The album is divided into two parts. The first disc, which is the Human part contains tracks that are related to humans and their behavior and the effect we have on this world. On the second disc we find one track that consists of eight parts that all have a surname. The piece on this Nature disc is called All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World.

The Human side begins with the song Music and immediately I am intrigued. The song is about how music came to be and this is expressed by primal sounds and syllables. This immediately makes you wonder how the song is going to develop. Then a warm and full guitar sound enters which is supported by some high choir vocals.
Then, supported by a dreamy keyboard we hear Floor Jansen for the first time. Her vocals are very rhythmic and clear. It immediately sounds like the Nightwish we know. But there seems to be something different this time around. Floor’s voice seems more dynamic and more at ease than ever before. With almost no effort at all she reaches the highest notes and it all sounds very natural. When the song finally reaches its full chorus after almost 5 minutes, it is catchy. It remained in my head for hours and that isn’t a bad thing. It is also not the only song on the album that had this effect on me. Although ironically Music might not be the most complex or interesting track that’s on this album, it’s definitely a good warm up for everything that’s about to come.

Next is Noise the first single of the album. Noise is different from Music because right from the start there are heavy guitars and drums. This song really demonstrates Floor Jansen’s vocal power even further. I understand why this song is chosen as a single. The song has a very distinctive hook to it. A riff that is returning throughout the whole song which makes it immediately recognizable. A riff that’s kind of reminiscent to the Game of Thrones intro if you ask me! When the song is half way in, it changes and besides recognizable also becomes heavier. Floor really shines in this part and reaches insanely high notes. This gives the song a higher-level of complexity which it was maybe lacking in the first part.

Shoemaker starts with some kind of jingle that returns throughout the whole song being supported by heavy guitars and a lot of repetition. However, underneath that lies a complex piece. The vocals are on point and are a refined sort of threatening. The song intensifies instrumentally and builds up to a climax in which it seems like Floor Jansen comes from a different planet. Once again, the high notes she hits are even more extreme in this one. I have never heard this before, not even from her or from other wonderful singers I listen to. To me it’s unapologetic Opera and it fits magnificently in the songs structure. Without a doubt, Shoemaker is one of my favorite tracks on the album and maybe it’s even the most interesting, but it’s hard to say because there is a lot more.

Then there’s the second single of the album. Harvest feels very special. When they released this single I immediately noticed that it was very different. Different from the first single, but also very different from everything on Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Except maybe part of Alpenglow. This time it is not Floor who is responsible for the main vocals, but it’s multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley who shows that he can sing admirably. This gives a special vibe to the song and a lot of people are saying that therefore it is not a Nightwish song. But it is a Nightwish song in all of its glory. The same as the other tracks on the album this song also has a fantastic build up and works toward a heavier part. But the folk influences and Troy’s unique warm and low voice are what makes this song eccentric. Yes, the song has a catchy chorus with a lot of repetition and a large sing-along degree, the same as the first single Noise, but it never weakens the positive intentions the song has. Countless times already I have been singing the chorus loudly while it remained in my head for the rest of the day! In the second part of the song, the well-known Nightwish guitar sound is back together with Troy’s wonderful bagpipes and flute which give more body to the song. Floor is heard on this track providing the second vocals. Her contribution on this song provides for a harmonic interplay between her and Troy. This is not the only time this will happen because bassist Marko Hietala contributes in the same way later on.

Pan seems to be the heaviest song on the album. After the recognizable Tuomas keyboard sound there are drums that sound like cannonballs accompanied by heavy guitars. An almost angel-like Floor sings the verses effortlessly waiting for Marko to join her in the chorus. The song intensifies instrumentally and it’s difficult to describe what I’m hearing. So much is going on. The fast choir like vocals are threatening and make the song even more menacing than it already was.

How’s the Heart? is maybe the most straightforward song of them all, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. How’s the Heart? may be seen as the ballad of Human. :II: Nature.. It really underlines how vocal the Human side of this album actually is. The harmonies in this song are unbelievable and Floor Jansen isn’t the only one responsible for that. The warm voice of Troy returns. Floor’s high notes again excel, but it’s the overall warmth in this song that makes it really special. In this song Floor really has a chance to tell a story and the warm supporting vocals of Troy makes it all sound so beautiful that I discovered that there is more to this song than I initially thought. Let’s just say I needed to listen to the song a couple of times to appreciate its beauty.

True beauty however, is in the next track Procession. Floor continues to tell a story and it feels like there is a lot of vocal freedom here. At first glance it all seems a little bit on the safe side and maybe even uninteresting. There is no build up to a climax like there is in almost all of the previous songs, however, the beauty is in the little nuances. Floor literally moves her voice from one moment to the next taking her time in a very subtle way. She does this so incredibly well that it is hard to even comprehend the enormous amount of vocal control and technique that is needed to pull this off. If you take the time to listen, then you can see what immense vocal power and precision is needed to carry a song vocal wise the way she does. It’s the power of being subtle which makes it almost magical! In the second part of the song the drums and guitars return again, but not before we hear Troy’s magnificent flute.

