Greetings,
Michael! Since my knowledge of your band’s history is extremely limited,
I’d like to get informed of your bio...
- WITHERING
SURFACE was formed in October 1994. We recorded our debut demo «Unique»
in August 1995 at Take One Studios, and released it in September of the
same year. In Autumn of 1995 about 200 copies were spread world wide to
all metal medias. We gained incredible reviews everywhere and have been
interviewed by magazines in almost every country around the world. Later,
in December 1995, «Unique» was chosen as «The best metal
demo of ‘95» on National Danish Radio. In early 1996 WITHERING SURFACE
was featured on the «Extremity Rising» compCD (released by
Serious Entertainment) and shortly after we chose to sign a CD-deal with
Euphonious Records (Danish division of Voices Of Wonder), after having
compared offers from other labels. In September and October the band recorded
debut album «Scarlet Silhouettes» in Swedish Studio Fredman
with Fredrik Nordstrom as the producer (known for his work with AT THE
GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, etc.) Guest appearances by e.g. by
Jesper Stromblad (IN FLAMES’ guitarist). In March 1997 «Scarlet Silhouettes»
was released world wide and gained fantastic response. The media praised
WITHERING SURFACE as being one of the most original and best bands out
of the Danish metal scene ever! Interviews were done in several bigger
medias like «Terrorizer» and reviews appeared in all metal
publications world wide. In August 1997 we entered Borsing Studio (in Denmark)
to record a bonus track for the Japanese version of «Scarlet...»
and a cover of IRON MAIDEN’s «Purgatory» which had to be featured
on IRON MAIDEN tribute CD released by Tribute / Black Sun Records. In October
we recorded MERCYFUL FATE’s «The Oath» at Soundzone Studio
in order to contribute it to MERCYFUL FATE’s tribute released by the French
label Listenable Records in December 1997. WITHERING SURFACE is the only
Danish band on that CD! At the moment the band is rehearsing for the second
full-length album which is due to be recorded in Studio Fredman in April
1998 - once again with the assistance of Fredrik Nordstrom. This album
will be released somewhere in September 1998. After the release we will
headline a Danish tour and go on a 2-3 week European tour as support for
a bigger international act. As to our style... WITHERING SURFACE can be
defined as a death metal band with elements from doom, black & pure
heavy metal. The new direction of the band goes in a more plain metal way
with focus on melodies, atmosphere and catchiness. The present lineup is
as follows: Michael H. Andersen - vocals, Allan Tvedebrink - all guitars
and keyboards, Kaspar Boye-Larsen - bass and Jakob Gundel - drums.
WITHERING
SURFACE is quite unorthodox name for a black metal band...
- First of
all, we’re not a black metal band. We’re a melodic death metal (yep,
but you also have plenty of BM elements in your band's style, don’t you
think so?? - ED). Secondly, I think it’s
a compliment that you say our name is unorthodox (yes,
it is (a compliment) - ED). We feel the
name WITHERING SURFACE describes all the feelings in the music very well.
The only problem is that it’s a bit hard pronouncing for some people (especially
for those, whose English sucks... - ED).
You all
come from Denmark, however WITHERING SURFACE’s sound is quite similar to
so-called «Swedish black / death metal» or «Gothenburg
area bands» with such acts as IN FLAMES, THE MOANING, etc. How would
you explain this?
- We have
been compared to those Swedish bands you mentioned quite often. We don’t
care about this, as we do know that «Scarlet Silhouettes» had
a big doze of influences from the Swedish / Gothenburg sound. Everyone
in WITHERING SURFACE enjoys the music of IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY and
AT THE GATES, but the smaller bands like THE MOANING hasn’t any influence
on our music and we don’t particulary like these bands. However, our next
album (which is actually being recorded in Studio Fredman right now) is
slightly different from «Scarlet...», you’ll be surprised!
(I hope, in a positive way... huh? - ED)
Why Studio
Fredman? You couldn’t find Danish studio, which satisfied your needs or
what?
- We just
wanted to try something different than all the other Danish bands. Actually,
we were the first non-Swedish band ever to enter Studio Fredman. We could
chose a Danish studio to record «Scarlet...», but I’m glad
that we didn’t do it, as we have had only bad experiences with Danish studios
we’ve been recording in so far...
Is there
any possibility of improvisation for you, be it studio or live show?
- Yes, both
in the studio and live. On «Scarlet...» some solos were improvised
and I did some vocal parts that weren’t planned. Live we often just add
some more stuff to the songs.
I didn’t
read your lyrics, nevertheless I couldn’t leave unnoticed their rather
strange titles, f.ex. «A Lily White Sign», «And She Blossomed»
«Beautybeast» or «Your Shadow, My Shelter»... It
seems like you tried to diverge from clishesque «satan is my god
and I will cut my veins tonight» BM lyrics, am I right?
- I’m not
interested in writing about the usual cliche subjects in connection with
WITHERING SURFACE. All my lyrics are about love, romance and erotic subjects
(well, it’s kinda non-standard move, although I can’t say that those lyrics
fit your music really well... - ED). All of them are written from a personal
angle. Our next album will include titles like «Her Valley And Sea»,
«Will She Defy», «An Ode To You», etc.... The title
of the album will be «The Nude Ballet».
