From #2: HESSIAN

*// Where did you get that name? And while you're at it give some band background/ incarnation story...*

The name Hessian is derived from a High On Fire song. It's some kind of German mercenary from the 18th century, mostly known for being very disciplined and merciless. There's not really a story on how we started the band. We just got together one day and did that shit, simple as that.

*// And did you have some musical direction in mind when you started? How would you describe your music?*

I find it really hard to put a label on the music we make. I leave it up to the people who listen to it. We did have a general idea of what kind of music we wanted to play though. Yet trough out the writing process of our one sided 12 inch that idea has changed a lot. The record turned out to be something very different than I initially thought it was going to be. And I'm really glad it did, because we probably would have ended up with 5 songs that had already been written a hundred times before. I feel that this process is still going on and actually I hope it never stops. I don't want to be that band that rewrites it's own songs time after time. There are few who get away with that trick.

*// You all have some intense musical backgrounds, involving record writing, touring… Does that help when you’re starting a new project? You have a bigger list with contacts, not?

I don't really know actually. Personally I don't think our musical background is that big. We've all been and are in other bands but mostly in other genres or circles than what Hessian plays.

Also I like to think that the people who help us out in one way or another (for which we are very grateful), do it because they actually like what we do and not just because they're friends of ours.

*// You've played with Coliseum at the legendary PITS recently... How did that go? Was it some glorious experience?*

Last time I visited The Pits, the band playing called it the CBGB's of Europe and to me that pretty much sums it up. It's amazing to have something that real in our own backyard, so it's definitely always a pleasure playing there, especially with the good gentlemen of Coliseum on the bill. Good people, good bands, good atmosphere... One couldn't ask for more.

*// You’re also about to play that Church of Ra show 15/05 in Ghent. Special setting, Amenra, what are you expecting from that? You’re doing something together with Oathbreaker?

By the time I got around answering this question the Church of Ra show was already passed.

So to be clear, we played both Hessian and Oathbreaker songs with the two bands having their backlines pointed at each other. So 2 drummers, 2 guitarists, 2 bassplayers and 2 vocalists. We had a lot of good responses from people who attended the show and it sure was a special experience playing in a church with another band playing along.

There was a lot of time invested to set up this show by a lot of people and I think it turned out to be a once in a lifetime event. Something all attendees will agree on I think.

*// First release will be here soon tell us all we need to know about the record...*

We're releasing a one sided 12 inch on Smoke And Dust Records, containing 5 songs. Check our bandcamp page for a preview of what to expect. The releaseshow is planned 21st of april in Ghent with our friends in Oathbreaker and Deceiver.

*// Now before we talk about those 5 songs (that have probably seen the light of day by now) I wonna talk some label/visual stuff. So you signed with Smoke & Dust. How did that come about? We all know S&D is run by the fantastic dudes behind black heart rebellion and We Became Aware, soo how did it go to create visuals. Did you give them folks some guidelines? The logo for one is awesome!*

As you already said, Smoke And Dust is run by our friends in The Black Heart Rebellion and Webecameaware. With Tim playing drums in both TBHR and Hessian, and us all being friends for some time, the link was made pretty easily. As graphic designers, Vally and Tomas (who run the label and Webecameaware) offered us a package deal. You see, the S&D concept is to release records and simultaneously provide the artwork for those records trough Webecameaware.

Which brings us to the artwork related part of the question. Looking at the stuff they made in the past and considering the fact webecameaware had never really done artwork for a punkmetal band yet, we were sure they were gonna make something unconventional in contrast to the traditional artwork used on releases in the genre. A concept we were all really excited about, so we just went with it. A decision that turned out to be the best we could make. We couldn't be more satisfied with the final result of both the logo and the artwork for the LP and this certainly won't be the last time we've worked with them. So be sure to keep an eye on Webecameaware and Smoke And Dust. Some really cool releases coming up.

*// We’re a little further in time, last week was the release show and… it was Awesome!!! A lot of people and a great record! How do you feel about the 12”…*

Thank you, we had a great time ourselves and couldn't have asked for a cooler release show.