Tribal is as the name suggests. It’s raw, aggressive and heavy and even contains some primal sounds, which are more present now than on the song Music. Although Marko’s voice to me didn’t have a very prominent role in the album yet, we hear his characteristic voice very clearly on this one and boy, does it sound beautiful! He and Floor sing the hell out of it and almost make this song sound like a battle cry.

The closing song on the Human side is the beautiful Endlessnes. Finally, Marko can show all his arts and crafts in all of his glory. The verses are threatening and the choruses sometimes almost sound sad. But when halfway the song Floor joins in, it almost becomes a forgotten masterpiece amongst all the other great songs. Elements that came before seem to come together in this last song. You can almost call it the Swan Song of the Human side. Which rather effortlessly flows over to the Nature side.

The Nature side is very different compared to the hard and heavy tracks on the Human side. It immediately made me calm. From beginning to end, All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World, as the piece is called in its entirety, is a true and utter masterpiece. It feels like you’re literally out in nature. What makes this piece so incredibly powerful is that the music, with the absence of vocals, totally speaks for itself. You can listen to one track separately, but that really doesn’t give you the full experience. The very serene sounds of All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World sometimes become a bit heavier at precisely the right moment. Making it a bit more threatening and menacing. But that’s very understandable. Not everything in nature is serene and calm, is it? Troy’s wonderful bagpipes are also heard again and fit perfectly in this nature themed epos. All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World is a beautiful piece of art that everyone should go and listen to. If I would compare it to something, then it made me think of the music from the beautiful video game Ori and the Blind Forest and its successor. When I think of it now, it would be awesome if Nightwish would ever do music for a video game.

Nightwish really delivered a masterpiece with Human. :II: Nature. and the album seems a real team effort, perhaps more than ever before. Floor Jansen really feels at ease and her extraordinary vocal abilities are used to its full extent. Something I used to doubt sometimes on its predecessor Endless Forms Most Beautiful. This band has a true gift of continuously reinventing itself and to me Floor Jansen was the missing puzzle piece they needed for that. I hope Nightwish can release more of this beautiful music in the future for years to come. For me personally it helped me through a lot of difficulties these days. Maybe it can do the same for you?

You can also read two live reviews we wrote about Nightwish here and here.

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Each song has its own characteristic and unique intro and is almost every time followed by strong drums and powerful guitars. The drums on this album are absolutely phenomenal and form a solid foundation for the rest of the musical violence. But the real beauty is in the details. Keyboards are added where they shine the most and the guitarists also really like to pull out a solo every once in a while. And although I don’t know much about vocal screams, they do bring character and depth and are in perfect sync with the clean vocals.

Singing in different languages also adds to the mystic and worldly vibe this band has and it makes them unique in my opinion. Whether it is Ukrainian, or in Faroese, like on the Eivør cover Í Tokuni, which is one of my favorites, every time as a listener it felt fresh and surprising.
Jinnslammer is my favorite song. It feels like all the elements that this band is implementing are in perfect balance here and the clean vocals are absolutely to die for. The song after that, Disenchantment gives of some Arabic vibes.

I really have grown to like this band and the new album I would recommend to everyone.

Here you can also read our 10th part of Promoting Bands, which included Ignea.

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One new important element you can hear immediately and that, to me, is the expanded role that Timo Somers now seems to have in the band. Besides a lot of guitar shredding and soloing he also is a great singer and his vocals are a marvelous addition to the beautiful vocal aggression that Charlotte brings. Speaking of that, her vocals are all very dynamic and again versatile. She keeps you alert by the many ways she can sing something, whether it be high and heavy or just really small and almost kind, to sometimes nothing more than a whisper and this without losing any vocal control. The very powerful Burning Bridges, for me, is a symbol for where Delain are as band and where they want to go but it’s certainly not the only example. Because apart from the refined professionalism and growth, the record is also a lot heavier without losing its own identity.

The duet with Beast in Black singer Yannis Papadopoulos, Vengeance, is a really powerful song and belongs to one of my many favorites. In this song again the versatile nature of the band is displayed in a very energetic way which at times almost sounds combative. Not only can you again hear that thundering guitars and deep drums combined with Charlotte’s magnificent vocals, but there are also some signature Delain sounds which are again returning, like for instance the beautiful keyboards and choirs by Martijn Westerholt. All of this is combined by the, in a good way, aggressive vocals of the aforementioned Yannis Papadopoulos.

The song Creatures really underlines the need of a great rhythm section in a band and I can tell you that Delain have really got this covered. Especially when it comes to the really tight and loud drums of Joey de Boer. His skill is incredible and I have never seen a drummer of Delain that was capable of doing what this guy can do! You should really see him doing it live if you ask me. Then it’s time for the beautiful ballad Ghost House Heart. Arguably it might musically be the simplest song on the album, but that doesn’t make it less impressive. Here, and this might be due to the fact that it’s a ballad, it is displayed in full what Charlotte Wessels is actually capable of. It is with some distance one of my favorite tracks on the album.

The returning track Masters of Destiny remains a masterpiece and it’s also the last track that guitarist Merel Bechtold worked on.

