction. HELL ZEN’s unwillingness to be boxed in and commitment to growing as an artist suggests that ‘New Dawn’ could symbolise more than just a musical endeavour. ‘Mud’ seems to be a tipping point for the young artist, a pivotal moment in his style and image. It seems natural to assume that things will only continue to snowball as the days drag on, whether through this allusive ‘New Dawn’ notion or elsewhere. Until then we can only speculate, but one thing is for sure: HELL ZEN refuses to be ignored.
Read the word for word interview HERE
Dive deeper into HELL ZEN through his linktree
Dive deeper into ClearTheCache through his linktree
Dive deeper into TomUrStupid through his linktree
Featured Image: MUD... (Photograph, HELL ZEN, Instagram 24 November 2024) <https://www.instagram.com/p/DCtHttmSeny/?img_index=1>.
[1] HELL ZEN, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/4VcOs9Qja6NgjCqvdxIjxK>.
[2] HELL ZEN, ‘VOLUME I’ (EP, Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/album/2GSg7X0F8W9XPX1iotm0sp>.
[3] Jasiah, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/7502fDxg339jvGV08Jd4R0>; Nascar Aloe, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/search/nascar%20aloe>.
[4] Interview with HELL ZEN (Jesse Geltch, THE COCOON, 26 October 2024) 1 (‘HELL ZEN Interview’).
[5] Ibid; @tomurstupid, ‘Tomurstupid’ (Instagram) <https://www.instagram.com/tomurstupid/>; @clearthecache_, ‘ClearTheCaché’ (Instagram) <https://www.instagram.com/clearthecache_/>.
[6] ‘HELL ZEN Interview’ (n 1) 2.
[7] Ibid 3.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid 4.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid 5.
[17] Ibid.
[18] BAD BLOOD (Video, HELL ZEN, Youtube 7 April 2023) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oiz_1fDB5M>.
[19] City Morgue, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/1kMVs324xI4K0tQrKqA4c4>.
[20] Ghostemane, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/3uL4UpqShC4p2x1dJutoRW>.
[21] $uicideboy$, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/1VPmR4DJC1PlOtd0IADAO0>.
[22] ‘HELL ZEN Interview’ (n 1) 6.
[23] Ibid.
[24] Ibid 7.
[25] Message From a Fan (Screenshot, HELL ZEN).
[26] ‘HELL ZEN Interview’ (n 1) 7.
[27] Ibid 10.
[28] Ibid, Fleshwater, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/6P5ccCJCe8A4s9tDSTNFzF>;
Scarlet House, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/7jWdMH4K9omZ4z2UkGkz6N>;
BigXthaPlug, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qxpnaukVayrQn6ViNvu9I>; Kenny Mason, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/4mwdnO2jZrMmMVrjcHsZBv>.
[29] Ibid 11; Zheani, ‘Artist’ (Spotify) <https://open.spotify.com/artist/75xNYf2GU5wtQqBrd74SlY>; GoOut, ‘Zheani’, GoOut (Web Page) <https://goout.net/en/zheani/pzykrng/>.
[30] ‘HELL ZEN Interview’ (n 1) 8.
[31] ‘HELL ZEN Interview’ (n 1) 9.
[32] Ibid.
