Mar 2111 min read

残酷的战争 - 荷兰Brutal Death Metal乐队Houwitser专访

战争一直都是Death Metah乐队经常使用的一个主题，比如来自英国的Bolt Thrower乐队就是一支以战争为主题的乐队，今天我就为大家介绍一支来自荷兰的Houwitser乐队，Houwitser乐队成立于1997年是一支历史悠久的老牌乐队了，1998年乐队以歌手：Mike van Mastrigt，吉他手：Michel Alderliefsten，贝斯手：Theo van Eekelen，鼓手：Aad Kloosterwaard，录制了一张六首歌曲的Promo专辑，1999年乐队在荷兰本土厂牌Displeased Records发行了第一张正式专辑“Death... but Not Buried”，这张专辑也受到了广泛的关注和好评，2000 - 2003年乐队发行了三张正式专辑，Houwitser的作品给人留下的印象就是他们独特的旋律并且没有失去Brutal Death Metal的野蛮和快速的特点，Houwitser乐队在2003年发行“Damage Assessment”专辑宣布解散，直到2007年才宣布重新组建，重组之后再2009年乐队发行了一张两首歌曲的EP专辑“Sledgehammer Redemption”，2010年乐队在美国厂牌Sevared Records发行了第五张正式专辑“Bestial Atrocity”，这专辑在发行之后乐队来到了莫斯科参加了一场音乐并且在俄罗斯厂牌Coyote Records和美国Sevared Records两家厂牌合作发行了一张“Moscow Atrocity”的DVD专辑，这张DVD发行之后乐队再也没有任何新的作品发行，直到今年乐队发行了他们的第六张正式专辑“Sentinel Beast”，在新专辑发行之际我联系到了乐队歌手Mike进行了一次采访。

（V: 代表笔者 M: 代表Mike）

War has always been a theme often used by Death Metah bands, for example, Bolt Thrower from the UK is a band that uses war as a theme, today I would like to introduce you to a band from the Netherlands, Houwitser, Houwitser was formed in 1997 is a band with a long history of veteran bands, in 1998 the band In 1998 the band recorded a six-song Promo album with Mike van Mastrigt (vocals), Michel Alderliefsten (guitars), Theo van Eekelen (bass) and Aad Kloosterwaard (drums). 1999 saw the band's first official release on the Dutch label Displeased In 1999 the band released their first official album "Death... but Not Buried" on the local Dutch label Displeased. but Not Buried", which was also well received and critically acclaimed, and the band released three albums between 2000 and 2003, Houwitser's work has left an impression of being uniquely melodic without losing the brutality and speed that characterises Brutal Death Metal. Houwitser disbanded in 2003 with the release of "Damage Assessment", only to reunite in 2007, and in 2009 the band released a two-song EP entitled "Sledgehammer Redemption". Sledgehammer Redemption" in 2009, and in 2010 the band released their fifth album "Bestial Atrocity" on the American label Sevared Records, after which the band travelled to Moscow to participate in a music festival and play on the Russian label "Sledgehammer Redemption". After the release of this album the band travelled to Moscow to participate in a concert and released "Moscow Atrocity" on DVD on the Russian label Coyote Records and the American label Sevared Records, after the release of this DVD the band didn't release any new material until this year. This year the band released their sixth official album "Sentinel Beast", and on the occasion of the release I contacted the singer Mike for an interview.

(V: for the author M: for Mike)

采访对象：Mike（Houwitser乐队歌手)

采访时间：2024.03.10

V: 你好Mike很高兴见到你，非常感谢你接受我们的采访，我想这是你的乐队第一次接受中国杂志的采访，首先向你的中国歌迷问好，Houwitser乐队成立于1997年，是一支非常有很多资历，在荷兰也是一支非常重要的乐队，最初是谁发起成立这支乐队的？谁想出了 Houwitser 这个名字？

Hello Mike nice to meet you and thank you very much for participating in this interview, I think this is the first time that your band has been interviewed by a Chinese magazine, first of all say hello to your Chinese fans, Houwitser was formed in 1997, it is a very old band with a lot of credentials, and it is also a very important band in Holland, who initiated the formation of this band in the first place? Who came up with the name Houwitser and what does it mean?

M: 大家好，很高兴接受中国杂志的采访。Houwitser这个名字是Michel和Aad起的，Michel起的是一种火炮的名字。

Hi all nice to have an interview for a Chinese magazine. Michel and Aad started Houwitser, Michel came up with the name which is a type of artillery.

V: 2007年你们更换了鼓手和吉他手，为什么第一代鼓手和吉他手退出了乐队？新的鼓手和吉他手是如何加入乐队的？你对他们的工作满意吗？

You are now the only first generation members of the band, you and Michel, and in 2007 you changed your drummer and guitarist, why did the first generation drummer and guitarist quit the band? How did the new drummer and guitarist join the band? Are you satisfied with their work?