But there is one song in particular that’s more powerful and majestic than all the rest and that is the epic Legions of the Lost. To me, in this song everything that Delain has worked towards when making this record comes together and is worked into a five minutes and 25 seconds masterpiece of which I never thought years ago that Delain would ever be capable of making something as beautiful, grand and amazing like it. It is very hard to describe how complete this song feels but it is definitely the cherry on top of the already delicious cake Apocalypse & Chill turned out to be.

I want to take time to say that in the closing song Combustion the band, for one final time, gets the opportunity to shine because this track is completely instrumental and guitarist Timo Somers in particular is honing his skills like a champion. Really, this guy is truly amazing!

Great job Delain! Keep this up!

You can also read our review of the Moonbathers album here, as well as our live reviews of Delain in Arnhem here and in Utrecht here. Here you can read our interview with Delain’s Martijn Westerholt and here you can read our interview with Delain’s Charlotte Wessels in which we spoke with her about Phantasma.

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The album has many new musicians and vocalists and that really creates a lot of diversity, not only in comparison to the previous albums, but also compared to the tracks on this particular album by itself. Warmth is created by adding the trumpets of jazz musician Erik Vloeimans who artistically shows his skills in the beautiful Powerslave and The Phantom of the Opera. On Powerslave we can also hear the unique voice of Jos Severens, who returns later on the album. But that is not the only great force that can be found on The Barrel House Tapes. The quiet campfire version of Alexander the Great with Jeroen Voogd on vocals, which was the first single released for this album, is breathtaking and easily one of the biggest highlights on the album. I find it really difficult to describe what I’m hearing when reviewing this album, because there is so much going on, so instead I’m writing what I feel and I can tell you that’s a lot!

It doesn’t end with these two vocalists, because whether it is the powerful Back to the Village with Frank Beck on vocals, of whom I had the privilege to see in Trianon in Nijmegen with Maiden United, or the eccentric warm voice of Doogie White on Wasting Love and Stranger in a Strange Land, all of them do their own thing and it somehow all fits together.

As a bonus track, there is the beautiful Caught Somewhere in Time sung by Eszter Anna Bauman who, with this, provides a beautiful closing track on the album.

I certainly don’t want to sell short the earlier works of Maiden United with respectively Damien Wilson and Wudstik on vocals, but with The Barrel House Tapes Maiden United have not only again shown that they are much more than a glorified cover band, but also that they’re not afraid to take risks and that they keep on doing what they love to do with the people they love to do it with. This is what makes Maiden United unique and I really hope that they continue to do this for a long time!

You can read our earlier review of Maiden United’s Empire of the Clouds here, as well as our interview with Maiden United’s Joey Bruers here.

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Why do I say that? Well, the title track really shows who Kobra and the Lotus really are right now. A heavy hard rock/metal band that holds nothing back. Strong and heavy bouldering guitar riffs and awesome, fierce and pristine vocals by front woman Kobra. The thing that stands out is that the album is mostly driven by the vocals, but what do you expect from such a strong, powerful and outspoken singer? When listening to the album hearing every song, I can only conclude that the band knows what they are doing and that they are completely within their own element. To me, on their previous album they were still searching a bit, but not on Evolution! Straightforward guitar riffs and drums, while singer Kobra fiercely takes the lead by using all available qualities she and her beautiful voice have to offer.

Overall the album feels very positive, but it is also a bit socially critical at times. It is about not letting negative emotions in your life not dictate how you feel or act, by focusing on the positive things in life and what you can gain from that. The singles Burn and Get the Fuck out of Here perfectly get this message across. The song Thundersmith is in my opinion a true battle cry and one of my favorite songs on the whole album. But my absolute favorite is The Circus. This song truly indicates what has been the general tone of my review, Kobra and the Lotus are really happy with where they are right now musically and that shows! They are here and they are here to stay and literally nobody can stop them. And let’s face it, who in their right mind would want that?

The variation on this album mainly comes from the diversity of Kobra’s voice and with the aforementioned path the band is on I sometimes get the feeling that a lot of songs on this album sound a little bit like more of the same, but with a singer like Kobra in front of your band it doesn’t matter that much, because she seems to know infinite ways to keep everything from getting stale and boring and let’s not forget that we are treated by some awesome guitar solos along the way as well!

There is one song that I would really like to talk about and that is the beautiful ballad Wash Away. This song is a very welcome detour from the powerful battle cry-like sound the rest of the album has and also really shows how vulnerable this amazing band can be.

For me Evolution feels like a liberation of Kobra and the Lotus, a sort of statement saying “We are Kobra and the Lotus, this is what we do and we are not going anywhere!”

You can read our earlier reviews of Kobra and the Lotus’ Prevail I here and Prevail II here. You can also read our interview with Kobra here, as well as our 14th part of Promoting Bands in which we mentioned Kobra and the Lotus here.

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Hey Koen, congratulations with your new album. I have listened to it and it’s amazing.

Thanks man!

I understand that the album is a very personal one for you, can you elaborate on that?