In
my opinion, Euphonious Records didn’t care for your band’s promotion too
much, therefore are there any plans to change your recording label?
- We have
a deal for one more CD with Euphonious Records. The promotion could have
been a lot better for «Scarlet Silhouettes», but we believe
that they will do better for the new album as the budget is much bigger
now. We have proven now that we can sell records, so now they have to begin
promoting us seriously... and I believe they will!
Is it
Gabriella Kayso who sings on «Farewell»?
- No, thank
gods! We’re glad that we didn’t use Gabriella for anything except the keyboard
and she was only a session member during the studio time. She had no connection
with WITHERING SURFACE after we finished «Scarlet...», especially
since we had to ask guitarist Heintz Schultz to leave, who was Gabriella’s
boyfriend.
Imagine
that you suddenly forgot current song’s lyrics, being on the stage. How
will you act in this situation?
- To tell
you the truth, I’ve done that several times. When you’re busy headbanging,
drinking and trying to look cool (haha) in front of the audience, then
it actually can happen that I forget one or two lines in a song, but instead
I just improvise some words or mumbling... I’m glad that I’m not in a pop
band, haha!
In my
view «Farewell» is the best song on «Scarlet...»,
mostly due to it’s variety; it also features quite different way of your
singing - somewhat husky voice, which appealed to me very much. Are you
going to follow with using both, traditional black metallish and hoarse
vocals?
- Yes, on
the forthcoming album I will do the harsh / hoarse vocals a lot more but
also still use the screaming vocals. I won’t growl anymore. I will leave
that for the pure death metal bands, as it doesn’t suit WITHERING SURFACE’s
music anymore. We will have a song similar to «Farewell» on
the next CD, too. It’s entitled «The Ballet», a real killer...
What can
you tell us of Danish black metal scene? Besides your band, I’m familiar
only with SOLHVERV and GOAT...
- We don’t
play black metal, goddammit! (you DO PLAY
black metal, goddammit! - ED). GOAT is
just a joke done by Lasse of ILLDISPOSED who wanted to piss off the black
metal scene by making a silly one man band, in my opinion he’s just a jerk!
SOLHVERV are also on Euphonious, they’re pretty cool guys. Besides that
we have cool metal (not only BM) bands like AURORA, INIQUITY, POINT OF
VIEW SECONDHAND, AUTUMN LEAVES, BLAZING ETERNITY, SATURNUS, GROPE
and a few more (did you forget about such
outstanding acts as PANZERCHRIST, DOMINUS and CYANOTIC...? - ED).
We also have a lot of shitty bands, but there’s no use to mention any names.
Huge number
of various individuals prefer listening to old black / thrash / heavy bands
like MERCYFUL FATE / KING DIAMOND, SODOM, DEATH SS, BULLDOZER, VENOM, DESTRUCTION,
in the same time utterly ignoring modern BM acts nowadays... What makes
them to act this way, your opinion?
- People
have gotten tired of all these new bands with extremely bad quality. Back
in the 80’s you had to have some sort of talent and skills to get a record
deal. Not like now, when the most stupid and bad sounding black metal band
can end up releasing an album (yeah, just
like MUTIILATION, VLAD TEPES or GONKULATOR... such band even may become
a legend - like that worthless DARKTHRONE, for example - ED).
Another reason might be that the young fans want to seek the roots of the
contemporary bands they adore. Some of the bands you mentioned are the
fundament of the extreme metal scene today.
I consider
black metal as anti-christian music (although not necessary satanic), hence
I hope that you won’t tell me something like «I don’t care about
any religions and many christians appear as my friends...»?!
- I’m an
anti-christ! (good! - ED).
I hate christianity and don’t care about any other religions. I have enough
in myself and the small crowd of people I consider my friends (and family).
What is
your opinion of Russia and it’s people? Have you heard any Russian metal
bands?
- The Russian
people have my deepest sympathy. It must have been awful living in your
country ten years ago with the iron curtain and everything! I actually
do have quite a few 12’’LPs of Russian bands as I used to have a friend
from Estonia who once visited me and gave me those records.
When will
we be able to hear new songs from WITHERING SURFACE? Are you ready to release
the second album of yours?
- Well, I’ve
already been talking a lot about the forthcoming album, «The Nude
Ballet», which we’re recording at the moment (April 1998). It will
be released in early September 1998... so look out!
What does
life promise you in future...?
- Concerning
WITHERING SURFACE, we will be playing some gigs this Summer, release «The
Nude Ballet», do a Danish headlining tour of about 10 gigs and then
a 2-3 week tour throughout Europe as support for a bigger band. For me
personally, I’ll just try to stay alive and keep on doing all my musical
projects as well as possible.
Would
you like to add anything?
- Thanks
a lot for the interview. You had some cool and different questions here.
I hope you will become successful with Vae Solis ‘zine!
WITHERING
SURFACE
Michael H.
Andersen
Vermlandsgade
74, 1tv
2300 Copenhagen
S
Denmark
Phone: +45
32 95 69 59
Fax: +45
32 95 69 59
Mobil: +45
20 12 76 75