All Interviews
ALooP
ALooP
Posted on Feb 2, 2006
by Anders
Late last year the Aalborg based band ALooP released their debut full lenght "Global Crisis" on the Norwegian label Edgerunner Music. I have earlier heard some of the bands demo tracks and caught them live a couple of times as well. The demo tracks didn't do that much for me, though I remember the band delivering their music on stage pretty good. I didn't really have the biggest expectations to "Global Crisis" as I didn't know what to expect from the band and their music anno 2005. Though I was positively surprised as the music kicked much ass. A good blend of old thrash, melodies and some newer influences mixed very well together, into a hard-hitting final product, with great vocals on top of it. I hooked up with drummer Thais Beermann and guitairst Peter Nordahn to ask them a good bunch of questions.
Hva dær… How are things in Aalborg as we speak?
Thais: Cold.
Peter: Great at the moment. We are preparing the first gig of the year and kicking back to all the great reviews of "Global Crisis".
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you create havoc together with ALooP?
Thais: I'm Thais and I play drums in ALooP. The reason is because it's fun and I like to play.
Peter: This is Peter. I play guitar in the band mostly for the kick of creating music of my own and performing live. The style in ALooP suits me fine since it is a blend of all kind of genres within metal. This gives a lot of freedom when writing music.
A small introduction of the rest of the band, together with a bit about their forces and weak sides, will be killer as well!
Thais: We all have different musical backgrounds and we have been playing all sorts of music. I think that's everybody's force and the experiences from earlier give ALooP a broad spectrum to create music from. The only "weak" side is that ALooP is not a full time band.
Peter: The other members of the band are, besides Thais and me, guitarist Bexy, bassist Thomas and the singer Bo. It would be hard to describe each others weak sides and forces without getting my ass kicked, but I can say that we all 5 complement each other very well and that leaves ALooP with no really weak sides…got it?
You released your debut album "Global Crisis" late last year, how has the album been received?
Thais: Very good; especially in Germany (??) but the Danish reviews have been beyond our expectations. So we're quite satisfied with the result of 2 years work in writing and recording the songs.
Peter: The album has not been released in many countries yet, so we still await a lot of reviews at the moment, but so far it has been a really positive experience.
How do you in the band feel about the album?
Thais: We just can't stop listening to it. To us it's a masterpiece.
Peter: For sure. It has been a long process from creating the songs to seeing the album on the shelves. It really has been worth the wait.
What do you expect from it?
Thais: Actually not much. It's our first album and people really don't know ALooP, so we hope more than we expect. Of course we expect to do some more live shows than we have done so far.
Peter: I expect that the band name and our music will be printed into people's minds as the album is released. Hopefully this will give ALooP a chance to "move up" in the ranks until the next album is released.
What would you like to accomplish with ALooP and your music?
Thais: To be able to write songs, that other people will like in the next 200 years.
Peter: Personally I would like to become a better musician and write better songs. It's a blast writing your own music and performing the material live. When you can enjoy the company of a well functioning band (after a few beers hehe) alongside that, it's just great.
How does the creative process in the band work and who are the main songwriters?
Thais: Normally Thomas and Bexy come up with some riffs, which we try out individually and then we mix the riffs in the order they were written to be. Thereafter we put in the breaks, fills and twists that make the song complete and less boring to listen to. When the music is done, we record it in a demo studio, so Bo can write the lyrics and experiment with the vocals.
Where is the inspiration found?
Thais: Everywhere. In our daily life and in fiction. Some of the lyrics are inspired from books and the music is a mix of what inspires us as individuals.
Peter: Primarily in the music we listen to I would say. There are so many great bands out there, so it would be hard not to be influenced by someone, intentionally or not.
The music is quite varied and a good blend of old and new, do you all in the band have different musical influences and do you all have a wide taste of music, and how much do your age have to do with it all?
Thais: Thank you. Yes we all listen to different kinds of music, but the main influences come from Killswitch Engage which we all listen to. Of course the age of the members has a lot to say, because we are probably more critical to the sound, both live and in the studio.
Can you pick out 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you and your way of thinking music?
Thais: When I say this, I'm sure I'll get my ass kicked by the others :). But the 3 bands that have meant a lot to me is; Metallica, Dream Theater and Pantera. The songs that really has been the biggest inspiration to me are; 'Dave's Gone Skiing' by Toto (very technical stuff), 'Fucking Hostile' by Pantera (so aggressive) and 'Bad Craziness' by D:A:D (pure rock).
