Episode 005 : And Now to Find Hemina

To prove that prog rock and metal can be found in all corners of the globe, for this episode, Progtopia travels down under to Australia to profile Hemina, a fairly new band whose debut full-length album – Synthetic – was released in October in Oz and in March everywhere else. The 80-minute concept album contains echoes of bands like Dream Theater and Vanden Plas, but even at this early stage in their career, Hemina (l. to r. Jessica Martin [bass/vocals], Phill Eltakchi [keyboards/vocals], Mitch Coull [guitars/vocals], Matthew Irsak [drums], Douglas Skene [guitars/vocals]) is carving out a unique sound that promises a strong future. Host Mark Ashby speaks with principal songwriters Skene and Coull to talk about the new album, their deal with Nightmare Records and collaboration with famed recording engineer Tommy Hansen, what the prog scene is like in their part of the world, and their desire to play internationally in the years to come. Find them online at www.hemina.com.au for the story of Synthetic, lyrics, and merchandise.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"To Conceive a Plan"
"And Now to Find a Friend"
"With What I See"
"For All Wrong Reasons"
"Haunting Me!"
"Divine"

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(Originally posted 9 Apr 2012)