Behind The Veil had the priviledge and luck to have a talk with one of the happiest and optimist blacksters. This interview was more than satisfying and gripping my attention from line to line. Being an optimist doesn't mean living in an ideal fantasy world. On the contrary, I think that's what makes them even more interesting. Read the interview below and you will understand what a sceptical man means! Wish black metal had more men of this type...

1.TELL US IN A FEW WORDS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY. WHICH IS TODAY'S LINE UP?

• The most important moment would be the recording of the new album “verwoesting/devastation”. And of course getting the deal with Folter records last December for two cd´s. The line up is: Ruud Nillesen:Bass Cor van Maris:voice  Koos Bos:drums   J.Kruitwagen:guitar. I hope the line up remains the same over the next years.

2.WHICH WERE YOUR CRITERIA WHILE SELECTING A BAND NAME? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

• I was reading Tolkiens work and I came across the name sammath naur, the mountain of fire. I thought that sammath is a good name for a brutal black/death metal band. I always wanted a band name starting with a S.

3.WHICH ARE THE BAND'S INFLUENCES? CAN YOU LIST SOME OF YOUR MOST BELOVED BANDS AND ALBUMS?

• Best bands, Destroyer 666, Autopsy, Sadistik Exekution, Mortal Sin, Rose tattoo, Coroner, Frost, the best albums I have ever heard must be slaughter strappado and Deathrow “raging steel”. In other interviews I might name others but there are many inspiring metal albums. From the last years I think, Mysticum, Gehenna, Setherial.

4.SAMMATH MIGHT BE A BAND, BUT IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN YOU ARE THE ONLY FOUNDING MEMBER AND THE ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BAND, SO COULD WE TALK FOR ONE MAN BAND?

• Yes it is an one man band, I did Sammath by myself for about ten years. I have another person in the band once but it didn’t work out, he just wasn’t motivated enough. The band I have now is only for live shows. I still write all the music. On the next album I shall have a real drum. They are all very good in what they do so I get a lot of tips from them. A band just has more ideas.

5.WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT? WHICH THEMES DO YOU APPROACH WITH THEM?

• On the previous album it was more ancient lyrics about the middle ages, war, death, god. Typical black metal lyrics. On the new album I write about life. Death, god, war, hate, whatever is dark. I have chosen for the more realistic approach to lyrics, no more forests for me.

6.IN YOUR BAND BIO THERE IS A BIG LIST OF BAND INFLUENCES, WHICH ARE VERY DIFFERENT AMONG THEM. FROM HARD ROCK TO DEATH/BLACK. HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO COMBINE SO MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTS? IS IT POSSIBLE?

• I dont think you can hear any Rose Tattoo in SAMMATH. That is more an influence to pick up a guitar and start playing. I saw them in Sydney Australia where I grew up when I was 14, my first concert and they blew me away. Coroner I still listen to daily, the way that guy manages his guitar is brilliant, especially on their album R.I.P. On the new album the influences appear more clearly than before. Benediction is also a big influence. Ulver recorded one of the best black metal albums ever with “wolf and man”, pitty the sound is so shit.

7.WHY DO WE SEE EVERY DAY MORE AND MORE NEW BANDS PLAYING EXTREME METAL AND LESS PLAYING MELODIC METAL? WHERE IS THE MELODY? DON'T PEOPLE HAVE A NEED OF IT? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

• Aggressive times aggressive music? I dont know really. I have been into metal for at least 15 years and their always seems to be ups and downs for every type of metal. Problem is that the media influences this all in such a big way. There was a time when black metal was really underground but dimmu money and cradle of nothing  changed all that. That’s probably what’s going on with melodic metal at the moment, not enough attention from the media so not popular. It should return to the top again in a couple of years.

8.TELL US SOME GENERAL THINGS FOR THE BAND RELEASES AND EPSECIALLY FOR YOUR LATEST RELEASE. COMPARE THEM. WHAT DO YOU OBSERVE? IN WHICH FIELDS HAVE YOU PROGRESSED?

• Since the demo period a lot has changed. The first demos where okay but too much of a ripp of from other melodic black metal bands who did it a lot better. The first album was okay, still not very original but the Sammath sound was starting to appear. The song writing has improved dramatically. As it should over a period of three years between “strijd” AND “VERWOESTING/DEVASTATION” .It is all just more technical, faster, keyboard has gone and loads more aggression.

