MRP.Hello Rogier.To start off the interview can you please tell us abit about your musical background and the choice of playing the bassguitar.
R. Good evening, well.. my musical background? I guess that story isn't that much out of the ordinary to what most readers will remember about themselves. I don't really come from a rock or metal home, I only inherited the trouble making DNA from there. So back when I was young and handsome I was a little kid just out to find the next hard thing and all the stuff that was available end of the 80s and going into the 90s until you came to the point where you found the harshest stuff that was out there and you began to grow a taste for a certain kind of harsh music. The choice of playing a bass guitar? I think that was just God's way of telling me I'm an idiot because I can only handle 4 strings instead of 6.
MRP.Just out of curiousity,you were a great fan of Peter Steele (Type O' Negative).Is this the choice picking up a bassguitar in the first place?Which other artists are a big inspiration for you.
R. There will never be another Pete and i honestly think that some of his albums will not be topped by anyone, ever. He wasn't the reason I became a bass player and vocalist though. I started that already before and had been in my head for years. As the low frequency asshole that I am, he did inspire me a lot in sound and putting mood to music even if it's not that obvious at first. Other artists that are a big inspiration? Alice Cooper and Al Jourgensen are the first that come to mind. I admire many artists for their music and vision but these 3 have influenced me the most because they have the complete package and were unique in a world where everything else limits itself to scenes.
MRP.What made you the choice of playing in such harsh Metalbands in the first place?
R. Lack of talent, and no money for anger management.
MRP.Noticing your tattoos,with on both arms same design.What do they mean to you?
R. Indeed. Visually i wanted something different covering the arms as what is the norm, but they both have the same design and text with just a few differences in them concerning used symbolism. The text spells Sic Transit Gloria Mundi and that basically says it all, it's about downfall.
MRP.The first band i know with you in the ranks dates back to 1996,being the bassist/vocalist (As Moloch) in the symphonic BM band 'Ordo Draconis' and the demo 'When the cycle ends'.Why the choice leaving the band after the release of the 2001 cd 'The Wing and the Burden'.
R. Many reasons. It started out as a band but overtime it was not a band anymore. It was an entity that functioned on the outside as a band but internally it had became the private playground of a few people who saw it as their solo project. Combine that with the music that was written more and more not being my taste and I'm not even speaking about the attitude here it was clear that our ways would separate. So l left them and started something of my own that is now called Weltbrand. There it was very clear to see what the original differences actually were. I was already in Funeral Winds at that point too. I'm far more the non compomising guy. There is just no other way.
MRP.For many of the Dutch Underground you are well known being the ex-bassist for Funeral Winds,as being a session live member for various other bands,such as the band Infinity,Goat Torment and Styxian Industries.How do you look back on those periods.Are you still in contact with some of the bands?
R. Yes, I did Funeral Winds for many years and especially the Koude Haat era was the most inspiring one. Shame that did not last. Did Infinity for some gigs during a few years, can't remember but quit that one too to focus on something more real. I still do Goat Torment as a session live bass player and for Styxian I mainly do recordings. I still have contacts with the last 2 bands of course. For the rest, if paths split naturally there is always a reason for it. That also goes for most of the other music and personal projects I worked on. No need for repeating the past, just go forward.
MRP.Being in the scene for so many years.What are the best moments you can remember going through history.
R. As for my own musical experiences, that's much like asking a guy who is in a relation which of his girls was the best. Of course you always say the current one is the best otherwise you are doing something clearly wrong. Naturally the Brooklyn days were an absolute highlight but I like the way I am working now and the level I can do it on. I look back on past days with mixed feelings. Some were absolute shit, some were good but it's bullshit to look back at everything with nostalgia. It's too easy to say everything was better in the past. Just means you need to do better today. As for the music of others I listen to, Have to say Im a 90s boy through and through.
MRP.You are now active in various bands such as the German Dark Metal band Bethlehem,being vocalist for the French Necro BM band Hell Militia,and as mentioned,a session member for live shows.How do you combine this,with the limited time in a day.
R. Well, I left Bethlehem and joined Hell Militia after, so that saves some time. Combining them both, even if I wanted to, would be impossible anyway. For now i will focus on Hell Militia and Weltbrand exclusively and do session work if I have the time and oppurtunity for it. It's always a bit of a struggle with time, work bitching and the private time you need to maintain your relations. I may fuck shit up once in a while and set some wrong priorities but even an angry middle aged man like myself can still learn from his mistakes. But I will keep doing it for as long as i can do this 100%. The moment I have to compromise on anything I will just quit.
MRP.What does Weltbrand exactly stands for?
R.The soundtrack for the ultimate Genocide. It's our expression of our world view, the view outside. Every emotion is stripped to something very raw and primal, as is the music that supports it. This is the melting pot of influences that we have and the drive that is inside. That, or we are just 350 kilo in a room making a lot of noise.
MRP.Weltbrand being the main band,and a couple of releases already brought out,what are the upcoming plans for the band,with 'Control Division'dating back from 2010 already?
R. There will be a 7”out before the summer with some material we worked on last year. This was supposed to be a split but alas, shit happens and we decided to do it on our own. We stepped back in the live game and will play some selected club- and festival shows and a new full length is being written right now. Everything in it's time.
MRP.When can we expect some new Weltbrand material?And how will it be different from pre-releases.
R. As said before, there will be a 7” out with one song that is way more industrial and raw than anything we did so far and it will also contain a cover track by Ministry for which we are laying the final touch as we speak. Hope to get this out before the summer. In the mean time we are working on the new full length with out current line up as well. We had songs before already but we all took them apart and we are writing everything new with the line up we have now to make sure we utilize the current energy of each individual involved 100% instead of forcing them to play like someone else. I dont know how it will turn out exactly as we are making just the foundations now but we have all grown a lot as persons so change is always logical. More variation and more chaos probably, and we want to upgrade the vocals as well and really arrange them better this time.
MRP.What gets you inspired writing lyrics,and do you also get inspired from books,literature?
R. Can be everything. A look outside to all the fucking maggots that take up the space and you wonder why the hell they are still alive, to literature, history and it's men of steel. The demigods that at least made a change. As with music, the inspirations are a melting pot but i can say the philisophy of history is very present and you can take that any you want.
MRP.A while ago you became the vocalist for the French BM elite Hell Militia.How is the co-operation going so far?Since you live in the Netherlands.Did you do some live shows with them already?
R. As i am writing this I have to leave for Paris in 2 days and then rehearse for the first mini tour with them. Co operation has been very well so far even if we now only communicate on a distance. It is quite a difference with the former band i sang for, luckily. We now have the right minded spirits who have both the talent and the fire to make this grow into the second coming of the Pig. We start the tour this Thursday and from ther eon we will harvest what comes on our path.
MRP.How did you meet up with HM in the first place?How do you see the co-operation for in the near future?
R. We have known eachother since years already and there also was already a small “disastour” with Weltbrand and hell Militia a few years ago. At a certain level everyone has a connection it seems. So everything came quite natural when they needed a new vocalist for the band. The co operation for the near future? Let's get the cult of the Pig on the stages first and there are some interesting festival dates coming up after the mini tour as well. After that, we will of course record some new material to show that spiritual anger is greater than ever.
MRP.Your final words...
This world ain't dead yet...
http://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Moloch_%22RSD_Xul%22/6204
http://www.weltbrand.com
https://www.facebook.com/Weltbrand
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hell-Militia/479706878727741
http://w-t-c.org
http://www.season-of-mist.com
Coyrights:
Interview:Danny/MRP