1. This project starts up around the year 2021, in the middle of Covid and you belong to bands like Hellevaerder, Infantry, what made you want to create a new band? Why did you choose the name Duindwaler and what does it refer to?
With my band Hellevaerder we have hit a roadblock during the pandemic. We were about to record our first full length 'In de nevel van afgunst' but were brought to a halt due to Covid. Being fed up by the restrictions to make music, I have placed my motivation to continue with a soloproject. As I wrote almost everything for Hellevaerder, I had the means to write, and (almost) record everything by myself.
It was a way to release my energy, not being hold back by Covid, nor Hellevaerder itself. It was a way to prove to myself I could make something worthwhile, just by myself.
The name 'Duindwaler' just came to mind. I grew up in Heemskerk, a little town nearby Haarlem and Alkmaar. It is filled with history, almost like an open museum if you know where to look. Surrounded by the forests and the dunes, the Dune Wanderer (Duin Dwaler) came to live. While the main focus was to pay a homage to one of my biggest influences, 'Hate Forest', I'd like to think I have become more than just that.
2. Although active since 2021, it was not until 2024 that you released your first full-length, have the EP and the split been a way to define your sound better and give it a more personal approach until you found what you were looking for?
It all started as an outlet for my creativity, as mentionend above, an outlet for my energy. That brought life to the EP 'Landloper'.
'Verloren vertellingen' came to life after labelmanager Alex from Zwaertgevegt asked me to make a split vinyl with our friends from Asgrauw. Featuring my band Hellevaerder, our friends from Asgrauw, myself as Duindwaler and the soloproject from Asgrauws drummer Floris, Schavot.
Instead of making a 4-way split we have decided to make one album, with four different visions of it. One theme, one cover, one idea. Just interpetred by four different artists. Thats how the two Duindwaler tracks came alive. The music was already there, it just needed a little push for the greater good.
Both those releases were a way forward to my own sound. The debut 'In het Heemskerks duin' is the first real release in my opinion. It defines the soundscape truly worked through perfection, atleast in my opinion at the current time. It has evolved from a simple homage to a more worked out idea. That was refined to what is made now, a truly new identity with a newly made sound. New inspirations and a view on the progress I have not only made as a musician, but as a person.
3. How did the idea of creating the “Verloren vertellingen” split come about? Is it a kind of creating an alliance of Dutch bands? How would you describe the health of black metal in your country?
As mentioned in the last question, Alex from Zwaertgevegt reached out to me. We have a long running friendship and partnership with my band Hellevaerder, and on a personal level, we are also closely in contact.
He asked the question to Asgrauw, Schavot (Floris, drummer of Asgrauw), Hellevaerder and me. If we were interested in a release together. We all shouted 'YES!' instantly. That being said, 2 months later we all recorder 2 tracks (8 in total) and the rest is history.
We'd like to think a alliance like this is special. There are many splits being released, but we would not like to call this a true split. It is an album made by four bands together. That is not common in the Dutch BM scene.
Speaking of the Dutch BM scene (NLBM), it is more alive than ever. There are more bands than ever to make and release NLBM, most of them with their own unique style and intentions. It is a scene that is upcoming, and I cannot wait to see what it will bring in the near future!
4. “In het Heemskerks duin”, your first full-length album, will soon be released. What was the process of writing and recording this first album like? What do you think has changed with respect to the EP and the split? What brands of instruments have you used in the process? What parts of the entire process do you find most complicated to carry out?
This album has been the most easy one to make and record so far, that needs some further explanation:
The most difficult part is creating the music itself. Inspiration is a funny thing, it cannot be called upon will and will come when it is there. Nine out of ten times when I pick up a guitar I come up with nothing, but that one time that I do grab the instrument I write a song within a hour.
It can take months between songs, or just minutes. I cannot get a grasp on it. This release has been written, recorded, mixed and mastered by myself. In just 6 days I made it entirely, and have been without inspiration for weeks now. My soul is empy, it has spoken for what it needed to say... for now.
As it is a solo album, I have written all music and lyrics, recorded and mixed&mastered everything. For the guitars I have used my trusted Solar A2.7TB, for bass I have used a Harley Benton BZ-5000 II NT (I mean, GREAT value for money there!). For the drums I play a Tama Superstar (if I recall correctly) with Zildjian symbals (2x hat, 1x ride, 2 crashes, 1 china and a splash). All is recorded by some cheap ass drum mics from Thomann. Of course I would want more and better, but it did the job how I wanted it in current time. Fine is good enough, for now.
5. Although you are involved in other bands, where we have to highlight Hellevaerder. The sound you offer with Duindwaler is substantially different. Was it clear from the beginning that you wanted to distance yourself from the sound of the rest of the bands of which you are a part? As you are the only member of Duindwaler, do you feel freer when it comes to creating a sound more in line with your tastes? How would you describe the sound of this album for those who have not heard it yet? What bands and sounds are an influence for you?
Duindwaler has started as a homage to the mighty Hate Forest. Their pure and raw sound gave me a feeling of being alive. Hellevaerder has them as partially inspiration for the music. But I truly wanted to make music in their style. So Duindwaler was born, allthough it has became it's own entity by this release.
