Greetings, Grev! GODDESS OF DESIRE looks like a very young band  (two
years of existence are not that much...), though you achieved quite big popularity in very little time, how could you manage it? Are you a well-known band outside Netherlands?

- We started about 2 years ago indeed. During this time, we got famous by playing cover songs from our "heroes" - SLAYER, INFERNAL MAJESTY, HELLHAMMER, CARNIVORE, CELTIC FROST and VENOM. We do this on stage with a very extreme show, with lots of fireworks, open fire and some girls who do a macabre / sensual show. Because of our stage act we got very famous in Holland and soon after that Belgium and Germany also wanted to see us. Because it's important to be original, we decided to make our own songs after 6 months. Playing covers is fun, but only good for local audience, it is cheap to become famous with songs from others...

What can you tell me about your releases? How would you compare old tracks to "Let Us Win This War" album?

- The first thing we released was a demo, live in de Buze
(http://home.pi.net./~mesker/). It's a live recording of a gig we had in that place. After that, we made a video in Heemskerk (where I live) and about 6 months later, we got several offers for a CD-contract. We picked the best one and we wrote a CD-contract ourselves. The CD was distributed in Europe, except for Scandinavia and was sold pretty good for a first album. Especially in Germany, we are very popular there and our popularity is still growing.Worldwide, our CD was also sold in limited amount, but our name is known in USA, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil and Canada (as far as I know).

War and Metal - these topics seem to dominate over all in your lyrics... This conclusion comes to mind just after looking to your song titles - "Glory In Metal", "Metal To The Metals", "War Of The Crusade", "The Battleground" and "Doomsday Warrior"... Why do you pay so much attention to these themes? Do you have respect for the bands who are more into philosophical / occult / mystical stuff?

- Well, we are a metal band who like to bring back the old days, in which the lyrics were like this. I like occult and mystical stuff and we have it too in our lyrics, but our emphasis is on the true metal-feeling. Our fans also wear old metal-clothes, with jackets with patches, spikes, bullet belts and boots. It's a way of life, not like the phonies with the nikes and colored sweaters.

Delilah and Lilith... If I'm not mistaken, both of them are females? Why did you decide to welcome them in the band? I heard some people saying that extreme metal music is something intended only for the males, don't you agree?

- No, metal is for extreme people, and I think women are welcome in metal, but they should be as tough as men. No sissies allowed, of course. I like metal-women if they really live for metal, they should not be into metal because their boy-friends like it, but they have to like metal for themselves.

Your musical direction is quite close to black metal, though you prefer such definition as "ancient metal", why? Only because you don't want to be confused with some "true" BM wimps...?

- Yes, and because I really HATE the name "old-school metal". School has nothing to do with metal. I think our music is very similar to OLD black metal, but also to speed, thrash and even heavy metal. We make old metal like we want to, we don't have a particular style, that's maybe also a reason why we are popular, our music is for ALL metal heads. As for black metal, I like the new black metal too but there are too many bands who play BM nowadays. I only have a few favorites...

What can you say about your musical roots, where do they come from? Are there any bands or persons who inspire you to create music and lyrics? You played CARNIVORE covers for some time, right? Then what do you think of TYPE'O'NEGATIVE, the present Peter Steele's band? And what about Lemmy and MOTORHEAD? (greatest metal band ever, at least in my opinion - ED)

- I have my roots in IRON MAIDEN, MOTORHEAD, METALLICA and SLAYER. Further more I grew up with KING DIAMOND, VENOM, CARNIVORE and DARK ANGEL. I like the old TYPE'O'NEGATIVE, but not "October Rust". It sucks.

Who are the most overrated metal bands and why?

- I think SEPULTURA and MAYHEM are (and you are absolutely right - ED). They are both good bands, but the people make a far too big fuzz about it. It's pathetic...

I think that such term as "free country" fits Netherlands perfectly... What do you think of niggers, gays, lesbians and other scum, who could be met  quite often on the streets of Amsterdam and other Dutch cities? Weed is also legalized in your country; do you think it was a right decision?

- I really hate people on the street who bother me with drugs. It's got nothing to do with color, but there are too many illegal people from Africa and England in Amsterdam. They are all addicted to heroin and I think they should be shot on sight. As for gay people, they don't bother other people, so I have nothing against them. They have a problem, not me, he he! I am against excessive weed-abuse. It's okay to have a joint so now and then, but people who are stoned every day are stupid, they are just hiding from their problems.

Can you say for sure that Shivadarshana promoted you the way you needed? Why did you choose this label to release "Let Us Win This War"?

- They came closest to our demands while making a contract. They promoted us pretty bad, but looking at our Internet-page, we have a lot of visitors and this is also good promotion. Still, Shivadarshana didn't do a good job trying to sell our CD.

What can you tell me about your beliefs? Are you a satanist? Such song as "The Perversity Of Satan's Ugliest", what does it speak about? I hardly believe that Satan really exists, it's just a christian myth, together with Christ...

- Not really: satanism is old paganism (Satan = pan, the Greek god,
combined with some Germanic and Scandinavian gods). Christianity was like politics in the old days. They tried to make the old gods look bad by writing about them as Satan. That way, everyone chose for Christianity. I think Christianity, together with the Islam, is one of the most evil religions in the world. I believe like a real Satanist - believe in yourself: if you do something bad, you only have yourself to blame and you have to fix the problem, if you do something good, you can only reward yourself.