I'm very satisfied with the record. It's a great feeling to finally hold something you worked on for so long in your own two hands. Although this is only the beginning, I'm really proud of what it turned out to be. Every aspect of the package fits perfectly together in the way we wanted it to and from the beginning that's all we cared for.

*// Well the 12” definitely is one to have for everyone. You can hear that the musicians know how to handle their tools! For instance how you hit of with Torch! But also lyricwise everything feels right. Can you give some more explanation on the following lines + the general lyrical content?

Bram: I think most of my lyrics are pretty forward and don't leave room for a lot of other interpretation than the feeling I'm trying to convey with them, something I'm trying to steer away from in the future. I guess everyone gets the anti-religious tone in "Torch" for example.

-From “Blood Of Elijah”: “Revenge of the earth upon ourselves! A radiant abyss where man meets himself!”
The lines you chose from "Blood" are basically about karma, but on a global scale. It's just my feeling that we, humanity, can't get away with the continuous rape of our only planet without some reproach. The "radiant abyss" is the hell we are marching towards, slowly but surely.

-From “Sang-Froid”: “Idle minds - Wasting time”

"Sang-froid" is about people who are alive but not living, just going through the motions without a second thought. This could be about those who are struggling to make a living, making ends meet, having little pleasure in life, or it might as well be about the kid that goes to shows just to complain about how there's no good bands anymore and how jaded he is, instead of picking up a guitar and just start that band.

-From “Rabhas”: “I am worth a thousand scars - One for every fight I’ve caused - Most of them were with myself - And every time I’ve lost”

"Rabhas" means "to do violence", and the whole song just deals with the feeling of rage.

*// On “Sons Of Avarice” you have Bjorn Rise And Fall singing along… How did that come about? What is that song about?

Rise And Fall was one of the bands that had our back right from the start, so getting Bjorn to do guest vocals was no problem. Lyricwise "Sons of Avarice" goes along the same line as "Blood of Elijah", speaking of how we are designing our own fate.

*// Now what will be the next step for Hessian? Are there plans for another release? Tours? Whatever…?

We're in writing mode for a full length at the moment. We still have a long way to go on that one but in the meantime we recorded a new song which will be released on a split 7 inch with Amenra as the last installment of their split-series. So keep your eyes peeled for more news on that.

*// I guess this is it… Good luck spreading the Hessian vibe… Some final words?

Check out our release on Smoke and Dust records and keep your eyes open for what else they have coming your way. Thanks for the interview.

From #2: RVIVR!

I used to be a huge sucker for melodic punkrock. When I was about 16 years old I bought every Fat Wreck and Epitaph release blindly. My interest faded as I got to know new music. I never bothered to check out new punkrock bands but occasionally listen to old favorites. Untill I stumbled upon RVIVR. They’re melodic but also have an edge and are deeply into the whole DIY philosophy. Check them out, download their releases on http://www.rumbletowne.com and donate something. They sure as hell deserve it!

Introduce yourself to the readers and give us a short history of RVIVR and the previous bands you were in.

Erica - We started RVIVR 2 1/2 years ago because we wanted to be in a band that made us feel good. We've all been in loads of other bands in all sorts of genres of music.

You toured Europe in september/oktober. How was that experience? Any crazy tour stories?

 Erica - That experience kicked major ass and made us feel super lucky. A crazy tour story is... we got to swim naked in the French Riviera and  Kev got stung by a mysterious jelly fish and acted cool about it til he reached shore and then his arm swelled up. AND THEN we went to a little

apothecary and this man had concocted his own personal liquid cure for Medusa (jellyfish) stings with a handwritten label. And then, to celebrate, we did a human pyramid with our French friends and the other band we were on tour with, Offshore Radio from the UK.

Some of you are involved in Rumbletowne Records, which is a label that uses the whole 'download and donate' philosophy. What's the reason behind this? Why did you start the label?

Erica - We started RTR to try out what it would feel like to release our own music. The download thing just makes sense. We obviously want people to hear the music if they want to hear it. You can download anything that people care to hear on the internet ANYWAY via mediafire and torrents and all that bullshit. We wanted to make it super easy for people to have access to the records as ENTIRE COMPOSITIONS, so they don't have to download tracks 2,7 & 4 and wonder what order they go or or what record they're from. And if people want to donate, that's so fucking rad and thank you very much.

