Finally here comes an interview lacking questions regarding the background NECROLOGY has! But no, you will suffer anyway... this time telling me what was the principal reason for your band's foundation. I mean, even though NECROLOGY sounds enough distinctively, it's not that original anyway... So I guess, you weren't obsessed with forming something utterly innovative, were you? Hence, what's the reason...?
- Well, as you have probably realised, "Cold Skin" is our first Cdemo, so we were (and are) still searching for our own style. Among the songs on that cd are some of the first songs we’ve ever written. Have you ever heard NILE’s or CRYPTOPSY’s first demos? I think every band has to start somewhere, and the first recordings will naturally not be the most impressive work you have ever heard. Anyway, the reason why NECROLOGY’s first incarnation was founded is because the members that were in the band at that time wanted a possibility to practise their instruments. It kinda changed a little while before I became involved. They started writing their own songs and I stepped in as a bassplayer. Then we started kicking everyone out who couldn’t keep up with us and here we are. By the way, how original is it to start a fanzine and interview metalbands? It’s not easy to be original these days, and I don’t think it’s always necessary. But wait until you hear our new mini-cd “Malignancy Defined”. I think you will be surprised.
Why
does "Cold Skin" appear as a self-released effort? It's qualitative enough
to gain interest from various record companies, so...
- Well, thanks! We thought so too. Well, we released it ourselves simply because it’s our first effort, and we didn’t have a label. Thanks to that cd though, we did get some good response, and our second cd will definitely be released by a label, although we did pay for the recordings ourselves again. Watch out it for it later this year. By the way, there is a very good chance that both cd’s will be put on one disc in North and South America, Canada and some other countries (perhaps even Russia).
Let me wonder what language "Bloedhoest" lyrics are written in? Either Dutch or Flemish, I assume? Anyway, why did you decide to make such a move? I mean, writing lyrics in your native language is the king of thing that's rarely met among death metal acts?
- I am very sorry to disappoint you, but they are actually just in English. I usually explain the song as Deep Throat, but with needles instead of…. The title means something like “bloodcough”. We got the idea when our first singer (I told you there were old songs on the cd…) had a very bad cold, and was coughing blood. Our drummer said “hey, Bloedhoest, that’s a cool songtitle”. So I wrote a song about coughing blood. But the reason for the coughing in the song is choking on needles, instead of a cold. By the way, I was talking about this with Remmert the other day, and I might actually write some Dutch splatter-lyrics for our next cd, if we feel like it.
Would you like to introduce us a new guy in NECROLOGY, as I believe he joined the band after "Cold Skin" was completed?
- Well, actually, the picture in the "Cold Skin" cd is a bit out of date. That’s Emiel, he joined us just before the recording of CS. But when we wrote new songs he couldn’t keep up with the technical standards (yadayadayada), so we got a new guy. It’s Ivo, and he’s really tall. Remmert and I played with him before in UNCEASING CONVULSIONS. He has also played in a hardcore band called SUBDUE. He kinda looks like a skater, but don’t let that fool you. He writes really brutal stuff. And he plays a six string bass (he rocks).
What's the sense in using both, death and black metal voice when it comes to vocal department? Don't you think that growling is kindly enough?
- Well, in the first place, we don’t see
it as black metal voice. You
should think of bands like CARCASS or ANGEL
CORPSE (not that we sound
anything like them). But we do it just
for variation. We all like "Tomb Of The Mutilated", but we feel that after
a while the vocals make it sound a bit boring. I just try to avoid that.
On the new recordings, there’s a bit less “black metal” voice, but still
enough to keep the fans satisfied…
What kind of support do you get in both, Netherlands and abroad, and is there any?
- Yeah, we get some support. Of course, there’s the people who buy the cd’s. And there are fantastic, wonderful people like you who ask us for an interview (thanks). A few labels are distributing our first demo, and a few labels have shown interest in the next cd. And there is Dwell Records (www.dwellrecords.com) who have asked us to participate on an AC/DC tribute cd called “For Those About To Rot”. It should be out soon now. We covered “You Shook Me All Night Long” in a very brutal way… By the way, as long as we’re talking about support, I would just like to say that you can support us by checking out our website at http://listen.to/necrology and while you’re there, sign the guestbook. Everything NECROLOGY does will be published there, as well as ordering information.