Peter: You're right… you will get your ass kicked for that! I would have to pick Metallica, Iron Maiden and Pantera I think. The songs will have to be Metallica 'The Four Horsemen', Suffocation 'Catatonia' and Soundgarden '4th Of July' (now I will get my ass kicked hehe).
What are the most important elements in an ALooP song?
Thais: Brutality, melody and the variation between slow and fast parts.
Which track on "Global Crisis" would you say presents ALooP the best?
Thais: Hmmmm probably 'An Ode To The Six Sided Man' because it contains all what ALooP is about.
Peter: I can agree on that… although I like 'Hell On Earth' a lot…nice to hear an instrumental track once in a while.
How did you end up with the album title "Global Crisis" and what are your thoughts behind it?
Thais: It's really just a statement that suits the global situation, as we see it, right now.
Peter: I think the tracks on the album fits perfectly together, both the music and the lyrics. The title is quite fitting to sum it all up. It's not a political album, although you may find some of the lyrics to be. It deals with universal topics.
The same question can be asked about the band's name ALooP, what's behind the name and how did you come up with the name?
Thais: We were drunk and it was late.
Peter: The name will remain a mystery.
The lyrics seems rather personal, is that a correct assumption?
Thais: Surely, though I'm not the right person to ask about that matter.
Peter: You will have to ask Bo that question some day…
Where is the inspiration for the lyrics found?
Thais: In our daily life and in fiction. The lyrics represent what we (or more correctly Bo) see and observe through books, news and everything that surround us.
Are there certain events and such there have directly influenced any of the lyrics on "Global Crisis"?
Thais: I'm not sure, but mostly the recent and escalating number of wars.
How important are the lyrics compared to the music?
Thais: They are just as important as the music. The lyrics give that extra edge to our expression and that is very important to us.
The vocals are a pretty varied affair as the music; there is the expected "scream" and a great clean vocal… how did the vocal performance end up being a blend of those 2 vocals, and why not the ugly raw scream all the way through?
Thais: The vocals ended up like they are, because we threatened to look at Bo's ass. He only wanted to do the clean parts, but he can both scream and growl. So after several beatings, he listened and as you can hear, the vocals are mean. Bo is a man, who doesn't want anybody to look at his rear.
Peter: No comments to that answer.
How important is the visual layout of the album for you?
Thais: The graphics are very important to make the make record look as a whole, so we really needed some ass kicking graphical work. Which you can see, that Morten Albertsen did very well.
Peter: We spend a lot of time with Morten explaining what we wanted and he just delivered… awesome stuff!
Is it necessary that the music, lyrics and the artwork works together into a higher wholesome?
Thais: Yes it is. All together the parts become ALooP. If one of them were missing it would seem awkward.
Are you working on new music as we speak and when do you expect to have new material out?
Thais: We are writing some new material, and if you come to see us live, you will actually hear some of the new stuff. We don't have any plans yet regarding a new album. But maybe not so long from now.
The amount of releases and the speed of bands releasing new material are very high, will ALooP be able to keep up with that and what are your place on the metal scene?
Thais: No, I don't think that's our intention. We are not into writing songs as quickly as possible. We take it easy and step-by-step.
You are yet a band out of the metal scene in Aalborg, which really has bloomed in the later years, how do you look upon the state of the metal scene in Aalborg, and how much more can we expect from it?
Thais: I think that we can expect to see more cool bands within the next 2 years. Not just from Aalborg but also from the rest of the country. But as it is right now, Aalborg is really a great representative regarding metal bands.
Peter: It's really great what's going on in Denmark and especially Aalborg at the moment. We are pleased to be a little part of that and we hope to stay there.
Will we see you hitting the stages around Denmark/Europe anytime soon?
Thais: Yes, we're working on booking gigs and we hope to come to Norway, Sweden and Germany this year.
How do you in ALooP look upon the future?
Thais: Right now it's all about getting to play live and writing new material.
Peter: We have a great album out, the reviews are good and so is the new material. The chemistry between us is greater than ever so I think the future looks bright.