Yes, it is. The album actually is about life and death, mostly about death. My father passed away when I was at a young age. I was ten months old at that time and I am now 35 years old. Now I finally made an album about it.

What was the direct reason for you to start making an album about it now?

I found some stuff from my father during my mother’s move to another house, his agenda, his glasses, that kind of things. We also moved his piano to my studio and I composed this album on that piano.

How did that process go?

First, I wrote the album in its entirety. I did that every Sunday. When that was finished, it was time to record it. The guitars I mostly did myself, the same goes for parts of the vocals. Leo is a concept album with four characters: Myself, Death, my Mother and my Father. My Mother is sung by Anneke van Giersbergen. I have toured with her a few years back. I met Merijn through Joost van den Broek. Then I went to a Navarone show and I let him listen to some demos. He was excited about it.

Of course Anneke and Merijn are two very outspoken and versatile artists.

They sure are and I am also fan of them. When you ask two people to play your parents, then you want the best.

I understand. Did you just started writing and then new things came up, or did it go differently?

I just started writing and then everything came pouring out. I had feelings like “is there more than this?”, “is he out there somewhere?” or feeling down, for example when people post the same things over and over again on Father’s Day for example.

I know what you mean. I myself can really relate to that right now, because my father passed away almost a year ago.

My condolences.

Thanks.

I can understand that people can relate to it. I never knew my father, I am not religious, but the question whether there is more than this or not keeps coming back in my mind.

In one song you indeed literally say “are you out there somewhere?”.

Yes, it is kind of a shout to the universe. I hope he hears it or there is nothing and then at least I’ve tried.

Due to these emotions you surely delivered an amazing album.

I am really proud of it.

I can imagine, you worked on it for a long time, didn’t you?

Indeed, three years. It’s not like I worked on this album every day. I also have a job, I was on tour with other bands, I have my drum festival and I moved to another house. A lot happened, but I did this in between those things.

You released the album on your father’s birthday, right?

Yes, I did. I thought that that would be more festive than the date of his passing.

I can understand your reasons. That probably says everything you can do with music. I think that delivering such an album with so many emotions is a good way to release your feelings, isn’t it?

It sure is, I probably want to do more with that to let people know how healing it can be to express yourself in such a way.

Did it help you?

It is not like it kept me busy that much in my life. I never missed something, it was a given for me. But at a certain point in life, when for instance your sister gets kids, you get in another phase of your life. Besides that, I started drumming when I was thirteen years old. Since then, I was only busy with wanting to drum, wanting to play everywhere, trying to become famous and wanting to travel all around the world. Now, I have done all those things. To call yourself famous is a bit weird, but let’s just say that things are going fine. I’ve played in more than 40 countries. It’s like “what’s next?”. I wanted to do something with that feeling. I just do something, you know? We all are just simple people trying things. I also try something, I just follow my gut and convert that to music, making something nice of it.

I should say do so more often.

I do, I started writing more, also other kinds of music while I was writing this album. Back to Balance, my first album, of course was something very different, sort of all things together. I wrote that entire album with other musicians. I promise you that there will be more music in the near future. However, I don’t know whether that will be only metal or not.

So, it can go in a lot of different directions?

Yeah, I write all kinds of music.

In my opinion it also is quite a heavy album instrumentally. You already mentioned that you’ve done most of the guitars yourself and of course you also drummed on it. It is very instrumentally oriented, besides the fantastic vocals of course.

It indeed contains many parts without vocals. Those parts literally are my feelings about some moments. It’s a snapshot, a feeling you express. It also contains a leitmotif, that is introduced in the beginning of the album. It also ends with that, with the choir and the same melody. That leitmotif comes back during the entire album, I am also proud about that.

That indeed stands out. You really succeeded, to me at least, in transferring those emotions through the instrumentation. I think that is the power of this album.

It indeed is a very emotional album.

I think it is fantastic, I listened to it three times now. I asked Tim if I could please do something with it, because I really like it. I knew who you were since your time in Epica, when you were their live-drummer before Ariën van Weesenbeek became their drummer. So, I only knew you as a drummer.

This is what happened during the last ten years. I started writing music. Ten years ago, I started playing guitar for a bit and I developed myself during those years. I also started singing, which I didn’t expect.

That indeed also stands out and fits in this album quite well, combined with the vocals of Anneke and Merijn.

That also was something special. I only realized that I worked with two of the best singers of The Netherlands when it was done. I hadn’t thought about that for a second, the concept was the most important to me.

How was working with them?

It was very relaxed. Merijn is a super nice guy. I was there the whole day. I already had the musical parts, lyrics, vocal lines and melodies in my mind. I already figured them out and sang them. With Anneke as well as with Merijn I sang them to them and then they sang them with some additions. That all went very smoothly. Both their vocal parts were recorded in one day.

I think they are two very professional people who sing quite easily, right?

Indeed, they are, but I also really am a fan of them. Just like I am a big fan of Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater. I grew up with Dream Theater, those guys are my heroes. The fact that he also made a contribution to this album is really something.

That must feel fantastic. Did everyone you asked immediately say yes?