RVIVR and Rumbletowne Records are based in Olympia, a city with a very rich history musicwise (the early grunge days, riot grrl, labels like K Records,...). Did you grow up in Olympia? If so, how was it to grow up in a city with so much music? Are you influenced by the city's rich musichistory?

 Erica - I grew up in Olympia. I know that Oly's history is beautiful and powerful and has affected and inspired a ton of cool shit. I'm 28 and so I was just starting to go to shows in like 1996 as Riot Girl was winding down. I missed it. I went to some of those bands' shows, but I didn't understand at the time. The punk I was listening to was shitty, masculine, destructive, sloppy small town shit, in the same venues that were hosting the rad powerful women dominated shit on other nights of the week. Go figure. People my age in other parts of the country/world were more tuned in to what was happening within a mile from where I was spending my teen years. Ok, but that aside, whether or not I was aware of the IT music

scene(s) happening in Olympia, it was definitely normalized in my young life that people (not just MTV people) were creating really really good music. That's radical, breaking down that barrier that stands between

YOU and people who inspire. Role models you can get a coffee with. We are all just a bunch of messy damn humans!

How is the current music scene in Olympia? I see you're playing a show with Wolves In The Throne Room. Are you friends with the band? What other Olympian bands do we need to check out?

 Erica - Wolves are friends. We went to highschool together. The February 2011 issue of MRR has an article about active Olympia bands. Socks and Sandals is a good Olympia band. There are good and bad bands in Olympia.

Your lyrics are kind of personal and introspective. Would RVIVR ever write a political song? I see you're playing benefit shows. Is the socio-political aspect of music important for RVIVR?

 Erica - It wouldn't be a stretch to say our songs ARE political. And personal. We write about what weighs on us and the injustices of the world are fucking heavy. Also, I think it's important to use what power you can to bring good into your community/the world. If people will come to see our band and like our band, then it's good feeling to play benefit shows or to use RVIVR as a tool to raise money for projects that need money to exist.

What's your top 5 favorite records of all time?

 Erica - I'm bad at that game. All I'm gonna say is the Hidden Spots, but that's just what I'm thinking of RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT.

What are your future plans as a band?

 Erica - Rock. Record. Tour. Make beautiful art. Live a fucking good life.

 http://www.rumbletowne.com

From #2: BLACK KITES!

BLACK KITES

*// Black Kites is touring Europe this summer, what can we expect? What is Black Kites about?*

      TOM/ We toured last summer with Zann from Germany and had a great time. Robert from Zann mentioned bringing us over to Europe the following summer and we were pretty honored and excited. We will be touring with California's Ghostlimb from August 1st until August 21st.  So far we are playing in Germany, Netherlands, UK, Belgium and France, along with a possible show in Slovenia and a show in Prague.

     Black Kites is about many things.  I grew up in the hardcore scene of the early 90s in the United States and really loved the ethos, dialogue and music of that time. So much of my idea of what hardcore is about was influenced by that time of my life. Bands like Endeavor, Groundwork, 108 and Frail were very influential to me. I wanted to start a band that captured the sound and ideals of that time while still inserting some more modern song writing. Jeff and Jay both seemed to be on bored with idea.  We are a vegan straight edge band and all feel passionately about issues of human rights and human dignity.

       JAY/ Personally, I've always thought of Black Kites as a live band, if that makes sense. So I think that you can expect to hear the songs you may have heard already on record but more exciting, dynamic, and engaging than they are on record. As far as what we're about, I think that's kind of a hard thing to pin down. Yeah, we're vegan and straight-edge and that's certainly one of the things that brought us together. I think that more than that; however, Black Kites is three dudes that love playing hardcore and find a lot in the world to be horrified with. You can see that love of music when we play and you can feel that horror and disgust, too.

*// Where did you get the name Black Kites and what does it stand for?*

                               TOM/ Before Jay started playing drums for us our friend Pete Martin was our original drummer. We never played a show with Pete and we wrote about 5 songs with him before he left the band.  Pete came up with the name Black Kites.  A Black Kite is a type of bird and we thought it sounded great.  No special meaning really, just thought it sounded nice.

