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This
duo greatly impressed us some time ago with their obscure musical approach and
high musical level… We are now waiting for their next opus,
but the echoes of
the predecessor “Actum”
are still rounding in our minds… So we contact them and both members; Kelt
(guitar) and Swerc (vocals, bass, keyboards and drum) kindly accepted to answer
our questions…
 BB:
Thank you very much for giving us this interview. Can you tell us about
Krocht beginnings?
Kelt - It all started with some ideas and thoughts on paper as well within a
few guitar-structures. As far as I can remember I talked one day with Swerc
about this and asked him if he would be interested in a band project. He
did...and during 2003 we had a good and solid front for our material to work
with. Ideas mixed with thoughts and emotions to become a strong "back bone"
for the instrumental parts. Yet there was still a vocalist to be found
during this periode of time. The option asking Besiect for it had been madem
by Swerc and the tale went forward...
BB: What are you doing nowadays?
Kelt - These autumnal days I'm very busy with new guitar lines and thoughts
for upcoming material for Krocht. Meanwhile I have a different output of
mind in the form of drawings/arts. A web site for this is under development
as we speak. Also to say is that Swerc is doing the latest recording of new
material for the second Krocht demo called; Vaandeldrager. A short
translation of the dutch title is; Standard Bearer. It has various meanings
for both of us...to wear your colours on a battlefield and be shot at is the
most strongest one of them which can be felt even anno 2005... Background
meaning; innovative and solid expression of mind!
And sure we have our times visiting cool and impressive places to chill out,
watch movies, write new songs, to drink and smoke pot.
(BB Note: JeJe That’s the spirit!!)
BB: What's the meaning of the name Krocht?
Kelt - In dutch it is an old word for an underground cave or hole. Simple
but true. The dragon we have met on our way carries the name Krocht as well!
(See for more details the Krocht logo and/or the band's site itself)
A place to give birth to new and harsh thought and instrumental
elements...bringing forth our music.
BB: One of the first things that takes my attention about your demo, was
the
names under every song title, Erwin Rommel, Jeanne Darc, and Charlotte de
Corday d'Armont.What about it?
Kelt - The songs tell about the period of the lives of these people at their
most powerful level. Soon after this point in life they ended up in misery
brought upon them by others...ending up to face death.
Erwin Rommel was a german with respect towards his soldiers and they towards
him. A great name in history with NO war criminal activity!!! F#*k those who
still think so!! This man got picked up at the front door of his house
(being a suspect of the hit on Hitler) and had to take suicide pills a few
minutes later otherwise his family got put to shame.
Jeanne Darc was a girl who ended up leading frensh troops to victory. Though
after pushing the english back from Orleans towards their own coast she got
into a betrayal between the french and english politics and got burned to
death at the age of 19. Even later her last name may have been changed to
whipe her out of the past as many know her as; d'Arc... I found out this
should be written as; Darc.
Charlotte de Corday d'Armont had killed a man of politics in his own
bathroom in France. A political murder from which she did not flee. She got
taken and had
been put to trial... Guess what had happened to her???
BB: Why you choose those personages?
Kelt - They are all 3 very strong personalities who changed the way of
history known today. One day "honoured" by certain people...the very next
day these characters are being put to death. Why? Give me one damn good
reason! I honour them by writing these texts about them as a token of
gratitude underneath the title; "Actum" (Means; done/past history)
Actum has been put between writing-marks as their movement is still working
today...what if they did do nothing at all??
BB: Can you tell us the song names in English? .I'm sorry; I don't speak
a
word in Dutch.
Kelt - There are 4 songs on "Actum" to name; Memorandum,
Underneath German
State Colours, The Siege and Well-aimed; Near Death
Otherwise people can check out the Krocht website for the complete
translations.
BB: Your musical approach is very eclectic and romantic. What are your
sources of inspiration?
Kelt - Inspiration I can find in daily life, past times, seasons within a
year, certain erotica, the way of nature (life/death), movies, tales,
impressions about some topics, arts and the inner self.
BB: What the lyrics talk about?
Kelt - The main base for the lyrics were the unnatural deaths of these 3
persons which makes "Actum" a concept tale. It goes through a timeline from
the early middle ages untill the late 2nd World War. Many good men and women
died by fires and bullets during this period(and still today) whom changed
history with their thoughts and glorious acts. Some though lived a strong
elder life, but many find fury, hate, betrayal and dismay near the end of
their days of victory and ended up as a marionette...a puppet that by many
people got wished dead...
