|
| |||
|
Could you please introduce the band to our readers? Jos: Disintegrate is a metal band from the north of Holland and has five members: Danny Boonstra (vocals/keys), Joran Dijkstra (Drums), Sander Stegeman (Bass), Leo van Leijen (guitars) and myself, Jos Hindriks (guitar). How would you describe the style you play? Jos: We thought about this for quite some time; we use elements from both the death metal and the thrash metal scene but are very open to incorporating other styles of music. So we finally settled on ‘melodic death/thrash metal’. I have seen you live and I can remember that the keyboards were more in front than on the album, is that a fact, or is my memory wrong (too much beers)? Jos: You may be right. For some shows, usually small festivals, you can’t really do a good sound check. In these cases we can only trust the sound engineer to give it his best shot and present the audience with a good, clear and level sound. The keys may have been in front of the mix when you saw us, but that’s not really the way we would like to see it. The keyboards are meant to serve the song, not stand out from the rest and take the upper hand. At least, not always. You are one of the founders of the band, did you play in other bands before 2005? Jos: I played in a band called The Conjuring together with Leo van Leijen. Disintegrate is actually a continuation of the style we played with The Conjuring when the band disbanded. A couple of songs that were meant for The Conjuring actually ended up on Disintegrate’s album ‘Parasites of a Shifting Future’. The band released the EP ‘Destructive Capacity’, how where the reactions on that one? Jos: The reactions were very good! Apart from good reviews we actually sold quite a few of them. You played on Waldrock and did a lot of local performances. Have you already played outside The Netherlands? Jos: At this moment we haven’t played abroad. We are planning to go abroad, but I can’t really tell you much about it because we’re still working on it. Your new album ‘Parasites of a Shifting Future’ what does the title mean? Jos: The parasites mentioned in the title are public figures that adapt their (outspoken) opinions to suit the opinions of the masses. In the political sense, this gives these figures votes and ultimately power. So when situations change, they alter their demeanour to keep the voters happy. They also prey on the fears of the people; theoretical future events are exemplified and exaggerated to keep this fear alive. Unfortunately, we all know these people, but not everybody sees them for what they are.
It was produced by Jord Otto (Re-Vamp), I did not know that he is a producer, how did the band get to him? Jos: Jord was the right guy at the right time. We were looking for someone to mix the album, and Sander recommended him because he had also worked on the first Posthuman album (of which Sander was a member at the time). Fortunately, Jord had the time and was very interested in doing the album with us. Eventually, he did more than just the mix. You must be satisfied with the production, it sounds very tight and heavy, do you agree? Jos: Definitely! Jord carefully listened to our wishes, but also brought a lot of ideas to the table. He ultimately did a very good job. There are two guitar-players in the band, who is responsible for the nice solos, you or Leo van Leijen? Jos: We both are! And let’s not forget Jord’s contribution to the song ‘The Art of Clairvoyance’, for which he did a very nice solo. Danny Boonstra is a singer with a kind of natural charisma, his vocals sound very convincing on the album. Is it difficult for him to produce all the grunts and screams (without getting hoarse) or is that also a natural thing. Jos: To Danny, it comes naturally. He never had any lessons, except breathing exercises. And let’s be honest, it all comes down to using the right technique, which he does. His voice is an instrument like any other, so using the wrong techniques, of over-abusing it, would only be bad for the overall music. Not to mention his voice in the long run... The keyboards in your music make you sound different from a lot of other bands, will the band use them more or less on the next album(s)? Jos: Like I mentioned before, the keyboards, like all the other instruments, are used in favour of the song. We try to write songs, and implement the instruments accordingly. There are songs on ‘Parasites...’ which hardly have any keys, and songs that have a fair amount of keys. This formula will most likely be maintained for the next album, because it’s something we are comfortable with and, in my opinion, defines Disintegrate. What is your goal with the band? Just a nice (expensive) hobby or…… Jos: We want to see how far we can take it; the sky is the limit. Like you said, at this point it is a hobby and an expensive one at that. We are fortunate to be in a band that is somewhat self-sustainable. How are the first reactions on the album? Jos: The first reactions have been great! So far people seem to like it! Will the band play a lot live again in 2011? Jos: That is one of our goals for 2011, along with writing a new album. What are in your opinion the 5 best metal albums released in 2010 (except yours of course)? Jos: These are some of my personal favourites, of course, and in no particular order. Grand Magus: Hammer of the North, Dark Tranquillity: We are the Void Anything else you want to share with our readers? Jos: We would like to thank everyone that supported the band so far. We hope to see you all at one of our shows in the future! | |||
| |||
|
Interviewed by Reinier de Vries |