Do you care to share your 5 all time favourite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
Thais:
Metallica - …And Justice For All
Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing
Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power
The Haunted - rEVOLVEr
and of course ALooP - Global Crisis
Peter:
Metallica - …And Justice For All (odd)
Suffocation - Pierced From Within
Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Megadeth - Rust In Peace.
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Thais: Yeah, buy the Global Crisis and we'll see ya on the road.
Peter: Thanks for a great webzine and interest in ALooP. Keep up the good work!
Thais: Cold.
Peter: Great at the moment. We are preparing the first gig of the year and kicking back to all the great reviews of "Global Crisis".
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you create havoc together with ALooP?
Thais: I'm Thais and I play drums in ALooP. The reason is because it's fun and I like to play.
Peter: This is Peter. I play guitar in the band mostly for the kick of creating music of my own and performing live. The style in ALooP suits me fine since it is a blend of all kind of genres within metal. This gives a lot of freedom when writing music.
A small introduction of the rest of the band, together with a bit about their forces and weak sides, will be killer as well!
Thais: We all have different musical backgrounds and we have been playing all sorts of music. I think that's everybody's force and the experiences from earlier give ALooP a broad spectrum to create music from. The only "weak" side is that ALooP is not a full time band.
Peter: The other members of the band are, besides Thais and me, guitarist Bexy, bassist Thomas and the singer Bo. It would be hard to describe each others weak sides and forces without getting my ass kicked, but I can say that we all 5 complement each other very well and that leaves ALooP with no really weak sides…got it?
You released your debut album "Global Crisis" late last year, how has the album been received?
Thais: Very good; especially in Germany (??) but the Danish reviews have been beyond our expectations. So we're quite satisfied with the result of 2 years work in writing and recording the songs.
Peter: The album has not been released in many countries yet, so we still await a lot of reviews at the moment, but so far it has been a really positive experience.
How do you in the band feel about the album?
Thais: We just can't stop listening to it. To us it's a masterpiece.
Peter: For sure. It has been a long process from creating the songs to seeing the album on the shelves. It really has been worth the wait.
What do you expect from it?
Thais: Actually not much. It's our first album and people really don't know ALooP, so we hope more than we expect. Of course we expect to do some more live shows than we have done so far.
Peter: I expect that the band name and our music will be printed into people's minds as the album is released. Hopefully this will give ALooP a chance to "move up" in the ranks until the next album is released.
What would you like to accomplish with ALooP and your music?
Thais: To be able to write songs, that other people will like in the next 200 years.
Peter: Personally I would like to become a better musician and write better songs. It's a blast writing your own music and performing the material live. When you can enjoy the company of a well functioning band (after a few beers hehe) alongside that, it's just great.
How does the creative process in the band work and who are the main songwriters?
Thais: Normally Thomas and Bexy come up with some riffs, which we try out individually and then we mix the riffs in the order they were written to be. Thereafter we put in the breaks, fills and twists that make the song complete and less boring to listen to. When the music is done, we record it in a demo studio, so Bo can write the lyrics and experiment with the vocals.
Where is the inspiration found?
Thais: Everywhere. In our daily life and in fiction. Some of the lyrics are inspired from books and the music is a mix of what inspires us as individuals.
Peter: Primarily in the music we listen to I would say. There are so many great bands out there, so it would be hard not to be influenced by someone, intentionally or not.
The music is quite varied and a good blend of old and new, do you all in the band have different musical influences and do you all have a wide taste of music, and how much do your age have to do with it all?
Thais: Thank you. Yes we all listen to different kinds of music, but the main influences come from Killswitch Engage which we all listen to. Of course the age of the members has a lot to say, because we are probably more critical to the sound, both live and in the studio.
Can you pick out 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you and your way of thinking music?
Thais: When I say this, I'm sure I'll get my ass kicked by the others :). But the 3 bands that have meant a lot to me is; Metallica, Dream Theater and Pantera. The songs that really has been the biggest inspiration to me are; 'Dave's Gone Skiing' by Toto (very technical stuff), 'Fucking Hostile' by Pantera (so aggressive) and 'Bad Craziness' by D:A:D (pure rock).
Peter: You're right… you will get your ass kicked for that! I would have to pick Metallica, Iron Maiden and Pantera I think. The songs will have to be Metallica 'The Four Horsemen', Suffocation 'Catatonia' and Soundgarden '4th Of July' (now I will get my ass kicked hehe).
