1. Introduce the band Veenlijk. Who are you and where are you from?
We are Veenlijk, from the Amersfoort region in the Netherlands. With Loek on drums, Gilios on bass, Tim on “vocals” and guitar, and Geri on guitar.
2. On Galgenberg you can hear a mix of styles – punk, grunge, thrash, hardcore, and of course old school black metal. Which bands have inspired you?
So many! The four of us all listen to different types of music, and we bring those influences into the songwriting.Asgrauw and Darkthrone are definitely key black metal inspirations.But we also draw from other directions – Hellripper, Death, Amenra, and Refused.Very diverse!
3. Your drummer hits ridiculously hard. I hear elements of punk and grunge in his playing, and it grooves like a steam train. The raw guitar solos aren’t very typical for black metal either. Is it easy for you to fuse all those styles with black metal?
How does that work in the writing process? Is there a division of roles in the band?Our drummer doesn’t come from a metal background at all, so basically everything he plays naturally leans into punk/hardcore territory.The writing process is pretty straightforward. We jam on riffs and tasty little licks we’ve come up with and build things from there.
4. With your EP Galgenberg you immediately set the bar high. You recorded in a professional studio – The People’s Noise – with experienced producer Hans Pieters, who, I’m told, is also known for the hit “Het is altijd lente in de ogen van de tandartsassistente”. In a YouTube documentary, you show how the EP came together. How did you end up at this studio, and did the producer have an affinity with black metal? How did the collaboration go?
The collaboration went really well! Hans has tons of experience and a real love for the craft. He’s recorded many different genres, which we think is important.He’s also hilarious – which these lads definitely appreciate!We recorded the EP live, without a click track, which helped create a very lively and cohesive feel.We ended up at Hans’s studio thanks to a tip from the drummer of Gogmagore – who also makes a brief appearance in the documentary.
5. I heard the studio sessions were pretty stressful due to time pressure, but that it also led to a steep learning curve. What lessons will you take into your next recording?
Next time, we’ll take more time to really perfect the songs. We want to add more layers to our music – make the heavy parts really hit, and give the atmospheric sections more depth.
6. The lyrics are in Dutch. Why did you choose that, and what themes do you explore in Veenlijk?
Our lyrics are heavily inspired by Dutch folklore, but often they carry a more timeless and deeper meaning underneath.
7. The logo and cover art are striking. What can you tell us about them?
The logo was originally designed by our bassist, and later redrawn by @kalimacabre.She also did the cover art for Galgenberg. It depicts Death standing on the Galgenberg (Gallows Hill) in Amersfoort, overlooking the medieval town.
8. Galgenberg has been really well received by both the public and critics – especially impressive for a debut. Did you expect that, and how do you deal with the feedback?
We don’t really do much with the feedback. Of course it’s amazing to hear that people appreciate it, and we absolutely welcome that. But we’re mostly just doing our own thing and we’ll see if people vibe with it.
9. You’re already gaining a reputation on the live circuit for your energetic shows. You’ve recently played with a larger Scandinavian band (Scitalis) and had a great gig at Diabolical Echoes in Arnhem alongside Asgrauw, Grafjammer, and Nyrak. What was that experience like?
Yeah, we absolutely love playing live! We have so much fun during the shows, and especially connecting with the other bands we’ve met along the way.Playing with Asgrauw was always a big dream for us, and it has already come true several times. Really great guys!
10. What are the plans for the future, any new recordings or shows coming up?
We’ve got a show lined up in Germany at the end of the year, but we’re mainly focusing on writing new material – and possibly working toward a full-length.
Interview: Floris