*// Now Jay answered the “what does Black Kites stand for” question already, being a vegan straight edge band. But are there other messages you consider very important for Black Kites?

    TOM/ Black Kites is Jeff Guerriero, Jay Wiggen and Tom Schlatter. We started the band about 3 years ago.  I was looking to start a new band but at at the time I was 29 years old and didn't really know anyone locally my age who was still playing this type of music. I felt a little discouraged. I posted on a local hardcore forum that I was looking for people to start a band with. Jeff responded. Jeff and I had met on numerous occasions before, I didn't think of him at first for the band because I didn't know that he liked this style of hardcore. Jeff and I shared many of the same personal politics and views on DIY hardcore, so it was a great match.  Pete Martin was our first drummer and helped us write our first few songs. Pete moved away soon after and Jeff suggested we ask Jay to play drums. Jay fit in extremely well in terms of playing style, personal politics and influences of music we were going for. I am super fortunate to have found younger people like Jay and Jeff who still have admirable convictions and want to translate them into the hardcore scene. I hate to generalize but it's something that's rare in the younger generation of hardcore today.

      Once the three of us were rehearsing regularly I suggested we get a bass player.  Jeff seemed to like the dynamic of the three of us though and convinced me not to.  We recorded our first demo ourselves on my computer and started playing shows soon after. The response was quite nice and we felt very supported.  All three of us have different roots in the different sub genres and sub scenes in New Jersey so in a way we were able to garner support from all those places and introduce people to each other.  The scene in New Jersey is made up of people with so many different approaches and ideas but we all admire what each other are doing.

*// You were talking about the ideas (on different themes)  that matched with Jay and Jeff... what ideas were you talking about? Do we talk politics? 

      TOM/ I have very strong convictions toward combating racism, sexism and homophobia. Sadly, the majority of people in the hardcore scene here don't share these convictions. The hardcore scene is plagued with some extremely immature and offensive behavior, which is mostly a result of punk rock boys starving for attention. There is a large "punk for the sake of punk" mentality that really isn't interested in building any kind of community, but more focused on figuring out ways to live out some Peter Pan-esque fantasy. Much of the scene in New Jersey is centered around partying and getting high, no real community or political context to speak of. I felt really isolated at times in my political stances and my preferences to view the DIY scene as an alternative to drug use and apathetic behavior. Jay and Jeff were unique in that they are two young people who have the same convictions as I do. We all share these convictions and our passion for making DIY hardcore mean something; a way to educate and communicate ideas. I probably sound too serious here and I don't want to come off that way. We have a great deal of fun too, I love the friends we've made over the past 3 years playing in this band as well. But, I feel when you play music you're passionate about and everyone in the band shares these same convictions, it can be that much more rewarding.

*// Black Kites is a pretty busy/productive band, I see some nice gig/touring schedule but you also seem to release records on a regular base... How do you guys make everything work? Do you have jobs besides the band?*

      TOM/ When the band first began we all lived in New Jersey and we were playing almost 5 - 6 shows a month. Our touring has never been too extensive since we all work regular jobs or (in the past) attended school full time. Since last summer Jay moved to Brooklyn and is also in 5 different bands so things have slowed down a bit. It takes patience and communication to keep the band going strong. Everyone has to be on the same page with how much effort they want to put into something like this. We set up a weekly practice schedule and also try our best to set goals/deadlines for song writing and recording.  We've cut back a bit on shows since it has become quite an investment in travel costs to get us all together at times. As of now we average about 2 -3 shows a month in the northeastern United States.

      JAY/ More than being incredibly dedicated or working extremely hard or having to sacrifice to make the band work, I think it's just that this band comes naturally to us. We work well together; hence the three years of playing, touring, and recording. As far as jobs go, yes we're all employed in varying ways on various schedules, but there's always time somewhere for the band. If I'm ever at a point where I can live off of playing music I like, I'll have it made. For now though, I'll continue to drive box trucks.

*// Let’s talk releases. Your latest effort “Songs Written While Things Were Changing”. What is that title about. Was Black Kites at some turning point? Is there a general theme throughout the record?