M: Houwitser的成员变化很大。在最初的阵容中，我们只有一名吉他手。当我回到Houwitse时，Richard已经是第二吉他手了。Richard和Michel是老朋友了。我在Sinister的时候，Richard和他的兄弟Peter是巡回演出的工作人员。

There have been a lot of member changes in Houwitser. In the first line up we had only 1 guitarist. When I returned to Houwitser Richard was already a member as 2nd guitarist. Richard and Michel where friends for a long time. Richard his Brother Peter was a roady in the time I was in Sinister, we all know each other from hanging out and going to shows.

V: 你们每个成员都是演奏极端金属的音乐家，你们在一起工作了很长时间，非常默契，能给我们讲讲你们的创作过程吗？新专辑的创作过程是怎样的？

Each of you members are musicians who play extreme metal, you've been working together for a long time and are very much in sync, can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? How did the writing process for the new album go?

M: 大部分创作都是在排练室完成的。Richard写了大部分的旋律，我们开始用鼓来编曲。之后在我写了主唱台词后，才开始编曲。歌词是我自己写的。

Most of the writing was done in the rehearsal room. Richard wrote most of the riff and we started to form te numbers with drums. The arrangements where done afterwards when I made the vocal lines. Lyrics I wrote myself.

V: 你们的每张专辑在录制方面都非常出色，我喜欢你们录制专辑的方式。哪位制作人制作了你们的专辑？新专辑的录制过程如何进行的？

Each of your albums have been really great in terms of recording, I love how you guys recorded them, what studio did you all record your albums in? Which producer produced your albums? How was the recording process for the new album?

M: 录制过程与我们以往的录制过程有些不同。我们在音响工程师租用的一个地方录音。这是一个有舞台的小俱乐部，不是录音室。录音完成后，录音师所在的地方发生了一起抢劫案。所有设备都被偷了，包括我们的录音。他找到了所有的拷贝，但所有录音都不在原处。我们把它交给了Bart（早期曾在Sinister工作过）Michel和我曾与Bart一起为Neocaesar录制过一张专辑。Bart制作了这张专辑。因此我们知道他一定能做好，我们也一定能获得Old School而残酷的声音。

The recording process went a bit different then we where used to. We recorded in a place which our sound engineer rented. This is a small club with a stage and not a studio. When the recordings where done. There has been a robbery at the sound engineer his place. All equipment got stolen including our recordings. He found the back up of the back up. But non of the recordings where in place. This we gave to Bart (who used to be in Sinister at the early days) Michel and myself had recorded an album with Bart for Neocaesar. Bart produced this album. That why we knew he would deliver a good job and we would get an old school and brutal sound.

V: 你们音乐的主题是战争，这是Death Metal中常见的主题，你们为什么选择这个主题？你想通过这个主题表达什么？你们还创作了歌词，是谁写的歌词？

The theme of your music is about war, which is a common theme in Death Metal, why did you choose this theme? What do you want to express through this theme? You also wrote the lyrics, who wrote the lyrics and what inspired them?

M: Houwitser是一种战争工具，所以歌词以战争为主题是合情合理的。因为如果我录制一张专辑，我就会写所有的歌词。对于第一张Houwitser专辑，我希望能有与Sinister专辑不同的歌词，这也是因为这张专辑的音乐风格与Sinister专辑不同，但第一张专辑的歌词不是关于战争的。歌词表现了生活的残酷和病态。新专辑的歌词也不是以战争为主题。新专辑的歌词也不以战争为主题，而是涉及心灵附体、抑郁、精神错乱、死亡、生活的残酷和病态，同时也反对宗教结构和世界政治。

Houwitser is an instrument of warfare so it made sense to have lyrics about war. For I write all the lyrics if I record an album. For the first Houwitser I wanted to have different lyrics then I wrote for Sinister, also because the music has a different vibe. But the lyrics on the first album are not about war. There represent the cruelty and sickness off life. The lyrics for the new album are also not mainly about War. They deal with possession of the mind, depression, insanity, death, cruelty and sickness off life and there also against the structure of religion and world politics.

V: 你们的Logo在2000年被一个新的标志取代，事实上你们的两个Logo都非常简单，但这个设计是我最喜欢的形式，因为我很容易就能记住你们的名字，这个Logo是谁为你们设计的？你们所有的专辑封面都与战争有关，这个封面是谁设计的？

Your logo was replaced by a new one in 2000, in fact, both of your logos are very simple, but this design is my favourite form, because I can remember your name easily, who designed this logo for you? All of your album artwork is war related, who designed this artwork for you?

M: 这个Logo是朋友Rolf de Koning设计的，第一张专辑的封面设计是我自己做的，最新专辑“Sentinal Beast”的封面设计由headsplit设计公司完成。

The logo was made by a friend Rolf de Koning. De artwork of the 1st album I made mayself. For the latest album Sentinal Beast the artwork is created by headsplit design

V: 你们在2004年宣布解散，直到2007年才让老成员回来重新组建 Houwitser，是什么原因导致你们解散？又是什么让你们重新组建的？2012年，你们在俄罗斯唱片公司Coyote Records发行了一张DVD，之后就没有新作品了，这么多年没有发行新作品的原因是什么？

You announced that you were disbanding in 2004 and it wasn't until 2007 that you got your old members back to re-form Houwitser, what was the willingness that led to you disbanding? And what made you reform? But in 2012 you released a DVD on the Russian label Coyote Records and then there was no new work from you, what was the reason for not releasing any new material for so many years and what made you release a new album this year?

