A few questions - interview with death metal band from Netherlands - BLOODGOD.
Ave,
can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded
and what style of music do you play , etc. ?
Hi,
we’re three dudes hailing from Utrecht, the Netherlands. Together
we’re better known as Bloodgod. The band features a basic rock 'n
roll lineup of guitar, drums and bass, which is not very common for a
deaththrash outfit. Bloodgod consists of Daan Douma on guitar and
vocals, Frank van Boven on bass and vocals, and me, Johnny Derechos,
on drums.
Bloodgod
was initially formed in 2011 as a side project of Nuestros Derechos
guitarist/vocalist Jerry Herrie and me, along with ex-Warchitect
guitarist/vocalist Mike Schoemaker. We had a handful of songs, enough
to do some gigs, but suffered from a series of lineup changes due to
various reasons.
I'm
the only original member left. When Daan joined we decided to start
over with a clean slate and new songs. We just kept the band name and
logo, both courtesy of Mike. After Frank joined in late 2012 Bloodgod
became a real band and not just a side project.
The
band delivers melodic death metal with duo lead vocals. Often with a
pinch of thrash, a drop of groove metal and a touch of black. As one
reviewer described it: 'No brutal and blunt aggression, but slightly
grooving death metal with a clear sound and some melodic American
deaththrash influences.' I think that's a proper description.
Bloodgod’s
debut EP 'Pseudologia Phantastica’ was released in 2013. It was
recorded and mixed by Quintijn Verhoef at Studio Independent
Recordings (Incarnate, Led Astray, T.C.F., Terzij De Horde, Divine
Sins, The Fifth Alliance, etc.) in our hometown Utrecht. And recently
we released our second EP ‘Catharsis’.
Where
and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was
in charge of sound, production and mastering?
For
'Catharsis' five brand new tracks were recorded and mixed by Arnout
Leene, Folkert van Blom and Marieke Koedijk at Mass Audio Studio in
our hometown Utrecht. Mass Audio is an upcoming collective of three
enthusiastic and highly skilled sound engineers with a love for
classical music and heavy bands. All tracks were mastered by Grammy
nominated engineer Jacob Hansen (Aborted, Mercenary, Volbeat,
Pestilence, etc) in Denmark.
How
many copies were released and which medium was used for this new
edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
We
decided to release the EP as limited edition CD (500 copies only,
each copy painstakingly hand-numbered). It's also available on major
platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Spotify, and Bandcamp
among others.
Who
is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and what do the
lyrics deal with?
For
this EP I wrote nearly all lyrics. Sometimes I let the music inspire
me, most of the times inspiration comes from another source. It can
be just anything: a book or tv series, or a real life experience such
as that one time when I visited an archaeological route under the
centuries old Dom square in our hometown and discovered 2000 years of
Utrecht history, including the bizarre story of the destructive
tornado that hit the episcopal cathedral and turned it into ruins.
Who
created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and
the website? What
about you and social networks? Do you consider these things
important?
Original
guitarist Mike Schoemaker, formerly of Warchitect, Passion and Zomer,
came up with the band name and logo. He allowed us to continue using
both after he departed, which was a generous gesture.
The
artwork for 'Catharsis'' was created by Lisa Röttjers. It depicts ‘t
Schrickelik Tempeest’, meaning 'the horrible tempest' in old Dutch.
It refers to the song with the same title.
I
take care of the website and most social networks. Yes, I consider
these things important since it's the first impression people get.
We're not pros and it's okay if things look a bit DIY but at the same
time we try to maintain a certain basic quality. Hope it shows,
hahaha.
Which
label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label?
Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takes care
about you?
The
reality of today is that bands don't necessarily need a label. The
days when a record label would advance the cost of studio recordings
are long gone. Also, bands no longer need a label for distribution.
The only thing an underground DIY band like Bloodgod could use, is
extra promotional support I think. So when we're ready to release our
full-length debut, we might reach out to small labels that share the
same passion for metal as we do.
Did
you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was
the response?
Actually
no, we did not get in touch with labels this time. We decided to
release it ourselves and see how well we could do promotion wise. I
think we should expand our fanbase a bit more before labels would be
interested. After all, for record labels, no matter how small, it
will be always a business model with return on investment as required
condition.
Which
bands do you idolize and where do you get your inspiration?
Well,
idolizing is a verb with a strong meaning. We do have respect for all
the bands out there that have managed to build a name for themselves
while staying true to their musical beliefs. Inspiration comes in
many ways. The grooves from bands like Pantera, Bolt Thrower and Lamb
of God, the energy and aggression from bands like Kreator, At The
Gates and Vader, the musical finesse from bands like Death, Machine
Head and Amon Amarth - man, there's simply too much to choose from!
How
many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether
it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you
consider as the best?
Not
sure how many shows we've done, but among them are some that I
remember well such as the first time we played abroad. We've shared
the stage with Can of Worms, Cryptopsy, Skeletal Remains, and
Terrorizer among others, and played several national festivals. Club
shows and festivals both have their attraction. Out best performance?
It's yet to come, haha. Seriously, we strive to improve with each
next gig.
What
about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the
band?
We
don't have a detailed master plan, but hope to improve as much as
possible with small steps at a time. As long as we continue to have
fun being part of Bloodgod, it's okay to get in a small van, drive
for hours to a next gig, carry our own gear, have shitty food and
lukewarm beers (except the designated driver of course), wait before
it's show time, rock our balls of on stage, load all gear again, get
in the van again to drive home in the middle of the night, tolerate
each other's smells and bad jokes to return home just before sunrise.
Would you believe that we actually love this shit? That's why it's
important we have this 'bromage à trois' where it's us versus the
world.
How
and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact
information?
Of
course! Please feel free to get in touch here:
Thanx
for your support. Keep up the goodwork and stay metal! Horns up!
Thank you very much for interview.
