Interview with Alex Morbid-reality
(Serpent's Eye Records, Zwaertgevegt)
Hail brother Alex! How did you get introduced to metal music? What was your first hard rock/metal LP/cassette? Did you play in any band ever?
- Hails brother Georgius !! Well what to tell, my father was much into Queen and softer rock/metal and I was used that songs like "Bicycle Race" were blasting through our house even though my mother hated that since she was a softy.
When I was around twelve I came on high school and came in contact with some older metalheads.
In that time there were of course not that many and surely not on a catholic school I was on haha.
But well even though I already knew stuff from Kiss, AC/DC, Purple, Zeppelin, etc I was not yet familiar with the harder stuff.
The first stuff i got on dubbed tape where Maiden's "Killers", "Powerslave" and "Live After Death" (Just released at that time).
And well my parents were shocked, being raised christian and starting to hang Kiss and Maiden posters on my wall, but hell they had some more coming hahaha.
Within a year I was already listening to stuff from Slayer and I think "Reign in Blood"was just released, fuck what a blast !!
And I was eager for heavier and harder. Soon Possessed and later death metal and so on...
In the late 80's I was in a death metal band but we never came further than rehearsals and 1 live gig since we could not get a full line up.
So in the beginning of the 90's we decided to stop, so not much to tell.
I’m still very thankful to you and Pepijn for the release of my past band, Domhring material on cassette tapes through Achtung! Records in 2010. Would you be so kind to tell us more about this label?
- To be clear at the beginning, Achtung! was totally Pepijn's own label I just helped out.
The label started with a cd-r release but already after that Pepijn decided to go on with tapes.
I wasn't busy with a label at that time but was searching to release labels to release Yaotzin material, since they've just split up at that time and I wanted to get their unreleased stuff on the market.
So I offered Achtung! an older rehearsal session and designed the total tape cover of it and so the first tape release was born.
Soon after that I took over Zwaertgevegt and through that and my own internet contacts I also got in contact with much foreign bands.
I just could not release them myself so I handed them over to Achtung!
But since Pepijn got really busy with that he asked me to help him with some releases so I started scouting bands and helping him to get those releases out.
And well so I came in contact with you and after hearing the Domhring cd you sent I really wanted to get it released and so it happened.
After some help with releases and doing some co-releases between Achtung! and Zwaertgevegt I stopped helping out.
You helped me a lot in Encyclopaedia Metallum to correct and redact information about my past musician activity. When did you start as a co-worker or redactor with Encyclopeadia Metallum?
- None of the above haha.
On MA you can get points for changing little things what every member can and when you get enough points you can become Veteran and you can change bigger stuff.
I started out with wrong info and additions to the Dutch scene and foreign friends-bands and of course also later for adding my label's bands.
These days I just don't have enough time for it so now I only do it when asked by people I know.
You are as an owner of Zwaertgevegt and Serpent's Eye Records. Share with us all the important things about these labels, please!
- Then I just start with some history about the labels and me getting busy with them.
After hanging around Yaotzin (NLBM) for some time since they are friends from close after they started in the 90's I got a chance in the beginning of 2000 to become their roadie.
Some time later i also started doing a big part of Yaotzin's promotion and starting to know more people in the scene.
After the band split up I was already known with some Dutch black metal bands but started wondering how much bands there would be, surely underground.
In time I found lots of good bands with only download stuff or self released in very small amounts.
I started collecting their stuff.
I bought a lot from the label Svartgalgh and owner Patrick who later started as a sub-label Zwaertgevegt only meant for Dutch BM on tape.
But he got to busy in his life and did not have any more time for his label, only his small distro "Wolvenpact" (still active but more in various music).
So Patrick sold Svartgalgh and i asked him if I could have Zwaertgevegt and I could, and damn I got it for free so I am thankful until this day.
In the meantime I have already released over 70 tapes.
And well if it wasn't clear yet, this label releases only NLBM on tape.
And now for Serpent's Eye.
Of course for most of the foreign bands I could manage to get them a deal with other, but on one day i got hold of Sitvartes.
This band was so great and had an amazing spiritual sound so I really wanted to release it.
But there were already so much labels who released all kinds of BM so i wanted something special.
Then i found the idea of creating a label for all kinds of spiritual music no matter what style.
And so Serpent's Eye was born.
Never meant to be big and more underground than my other label, so I sale/trade the releases through Zwaertgevegt's distro.
Dutch scene is one of my favourites in Europe. Recommend, please to the readers some Dutch bands from your region.
- That is really hard to do, but I'll try.
I live in a part of the Netherlands where metal is not much alive.
We have some complete bands (total line-up and playing live) like Yaotzin, Dystopia and Evil Oath and some projects like Trigletl, Tyrant Empire and probably more in the BM scene.
Some of them already active for a long time some new and have much to learn.
Your top 10 all-time favourite bands/albums are?
- Then I think I'll keep it with the bands and that is already much.
For me most of the Dutch BM bands are favorite and the older death metal bands with their classic albums.