BB: The band logo is great! Was it made by some of you? What's the meaning
of the dragon for you?
Kelt - I did the logo all by myself and I think it worked out fine. I was
thinking about something timeless, but still with a type of movement in the
logo as a band/project always evolves. At one thought I came up with an
open-structured dragon design and did try to put the name Krocht in it. The
symbol of a dragon is also very "free" to use and you can explore different
kinds of music and compositions underneath it.
It's a type of freedom I
really like to expand!
BB: How you define the sound of Krocht?
Swerc - Melodic but raw with lots of blasting beats and icy riffs!!
Kelt - No more words to say...it's all an epic/grim yet cosmic journey
through time.
BB: What bands influenced your sound?
 Kelt
- Bands that did something unique to my mind are (were) such as
Solefald, Fleurety, Windir, Burzum and (old)Dimmu Borgir as they have a very
strong output within their translation of sound and atmosphere. Though
during some years now I mixed up this visualisation with solid names as
Björk, Blonde Redhead, Mono(Japan) and Untoten to get my mind elsewhere.
Swerc - Mostly Norwegian black metal band from the 90's like Ulver and
Kvist, but also completely other style bands as Kraftwerk or Mogwai
BB: What about Deborah? Where you find her strong and beautiful voice? Is
she from another band?
Swerc - She is not in another band. I know her from a nameless project for 4
years now. I knew that she had the right voice for the job and it turned out
well, I think.
BB: How has been the
reception of "Actum" worldwide?
Kelt - Well, for such a "small" piece of art it has been gone through
Europe/Russia untill Southern Asia and even Brasil/Colombia. So I think it
has done a fine flight! Our new material is about to see daylight and I
would gladly see it fly even further! This work will carry out some battles
into this world as our dutch war against England, the reconquer of
Stalingrad by the russians, a bunker epos and 2 other heroic tales.
BB: Do you play live? How are your live shows? (If you do.)
Swerc - we don't play live, but we are working on it. I've met great
musicians who will help us out to blast live. So, probably in the future.
Though, Krocht is and will be excisting as Swerc and Kelt (maybe a singer in
the future). We have some live experience with other bands like Maliën and
Winter of sin.
BB: What do you think about corpsepaint?
Kelt - I understand very well the use and expression/emotion of it, but it
never came up to me to use it also on stage and give a stronger touch to
what I play. I enjoy playing my music pure and without a "mask". To be more
clear about this here; playing live and within Krocht I have never these
thoughts about evil/satanic visions, then only about epic/solid and harsh
mindscapes... But maybe a battle-paint will be more suitable in a direction
of being hit by an axe or got run over by a horse.
Swerc - It's not really true and cold anymore, because every shitty Black
Metal band is wearing corpsepaint nowadays. Looking grim and evil, but don't
know how to play an instrument. We don't want to be like that, although I
respect corpsepaint very much!!
BB: What about the Black Metal scene in Holland? Is there any band you
can
recommend us?
Kelt - Euh...I have to think very hard now which crack my skull... I can't
think of any good band from Holland within the black metal scene that does
something to me then only Winter of Sin. I know their work a little and had
seen them playing live recently. A good and solid band from Groningen!!!
Swerc - There are several Black Metal bands in Holland. There is Salacious
Gods also from Groningen, they're newest record is a killer album!! Then you
have bands like Infinity, Haatstrijd, As it Burns and my other band Winter
of Sin.
BB: When can we expect a new work from Krocht? Have you receive any offer
from some Metal label?
Swerc - 5 new songs and an outro are recorded. They will be released as the
second demo called; Vaandeldrager. Besides that, we are working on writing
new material for new recordings, hopefully our debut!!!
Kelt - As for labels...we are still looking, but if we can bring it out by
ourselves we will try for sure. Though we will have to wait a little what
will happen.
BB: Thanks again for your words and best luck with Krocht.Is there
anything
else you want to add to this interview?
Kelt - I thank you Alvaro for this fine interview and would like to ask the
readers to take a look at our site;
www.krocht.com
And last but not least; Legions! Grab your wapons! Raise your defence! The
field is yours to conquer!!!
Yet you may fall, but this is NO defeat...
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