Whom do you consider as your musical rivals? Are there any bands, similar to GODDESS OF DESIRE?

- We don't have any rivals, there are no bands like us (I bet you've never heard of such thing as "modesty"... - ED). We maybe a bit like VENOM, but they are big and we are just small.

Have you ever thought of writing lyrics in Dutch language? I think, it would be quite interesting experience...

- I thought about starting a black metal band as a project. If I will do it, it will be in a Dutch dialect (twents). I think it will be cool, as it will sound a bit like Norwegian.

I know that Germans and Belgians dislike your country-mates and you
dislike them; it seems to be a kind of wordless war... What is the reason for such a hatred between you and them?

- There is no war. It's just that some old people still have a thing with the second world war. We don't hate Germans, but only old people do, they think they're still fascists.

What do you think of other groups, signed to Shivadarshana, f.e.x. such as LIAR OF GOLGOTHA?

- Hmm, most bands are very good. I like IMPIETY from Singapore, also on Shivadarshana, they have a very cool web site too.

What happened to the band called FUNERAL WINDS? The rumors told me that they split up some time ago...

- I don't know, I think they are stupid lamers... They claim to be "true evil" and stuff. I met them once and they hurt some guy I know, just because he wasn't black metal enough... (erh, that's right if he really wasn't... - ED)

What is your opinion of present situation in extreme / dark metal
underground?

- I think there are too many black metal bands now. I hope it will stop soon. Some bands are starting the old school stuff now, so I am happy we were there already two years ago.

Can you give me your play-list?

- Uhhm:
1. BURZUM - Hvis Lyset tar Oss (the song)
2. CARNIVORE - Male Supremacy
3. VENOM - At War With Satan
4. SLAYER - Black Magic
5. MOTORHEAD - Shine

Hey, you named BURZUM's song as one of your favorites! Do you really
appreciate all Varg's activities?

- I like his music very much, I have all BURZUM albums. I also like his political opinions, although they are a bit primitive.

And what about Euronymous? (Fortunately this worthless scum is dead now - he was just spoiling the scene...)

- I think so too, the guy was a communist! MAYHEM is better off without him! I heard a new MAYHEM album last weekend and it was great! Better than with Euronymous (aarrgghh, finally I talk to man who has the same views as I have! - ED).

Rave and techno-"music" movement is very strong now in Europe and the most bad thing is that lots of youth are into this stuff, rejecting REAL musical art... What is the reason for such a popularity of this "music", how do you think?

- It is drugs-music, it is powerful (they think), it is cool, because it means free sex and because the shows are big (for 10.000 people at least), people meet a lot of people for one night... I hate it, it is terrible and bad for your ears.

Some of my pals told me that your shows are really amazing... Can you give me some additional info, concerning your live perfomances?

- We have some scales with burning stuff on the sides, which I light with my burning sword, also some skulls with burning flames on it. Next to the drums are a few poles with cow skulls on it with burning flames under it. A cross is burned by fire breathing and in between, half the stage explodes because of our fireworks.

You also toured with THERION and GOREFEST some time ago... Did you have a good time with them? Being such a famous bands, do they still support underground?

- They still do, especially THERION. We had a lot of fun playing with both of the bands.

I know that you've been in Norway... What would you like to tell me about this country and it's people? Have you met anyone who belongs to BM scene? What is you opinion concerning these characters? Is there any meaning in burning down the churches? They are just buildings (and very beautiful ones!), and you won't harm christianity this way!

- Norway is a beautiful country. The people are a bit study, but once you get to know them, they are very nice and open. I met Fenriz from
DARKTHRONE and Garm from ULVER. Garm is very silent and Fenriz is pretty weird. Burning churches only makes christians angry and their faith only grows stronger, so it has the opposite effect from the effect the Satanists want. I also think that buildings are beautiful and it serves no purpose in burning them.

I believe that you are not of very good opinion about christianity... What did you (personally and as GODDESS OF DESIRE member) do for destroying this religion?

- I just hate mass-fanatism, like Christian fanatics, Jehovah's witnesses and Islamics. They are always looking for some holy war and stuff. Look at the middle east. If there was no religion, they would live in peace... (and what about the second question? - ED)

What do you know about my motherland? Your opinion, concerning Russian people? Do you know any Russian metal bands?

- I know KRUIZ and MASTER (Mactep), I had a Russian pen pal once and he sent me this. I like it, especially MASTER, it's brutal thrash metal. Russia seems to be very poor and ruled by mob-gangs. Moscow is a very hostile and dangerous city, according to the media over here (stop watching the fucking TV - ED). I'd like to visit Russia later in my life, but now it's too dangerous to go there, I think.  Although the north (close to the Baltic States) is very nice.

When will we have a chance to hear a new recordings from GODDESS OF
DESIRE? Have you written any new songs already? How do they sound alike?

- We have made a few more songs. They are very powerful, but they have also a bit more melody in it. I also changed my vocals to a Peter Steele-like voice. It will be recorded soon, but when I can't tell you yet. Maybe we have new material out next year.

Grev Drake fra GODDESS OF DESIRE
http://heaven.webguide.net/~bart/goddess/index.html
Mail to: grdrake@pi.net
ICQ: 3431223
IRC: GrevDrake on #Black_metal and #zwartmetaal

Grev Drake
Jean Monnetstraat 17
NL-1963 KP Heemskerk
The Netherlands

Metal To The Metals!!!
...only dead people are cool...