Who would you classify
as NECROLOGY's influences, both musically and
lyrically? I suppose,
these are not death metal acts only?
- Well… That’s not easy to answer, because we are four entirely different persons. Our influences vary from pop-bands via DEATH to MORTICIAN. Remmert also likes punkbands and one of his favourite bands is FAITH NO MORE. Ivo’s roots are in hardcore and he is a real grindcore-fan. Patrick likes guitarheroes like Marty Friedman and Steve Vai. I like all kinds of bands like IRON MAIDEN, THE CARDIGANS (really…) and SLAYER. Patrick and I are also into classical music (at the moment my favourite is Beethoven). As far as (brutal) death metal goes (we all like that (duhhh…)), our influences include MORBID ANGEL, (new) DEATH, SUFFOCATION, CRYPTOPSY, a bit of CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORTICIAN, BROKEN HOPE and a whole bunch of others. And of course there is SLAYER.
What are your views on current death metal revival (at least, that's what people use to call it)? Will this "boom" (or whatever...) last for long??
- I think it’s fantastic that there is a
lot of publicity for death
metalbands nowadays. Of course there are
a lot of shitty bands, but it is a lot easier to find the great ones (like
NILE and CRYPTOPSY) than a few years ago. I don’t know if it will last
long, probably not longer than the black metal-hype, but great bands will
survive anyway (think of MORBID ANGEL and CANNIBAL CORPSE). As long as
it lasts, people just have to ride the wave. I believe a lot of new talent
will be discovered thanks to this hype. People often complain that some
bands become more commercial, but I don’t see this as a problem. Of course
some bands sell out, but if you don’t like it, don’t buy it. On the other
hand, I do have to laugh at all those black metal bands that are suddenly
playing death metal, while saying that in fact they have always liked it
and wanted to play it…
Do you frown upon unoriginal bands? What about bands who may be not so original, but are equally great as their main influence (it often happens this way, believe me)? For example, Sweden's ROTTEN SOUND are utterly inspired by ENTOMBED, but they are so much better than their main influence (at least, that's my opinion)?!
- If you take originality as a standard, I think 75 percent of all new bands should pack their stuff and leave. It’s not that easy to be original. But if you give bands the time to develop, usually something like a original style will surface. And original does not equal good. In Holland we have a saying “better well stolen than badly written”. If a band is really good, who cares if someone else has done it before? Just don’t be a total rip-off, but give it your own spin. Of course, I have to admit that I enjoy original bands more (like NILE and CRYPTOPSY (again), DYING FETUS and the mighty MORBID ANGEL).
Would
you like to make any comments on those individuals who (seem to) praise
death (verbally, of course)? You know, writing "death is certain, life
is not" and alike slogans... and so on, and so forth. What about these
freaks? Personally I think they don't know a shit about life to say things
like that! If one faced death even once a lifetime, if he saw his decline
coming nearer, step by step... or just at once, he wouldn't make any alike
statements, since it depends on whether you're experienced or not.
- This is a though question, but I believe I speak for the band when I say that we don’t think “death is cool, huh huh huh”. We know that there is nothing cool about dying, or actually torturing people. Splatter lyrics should be seen, just like horror movies, as entertainment. (Like us, we don’t take it seriously in anyway)
What do you know (and think) regarding Russia? Any metal bands coming from our lands that you've heard lately?
- The only thing I know is that Poetin has
won the election. I’m very sorry to say we don’t know any Russian bands.
We are always interested in bands with talent from any region whatsoever,
but there’s not a lot of publicity about Russian bands in our country.
If you know anything we should know, please tell us. (any websites?) You,
however should check out the following bands from Holland (you won’t be
disappointed): PYAEMIA www.pyaemia.com, DISAVOWED http://disavowed.hypermart.net
and DEITY'S FLESH http://welcome.to/deitysflesh. Of course, as I said before,
we
would be very honoured if all of you came
to our website at
http://listen.to/necrology.
Let's slow down for a moment. And stop at all... since the interview should be finished at this point. Sorry to say that. Thank you and hope to hear you wishing me well!
- Thank YOU very much for asking us for this interview, we really appreciate it. We hope (and expect) that we will have a licensing deal in Russia soon, so look out for us over there. And finally, stay brutal and keep supporting the underground (it’s important!). Thanks.
NECROLOGY contact -
Email: w.vosbergen@chello.nl