Face to Face with SIMHAE: Between Silence & Sound

Drenched in shadows and shimmering with emotional honesty, SIMHAE emerges like a whisper from the abyss, a project born not just from musical ambition, but from a raw, almost visceral need to confront the deepest recesses of the self. With a name that translates to “deep waters,” this band doesn’t merely write songs; they dive into them, dragging their audience into an ocean of unfiltered feeling, cross-cultural resonance, and sonic intensity. As we sit down to peel back the layers of their debut chapter, it becomes clear: SIMHAE aren’t here to entertain, they’re here to unearth.

Hello guys! Thanks again for doing this, it’s a real pleasure to talk to you. Let’s show the world who Simhae is! First things first: What does the name ‘Simhae’ mean, and is there a story or deeper meaning behind it?

Hey, thank you so much for having us. The pleasure is ours. “SIMHAE” is a Korean compound noun that stands for “deep waters, abyss”.

We chose such name because it perfectly fit our philosophy and desire to dig in our souls, dive in our deepest thoughts and explore undisclosed emotions, hidden feelings and discover parts of us that remained neglected for too long, in a pure and honest, truthful (and painful, sometimes) way, to finally reach and hold hands with our true self.

How was Simhae born? What’s the story behind the lineup, especially in light of the cross-cultural mix?

We can say that the first nucleus of the band was born many years ago from the meeting between Samuel and Joseph (respectively, singer and drummer). After some time, Samuel’s younger brother Daniel (bassist) was invited to join the project, and since then, they have never been apart. In 2024, while looking out for a producer, the three of them met Valerio (guitarist and producer), and this is when we started to feel things really come together. This is when SIMHAE was born.

The cross-cultural mix is just a coincidence; what we think is truly special between the four of us is our seemingly unbreakable bond that ties us in terms of mutual respect and affection and shared artistic vision.

Your latest release, but especially the song ‘Spiral,’ which just dropped, has a dark, layered vibe; I’d say it’s a little bit experimental, but I don’t want to be the one who puts labels on. How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you before?

We always find hard to give specific labels to our music, not for any particular reason, but just ’cause we don’t focus on how we want to be identified in terms of genre, instead we find ourselves thinking a lot about how to deliver in the best way a given emotion or sensation, even though it can be breaking some rules or some expectations.

Maybe this is why, sometimes, our songs can be a little bit tricky to define precisely? One thing is sure: we can’t help being in love with a heavy, impactful production, such as a metal one. So, we think it might be safe to define ourselves as a metal band.

I gotta be honest: your sound hits hard, and it’s probably one of the best things I’ve come across in a while. The vocals possess a raw, emotional pull, and the guitar work is both heavy and haunting. When you’re building that kind of atmosphere, how much of it is intentional and how much comes from instinct? Could you walk us through how you shape a track?

For us, music always comes from instinct first. Then, during the songwriting, song-polishing, and arrangement process, we take what was born from instinct and shape it, define it to make the delivery as comprehensible, relatable, while being careful not to misrepresent, degenerate what was there originally. For us, every choice made must be conditional and dependent on what our instinct tells us.

How would you describe a typical songwriting session? Is it chaotic, ritualistic, spontaneous, or do you follow a more structured process? And of course, who is in charge of the lyrics?

Our songwriting sessions are usually very spontaneous and fun. We take time to explore, experiment with new ideas, and try to find what’s the best language to adopt for the song. When we believe we have sufficient material and feel the need to refine it, we initiate the final arrangement and song-polishing process that will culminate in the final version of the song. Lyrics and vocals, which are of course Samuel’s (singer) work at least 90% of the time, usually get put together with the song in this stage.

‘No Eyes on Me’ really stuck with me, and it’s my favorite track of yours. Can you share the story or emotion behind it? What inspired you to write it?

It’s awesome to know that one of our first songs can still resonate in such a way! ‘No Eyes On Me’, being the first song we released as SIMHAE, really holds a special place in our hearts.

It’s a song that wants to explore the feeling of envy, the desire for payback (even if undeserved), and other dark thoughts that can torment you in times of weakness and self-doubt, times where you can feel neglected, unheard, unseen, hence the title of the song ‘No Eyes On Me’.

Since you’re still early in your journey and not many people know you yet (especially in Romania), would you be kind enough to share something about each of you that fans would never guess?

Let’s start with Valerio (guitarist and producer): he is a very kind and heart-warming soul, very easy to chat with and be friends with. When it comes to music and work, he becomes scarily determined. He is very passionate about botany, insects, synthesizers, and animation.

Joseph (drummer) is also a very kind, nurturing person. His enthusiasm, brightness, and optimism are our core energy. He’s also the band’s private chef: when it comes to cooking pasta, he is the best. He’s also colorblind (we can’t stop joking about it with him).

Daniel (bassist), younger brother of Samuel, is reliable and down-to-earth. He feels sleepy very frequently. You could be talking with him and, one moment later, he’s taking a power nap in the strangest position. He can’t swim and is terrified of the sea and big bodies of water in general.

Samuel (singer) is also a very down-to-earth person who likes tranquillity, but he’s also very playful when at ease. He always liked to draw: to this day, he is in charge of drawing all the storyboards of SIMHAE’s videos. Unlike Daniel, he can swim, but he still hates being in high waters.

What’s next for Simhae? New music, videos, or any tour plans? And dare I ask… any chance of a little gig in Romania someday?

There’s not much left until we release our first EP, “What Came From The Depths”. In conjunction with it, we are planning to play some shows in Italy and, hopefully, in other parts of Europe as well; we’d love to come to Romania one day!

“What Came From The Depths” will be out this autumn; it’s safe to say you can expect another little extract before the weather gets colder.

Thank you kindly for doing this interview; it was fun talking to you! Now, a final question that I hope will make you grin big: If Simhae’s music were the soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist yet, what would that film look like? What’s the plot, the vibe, the setting?

This is surely the most entertaining question so far.

We think that “What Came From The Depths” could be a good soundtrack for a psychological thriller, maybe involving a man tormented by an unintentional murder he committed. The plot would explore the main character’s development while he tries to cope with the sense of guilt, helplessness, and solitude deriving from the fact that he has to keep the secret for himself, in fear of the consequences he’d have to face.

The movie would end with the killer admitting his mistakes, accepting his fate, and growing faithful in the good that the future always holds, even for those who can’t wash away their sins.

It really was a pleasure to have this chat with you. We’d like to take this chance to thank you and Cultartes magazine for giving us this opportunity.