Artist: Heidevolk
Date:
23 January 2012
With the release of their latest album 'Batavi' due out on 2nd March, we catch up with vocalist Joris to find out more about the band behind the music.
MM - What first
inspired you to play folk metal in the first place?
JdB -
I’ve always been interested in history, mythology, nature and folklore
and when I discovered bands like Bathory, Skyforger, and Menhir
combining these topics with metal I was totally overwhelmed by the pride
and authenticity of their songs. I really wanted to make music in that
vein, based on local themes. About a decade ago I ran into some
likeminded guys at concerts and the pub, and we decided to start a band
which would eventually be known as Heidevolk.
MM - With the
substantial changes in band members throughout the years, have you ever
felt that the original vision has been lost?
JdB - The desire
to voice the inspiration from the aforementioned subjects through music
remains unchanged. Over the years we have certainly developed musically
due to the impulses of the newer members, but the basic idea behind
Heidevolk is still the same. I feel we have a strong identity as a band,
and staying true to that does not prevent us from incorporating new
musical influences and styles to create the desired atmospheres for
songs.
MM - Who
is your biggest influence musically?
JdB - I grew up
listening to classical music, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Then
came the slightly harder stuff such as Guns ‘n’ Roses, Metallica,
and Slayer. After that I listened mainly to black metal. I guess all of
it influenced my musical development, but when it comes to my role in
Heidevolk the most identifiable influences are Richard Wagner and
Bathory.
MM - What
aspects of Germanic mythology influenced you over others?
JdB -
Like so many people, Vikings and the
Eddas sparked my interest in pagan beliefs. I started reading about it
and slowly got to know more about continental Germanic mythology too. I
gradually developed a fascination for Frisian, Saxon, and Frankish
history and mythology, and it became my main focus. I try to find out as
much as possible about local deities and religious customs, and with
Heidevolk we mainly sing about themes close to home.
|
MM - Do
you ever feel that the mystery and mastery of your songs influences the
newer generation? MM - Who
does all the song-writing? |
|
MM - Is
it hard to incorporate a violin into the songs, or is it just a
different form of guitar in a way?
JdB - We only use violin
if it has added value, it’s not part our of standard instruments so we
don’t necessarily have to incorporate it. Whenever we’re close to
finishing a new song, usually we either spontaneously come up with the
idea of adding some folk instruments or they’re not considered at all.
MM - Do
you feel it hard to contain all you want in one song/album?
JdB
- We don’t always have a fixed idea what we want to create before we
start writing, and it can be tough combining the ambitions sometimes.
With Batavi it was a bit different, as we decided beforehand what we
topic of the CD and the respective songs would be, which gave us a
pretty good impression of the atmosphere we needed to create.
MM - In
the past ten years, have you ever faced opposition to the music that you
play?
JdB - Hardly. We
don’t aim to offend anyone so that’s only logical. Besides,
resistance is futile.
MM - Has
there ever been a time when you have wanted to give up?
JdB -
No. This is what we want to do, and even when things get tough we stick
to what we’re doing. Of course there have been times when things
weren’t going the way we planned, but we’re a tenacious bunch and
we’ll stop at nothing to achieve what we want. When rowing upstream,
one has to pull harder.
MM - With
the rise in folk/Viking metal bands, do you feel that this area has now
been more saturated?
JdB - Well, to be honest there are very
few bands in that genre that I listen too. Most of the bands sound like
other bands, and I don’t think there have been many relevant or
refreshing releases.
MM - What
do you feel each of the members bring to the band, be it musically or
other?
JdB - Joost makes
sure there’s never a dull moment, he’s always cheerful, energetic
and full of ideas. Mark is blessed with pure and raw talent, and adds a
dark touch to both the lyrics and occasionally the guitars too. Reamon
is metal to the bone, the guy writes fantastic riffs and has a very
powerful stage presence. Rowan is an unorthodox songwriter and he some
of the weirdest humour known to mankind. He’s also the much-needed
financial brains of the outfit. As for me, I do the interviews ;)
 |
MM - Is
there any instrument/genre of music you would like to play but haven’t
had the opportunity as yet, if so what? JdB - I’d like to try some dark stuff like Fields of the Nephilim someday, but I haven’t gotten around to it. Most of us have obscure side-projects for all the musical ideas we can’t incorporate into Heidevolk, and maybe some of those will see the light of day in due time. MM - What
are your goals and ambitions for 2012? |
MM - What,
after a decade of playing, do you feel you have learnt, as a musician
and as a band member? Do you have any parting words of wisdom for our
readers and your fans out there?
JdB - The
main thing I’ve learned what a joy it is to play in front of a crowd
that understands and appreciates your music. I also learned a lot of
people will try to influence what you’re doing and that you always
have to follow your own path and stick to it. If anything, playing in a
band made me more stubborn, determined and convinced of the path we’ve
chosen.
Interview by: Kerry H
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