The connection is Black metal. All bands take this seriously, there is not a lot of room for ego’s and there is a mutual respect. It is nice to see that there are still some Black metal bands who stay true to an original form of expression and it is less about a certain “act” or copying one and other. A good example of this is the Void Wanderer Productions sampler which was released just recently. We are honored to be a part of this.
1. Greetings to you and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Times must be exciting right now within your ranks, what with a debut EP being released. What is the mood right now within the Grafhond camp?
This is indeed an exiting time for us. We both went deep in creating this record. And although we did not concern ourselves with the opinions of other people during the creative process, it is of course very nice to see and hear that the reaction on the record so far is positive.
2. You are releasing the EP a full six years after the genesis of Grafhond. Are you a band who likes to take their time when creating, or were there other factors that delayed the release?
A little bit of both. Grafhond is a duo and will remain so. But when Grafhond started we were still open to the idea of working with other people. When most of the songs were written we contacted some individuals of who we thought would fit the concept of Grafhond, and see if we could work together. After some time however it became clear that the best and only way forward for Grafhond was to remain a duo. This ment that we would play and record all the instruments and vocals ourselves. This of course took some extra time. Also, we are not in a rush. We found that taking the time to let the songs sink in gave us the time to reflect on what was created and, if deemed necessary, change some song structures or add some stuff to deepen the compositions.
3. You write your lyrics in your native Dutch tongue. I find with a lot of Dutch Black Metal bands there is a distinctly Dutch identity, especially in terms of lyrics and artwork. Is that something that you feel applies to Grafhond? What does it mean to you to be a Dutch BM band?
To be honest, when Grafhond started we were not aware of how immense the Dutch Black Metal scene had become. We dont follow the (Black) metal scene as closely as we did when we were younger. We knew about maybe six to ten bands, but it turned out that there are hundreds now. We still dont know most of the bands so cannot give an opinion on their lyrics or artwork. The discussion to write lyrics in our native tongue was a choice made purely because it felt more personal for us to express certain emotions and feelings in a language closer to home.
4. As I mentioned, your lyrics are in Dutch. So, for us English only speakers, can you please elaborate on the themes and subject matter that runs through the EP?
The title of our record translates as “In harmony with death”. We both have our share of darker mental periodes in our lives and take lyrical inspiration from this, so this seemed like a fitting title. Sometimes we express these feelings in a more cryptical manner and sometimes in a more direct manner. For example, “Verwekker” deals with childhood fears due to an unsafe environment created by alcohol abuse from a parent, “Gefluister” deals with maddening negative voices inside of you’re head and its eventual disastrous consequences, “Gat” deals with being unable to cope with some realities in life which result in a downward spiral and leaving all behind, and “Verslagen” is about endless mental struggle and detachment.
5. Let us go back to the beginnings of Grafhond. How did the project get started? Was there a specific mission statement behind the ethos of the band?
We both have played in a more death metal orientated band over 15 years ago, but when we started to play together for Grafhond about six years ago, it became immediately clear that our focus was going to be Black Metal. We both grew up in the early nineties, when the second wave of Black Metal was at its peak, and this movement left a great impression on us. Many of these early bands had a certain edge and darkness to themselves, something we felt was/is missing in a lot of the more modern day Black Metal bands. Our vision for Grafhond was to make brutal, not overly complex compositions with a focus on intensity and despair.
6. What bands did you all grow up listening to? And, which bands do you feel have a direct influence on the sound and style of Grafhond?
We both came in contact with music at an early age. We grew up on bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival, The beatles, Pink Floyd, Chicago etc. Later we came in contact with Black sabbath, GnR, Iron Maiden, Megadeth etc., and after that the more extreme stuff. Too much to name.Some examples of bands/albums who we feel have a direct influence on our style on “In harmonie met de dood” would be “Total war” from the band “War”. A total classic! Same goes for “Panzer Division” by “Marduk”. Darkthrone in some riffing and in attitude. Also “Pure Holocaust” by “Immortal” and maybe even “Slaughtersun” by “dawn” and/or “Storm of lights bane” by “Dissection”.There is no particular band who has an influence on the sound of Grafhond. There was something special and magical in the production and sound on a lot of the early classic Black metal albums. Maybe one could not hear exactly what all instruments were playing, but there was a certain dark aura present “between the lines” which gave these albums a grand feeling. Hard to explain, and some people just hear this as white noise. This was an inspiration for Grafhond when we searched for a sound fitting to the songs on “In harmonie met de dood”. Andrew van der Schaft, who mixed the record, was a very important factor in this proces and helped us tremendously.
7. Do the members of Grafhond perform in any other projects? Please feel free to plug your other bands and projects.
Graaf Graf plays in the band Bullhammers.
8. What are the aspects of being a part of a band, of a creative collective, that you enjoy the most? And, on the flip side of that, which aspects do you find the most challenging?
As mentioned earlier, Grafhond is a duo. This means less opinions which is great. We both know each other very well, not only as musicians, but also as friends. This means there is trust and this makes for a save creative environment. We both went very deep in creating this record, especially in the lyrics department, and sometimes it can be hard to except certain feedback when you are in a certain mind space. We both however are able to accept this from each other, and therefore elevate each others input into something even greater.
9. Are Grafhond a live entity? If so, what can people expect from your live rituals?
Grafhond is not a live entity. We sometimes talk about bringing our material tot the stage with the help from some like minded individuals, but for now this is not our focus. Maybe in the future.
10. What are your thoughts on the Dutch Black Metal scene? Are there any bands you would care to recommend?
We are not very familiar with a lot of the Dutch Black Metal scene so do not have an opinion. There are however some band to recommend. When we came in contact with Kaos, who runs Void Wanderer Productions, we also came in contact with the “Zwotte Kring”. A collective of like indeed individuals who each play and/or perform their take on Black Metal. A lot of great band like Asgrauw, Schavot, Meslamtaea and Teitan. Worthy of checking out!
11. That is all I have for you. Thanks again for answering my questions. I’ll leave the final words to you.
Thank you for you’re interest in Grafhond. Grafhond godverdomme!
Interview: Unknown* found lost in the email.