Of course I first let them listen to the music. As soon as they heard the songs they said yes. That’s fantastic.

What are the reactions on the album you get so far?

The reactions are very nice. There are quite some reviews online so far. Of course, now it is the holiday period, but I definitely wanted to release the album on that day, because of the story, that perfectly fits. The reactions are all very well, being an 8 out of 10 and being in the top 4 of release of the month in the Aardschok, to “masterpiece” and “fantastic”. I can’t complain. However, to be honest it isn’t very important to me, but of course it’s nice to hear that other people also like it. It would be different if people would say something like “what’s this noise?”.

Are you saying so because you mainly made this album for yourself?

Yes, that indeed is the reason. This kind of albums you don’t make to get rich from, it almost always costs money rather than making it. I wanted to express my feelings and create art with that.

Creating art, that’s what is the most important thing for an artist, right?

Yes, that’s the higher goal. You can create what you want, because you do so yourself. It doesn’t get any purer.

I listened to it and I also was emotional while listening. Then you know that you are listening to something good.

That’s something else that’s new to me, people reacting emotionally to my music. This album mainly is about me and my healing process. That sometimes feels a bit egotistic. Of course, it’s worth a lot when you hear people say that they can relate to it and like it. That results in me creating more music. That’s also new to me. Most of the time I am just the drummer and now people are really reacting to my own music.

Now you’ve made something that complete comes from yourself.

Indeed, besides that I also played the guitars. It just happened that way, the guitars, the singing, the drums, I did everything myself, that’s very special.

It’s no wonder then, that it took some time before this piece of art was finished.

Indeed.

When it was finished, were you still critical about it or were you completely satisfied?

You always hear something that can be better. I am pretty perfectionistic, but I also learned, with my last album, that you have to let go at some point. At some point you have to say to yourself that this is it and that you have to go on. Otherwise it will keep you busy, you will keep on wanting to improve it. Once you let it go, at first you can’t listen to it for a while, then you know that it is good and you are happy with it. I can look at myself in the mirror and know that I gave everything to make it as good as I can. I will probably hear some other points of criticism in a while, but we’ll see how to improve those with the next album.

So, you already listened to it again?

Yes, now I can enjoy it. It’s not that I listen to it every day, but to celebrate the fact that it’s released now I sometimes play it very loudly in my car. It’s always going to be there, that’s nice about it.

You have created this; it’s not going to disappear. That seems something very nice, very tangible to me.

That’s what I like most, creating things. The fact that it’s always going to be there. I am very much switching from being the drummer in a band to creating things that are always going to be there.

Now that you’ve discovered this side of yourself, is that also something you like to do and want to keep doing?

It surely is. I really like the fact that my father also can be heard on this album. You hear him play the piano.

That indeed is very special.

The track Leo, the title track, took the longest to make. That track ends with a fade-out and him playing the piano. I found those recordings.

You also found those during your mother’s move?

Yes, then I digitalized them hoping I would find something like this. Which I did.

So, you found those things and started writing?

Yes, I just started with the feeling I had with it.

You didn’t think about a concept first?

No, it all started with the opening track, the instrumental part being quite heavy. That of course stands for the drama of the death. From there on, the entire album emerged.

Is there something you want to say to our readers?

I’m also really proud of the artwork, a rest in piece cross combined with his name. In the booklet you can find all the lyrics, you can order it on my website.

Want to win Leo? We are giving away two copies. The only thing you have to do is to fill in the form below and maybe you are holding the Leo CD in your hands soon! We will pick two winners Monday September the 2nd.

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Hey Dom, how are you doing?

I’m alright, thank you very much for your time.

Well, Tim said you wanted an interview about your platform.

Yeah, about a couple of things. I’m in a heavy metal band called The Parasitic Twins, I have cerebral palsy as well. We’ve been back touring Europe and doing lots of really cool stuff. I also set up an online platform to promote disability and mental health awareness that’s called WARO, Wobbling About and Rocking Out, which is pretty amazing. I’m really proud of it. The band has been doing pretty well, so we’re pretty pleased with that.

That sounds inspiring to me.

Yeah man. You have cerebral palsy as well, right?

Yeah, I’ve cerebral palsy as well. That’s why I was so enthusiastic to do this interview with you.

Absolutely, how did you get into writing? That’s awesome that you’re able to do that.

Yeah, it sure is awesome. Tim is a friend of mine, he created DutchMetalManiac.

That’s cool, it’s a good site.

I wanted to write for him and I tried to write a review. Then he said that I was actually good, so I could stay. That was the gist of it.

That’s awesome. I got a publication as well, if you ever need more places to write rock or metal reviews, you can happily help me out.

That’s awesome.

I get Tom, the PR guy, to give me your email address after this and then we’ll keep in touch.

I would really like that, thank you.

It is very inspiring to be able to speak to you as well, so thank you. You take some time of your day, that’s cool.

I read in this article in The Guardian that in England it’s very difficult with a physical disability to be in music. Can you tell me something about that?