      TOM/ We were writing this record when a lot of things were happening. Jeff and Jay were both graduating college and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives.  I was going through a divorce and ending a 10 year relationship. Writing the record was a healthy way to channel all of our anxieties about these changes into something positive. I remember we played a show just after recording those songs and we were all pretty moved; just emotionally exhausted. The name of the record is very blunt. I'm not really for abstraction, I like things to be said for what they are. Sure, we could have quoted some obscure dead writer in some line about perpetual change, but I think that's kind of useless for me. These are songs we wrote when things were changing. That's just what they are. When I suggested the title to Jay and Jeff I thought it seemed to fit everything around us. Jeff came up with the idea for the cover art. I think it conveys childhood and simplicity... a time when you are unaware of how much fluctuation life is going to throw at you. The contrast between the title and the art really convey the message well in my opinion (not to mention they are some funny pictures of us as kids).

*// You played a show w/ 108 in Brooklyn early January. 108 is amongst your influences... How did that go, how did you experience sharing the stage w/ them?*

       TOM/ When Rob Fish got in touch with us to ask us to play the show I was a little awe struck.  I've been listening to 108 for the past 14 years and they have been highly influential on my song writing. Although I don't subscribe to Hare Krshna I connected with their subject matter on a more general perspective.  They addressed issues of materialism, animal rights, sexism, personal isolation and much more.  I don't feel that you need to subscribe to a religion to connect with these issues, and so, as an atheist, I still regard 108 as one of the most important bands in hardcore. 

      Playing the show was an amazing feeling, and in a way, really grounded me.  As I said before I was awe struck when Rob contacted us about the show because I had looked up to him for years.  When I met him for the first time at the show we had a great conversation and I realized something that I also knew, but perhaps forgot about. Rob is just like the rest of us; he's a guy who loves music and is passionate about it.  We're all in the same situation and sometimes when you look up to people you forget that. Hardcore is not about looking at people like untouchable celebrities, it's about embracing each other as peers.  It was great to meet him and realize that one of my favourite bands is also a very intelligent and friendly band. 

        Our set that night was great.  We were thrilled to be there and I felt great about supporting a band like 108.  Many of our friends from New Jersey came to the show and we had a great time.  The 108  set made me nostalgic for my younger days and made me understand that no matter what age I am I should still pursue making music that I love.

      JAY/ I had mixed feelings about this show... on the one hand, I was excited to play with 108 who I really enjoy for various reasons. On the other, the vibe of the show was very weird. Kids were heckling 108 while they set up and throughout their set. This is disheartening to me for a number of reasons but whatever. More than though, it was at a venue that brought in a security guard for the night who consistently caused problems for kids. Multiple friends of mine and other people were put in headlocks by this dude just for going off and getting into the music. It seemed like he'd never been to a hardcore show before. I've seen some ignorant shit in my years of going to shows, but there wasn't anything ignorant going down to 108. Anyway halfway through the set he was encouraged to calm down and thankfully did. Just goes to show, ACAB.

*// So what can we expect in terms of new material? Anything soon?

We are recording 5 songs next month for a split with a band called Convulsions. The songs are pretty varied and sort go places we haven't gone before. I'm excited about them. We've played two of them at shows so far and the reaction has been great.

*// I think that’s it… say your thx, goodbye’s… whatever…

Thanks so much for taking an interest in Black Kites, it's been a pleasure to do this interview!

From #1: GRINDING HALT

Ex Members from Shikari rocking it heavy and crusty… Not unlike His Herö Is Göne. Mark (singer) answered some questions…

> // So how did Grinding Halt come to life? Where did you get that name... And did you guys start GH after Shikari died? Was it a need for something else...?

Grinding halt was something started by Rene (guitar) and Pascal (drums, who's now playing guitar in Brito) about 10 years ago. It was just a two piece for fun I guess. Around 2003 or so i joined as well with Hans on bass and Jaap (Last Mile) on guitar. That line up played a couple of shows but we had more of 90's ebullition feel back then. It was mainly meant as a project we started and restarted when our other bands weren't very active. At some point it kind of stopped and Jaap and Pascal left. Then with the end of Shikari and The Last mile at almost the same time we all had our hands free to give it another try and with a different sound. Hans moved to drums and Eelco joined on bass. That must have been around 2006. In 2008 Hans left the band and Henk (Blood I Bleed) joined on drums. So that's quite a few bandchanges haha.... but yeah GH excists for some time now. I think there’s a demo with our earlier songs floating around on Soulseek if you're interested. The name Grinding Halt was taken from a Cure song as far as I know....

