DARK REMAINS interview 2008

Spawned at the end of 1998, DARK REMAINS is a classical old skull death metal band from Netherlands. Surely not innovative but I like the way they play death metal in the vein of the 90’s death metal wave: INCANTATION, IMMOLATION and the likes who keep it dark and heavy without top notch and soulless nowadays powerful production.

-Greetings to you Frank and your mates in DARK REMAINS. I think that to avoid the usual boredom of the biography cut and paste could you can present us the actual line up of DARK REMAINS and describe your musical style? What people who don’t know DARK REMAINS can expect from you in terms of musical aggression?
We like to play old school death metal, it’s not easy to say what's like it or compare it with, but when I write songs I’m influenced by Immolation, Autopsy and slow stuff from Cannibal Corpse/Incantation without trying to be a copy of those bands. I’m the guitarist of the band, Andre is our drummer, Rik our bass player and Erwin our vocalist. At this moment a second guitarist is founded and hopefully he will join in soon!

-Next year, DARK REMAINS will celebrate 10 years of existence. Will you take the opportunity to release your third album or an album gathering old demos or live shit?
Yes, well bring out a brand new album next year with some live shit as well I think. The release is at the end of the summer when the darker days of the months are coming.

-As surprising as it could be, DARK REMAINS hails from Netherlands which is well known for its brutal death scene: MANGLED, PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT, DISAVOWED, ARSEBREED, and dozens more. But your country has also some glorious band more old school oriented like SINISTER, ACROSTICHON, PESTILENCE, ASPHYX, PENTACLE, etc… and DARK REMAINS! The fact is that there are more brutal death metal bands today but I’m glad to hear bands like yours playing that obscure death metal. Why do you keep high the flag of old school death metal? Why don’t you follow the brutal death trend?
I don't like following trends, but besides that you have to do what you’re doing best. We started as an old school death metal band and well keep it that way. It's also I think all about the feeling you have, when you’re making and playing death metal.

-I was quite enthusiastic to listen to your second album “Planet earth scourged” as the tunes played reminded me various American acts such as old IMMOLATION, old INCANTATION and old VITAL REMAINS. Do you still follow those bands’ careers? Which actual bands do you use to listen to? Have you heard such bands like DRAWN AND QUARTERED or IMPURITY (US)?
When i was a little kid my brother, he was10 years older than me, let me listen to Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, so I grew up with that time of music, later on I bought my first records of Venom, Slayer, Celtic Frost and then Death Metal came up. Immolation caught my attention but also Autopsy, Incantation ect ect. In Holland Pestilence, Asphyx , Sinister were rising. Today I discovered a band from Germany called Deny the Urge, they are very good! I’ve heard from Drawn and Quartered too, they are very brutal! Good bands with quality death metal I think.

-I think more and more bands are looking for powerful and crystal clear productions to the detriment of darkness and morbidity. They’re looking for boundless brutality and forget the creation of morbid feelings. What’s your point of view? Would DARK REMAINS have the same impact with a top notch production?
That’s a good point. It is very personal of course but I like more the productions with a more obscure sound, like Incantation for example. They always have there own morbid sound. So we will always try to get that in our sound as well.

-You have released “Planet earth scourged” through Burning Misery Records. Checking on internet I saw that this is mostly a webzine and didn’t see any label section on it. Will they keep releasing records in the future on was it just a try with your record? Are you satisfied by their job so far? Their promotion seems to be quite limited.
You have said it right! It was a try for both sides, but unfortunately it didn't worked, so we had some good talks and decided to go our own way.
So we are in search for a new label or there are plans to create our own label with other local bands to get things right.

-“Planet earth scourged” was recorded in winter 2004 and released in 2006, quite some time though. Do you have some new stuff to come? Will you keep the DARK REMAINS trademark of obscure death metal? Are there any differences between RSD Xul’s voice and Erwin’s one?
Next year well bring out the new album with the same obscure old school death metal as always. On the new album is Erwin the new vocalist, we are very satisfied with him after the departure of RSD Xul. There both low voiced grunters, Erwin is fitting Dark Remains in a great way.

-DARK REMAINS members have been (some are still) active in various bands like ORDO DRACONIS (black metal), VUIST (thrash metal) and WARMASTER (death metal). I guess you all need a precise schedule to plan the rehearsals? Can you give us some words about these bands please?
Ordo is a very talented band I think, they are skilful musicians. Warmaster is a project of our drummer and bass player but already had stuff enough to become a grown up band and will release a album next year. Vuist is not very busy for the last 2 years now, I don't know their status for the moment.

-Except brutal death metal bands can you mention worthy bands from your area into death or black metal, not especially known, but that are going to be quite promising according to you?
Obscuris is a new band who will be quite promising I guess, you can link to their music on our myspace profile, but also Deny the Urge from Germany is really ready to conquer the world of death metal as far of my point of view.

-Beside metal which kind of music do you listen to? Do you think it’s necessary to have various influences so as to elaborate more personal music? How do you see the evolution of a band like ENTOMBED for example?
I listen to a lot of music, but I only buy death metal wahahaha!! Entombed had changed in their music over the years, I respect that but I don't think it will suit for Dark Remains. It is all very personal I think.

-About gigs it seems you have played many times in Holland right? Have you ever played abroad? Which bands did you share the stage with? Do you have in mind any special moment of a particular gig?
We hope to play abroad someday, a festival is most likely of course. But we’ll see what the future brings, in Holland was the gig with Houwitser and Officium Triste a special one. They are great bands in Holland and it was nice that they respect our music and for us it was great to share the stage with them.

-What’s the gig situation in Netherlands? Can bands like yours easily find places to play gigs? How is usually the metal heads affluence? In France we can witness less and less people going at gigs and staying more and more in front of their computer and just surfing on Myspace or You Tube sites. The new age of musical fast-food consumers?? Do you see what I mean?
Yeah. It's not good. It is very important that people/fans in their local scene come to shows to have "live" contact with the bands. When I hear a band on the internet that I like, I always check out if they will play in my area somewhere. Because I simply want to hear it "live". So everyone have to support their local scene by going to shows.

-I will let you end this chat. Thanks for answering. Keep on rotting with DARK REMAINS!
Thanks a lot (Merci beaucoup) for showing interest in us Jim.
Greetings and all the best to you.

Cheerz Frank.

http://www.myspace.com/darkremains