With me being in a punk band, The Parasitic Twins, I used to play in small and dirty venues. It’s pretty intense. There’s always wires to climb over, I’m always falling around on stage, trying to get on stage. I managed to get there, just like you. When there’s a will, there’s a way. You can make things happen if you really want to. It’s hard, very hard and I think the venues do need to have more open mindedness in regards to disabled musicians. I think, like anything, it’s not always easy. If you don’t know anyone with a disability to understand what it is like to have one. If music venue owners don’t know anyone like me or you with cerebral palsy or another disability who works in music, then they are not going to make the adaptions that are needed. They are not going to make those adaptions, because they don’t understand why they should. What it is about, for any band and any artist, you got to make people aware, you’ve got to show them what’s possible. You have to got a conversation with them really, not going that they should do this or that adaption for me in your venue. Maybe that person wants that and doesn’t have experience with anyone with a disability.

So you’re saying that you have to have a dialogue on a civil level?

Yeah, it’s like a dialogue. Unfortunately, not everyone has the experience we have with disabilities working in music. People that don’t have disabilities are not going to understand what it’s like. So, people like me and you have to talk to people, we have to tell people what our needs are. That’s a big problem the UK and other parts of Europe have now. It’s about musicians and people working in the music industry with disabilities having a conversation with venue managers. They’re making people aware, it’s about educating, it’s about informing and it’s about inspiring.

It’s also about money for the venues.

It’s the costs, absolutely. That’s a very good point, but equally there’s a lot of funding for venue adaptions if they’re willing to make those adaptions in their venue. There’s potentially more funding for the venue as well. Again, it’s about exposure and being more aware of what’s available to you if you’re willing to make those adaptions. I don’t know what it’s like where you guys are.

Well, in The Netherlands they try to make adaptions, but it’s also a bit like, what you were saying, many people don’t know anyone with a disability. So, even if you have the conversation, then it’s still very hard to explain to people what actually is needed. Especially regarding the thought process in that whole matter, right?

Yeah, of course. As you say, people like me playing in bands, climbing up on stages and saying that something is quite difficult and it would be really good if I could get some help the next time, I come back playing the venue. They were only finding out that it’s possible for people with disabilities to play in bands. People like me and the people you read about in that Guardian-article, it mentions other bands. There are other bands with people with disabilities in it and it’s about that awareness. It’s about having that awareness and the experience with those bands. To make them as aware as possible for their venue.

Do you get a no from a venue very often?

A lot of times, because we play in massive venues, we play in punk venues, pubs, bars. If I need help to get on stage or an extra step and I ask for that, they often will need allowances. I think we played good venues. I had conversations with bigger venues, they have said they are going to make improvements. For me as a band member I tend to say that it’s all good and that I climb on stage in small and dirty punk venues that will need allowances. I’m pretty adaptable, I’ll play anywhere, anytime and for anybody. I sort of make adaptions for small venues that don’t necessarily have the money for more expensive adaptions. I am able to do that. I walk with two sticks. People I know that are in wheelchairs fulltime and in bands were advised to speak to the venue in advance of them playing.

That’s what I am doing. I am in an electric wheelchair all the time. I always contact the venue beforehand.

Absolutely and that’s brilliant. I used to be in a wheelchair fulltime and I still supposed to be in it. I think it’s important that because I can stand with sticks, even while it’s painful, that I should do that. You do very well in the chair fulltime, you are exactly the kind of person that needs to be spreading his message, because what I would say to bands is exactly what I would say to people like you going into music venues and going to shows. You have to prewarn the venues.

Let me tell you, even if I prewarn the venues, then a lot of times it goes sour anyway.

If that’s the case then you should call them out on that, that’s not cool. Most venues that I spoken to when I go to shows or playing shows have been very welcoming and supportive. Whether it’s about getting a step or try to lift me somewhere, people will help. It’s a shame that you had that experience, I am very sorry that that happened to you. It sounds like you already are a good spokesperson for the metalscene where you’re from. You’re doing a great job and obviously it’s cool to meet someone like yourself who is out there speaking for journalists and for creatives. I’m speaking for people playing in bands, while drumming in The Parasitic Twins. What we are all doing is speaking for journalists, creators, people that are working in great industries, people that are working anyway. It’s about what’s possible for people in your situation. You might be in a wheelchair all the time, but it is not stopping you doing your job, it’s not stopping you going to shows. I think you’re a very good example of what person I like to talk to. You’re not just sitting there, resting, you are going out there and you try to contact people. That’s pretty cool man.

Thank you. I have to ask, if you play a show you must be extremely tired afterwards.

It hurts to play. I use a kick pedal, a little bit of hi-hat. It’s very painful. I don’t do blastbeats, we play metal, but I am probably the only metal drummer I know that doesn’t use a double kick pedal, but it’s very loud and very heavy. It’s also very painful and very tiring. People tell that being in a band is a lifestyle and it is. It’s something you do despite the pain, it’s like you going to shows. It’s hard to get out of your door, to go to venues, but you do it because you love it.

It’s hard but it gives you energy.