> // You just said that in the beginning you guys sounded like 90’s ebullition stuff… How would you describe your style now? 

Ha! Well, I’d like to think others can give a better description of what we exactly sound like but there’s a bunch of bands that have a big influence on us. So if someone would describe our sound using the following bands; His Hero Is Gone, Rorschach and Orchid I’d say that’s what we thought we’re doing.

> // It was a little quiet after the “Sprookjeshof” 12”. Because of the new found life in Shikari I assume? Now you play in Shikari as well, in what way is GH different than S? And where will GH go if S brings back the pace from 2004 - 2005?

Nah. Shikari had nothing to do with that. Also that is pretty much on hold now anyways. Not sure if anything will happen this year, so not that much interesting to say about really. After Sprookjeshof we did a bunch of shows and then our drummer left. So we had to look for a new one. When we started rehearsing again we mainly focused on getting a tight set together again and not so much on playing new songs.

Also we’re a very slow band when it comes to writing new stuff. But I think 2011 might actually see more than just one release. Fingers crossed.

> // All songtitles and lyrics are in dutch. From where that choice?

Well as you know I started writing lyrics in Dutch when I was in Shikari. The first time was actually for a compilation about the Dutch monarchy and I figured it would make sense to write it in Dutch. We were all really satisfied with how that worked out. I mean, it is my first language and it allowed me to put much more of a sarcastic or mean undertone in the lyrics. When GH got together in 2006 again it was no doubt really to continue writing in Dutch. Since a lot of the topics I write about have something to do with Dutch society or things I experience here it is definitely the best way to express my thoughts about it. Also the Dutch language has a great tradition when it comes to verbs and expressions which I like to use. 

> // When I read songtitles / lyrics I notice some politically aware messages... Is that Seein' Red's influence to the Dutch fastcore scene?

No, punk/HC in general would be more appropriate. But obviously SR has had a huge impact on the Dutch scene. Especially in the 90's when I got into punk/HC. Not only were they a big influence on the style of music that was played later on (Mihoen, Betercore, Point Of Few) but also more importantly on the DIY scene.

> // What is meant with that "Sprookjesbos" title...

The Sprookjeshof means something like "garden of fairytales" and is actually a theme park around here. Pretty old and not so well taken care of. I bet it was state of the art back when it opened but now most of it looks like the picture on the front cover of our 12". But it is still open for the kids. Anyway, the way this park looked in relation to it's actual name suited perfectly with the lyrics about the Dutch society on the 12". 

>// I read through the (Dutch) lyrics and off course the (English) explanations on the inlay of the 12” and must say all is pretty clear however…  There could be some readers that don’t know GH or what you’re about so, can you give some extra input on following sentences (I’ll leave the lyrics in Dutch, the extra info you give in English can speak for itself…?)

OK well some of it is all figure of speech. Like I said, dutch language is great when it comes to using images to express something.

à From the song ‘Tinkebel’: “ja tinkebel! opent haar mond ik hoor haar wel, versta haar

Niet”…

Tinkebel is this artist who skinned her cat as a piece of art. Can’t remember what it was but she claimed she had a statement with it. But I simply can’t think of any statement that justifies it to skin a cat. So that’s what the line is about. Making a statement without really saying something. “I can hear you but I don’t understand a word you’re saying”

à From the song ‘Weeralarm’: “Geen zon meer in de morgen, zwaar weer op komst”…

When I wrote this there had recently been a “weather alarm” in the Netherlands. Ridiculous. It was storming or snowing a bit. But definitely nothing seriously. I was amazed by the almost panic or crisis reaction by certain media. It was like our government was trying to use the weather to scare us. There’s some parallels here with the media and authority’s trying to scare us with the terrorist threat. The actual part of the lyrics is the fear we should feel. “there will be no tomorrow” 

à From the song ‘Welkom’: Ons bekendste word is nog altijd een klein smetje, genaamd apartheid”…

Two years ago (and still today) there was this sudden wave of nationalism spreading through the Netherlands. The prime-minister even went that far as claiming we should stop complaining and act like the Dutch East Indies Trading Company from back in the Golden Century. Yes he did. In the lyrics I’m referring to that period of time. The only dutch word that is probably known throughout the whole world is “apartheid”. I don’t think that is something we should be very proud of.

