Bloodphemy Interview

Bloodphemy are a death metal band from the Netherlands that offer a unique blend of brutal and old school combined. They tend to stand a bit aside from their fellow death metal peers of the genre and present the listener with great song writing. This features the definite descriptions of heaviness, catchy with speed and aggression, plus wicked soloing and guttural vocals of driven rage. Unlike some other bands, they are not typical or necessarily predictable either in the sound and style of death metal that Bloodphemy does. There latest release is titled Bloodline which was released on CD from Sleazy Rider Records. Getting a chance to talk with Ed (Drums for Bloodphemy) from the band, these are the questions and the topic matter that we had discussed.

– Hi Ed & Bloodphemy! First of all, thank you for taking the time for this interview for Blessed Altar Zine! We greatly appreciate this! So, with coming back together as a band in full force once again for 2015 on, how does it feel to be back doing Bloodphemy again?
– Hello Blessed Altar Zine, it feels great to be back again with Bloodphemy, although I never stopped playing in bands. I did quit with Bloodphemy back then because I became very busy with my main band Pleurisy and I could not combine both. Winfred was also guitarist in the beginning of Pleurisy, we shared the same love for death metal and so we decided early 2000 to start a project which became Bloodphemy. Also, with the old vocalist from again Pleurisy and the bass player from Beyond Belief, we started writing and recording and some gigs followed. The rest of the band wanted more which resulted in the demo Section 8 but as I said before I could not combine both bands. Quint Meerbeek (nowadays Bodyfarm) did replace me but despite this the band called their quit after some cool shows.
I started KhaoZ after the death of Pleurisy and we did release 2 albums and 1 mini-album but after 6 or 7 years the flame was not burning anymore as it used to be. I wanted to do a death/grind project with the old bass player from Bloodphemy but after some beers we decided to start Bloodphemy again. After a short chat with Winfred who was interested, it was very clear that Bloodphemy existed again after approximately 15 years. We made a solid plan to get the band back and started working our asses off.
Sleazy Rider records showed interest and after we re-recorded an old song Blood for Me we signed a deal for our ep Blood Will Tell and our debut album Bloodline. We did some cool gigs and festivals, continued writing and so now our new album In Cold Blood will be released by our new label Black Lion records in April 2019. So yeah, it feels good.

– With past lineup changes and now the new label (Black lion Records), do you like where the band is at this point?
– Well, as you can see we where quite busy with Bloodphemy the last 3 years. Writing and recording 2 albums, 1 ep and playing many gigs not everyone was not able to put the time and/or energy in the band as we, Winfred and I did. This resulted in some line-up changes but through the years it made the band stronger then ever. Actually, after the last line-up change we decided to continue as a four piece and our former guitarist Rutger (Bleeding Gods/ Shinigami) will be our second live guitarist.
Also with our new label we will try to make a step forward. For 2019, we are already booked for some festivals and a small tour so we are very pleased with the band nowadays.

– I understand there will be a Tape version of Bloodline coming out soon? Would you like to elaborate on this?
– This will be a very cool release with new artwork from Bahrull Marta. We are very excited about this release because when we, Winfred and I, started with death metal when there was only vinyl, tapes and cd’s were upcoming. There was a very strong tape trader circuit and we were writing letters and sending tapes all over the world. This was an exciting period when death metal was rising everywhere. Nowadays, there is again a scene upcoming with tapes and so we are very happy Bloodline will be released on tape through Dawning Septic productions. They will also do our new album In Cold Blood as tape release and it will also see the light of day on digipack and vinyl through Black Lion records.

– What are the future plans for Bloodphemy whether soon or later in 2019?
– Writing for the new album and we will be planning a mini-album release with old songs from the demo cd Section 8, re-recorded and with a new mastering. And of course, playing live shows.

– Out of curiousity, with the writing style of Bloodphemy, is this contributed by certain members in the band or all together? Or does it vary from song to song?
– Yes, contributed by certain members which are Winfred and me. Normally Winfred does write a new song with a click-track included. Only click no drum parts, so I am totally free to create my drum parts to that particular song. When I am ready we enter the practice room to play and most of the times this works out perfect. Of course, some little things had to be fixed followed by the vocal and bass lines, and so on.
We do not write together, this works out fine for us. Only this way keeps our style, the Morbid Angel/Nocturnus guitar parts with my more grooving drum style steadier.

– Would you consider playing or touring in North America?
– Oh yeah! When will this happen? Hehe. Of course, we would play everywhere if possible. We did already play in Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Luxembourg and of course Holland.

– Through out the different styles of metal, that ranges from over the years, eras, times, etc, do you have a favorite style or genre of metal you like best or prefer in general?
– Death Metal in all types and forms and some old school black metal. When it is raw, pure and brutal!

– Outside of metal, could you say that there are other forms of music out there that may influence you or the guys in Bloodphemy? Whether bandwise or for listening?
– Don’t know actually. For me this all started through listening to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Iron Maiden. Followed by Slayer, Kreator, Death, Obituary, Entombed, Dismember, Morbid Angel and so on. My musical taste was formed by those bands but there is no influence to me nowadays. A good song is a good song whether it is death metal, rock or what so ever.

– When bands release EPs compared to LPs or full-length albums, despite the format its on, do you have a preference?
– I do have a preference because if this particular band is not my taste it is better to have a short version, hahaha! It is still very cool to have an LP release. The latest Morbid Angel I bought on vinyl for example is a very cool release. If it is a cool cover I prefer to buy the vinyl version. I also got the ep/mini from Carve the Stone, this should be a full length by the way, killer!

– When you look at the world and its current status, do you see hope or possibilities or do you see things slowly progressing to get worse?
– Well a few hundred years ago it was not any better, bad food, bad health, wars and bad music! Hahaha. I do not care actually. I am healthy, I make music, I train kyokushin karate and I am very happy with my family and friends. I have no worries and I do not have any influence on the state of the world. If you stay positive, there will always be hope.

– Is there anything that you would like to say about Bloodphemy to the readers, fans or the new people discovering you now as a band?
– Well first of all we do want to thank Blessed Altar Zine for this interview and support. Please check out Bloodphemy on social media or youtube but we prefer to see you bangin’ at one of our gigs! Also, a big thanx to Dawning Sceptic Productions, Black Lion Records and All Metal Agency! Cheers, Ed.

– Ok great and thank you Ed! Blessed Altar Zine thanks Bloodphemy and yourself for taking the time for this interview! Until next time, I look forward to future and new material from the band! Take care and all the best!

Interview by Eldritch of Death

Notes: For more info, access to their music online and merch please check out these links provided.

You can always read our review of Bloodphemy’s upcoming “Bloodline” album here

Official Video/Song – Annihilation, taken from their album – Bloodline Released: March 30^th, 2017 on Sleazy Rider Records