Absolutely, the same reason you go to the shows, the same reason you want to do interviews with bands. It’s the same thing, you get the buzz. That’s why you get up in the morning. Things hurt of things are painful, but you do them anyway because it’s about I do it because I always promised myself I would, I always wanted to do it. I put it off, I got older, I got a job and all those things. I was always like one day I would be in a band and then I put it off. Finally, I did it and I knew it was going to hurt, I knew it was going to be hard, but we played Holland, Germany. I am from a little city in the UK, Hull. It was the UK city of culture a couple of years ago, but apart from that it is not known for a lot of things. I never thought I would play music in your country or Germany. It’s so hard and it’s very painful. I am sort of leaning against something now and I am in pain, but it’s worth it, because it’s nice to talk to you.

I got to say that’s very inspiring. Your energy is so positive.

The biggest thing I can tell you is that it is about keeping positive people around you. Not everyone is going to get it, I still get stared at in the street, I still get people saying “Holy shit, you can play drums?”, after I come off stage. Sometimes people go up to my bandmate and ask who the drummer is, because they won’t even recognize that it was me playing.

Does that sadden you?

No, because you don’t like to say. I play more shows because I want people to be aware of what’s possible. I want people to see that I can play and I want people to become more aware that there are other people like me and you doing really cool shit. The more people go “wow”, fair enough, that’s more awareness. The more people go “holy shit”. Some people might be look “is that weird?”, then I say no, because maybe next time they see someone with a disability playing music and they think that it’s really cool. They won’t be so surprised.

So you really think that we ourselves can change their views in that regard?

Absolutely. The best example I can give you is you writing these articles because people go “Holy shit, this guy Glenn is writing these articles, it’s causing him pain, it’s hard for him to do, but he is there doing it”. That is because you want to change people’s perceptions. The more people you meet, the more people meet you with writing these articles. Then people change their minds all the time, because of you. It takes people like you and me and lots of other really good musicians and creative people, people have to experience it. They have to meet us.

So it takes people to inspire people?

Yeah, it’s communication. You want more adaptions in music venues? Then use communication, don’t assume people are going to know about it. People aren’t always going to know about it. People might not always be accessible, because they don’t understand what it’s like. People like us can change that.

It’s a dirty fight, but someone’s got to do it.

Absolutely and here we are. Things might not be the best for you, you might be in pain, but I already know the kind of person you are, because you are here talking to me. If you didn’t want to do it and if you are the type of person, I think you are, you would be going to shows, you would be talking to me.

I completely understand. I must say I am really inspired.

It’s all good. I am really impressed with the work you’ve been doing, I really like the website you are working on. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me as well.

You have that platform, WARO, what is your mission with it?

My mission is to spread the word and to tell stories of people like you, so now I am going to reverse it and we will keep in touch so I can interview you for my platform. It’s called Wobbling About and Rocking Out, WARO in short. The idea with that is to not only spread news about inspiring people with disabilities, but also about spreading mental health awareness. Now you hear more about that, especially in the music business. Mental health affects a lot of people. We do interviews with inspiring, motivating people that have disabilities, that have mental health issues, so they can tell their story. I want you to tell me how you became a writer, about your struggles and how you deal with everyday things. It’s making people aware that there are some amazing people with some amazing challenges. People that struggle to get up every day, they still get good shit done. They might be musicians, they might play in bands, they might write for music websites. In short, it’s a platform to spread awareness and to support people with disabilities and mental health issues, to tell their stories. Hopefully by doing that, we inspire other people.

And maybe there will be a normal view about people with a disability.

Absolutely, we’re spreading the word that there are people out there who do incredible stuff. It’s making people aware that people with disabilities could do just as good if not even a better job than other people. We are making people become more comfortable with disabilities and also with mental health issues.

What’s the best reaction you had after a show when they actually realized you’re disabled and you’re drumming in a band?

The best reaction I had was in Germany. We played in a venue in Hildesheim. A guy came up to me and he said that his wife struggles with a disability and that she has nothing to look forward to. She struggles with hope, with finding motivation to do stuff. She is a really big music fan, she loves heavy metal. He took a video of our performance and he said that he would show it to his wife and that he would tell her and her family that anything is possible if you are determined enough. If you want to be in a band and you have a disability it doesn’t matter because if you are determined enough, you can do anything you want. He was close to tears, even crying a little bit, came up to me while he said he would show the video he recorded of us playing to his wife to try to get her to feel a bit more motivation, to be a bit more inspired with her own disability. That was a wonderful thing for me.

That is what keeps you going right?

Absolutely and honestly speaking here to you, you taking the time about my band and this other stuff. That’s what motives me.

Same goes here. I had a ton of fun doing this interview and I really hope we keep in touch.

We’ll do.

Here you can read our earlier interview with The Parasitic Twins’ guitarist/vocalist Max Watt.

WARO (Wobbling About and Rocking Out) Official Website
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The post Interview: Dom Smith appeared first on DutchMetalManiac.