Next to that Maiden and Type O Negative are my all time favorite bands.
On spiritual level bands like Black Funeral, Dissection, Watain and Devil's Blood.
For the rest too much to tell since I listen from old pop music until the very extreme.
And yes I know I am getting old, but I mostly enjoy the old stuff of bands, on the later times most of them cannot manage it again or go for the money.
That is why i like the underground since they still dare to discover new ideas.
Do you have any special hobbies?
- Hahaha really don't have much time for that.
I have a busy full time job, family life and labels and trying to see some friends and bands if possible.
I am next to that a big fan of Star Wars so if that could count as a hobby :P
Do you like any bands from Ukraine and Hungary? Have you ever been in these countries?
- I've been to Hungary twice in the 80's but never yet been to the Ukraine.
The first bands i got to know from Hungary (I knew some bands from both countries but wasn't aware through the years) was Pokolgép.
Of course later bands like Tormentor in what way Hungary played a big role in black metal history and a band like Sear Bliss. And in later days of course Domhring and some smaller bands.
Ukraine I mostly some bands I got through trading like Moloch, Gjallarhorn, Kroda and next of course Castrum through you.
What Dutch foods, drinks, tobaccos recommend us?
- Not much even though people think our country is so special :P
I like our kroket and bitterballen (now everyone thinks what hahaha), for drinks I only suggest Hertog Jan as beer and Tobacco's if you like it between heavy and medium you might try Javaanse Jongens (as in make your own smoke).
Which places/museums and metal festivals do you recommend us to visit in the Netherlands?
- Museums ? Well mostly not interested for most people.
Places also depends on what you're searching most people visit Amsterdam anyway and then their wallet gets stolen haha
For the festivals we don't have interesting big ones, Aurora Infernalis is nice and Venerations of the Dead.
Further I suggest when you come to NL just look on the internet about gigs and go view some nice Dutch brutal stuff.
My/our little work, Archangel's Lantern is Eternally dedicated to Jon Andreas Nödtveidt, you know. Please, share some thoughts about Him...
- I am never a man of much words so sorry if people expect more.
This will be split in 2 parts, music and spiritual.
Of course he was one of Swedish pioneers on black metal, surely with Dissection he made a special kind of it.
Using parts what could get closer to stuff like Maiden etc Dissection released music which will always stay ground-breaking.
Of course also great other musical stuff like The Black and Terror which surely have been named.
After his years in jail Dissection returned perhaps musically for many people not that strong (of course that's taste) but lyrically stronger than ever.
Now for the spiritual part.
Jon was one of the few people in the scene who was true for what that word is worth.
One of the only one who was really into what his lyrics were about.
Totally following his spiritual path and not even being afraid to go to jail for doing what he wanted.
Jon has probably been a big inspiration for most occult bands in the metal/rock scene.
Also I have the biggest respect of his way of leaving this world.
When you feel you have nothing more to bring and the world cannot give more what you want, why stay?
Dank je wel, brother Alex! Share your message in the end of this conversation.
- You are welcome of course! First of all a big salute to you also for all the years you are supporting the metal scene, big hails to that !!
A big hail to the Dutch black metal scene and specially the bands i'm in contact with.
Also respect to all my spiritual brothers and sisters worldwide.
Support to the labels I had good trades with.
Everybody keep supporting the underground, since without that our music will die.
Fuck off to all leaches who spread music from the hardworking underground without permission without even at least a link to the label/band, F.O.A.D. !!
And also a lesson to all the kiddies in the scene, i don't mind that you are around since I've been there also, but please stop being those wise-ass big mouths.
So enough hailing and complaining haha.
Important links:
Asgrauw / Meslamtaea - Utopia (Split) 2017
(review written by Georgius)
My good old Dutch friend/brother Alex Zwaert is
making a great job by his label namely Zwaertgevegt since 2010 with releasing many
different and awesome materials from the black metal scene of The Netherlands. In
September this year he sent me a pretty interesting 7 inch vinyl ‘Utopia’ (it
was released in August, 2017) by two Dutch black metal hordes, Asgrauw and Meslamtaea.
Asgrauw was founded in 2010 Groesbeek,
Gelderland and the band participated on this split with a track ‘Doemprofeet’
(Prophet of Doom) by following line up: Vaal (guitars, vocals), Kaos (bass, vocals)
and Batr (drums, keyboards). ‘Doemprofeet’ of Asgrauw contains powerful mid-tempo
with fast raw parts, ominous melodies and aggressive vocals. Additionally a
trivia: the lyrics were written about infamous cult leader Jim Jones and his movement
Peoples Temple.
Meslamtaea is a one-man band of Batr, formed in
1998. Meslamtaea took place on ‘Utopia’ with an act called ‘Neutronenstorm’. Batr/Florian
Velthuis played all the instruments and guest has been W (spoken worlds). ‘Neutronenstorm’
masterly combines rapidity with melancholic melodiousness, and it’s about the
nuclear apocalypse.
To sum it all up, a highly recommended split
vinyl-stuff for the fans of uncompromised Dutch black metal.
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