RULE
OF THUMB
The prologue is provided
by the band:
RULE OF THUMB Belgian
Death Core Metal in your face!
READ THIS IMPORTANT Deathcore
Incl
What I have to add is:
Lift your thumbs up for them. I think they deserve it!
1.TELL US IN A FEW WORDS THE MOST
IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY. WHICH IS THE CURRENT LINE UP?
RULE OF THUMB started in the summer
of 1997 to create powerful death-metal. That same year we started gigging
and brought out our first demo 'live in Mol'. Although it had a very good
sound quality, we decided to take it to the recording studio in April 1999.
There "eROTica", a 4 song death-metal masterpiece, was released at demand
of the fans. The last song 'Instictal War' was the first reflection of
a more brutal, more aggressive, faster, more technical, new style of metal.
One year later, still following this direction and also improving it, two
brand new songs were recorded for a special compilation "Unleash Your Darkside".
This compilation came out in 2000 and included "Pain Inside" and "Sacrifice",
both powerful melodic death-metal songs. After this compilation we went
from Spain to England, France to Germany and from Holland to Lommel (B)
to play gigs. Now we turned into a new direction and are starting to put
more deathcore influences in their songs, which makes them stronger and
give them even more groove. After we lost a year of our time because of
trouble with a record-label, even losing a complete CD-recording, we recorded
the new EP 'TRIANGLE OF HATE' at the grindstone studios, which was released
mid-September 2002.
Line up wise we're are still the
same from the moment we started back to 97.
Gianni Cairo
Guitar
Koen Vanderhoydonk
Vocals
Paul Blervacq
Guitar
Kris Jansens
Drums
Wim Geens
Bass
2.WHY HAVE YOU NAMED THE BAND RULE
OF THUMB AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY WITH YOUR NAME?
Koen: The name RULE OF THUMB finds
its roots in the Julius Caesar era. At that time a lot of gladiator-fights
where organized. Well-trained respected fighters fought until death. Just
before a fight ended, Jule was obligated to decide which fighter would
stay alive. The difference between life and death was the actual the RULE
OF THUMB. If Julius raised his thumb, the beaten man lived, however if
he lowered his thumb, the man had to be killed by the other fighter. The
man died by the sword of the one who won the game. Anyway it is reflecting
our music, strong and straight from our soul!!!!
3.HOW MANY RELEASES DO YOU HAVE? TELL
US SOME THINGS FOR EACH ONE OF THEM AND MAINLY CONCENTRATE ON "TRIANGLE
OF HATE". ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH IT OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE
TO CHANGE?
Gianni: Well, if you don't consider
the live recording we officially have 3 releases. In April 1999 we recorded
our first CDemo 'eROTica' which includes 4 tracks. It was mainly melodic
death metal but with the last track 'Instinctal War' you could feel we
were evolving to a more brutal and faster style. In 2000 a special compilation
CD came out with two Rule Of Thumb songs: 'Pain Inside' and 'Sacrifice',
which confirm we were heading to a more brutal style of playing. Now we
released our EP 'Triangle Of Hate'. In the two years that went by a lot
has happened in a musical sence of way. We turned into a new direction
and are putting more deathcore influences 'with a groove' into our songs.
We also seem to attract a broader audience with this album, from metal
to metal core to hardcore to death metal to...whatever. I'm very satisfied
with this new album and I think we all feel good with the direction we're
heading now. Personally I wouldn't change anything.
4.WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT?
WHICH THINGS INSPIRE YOU? DO YOUR LYRICS HAVE SECOND/DEEPER MEANINGS OR
ARE THEY AIMING STRAIGHT?
Koen: Most lyrics are coming from
experiences in life, which can be love, hate and everything you can think
of. We try in general to provide the listener a sort coming directly from
the heart and soul kind of music. I guess sometimes, reading the lyrics
taking this in account, you will think that we are bad boys ;-))
But we are, hugh.
5.TELL ME SOME THINGS FOR THE COVER
ARTWORK. IT SHOWS SOME PICTURES. SOME VIOLENT PICTURES AND IT'S VERY POLITICAL
I THINK. DO YOU WANT TO TELL US SOME THINGS ABOUT IT?
Gianni: Most of the songs on 'Triangle
Of Hate' are about expressions of bad feelings towards others, not
really political but still the pictures show this in a brilliant way I
think so we have no special message to tell the whole world ;-)) , it just
fits with the strong, aggressive, powerful metal we play.
Koen: It does not have a directly
political meaning, but more a way to express the day-to-day human-feelings.
In this case the bad side of these feelings, the band is not linked up
to a political way of thinking. Everybody in the band has it's one way
of thinking, he has his own way of living his live! For me this is important,
that people are free to speak up for theirselves, but more important that
your are opening enough to listen to others! So what I would say is the
following, be yourself respect the other. By the way I have the same philosophy
about other styles of music ;-)))
6.WHY HAVE YOU NAMED YOUR CD TRIANGLE
OF HATE? WHY TRIANGLE? WHAT DOES IT SYMBOLIZE?