With Hellevaerder I have gathered musicians that are more capable than myself, atleast to my idea. I love to learn from them and create our own identity together. With the new full length on its way, I think we are succeeding in that. Duindwaler remains my personal interpetation of black metal. It is raw, fast and unforgiving. Something I will always seek in music.
Having this as soloproject gives me the ultimate freedom. I can do whatever I want, however I want to.
That is how I would describe this album. Raw, furious, hard and unforgiving. The thoughts of Hellevaerder remains the same here: You are worth nothing, death is liberating!
Besides the obvious Hate Forest inspiration for the 'Duindwaler' project, I have grown up with metal (and specially the black and death variant of it). My alltime main inspirations are as following: 1349, Belphegor, Immortal, Deeds of Flesh and Satyricon.
6. The lyrics of the split revolved around stories and legends from the Dutch region from which you come. Do you maintain this theme in the lyrics of the new album or do you address other topics? Did you adapt the lyrics to the music or vice versa?
The split has covered the folklore of the village called Heemskerk. That was also the main lyrical force for 'In het Heemskerks duin' (In the dunes of Heemskerk). Before the split I had the thoughts of making an album about the rich history from this region. But the music came first.
On day one I wrote a track, recorded it in the afternoon. During the evening the same day I wrote the lyrics and recorded them. That went on for six days. So this album was born. It will tell the tales of the battle from the perspectives of both parties in this region during the 80 year war.
I do not want to disclose everything, as by doing so I will take away the meaning for all listners. Give your own meaning to the music, as that is what makes it art.
7. The Portuguese record label War Productions is in charge of publishing the new album. When did the contact and agreement to work together occur? Do you think that working with a foreign record label will give the band greater visibility?
Working with WAR was dealings of my friend from Void Wanderer Productions. He works together with WAR alot of times and I trust him in his opinion.
Further more, the person behind WAR productions is great. He is promoting me in every way possible and has a great feeling for underground releases. The reach he has obviously has a good inpact, but only by being a good person he has been able to recieve and maintain those relations. It is a great partner to have in the battle to be fought!
8. I mentioned previously that the sound of the album has a very particular sound within black metal, there is a classic sound base but with a very peculiar and personal approach, I see that you have taken care of the entire recording process yourself, do you think That the sound offered could only have been created by yourself, taking care of the entire process? Did you consider the possibility of working with someone external?
During the recordings of the split I have asked Floris (Schavot, Asgrauw) to record te drums. As I did not have the possibility to record the drums on my own account at the given amount of time.
With this release I have done everything myself, including drums. Ofcourse there is always the option to record, mix and master at some studio or by some engineer. But this album is my 'child'. I want to do everything, as it is my hobby, my driving force for this life.
By doing everything myself I can make it part of me. It is a story written and executed by myself, through my own vision. I am the Dune Wanderer, I am the eater of souls. And not an engineer from afar...
9. The credits on the cover are from A.A.W.R., unlike the Ep we are dealing with a cover of a landscape and loneliness, why this change with respect to the past? What does this cover represent and how does it relate to the content of the album?
A.A.W.R. is a shadow writer for Hellevaerder, she came up with the name and wrote multiple lyrics for that band. She is a great friend and even greater partner in everything.
The artwork for 'In het Heemskerks duin' is based on one of the many viewpoints you would have at the real dunes of Heemskerk, only darkened a bit. She feels what I want to make, and gives valued input on everything I make. She is not just a creater, she is a thinker.
10. Is there a possibility that we will see Duindwaler on stage one day?
There is a possibility, allthough it being very slim. There have been ideas to bring it live but there are some complications.
As I did the vocals, I would like to play guitar live while doing them. But to find a drummer capable of playing this, is difficult for the amount of shows I would like to do yearly (aka, not that many). So maybe I will do some shows with this work live, but do not expect it.
11. How were your beginnings in music: first concerts you attended, first albums you bought? What event in your life pushed you to want to be a musician?
I have started my metal journey early on. While I was 6 years old (currently 30) I was die hard Rammstein fan, by age 10 that became Carcass and Cannibal corpse. After some time it turned to black metal mainly by Immortal. That eventually became black and death only as in the artists mentioned earlyer.
At this moment of writing it is more focussed at bands like Golgothan Remains, Fozziliasation, Abigor and ofcourse 1349 and Hate Forest.
It is always a changing thing. Music is emotion. I can listenen brutal death to grindcore, slam death to all kinds of black. And even some techno in between. There is no good or wrong, only death.
Everyone needs an outlet for their emotion. Mine is through making music.
12. What latest albums have you bought?
The last few albums I have bought are ofcourse from Hate forest, but I would like to highlight 'Tetragrammacide - Typho Tantric Aphorisms from the Arachneophidian Qur'an'. This album is my most played this year so far, as well as: 'GOLGOTHAN REMAINS - Adorned in Ruin'. Both are true fucking masterpieces. Both are not black, but are influencing me alot about what I seek in metal (and thus black metal)
13. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for Duindwaler fans this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
I want to thank you for taking the interest in me, my music and my background. As well as everyone that have taken the time to read this.
YOU ARE WORTHLESS
DEATH IS LIBERATING!
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