God Dethroned pour l'album "The Lair of the White Worm"

God Dethroned's line up has changed quite alot since your latest relase « Into the Lungs of Hell ». Why did Beef and Jens left the band ?

Ariën: Beef and Jens just didn't have the motivation anymore to continue with God Dethroned. After having been in the band for 8 years, I think they wanted to focus themselves more on their private lives and their other musical activities. Beef is quite busy with his work, where he's supervisor in a ship-building-company. Jens is busy with his band Autumn. It was better for the band to go our own ways...

”The Lair of the White Worm” is God Dethroned's 6th album. How would you compare it to your previous release?

Ariën: For me it's quite difficult to compare the albums, because each one sounds different and has got a different atmosphere, yet they are all typical GD-cd's. But I do think that the new album contains a lot of elements that came across on the previous albums: for example the blackmetal-influence like on the Grand Grimoire. In the song ‘Nihilism' there's a kind of feeling like the band ‘Emperor'. That's also present on the Grand Grimoire cd. And the more thrashy/melodic stuff is more like ‘Bloody Blasphemy', and the deathmetal-atmosphere is more like Ravenous. Maybe the album ‘Into the lungs of hell' can be compared the best with the new album: it's recorded in the same studio with the same producer. I think the new album is a step further than what we did on ‘Into..'. We used more breaks, accents, and more uptempo songs this time to create more of an agressive vibe.

Your music is once again at the same time very melodic and very aggressive. Is it important for you to keep this balance between those two elements?

Ariën: Yeah, it's very improtant for us. But at the same time it's natural to us too. That's what God Dethroned has always been doing: combining melody in brutallity. When we start composing new songs, we always come out with this kind of music, because on the one hand we like our music to be catchy, and on the other hand we wanna rage like madmen and play with a lot of fury. And now that we have Henk and Isaac in the band, we even can explore more areas in the melodic parts, and add more power to our sound as well.



You'll be playing the Arnhem Metal Meeting on the 4th of December together with Samael, Entombed, Unleashed, Suffocation, Impaled Nazarene and many other bands. What do you think of each of those bands ?

Ariën: Entombed is great rock&roll music!! Good old straight-forward pounding rock, straight in your face-music is always great with parties and for having a good time! The same with Impaled Nazarene: uncompromised blackmetal-oriented punky music in the straight-forward style... powerfull!! Suffocation is also brilliant, with great musicians in the band. Samael is not really my cup of tea, especially with the drumcomputer that's being used nowadays. But however it's quality music!

Is there already a tour planned to promote your new album? We would love to see you playing here in France!

Arien: we're working out a tour with a German touragency called ‘Dragon Agencies'. Until then we play seperate gigs in Holland, Belgium and Germany. And a mini-tour with Grave in January. We hope to go to France too. We just have to see what comes out. Maybe we are offered another tour...

Speaking of touring, what would be the best show you've ever done? And the worst one?

Arién: The best show I've ever done would be on the SummerBreeze fesival last year in Germany. The worst was a couple of weeks ago in Dortmund, where I had a lot of techincal problems with the drumkit that was standing there.... One of my pedals got loose from the kickdrum, and we were playing a song, but I couldn't kick the right-pedal anymore.... So we had to improvise and quit the song and start it over again. The whole concert I was busy keeping an eye on that pedal... that was shit!

What about drumming? Do you train often, and do you have any tips for young drummers who would like to reach your skills in drumming?

Ariën: I train a lot!! To stay in shape, and to explore more new ideas of rythms and fills. And to become stronger and more skilled. I still have a lot to learn and I like to put a lot of time and energy into that. That's also the advice I could give to young drummers. Put a lot of time and dedication into drumming, and be patient too... And play a lot with other musicians!

What is your favorite song to play from the whole God Dethroned's discography? And the worst one / most difficult one?

Ariën: I like to play ‘Boiling blood', The Art of Immolation, and Soul Sweeper a lot!! From the new record I love to play ‘Nihilism', and Loyal to the crown of God Dethroned'. The most difficult one would be Ravenous. That's really a strenght-test for me, haha.



What's your opinion about those Swedish melodic death metal bands (In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy...) ? Do you think God Dethroned belongs to this scene?

Ariën: Pff... I don't know. We sound quite different than these bands. Of course we might have some comparisons.. but we play much different than In Flames for example. Maybe we have the most comparisons with Arch Enemy.

What is the last cd you bought?

Ariën: ‘Tegenstrijd' from the band Osdorp Posse. That's a Dutch hardcore-hip-hop band. Great music and awesome lyrics with a non-conformity attitude!! And a great underground-vibe in their music too: dark, threatening, heavy stuff with killer rapping.

What are you listening to these times?

Ariën: I still listen to all the albums of Morbid Angel (except ‘Abominations..'), Heather Nova, Osdorp Posse, The Cure, Terrorizer for the good old times, haha.... I actually don't buy a lot of cd's. I bought the last Slayer-DVD. I think Slayer still is the best metalband ever, along with Morbid Angel.

Do you surf often on the Internet? Any good adresses to share?

Ariën: Not really. I only check my emails, and some band-sites... but for the rest not much.

A last word to conclude?

Ariën: Hope you all like ‘The Lair of the white worm', and hope to see you all on tour soon!!
Cheers, Ariën van Weesenbeek – God Dethroned