What are the most important elements in an ALooP song?
Thais: Brutality, melody and the variation between slow and fast parts.
Which track on "Global Crisis" would you say presents ALooP the best?
Thais: Hmmmm probably 'An Ode To The Six Sided Man' because it contains all what ALooP is about.
Peter: I can agree on that… although I like 'Hell On Earth' a lot…nice to hear an instrumental track once in a while.
How did you end up with the album title "Global Crisis" and what are your thoughts behind it?
Thais: It's really just a statement that suits the global situation, as we see it, right now.
Peter: I think the tracks on the album fits perfectly together, both the music and the lyrics. The title is quite fitting to sum it all up. It's not a political album, although you may find some of the lyrics to be. It deals with universal topics.
The same question can be asked about the band's name ALooP, what's behind the name and how did you come up with the name?
Thais: We were drunk and it was late.
Peter: The name will remain a mystery.
The lyrics seems rather personal, is that a correct assumption?
Thais: Surely, though I'm not the right person to ask about that matter.
Peter: You will have to ask Bo that question some day…
Where is the inspiration for the lyrics found?
Thais: In our daily life and in fiction. The lyrics represent what we (or more correctly Bo) see and observe through books, news and everything that surround us.
Are there certain events and such there have directly influenced any of the lyrics on "Global Crisis"?
Thais: I'm not sure, but mostly the recent and escalating number of wars.
How important are the lyrics compared to the music?
Thais: They are just as important as the music. The lyrics give that extra edge to our expression and that is very important to us.
The vocals are a pretty varied affair as the music; there is the expected "scream" and a great clean vocal… how did the vocal performance end up being a blend of those 2 vocals, and why not the ugly raw scream all the way through?
Thais: The vocals ended up like they are, because we threatened to look at Bo's ass. He only wanted to do the clean parts, but he can both scream and growl. So after several beatings, he listened and as you can hear, the vocals are mean. Bo is a man, who doesn't want anybody to look at his rear.
Peter: No comments to that answer.
How important is the visual layout of the album for you?
Thais: The graphics are very important to make the make record look as a whole, so we really needed some ass kicking graphical work. Which you can see, that Morten Albertsen did very well.
Peter: We spend a lot of time with Morten explaining what we wanted and he just delivered… awesome stuff!
Is it necessary that the music, lyrics and the artwork works together into a higher wholesome?
Thais: Yes it is. All together the parts become ALooP. If one of them were missing it would seem awkward.
Are you working on new music as we speak and when do you expect to have new material out?
Thais: We are writing some new material, and if you come to see us live, you will actually hear some of the new stuff. We don't have any plans yet regarding a new album. But maybe not so long from now.
The amount of releases and the speed of bands releasing new material are very high, will ALooP be able to keep up with that and what are your place on the metal scene?
Thais: No, I don't think that's our intention. We are not into writing songs as quickly as possible. We take it easy and step-by-step.
You are yet a band out of the metal scene in Aalborg, which really has bloomed in the later years, how do you look upon the state of the metal scene in Aalborg, and how much more can we expect from it?
Thais: I think that we can expect to see more cool bands within the next 2 years. Not just from Aalborg but also from the rest of the country. But as it is right now, Aalborg is really a great representative regarding metal bands.
Peter: It's really great what's going on in Denmark and especially Aalborg at the moment. We are pleased to be a little part of that and we hope to stay there.
Will we see you hitting the stages around Denmark/Europe anytime soon?
Thais: Yes, we're working on booking gigs and we hope to come to Norway, Sweden and Germany this year.
How do you in ALooP look upon the future?
Thais: Right now it's all about getting to play live and writing new material.
Peter: We have a great album out, the reviews are good and so is the new material. The chemistry between us is greater than ever so I think the future looks bright.
Do you care to share your 5 all time favourite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
Thais:
Metallica - …And Justice For All
Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing
Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power
The Haunted - rEVOLVEr
and of course ALooP - Global Crisis
Peter:
Metallica - …And Justice For All (odd)
Suffocation - Pierced From Within
Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Megadeth - Rust In Peace.
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Thais: Yeah, buy the Global Crisis and we'll see ya on the road.
Peter: Thanks for a great webzine and interest in ALooP. Keep up the good work!
Back
All content Copyright 1999-2006 Nocturnalhorde.com. Powered By...