9.WHY DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR CD TITLES IN ENGLISH? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ACHIEVE BY THAT? ISN'T IT DIFFICULT FOR THE FANS TO UNDERSTAND YOU?

• Thats the main reason for calling this album “verwoesting/devastation”. I had enough of dutch lyrics. I did it for 7 years and it was time for a change. I started with the dutch lyrics because dutch sounds great in black metal. The Norwegians were doing it so i thought why not. English is of course a lot easier. It lets you get closer to the music if you can read the lyrics. You need the booklet with the new Sammath cd, no way you can make out the lyrics by the screams and grunts!

10.WHICH WAS YOUR BIGGEST DREAM WHEN YOU WERE FORMING THE BAND?

• All i wanted was to was make brutal metal. And to record my music with a decent studio budget and continue doing so. That’s all happened and its great. Folter records is a great label and knows where to send cd´s and has a great reputation in the black metal scene. Now that I have performed live I want to do more shows.

11.HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS? CAN YOU DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SAMMATH LIVE?

• We played live only once. At the “under the black sun” festival in Berlin 5 and 6 July 2002, along with some great acts as Tsjuder, Taake and  Imperious Malevolence. That festival was great. I got a band together in March 2002 after searching for a couple of years for people who i got along with and who could handle this music. We only practised together 9 times before the show but the reactions where pretty good. Later this year Sammath shall be performing in Australia as I am going there to travel for a long time.

12.IF YOU HAD THE MONEY TO MAKE A PROPER EXPENSIVE VIDEO CLIP, HOW WOULD YOU IMAGINE IT TO BE? COULD YOU DESCRIBE IT TO US?

• Ha ha, did you see the sammath video yet? The video for “enter the sadistic nightmare” on the new cd is very low budget, but it´s exactly how i want it. War, war, war and some shots of me on the guitar and bass. The problem is, where are you going to play the video, not on MTV.

13.YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN MANY COMPILATION CD'S. HOW WERE THEY ALL ARRANGED? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ON THAT? HAS IT HELPED YOU IN ANY WAY?

• All the complication tapes and cd´s that I have been on have always been good for Sammath. It spreads the name of the band quickly. The best one would be the “encyclopedia Pestilentia” released by Velvet music international. That was a three cd volume of 50 underground bands. A  lot of cd´s where sold of this complication cd. I still, get reactions and the cd is about 4 years old.

14.WHICH WERE THE REACTIONS OF THE FANS AND PRESS ON YOUR LATEST RELEASE? ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH IT OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE?

• The reactions to the new cd are better than I could have imagined. “verwoesting/devastation” got 84 points in Aardschok mag in holland. The CD has only been available for about one and a half month , more reviews will appear shortly in the international metal press. There is nothing I would change except one mistake I made typing in the lyrics, where should have been deceived it reads deveived. The atmosphere and artwork are how I intended it to be. Very satisfying.

15.WHICH DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST AND WHICH THE WORST PART OF YOUR MUSIC? WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU NEED IMPROVEMENT?

• The best would be that on the new cd people have problems comparing Sammath to other bands, that’s good. There is room for improvement in the drums but with the drum computer being replaced by a real drummer those problems are of the past.

• I am an optimist, people say I am too happy for this type of music. Human relations have always been pathetic. Just the way it should be, chaos brings out the best and worst in mankind. The thing is that these days everyone thinks they are a hero. Fact is that people think they know everything about anything and just talk shit.

17.IF YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO CORRECT SOMETHING IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?

• Have a good chat with the pope and all other religious leaders, get all the money back that those bastards have stolen from everywhere over the last two thousand years. There is absolutely nothing that any church has done for the world that has had any use at all. Preachers have raped more children than all the mentally ill  put together, killed more people , i could go on for hours. The worst thing is that in the moment of death, the poor believer, is busy with praying to nothing.

18.IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?

• How he did it and why did he put so many assholes on earth.

19.IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHY? WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIME?

• To exact day it is today. The past is interesting, i study history, but these times are definitely the  best to live in. I would´t mind taking a look at the middle ages but only if I could take a can of coke and some burger king with me. Living in any time before the last century means dying at least 30 years younger, maybe the people where not as irritating as now, but I would rather hate longer.

20.WHAT PROLOGUE AND TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?

• SAMMATH , furious black death metal. Correct listening at maximum volume.

21.THANK YOU!HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

• Thanks for the interview, METAL OR DIE.
Christine  Parastatidou