à And then my favourite topic, from the song ‘De Goden Verzoeken’: “geef niet, op wij kunnen je helpen om goed te geloven en blind te vertrouwen”…

Basically the essence of religion. Don’t give up, we can help you to believe and trust without having to think about anything. I’m still amazed by the amount of people that just live according to that line. Without realizing though. 

> // Allright nice! That filled in my expectations… So You mentioned a little earlier new stuff to be unleashed, can you unveil a little something? Sound? Lyric topics? Label? Dates?

Yeah last saturday we recorded two songs for a split 7" with Diet Pills from the UK (www.myspace.com/dietpillsband). They asked us recently if we were interested in doing such a project. We had some songs ready but no real idea about the format to release those. As we all like Diet Pills this is obviously a great oppurtunity to get a release out. So we recorded but that still needs to be mixed. Diet Pills have their stuff ready and the artwork is being done right now by Matt Glover (http://sin-eater666.blogspot.com/) so that should turn out quite nice. We're releasing it ourselves with the help of Forcefed records, Adagio830 and Shove records. We're aiming for end of april... but yeah we'll see how that works out.... apart from that there's no real plan but there are a couple of songs ready... Might be a 7" or maybe there's another band to do a split record with. But i'm sure we'll have it out this year as well...

> // And before we part ways, anything you’d like to ad?

Thanks for the interview! Hope it didn't take too long for me to answer the questions. ;)

From #1: K N U T

Is there any Euro band has done as much as KNUT? They’re one of the tightest live bands I’ve seen and play some of the heaviest music w/ more twists than a rollercoaster… I already did an interview with them a long time ago for another magazine, with the release of “Wonder” I just had to talk to them again… Mini time, this time…

I started this interview at the end of summer but slacked towards Roderic and Didier… Eventually I picked up at the start of the new year and asked him some new questions… if there are gaps… blame me!

*What exactly is the wonder, or is so wondrous about this new record?

Roderic: I'll leave the thematic side to Didier, but since your question sounds open-ended I'll throw in my two cents. The «Wonder», for me, is the fact that we've managed to maintain the spirit of our music regardless of the hardships and line-up changes we've endured throughout our 16 years of existence. If we had failed in this, we'd have given up a long time ago. I think «Wonder» speaks for itself. I'm more excited these days about the prospects of the band than I was 5-6 years ago. We've done our little revolutions and it's been beneficial. The whole studio experience was great – to such extent that I actually (hm) wonder why I only have a taste every 4-5 years. Studio is a place where you put more energy and creativity than any other time in your life. It's demanding, exhausting, but also revealing and rewarding. As a unit, it was a mandatory step for us after a long period of live playing and rehearsing the same old shit (which was fresh only for the new members). I personally couldn't wait for new material to take shape and represent Knut as of today. The fact that Didier found out that he'd be a father in February gave us the extra kick in the butt. The songs of «Wonder» had to be completed very quickly (some of them had been skeletons for months) before we rushed in the studio, early January, shortly after New Year's party and under heavy and sudden snowing.

Didier: Well I chose the title Wonder in opposition to the lyrics of those six in-your-face tracks describing impatience, greed and irresponsibility for instance. Wonder is almost a forgotten word in a world where people take everything for granted.

*So Roderic just said about the songs being compelted right before entering the studio, how did that work out with vocals? Did you write the lyrics while in the studio?