Koen: The "Triangle of Hate" was
first only a title of the last song on the EP. Within the lyrics, it's
talking about an annoying feeling that is taking your freedom away. Which
can be different for each of us, but it's a fact that you have to face
it (TOH, the world is turning, confront this is face, ready to view, a
skull of hate....triangle of hate...the struggle of pain...triangle of
hate...this is the end...) Further because we all like the song and the
idea behind, Wim came up with the logo... Where the logo is a perfect combination
of what we were trying to express and what is visible in the symbol.
7.WHICH ARE THE BAND'S INFLUENCES?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE US YOUR OWN DESCRIPTION FOR YOUR MUSIC?
Koen: For music is a wide, I like
a lot of styles of music, mainly metal of course but also a bit of GOA
from time to time.. And give a description of our own music, I would go
for the answer....check out http://www.ruleofthumb.be/
;-))))
Gianni: The cool thing about us
is that every band member has other musical influences and we try to combine
this in our music. We all agreed to call our style 'Deathcore metal' which
fits our music the best. Personally I listen a lot to metal core and trash
metal like 'The Haunted'.
8.WHAT DOES YOUR SONG "R.U.S.T." MEAN?
WHAT DOES EACH LETTER STAND FOR?
Koen: Raped Under Secret Thought
R.U.S.T
Raped under secret thoughts
A certain day the man woke up
from his long-term sleep
ready to join the world
at his final stage
Lived his live among humanity
joined by all activities
the only thing that remains
is hate inside...
rust
Raped in your dreams
overforced by a secret part
welcome the world
of bitterness and hate...
Raped Under Secret Thoughts
The story continues
over and over again
the feeling that remains
is hate inside...
9.WHICH IS THE WORST AND WHICH IS THE
BEST REVIEW YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED? ARE YOU SATISFIED FROM THE FEEDBACK YOU
RECEIVE?
Gianni: Actually all reviews we
get are really positive so I can't think of any bad review we had. The
best one I think is yours Christine ;-) really, you made a comparison of
our music with 'The Haunted'. That's a real honour for me because they
are my favorite band!
Koen: Firrst part is a difficult
question, we are very happy with the reactions we receive from the press.
10.HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO PROMOTE
YOUR WORK? HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS? CAN YOU DESCRIBE A TYPICAL RULE
OF THUMB LIVE SHOW?
Koen: Since the TOH ep came out
we already did several live performances, we also where on tour in Hungary.
Which was a great experience...really the people, the fans, the metalheads
in general where so cool. They were jumping, moving and diving arround
since the first song we played...superb. A typical RULE OF THUMB show is
just one big party with people moving dancing and having great fun.
11.IF YOU HAD THE MONEY TO MAKE A VIDEO
CLIP, WHICH SONG OF YOURS WOULD YOU CHOOSE? HOW DO YOU IMAGINE IT TO BE?
Gianni: Actually, we've just recorded
a video clip for the song 'A Rotting Core' of our new EP 'Triangle Of Hate'
;-) It's a flashy looking clip with shootings, car races and pusuits,...
mixed with stroboscopic band shots, really cool. We are going to put it
on our website http://www.ruleofthumb.be/
as soon as possible so check it out!
12.WHICH IS THE BEST PART IN YOUR MUSIC
AND IN THE BAND IN GENERAL AND WHICH THING DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD CORRECT?
WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU NEED IMPROVEMENT?
Koen: I guess we use in improvement
at several point, but the main thing is that we are enjoying ourselves.
And that is also the best part about ROT, we are all friends since a long
time.... Respect to all of them...
Gianni: The best thing is that,
with the different backgrounds of all band members, we manage to stick
together and what's also cool is that everyone finds it difficult to put
a style on our music. That's also the reason why we ourselves call it death
core metal to the public. Musically we keep doing what we are doing now.
We try to evolve in a way that makes our songs more 'catchy' and powerfull.
13.WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN'T
ABLE TO COMPOSE MUSIC?
Koen: Can I? making noise....
Gianni: Sit on a chair and watch
TV all day ;-))) for real, I think I would do a lot more snowboarding than
I do now.
14.IF YOUR MUSIC WAS AN EMOTION WHAT
WOULD THAT BE?
Koen: DeathCore Innerselve love/hate
combination between yourself and the society!!!
15.IF SOMEDAY YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO
MEET THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHICH WOULD YOUR BIGGEST QUESTION
BE?
16.IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH
HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHY? WHAT WOULD
YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIME?
Koen: I would go back to Jule Ceasar,
to tell him about the band and the music. One thing was then for sure...we
should be the first metal band... ;-))))
Gianni: He, funny question, I would
actually prefer to go into the future and steal the lotery numbers ;-)
For me the most interesting historical time period is the time when Rome
was the place to be. I think in that time you wouldn't miss a thing from
our time.
17.WHAT PROLOGUE AND TITLE WOULD YOU
LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?
18.THANK YOU!HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK
YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?
Gianni: I just want to thank all
our fans, friends and all the people who support us!
Koen: Thanks a lot for your interview
and support...and to everybody reading this article get in contact
we us...
Rule of thumb
Bremstraat 19
3920 Lommel
+32 486 525240
Hellgium
http://www.ruleofthumb.be/
Or mailto: [email protected]
Nick "William_Kidd" Parastatidis
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