M: 乐队解散时，我并不在其中。但乐队的气氛已经不再那么好了。

I was not in the band when they disband. But the atmosphere in the band was not that good anymore.

V: 你们曾与Osmose Productions、Displeased Records、Sevared Records、Coyote Records等多家唱片公司发行过专辑，你们是如何与这些唱片公司取得联系并进行合作的？你对他们的工作满意吗？你选择哪个唱片公司发行今年的新专辑？

You have released albums with a number of labels such as Osmose Productions, Displeased Records, Sevared Records, Coyote Records, etc., how did you get in touch with these labels to collaborate? Are you satisfied with their work? Which label did you choose to release your new album this year?

M: 我记得第一张专辑是在Displeased Records发行的。他们从荷兰来，发现我们在做这个项目。我们觉得这很合适，就签了这份合约。至于"Sentinel Beast"，我们认识Vidar Records的人。他们也来自荷兰，因此很容易打交道。Michel安排了这笔交易。当时我因为忙于Neocaesar的工作，所以没有参与乐队的工作。

As I can recall the first album was released on Displeased Records. There from the Netherlands and found out we where doing this project. As we thought this would fit, we signed this deal. As far as it goes as for “Sentinel Beast”, we know guys from Vidar. They are also from the Netherlands which makes it easy to deal with. Michel arranged the deal. At that time I took my hands of the band for I was busy with Neocaesar.

V: 首先祝贺你们今年发行了最新专辑“Sentinel Beast”，这是乐队的第六张正式专辑，我是你们的忠实粉丝，从你们的"Death... but Not Buried"专辑开始，我就一直在关注你们，虽然我还没有听过你们的新专辑试听曲，但我相信那一定是一张很棒的专辑，你们是一支旋律优美的乐队，声音浑厚而快速，既老派又残酷，你们就是这样的乐队！以战争为主题，你们的音乐也描述了战争的残酷，听你们的音乐就像在经历一场残酷的战争。新专辑与旧专辑相比有什么变化吗？

First of all, congratulations on the release of your latest album "Sentinel Beast" this year, which is the band's sixth official album, I'm a big fan of yours, and I've heard a lot of your "Death... but Not Buried" from your album "Sentinel Beast". I've been following you since your "Death... but Not Buried" album, and although I haven't heard the demo yet, I'm sure it's a good one, you're a melodic band, with a thick, fast sound that's old school and brutal, you guys! With the theme of war, you also describe the brutality of war with your music, listening to your music is like experiencing a brutal war. Has the new album changed anything compared to the old one?

M: 是的，这张唱片比之前的其他唱片更加完整。有更好的歌曲，更好的独奏。但依然残酷如地狱。

Yes, this record is more complete then al the other records before. There better written songs, better solo’s. But still brutal as Hell.

V: 你们参加过很多音乐节，哪些音乐节给你们留下了深刻印象？你们在 2012 年发行的DVD是关于你们参加的音乐节的吗？

You guys have been to a lot of festivals, what festivals have left a lasting impression on you and can you describe the atmosphere? The DVD you released in 2012 is of the festival you attended?

M: 充满侵略性的狂欢时刻

Explosion of aggression and party time

V: 你们已经很多年没有推出新作品了，现在的环境与当年相比已经发生了很大变化，你们对目前的新环境有什么自己的看法吗？你们也见证了Death Metal在荷兰的发展，对荷兰目前的环境有什么自己的看法吗？

You haven't released a new work in many years and the environment has changed a lot from back then, do you have any of your own thoughts on the new environment at the moment? You guys have also witnessed the development of Death Metal in the Netherlands, do you have any of your own views on the current environment in the Netherlands?

M: 荷兰有很多优秀的乐队。最近我看了Bloodphemy的现场演出，还听了 Grindpad的音乐。如果你不了解他们，可以去看看。

The lots of good bands in The Netherlands. Recently I saw Bloodphemy live and listened Grindpad. Go and check them out if you don’t know them.

V: Houwitser是一支经典的老牌乐队，我是你们乐队的忠实歌迷，在得知你们新专辑的消息后我非常激动，我希望能尽快听到你们的新专辑，我会一直支持和关注你们的乐队，我也希望通过这次采访让更多的中国歌迷关注和支持你们的乐队，最后你们有什么想对中国的朋友和歌迷说的吗？

Houwitser is a classic old band, I am a big fan of your band, I am very excited after the news of your new album, I hope to hear your new album soon, and I will always support and follow your band, I also hope that through this interview to let more Chinese fans to pay attention to and support your band, in the end, do you have anything you would like to say to your friends and fans in China?

M: 谢谢你们对我们的支持。请尽你们所能去看看我们的专辑。保持Brutal和Metal的核心。

Thanks for the support you’re giving us. Go check out our album in any way you can. Stay brutal and metal to the core.