Didier: "Fast forward Bastard" had already been completed and recorded once for the "Falling down" compilation (vol 1) a whole year before recording Wonder. We played most of the songs live once, just before going into the studio, but everything was scraped off and I rewrote pretty much all lyrics everyday before recording my vocals. I just kept the general thematics and wrote it all over again except for FFB. I guess I needed the studio pressure more than ever to deliver it all. It's all pretty simple and fast forward to say the least, in opposition to the music.

*Since you've mentioned those 16 years I'd like to go back in time myself... I remember when the «Bastardiser» CD/LP got released it really changed a lot for me. Chrome Saint Magnus delivered high quality nice layout vinyl (design courtesy of J Bannon) and then the CD got re-released by Hydra Head Records. That was so amazing since you were the first European band back then on the HH label... It felt like everything about the record was right.
How do you look back on that record and specifically the contact of Hydra Head and the question to sign with them?
Roderic: Those were amazing times when you look back at it. From being buried in our little Swiss underground, touring a bit and releasing records on our own imprint (Snuff Records), suddenly here came Gregor of Chrome – who used to play drums in the incredible Acme – and then Hydra Head, after Converge and Botch, whom we had toured with in Europe, pointed our name to them. We were also talking to Relapse at some point, and more typically hardcore-rooted labels like Overcome and Join The Team Player. Bottom line is, something was happening. We had been such a hard act to pinpoint, with no scene to fit in, and suddenly were able to talk to people like Gregor, Mark/Aaron who were like us, functioning outside categories, doing quality work honestly, music- and artwise. We couldn't believe it, we were extatic.
As for «Bastardiser», that's a really special record for us. It's the first full-length proper, the one where we fully embraced our sound – from tuning to dynamics and vocal tone. I think this record contains all the typical Knut elements: crazy time signatures, intricate but melodic riffs, harsh vocals, and repetition, a lot of it, more so than on any later work actually, except for a couple of songs on «Challenger». It's also a record that served as the backbone for further moves. It was far from being fully accomplished. The sound is a little too polished, some beats a little too restrained (4/4) and we had not enough live experience to let ourselves go and play with the required frenzy. «Challenger» in this regard is quite the opposite. We learned a lot from «Bastardiser», which we actually recorded ourselves in a professional studio, courtesy of our first bass player who was also a recording engineer. Only the mix was done with studio owner David Weber.

*I hear what you say about the "KNUT" trademark. But specifically, if you go from record to record, like from Bastardiser to Challenger, then from Challenger to Terraformer and so on until Wonder... What were the biggest differences / improvements / similarities / difficult issues / etc... inbetween, during and after the writing and recording process...? 

Roderic: Regarding differences and improvements that's for you to decide really. And for the rest let me read again. Hell... I feel dizzy...

*So we’re early 2011. How were the responses to “Wonder” so far, and what did it bring you guys?

Roderic: Yeah man, January 2011 means that one year has passed since we recorded Wonder. Time flies and we're getting old, 3 dads out of 5 members in the band now. Back to your question, the response has been really good. I think most people expected a more expansive or experimental record and what they've got instead was a pretty brutal piece of metal. So, a few interpreted that as a step backwards, but most seemed happy about it. Who needs another «post» record after all? By the way, it's always funny to go from «sludge» in a review to «post hardcore» in the next, or «noisecore» or whatever. 

Can you really sound like Deadguy and ISIS at the same time?

*Is there a difference with this release and other releases?

Roderic: I don't know, Internet plus longevity obviously work at our advantage. We get offers to play countries like Russia, which would certainly have been difficult a few years ago. Fanbase is hard to tell, in terms of sales for instance, since most people are probably downloading the record for free. Shows are working pretty good but we're far from high profile, very far actually. Still underground for the most part, which is not a problem since we've all got jobs and are doing this for fun.

*What will be the next step/release for Knut?

Roderic: Who knows... A kraut record? No record at all?

*You haven’t written any new songs yet?

Roderic: Nope.

*To finish this off… where can we admire the wonderful Knut in the near future?

Roderic: Well, thanks to IKEA it's now right up your nose these days

*So blah blah your blahblah thx or whatever…

Roderic: 2011 should pretty busy, with our first visit in Russia planned for late February, then UK with our fine mates Keelhaul (late April) and hopefully the USA in the Summer, plus a few festivals. Stay tuned, thank you Kristof.