The title track starts with some low violins and calm vocals by Amalie Bruun. At first glance the song doesn’t seem that spectacular in terms of complexity, there is no screaming and the heavy guitars that we are used to when listening to Myrkur are also not present yet, however, you can clearly hear that it is a Myrkur song. However, in the chorus of the song is where the violence erupts. This happens mainly in an instrumental way. The song still remains relatively calm, but here are the well-known low pitched Myrkur sounding guitars I am used to. All these heavy sounds in the chorus are supported by Amalie Bruun’s beautiful and crystal-clear voice. There are no lyrics being sung by her in this part but the beautiful singing lines are in perfect harmony with the heavy instruments.

There isn’t much to say about the second song Bonden & Kragen and I mean that as a good thing. The song is a traditional folk song and Amalie Bruun kept it as traditional as possible. The song is very minimalistic. However, I am not implying that it’s a dull song! It’s a song where I can completely lose myself in. Because in my opinion this song makes it even more apparent than the first one, that Amalie can hypnotize you completely with her voice. Her voice is so haunting that at most times it doesn’t need anything else beside it. If you consider how bare-bones the second song really is, then it’s amazing how Myrkur is able to capture you with it.

Myrkur doesn’t always make me smile and it’s not always my thing, but the Juniper EP definitely is. Let me say that everybody deserves to meet Myrkur’s music one day. One thing is for sure, whether you like it or not, you will remember it!

You can also check part 2 of Promoting Bands in which we mentioned Myrkur here, our review of Mareridt here and our live review of Myrkur and Deafheaven here.

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For me the song Wish is maybe one of the most important and most beautiful masterpieces. This song would easily fit a high-end musical on Broadway. Musically this song is absolutely phenomenal and it absolutely blew me away! But I can understand why a true seasoned metalhead wouldn’t like this song at all. However, I would have to point out that I did not listen to the other two albums from this trilogy so I cannot determine if Dark Sarah used this style in their earlier music, but my guess is that they did because this is the third part of the trilogy. The song fits the album perfectly if you listen to the album as a whole and this certainly is one of my favorite tracks.

The biggest and most bad-ass track on the album is of course The Gods Speak with guest performances from Marco Hietala of Nightwish and Zuberoa Aznarez of Diabulus In Musica. These two added voices make an already beautiful song an even better song! This song serves as the ultimate soundtrack for every movie fanatic and it’s also a fantastic song for all the music lovers out there because, let’s face it, it sounds absolutely amazing.

To sum it up, The Golden Moth from Dark Sarah has everything you could wish for but if I am going to dissect this album even further I would rob you from the pleasure I guarantee that you will have when listening to this album!

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When listening to it for the first time it immediately becomes clear that great care and professionalism went into making this EP. Everything about the beautiful arrangements is worked out in the smallest details and played with a lot of dedication. After a spoken intro by narrator Edward Reekers, known for his work in Ayreon, who returns a couple more times to narrate the story about the zeppelin the R101, the completely instrumental intro called “part one” is being build up. The Hammond of Thijs Schrijnemakers, piano of Huub van Loon, cello of Perttu Kivilaakso, Joey Bruers on bass guitar and a subtle acoustic guitar by Ruud Jolie. The drums at the end of part one by Mike Coolen are very elegant.

But I have to say that the sound of Perttu Kivilaakso’s cello is what really stands out. It adds this whole orchestral feeling to what you are hearing, like there is a whole orchestra supporting the band! It also gives that little bit of extra to the already beautiful arrangements. Huub’s recurring piano accords also really stand out and form the base of Empire of the Clouds. In “part two” it’s finally time for the earlier mentioned singer Wudstik to show what he is capable of. His vocals are really raw, but at the same time he has a tremendous control over his voice, he knows exactly what to do when. He continues the story where narrator Edward Reekers has stopped. You know, I can try to tell you what the EP sounds like and how beautiful it is, but truthfully, it wouldn’t do it justice. If you ask me the central power of this whole thing is that it is build up so well. From start to finish the journey of the R101 is being told through music, so when the climactic moment of the crash is there, the music heavily intensifies. Especially the drums of Mike Coolen and Perttu Kivilaakso’s cello.

When narrator Edward Reekers tells about the moment of the crash and the aftermath the music calms down and receives a heavy melancholic sound. Where at the beginning of the EP, with the zeppelin’s departure, the music sounded very hopeful.

If you ask me, then Maiden United’s Empire of the Clouds is a beautifully crafted and genius acoustic arrangement of a majestic Iron Maiden classic. Maiden United succeeded in making it their own without cultivating the feeling that such a beautiful song has “just” been covered! No, nothing is “just” with Maiden United and this awesome EP is evidence of that! Regarding the live part of the EP I can only say that I’ve been there myself and that the vocals are even better performed live! What a fantastic singer is this gentleman. The fact that he supposedly was a bit overwhelmed by the beautiful Royal theater Carré, well, for me as a listener, I have found absolutely no evidence of that! The only downside to the live version was that the beautiful cello of Perttu Kivilaakso wasn’t there. I would advise every music lover to listen to this EP and not only the heartfelt Iron Maiden fans. But I know for sure that they would love it to!

Here you can also read the interview we did earlier with Maiden United’s Joey Bruers.

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