GOD DETHRONED - Henk "Henke" Zinger

\r\nMetalzone: First of all I’d like to welcome you in Metalzone.gr.  Just released a new album, Passiondale, tell us a few things about it.
\r\nHenke :It’s the first record without drummer Ariën and guitarist Isaac, but with Roel back on the drums. Isaac did not play on this album but he has been active with a lot of research about the subject. The whole record is written with WW I as subject. A real concept record indeed. The reactions in the media have been very positive so far. I can’t wait to play some new songs live so I can see how the audience will react.
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\r\nMetalzone:Do you think its representative of your style or are you expanding-evolving your musical directions?
\r\nHenke : I think God Dethroned will always sound like God Dethroned when our singer/guitarist Henri is composing the songs. Our Toxic Touch album was the most ‘band’ product of all the releases and because of that, also the ‘strangest’ or at least different God Dethroned album. Probably when I look back a little bit too melodic and too ‘soft’ for a real God Dethroned record. With this new record we went back to the style that people know from us. Brutal, aggressive, fast, but always with a lot of melody. You can say that we went a bit back to the roots, but we also have introduced some new elements in the sound that people never heard before. Trying to evolve but also keep the typical style.
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\r\nMetalzone: Would you compare it to your preview albums?
\r\nHenke : I think it’s more back to the roots for us, but also with some new elements. If you compare this record to the previous Toxic Touch album it’s pretty obvious that we are a lot heavier and faster again. Because of the return of drummer Roel, the whole sound became a lot more like our ‘Grand Grimoire’, and ‘Bloody Blasphemy’ albums. In many people’s eyes, our best albums. Maybe that’s why the reactions are so overwhelming.
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\r\nMetalzone: Could ’’Passiondale’’ be considered as a concept album? For sure it’s considered the highlight of the year in the death metal scene.
\r\nHenke : It’s a concept album indeed. It’s all about WW I, like I said in your first question. Our former guitar player Isaac lives in Ieper, Belgium, where many battles were fought in WW I. Henri was really impressed by all the monuments and things that still remind of that war. He was so impressed that he wrote the whole album about it. It’s such a crazy war and most people that influenced WW II where fighting in WW I.
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\r\nMetalzone: How easy is to cooperate with a new band-member?
\r\nHenke : Depends on the new member of course. But until now we always were very lucky with the new members. They have always been very dedicated and very easy to work with. Maybe we select them on purpose with these good qualities. No seriously, until now we have been very lucky with the person we ran into. Susan, who replaced Isaac, is doing a really good job. She’s one of the most dedicated persons I know at this moment. It’s good to have people like that in your band.   
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\r\nMetalzone: How does it feel completing your line-up with one of your former members?
\r\nHenke : Very good. You already know each other so that’s very nice. It’s nice to be in a band with people that already know some songs from the past of course. But also the experience that someone brings into a band is much appreciated.  
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\r\nMetalzone: Do you believe that ’’Passiondale’’ could be heard from people that aren’t that into melodic death metal?
\r\nAlways hard to say. Depends on the people. For true black metal fans we are probably not evil enough. For US deathmetal fans we are too melodic and for the fans of melodic metal bands we are too aggressive and fast, haha.
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\r\nMetalzone: What is the source of your inspiration?
\r\nHenke : Musically I always get inspiration from all kinds of styles, but mostly from the more old school deathmetal orientated bands.
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\r\nMetalzone: Have you already planned out a tour in support of your release?
\r\nHenke : Yes we have. We will start in the end of June with a little ‘Balkan tour’ then play some festivals in Europe. After that we go to South America in September, followed by a North American/Canadian tour in October. If everything goes as planned we will hit European road directly after that in November. And I can’t wait to go on the road and introduce our new band and record to the fans.
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\r\nMetalzone: Are you planning on visiting Greece?
\r\nHenke : Yes we are. In the first tour we will play in the ‘ 8 Ball club Thessaloniki’. For me it’s the first time to play in Greece so I’m really looking forward to that. So I hope that all the Greek metal heads will come to our show.
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\r\nMetalzone: Could you give a piece of advice to the guys that are trying to create their own sound in the metal scene?
\r\nHenke : I think that people who are trying to get their own sound should focus on writing good songs as well. Too many people are busy with their sound instead of writing cool songs in  my opinion. It doesn’t matter how technical you are, if the songs sucks…..the music sucks. In other words, make music that comes from the heart and try not to copy, but make it your own.  \r\n

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