Pretty much out of the blue, two releases from a new German Black Metal band came out in the space of just a handful of days. Verhinderer is the brainchild of Bettler, the lone soul behind this project, who seems to be still somewhat searching for it musical direction, but who, on the other hand, has already managed to deliver two pretty good EPs in that quest. In itself, that is enough to start the conversation, but what particularly triggered me was Bettler’s almost timid and modest attitude, something that is actually at odds with the Black Metal climate in which egoism and sometimes even totally misplaced self-overestimation are much more common. In the conversation I had with this musician, he talked about his perception of the Black Metal genre and I learnt that the musical quest, on the contrary, seems to be a deliberate bumpy road of which the end is not yet in sight…
Hi Bettler, welcome to The Whispering Darkness. You seem to be a person who knows how to get things done. In a time frame where normal people will not get anything done, you come up with no less than two releases. I understand there will have been plenty of preparation time involved, but do you have that much inspiration?
The reason why the 2 demos were created so quickly one after the other was that the concepts behind them had been clear to me for a long time. So I always had a rough idea of the content in my head and it just had to be set to music somehow. Since I record and edit everything at home, I can arrange everything completely freely. However, to put it simply, a lot of time went into the recording over a short period of time.
Something I wanted to talk to you about right away is your attitude. You seem very modest in attitude, calling yourself an amateur. Yet the music doesn’t give any immediate reason for that. Can you please elaborate on this?
First of all, I think it is always an important human quality not to see ourselves as something grand and elitist. Humility ensures that those around us can underestimate us and that we can bring out our qualities at the right and also unexpected time. I will try to maintain this quality until the last second. Another thing is that the music is just really quite light-hearted and simple. Nothing is laid out according to harmonies or any music theories. Everything was played by ear and above all by feeling. I have almost the cheapest guitar, the cheapest strings, no money for exciting plug-ins, no idea about music theory and a relatively slow PC. The only thing I have is passion, dedication and a clear picture in my head of what I want to achieve musically. But of course I’m pleased that many listeners think it’s not amateurish. Maybe that’s the beauty of Black Metal. It’s about dedication and honesty and not about skill.
Musically, I was able to notice some shift between the two releases. Although the music on ‘Angstwelt / Wunschwelt’ obviously serves the concept, I’m curious how you yourself look at this change of musical content. Is this something you consciously seek out – demos are also there, of course, to explore boundaries and possibilities – or is it something that just comes up as a part of the creative process?
The difference between the two demos/EPs is first of all in the musical sense that I am much more out of my comfort zone on Angstwelt/Wunschwelt. “Ruhepol” is basically pretty oldschool, gruff and straightforward black metal and that’s a good thing. But that’s not enough for me in the long run. I’m very interested in dark ambient, various synth things and minimalist music with a big impact. So I have also tried to make my music more atmospheric and a bit more daring. Once rather dark and oppressive and once rather melancholic and expansive. That’s what I really enjoy about demos, that I don’t have to stretch ideas, but can use them in a targeted way. I don’t see the demo as unbelievably successful, but for me it’s courageous to simply try it out and then not leave the material on the hard drive out of fear that someone might not like it. I put time, ideas and effort into it, so for me it has to become part of the discography.
When any random person listens to music, it is always surprising what that person gets out of it. That is not only the beauty of art in general, it can also lead to a totally different experience from that of the artist. Is there anything you want to convey, musically, with your work?
That is probably true and a beautiful thought. As I said, I am holding back and will probably never want to make a statement or form an opinion with this project. That’s just not my style and not my job. There are already far too many people who think they have to take on this role. You can certainly see “Verhinderer” more as a kind of book with many short stories that we sit down with in a fireside room and read out from time to time. The stories can be about all kinds of topics but will always try to take you away from the real world for a short time and not to force you further and further into it.
In my reviews, I have mentioned some other bands as references, to give some framework to the music on paper. Somewhat in line with the previous question, what are your own main influences and how do you translate that into your work?
The influences are actually quite well mixed. One side are bands that manage to create great atmospheres in their music, such as Paysage dhiver, Trhä, Koldovstvo, Akhlys or Häxenzijrkell. The other side oldschool and especially simple sound by bands like Till, Departure Chandelier, Akitsa. My enthusiasm for dark ambient and synth probably plays a big role passively . Blackened punk bands are also an exciting source of inspiration.
Another thing I wondered while listening to your work, though it may be rather trivial, but you refer to your first release as an EP and the second as a demo. You don’t appear to me to be a person who just randomly does this, given the deeper meaning of the concepts of both releases. So I’m very curious about your take on this, where should I look for the difference here?
As mentioned above, the second release was a bit more daring and more experimental. But the sound of both main songs is too different, that I would call it an Ep, although thematically it belongs together. The first release runs a course, which makes it more of an EP for me. However, this may not be so important in the end, but you are right, it was not accidental.
The content concept of ‘Ruhepol’ really appealed to me, it was a musical homage to the grandeur and splendour of the Schwarzwald region in Germany. Can you share about your connection to that region? And how do you think that was reflected in the music?
After I finished school, I moved to a rather deserted village in the middle of the Black Forest to work in a hotel. I didn’t even have a problem with standing on my own two feet, but rather just living alone in this exile. Over time, I learned to deal with myself, to enjoy nature, to look around. I saw beautiful landscapes during the day and at night I looked into deep black forests. As much as I hated it at a younger age while everyone else was drinking and partying, I miss it all the more in retrospect to be able to take a deep breath in this forest. About once a year I go back there to do just that. Due to the remoteness and the overall atmosphere, I also came to Black Metal during this time. I’ve been listening to metal since I was a kid and don’t know much else, but the environment intensified the passion immensely. A small hut next to my house offered a magnificent view of the valley and gave me strength. So it was more than logical that I wanted to implement this musically and that I wanted to be this memory the first EP. Thus, the combination of music, artwork and my memories is the manifestation of an important and formative phase of my life. Maybe not exciting from the outside, but for myself as a person it is. Black Metal was only the logical consequence of this.
On the latest demo, ‘Angstwelt / Wunschwelt’, you wrote that it is a much more personal recording and concept than the first EP. In my review, I tried to explain that I felt ‘Ruhepol’, your debut EP, was exactly like that for me, albeit that it shed light on a different part of the same person. Can you expound on your take on this? And can I see this as a kind of biographical concept?
I believe that all releases from this project will be personal somewhere, as I will always draw honest inspiration from everything I have experienced or feel myself. For me, the 2nd release is more personal in terms of content, because I try to weaken one of my greatest fears through a lyrical ego. I will never be the person in the texts myself, but you can assume that it will always have something to do with myself and that I will reveal a part of myself.
Speaking of concepts… You seem to have thought everything through and set to work with well-considered ideas. So the band name, which roughly translates to ‘Disrupter’, doesn’t appear to me to be something you chose on a whim. What is your thought behind it?
That is correct. The word actually comes from Prevent/frustrate and mainly refers to a person or factor that prevents people or situations from changing. This is usually used in a negative context. I myself have been portrayed for years in many important places as such a person/factor that prevents others in their path and pulls them down. The music project serves to occupy me in this role, whether the term still applies to me nowadays. I don’t know, but apparently it is still in my head yet.
With the internet as my only source, I could not find out about your musical background. Is Verhinderer your first musical vehicel? Where are your origins as a musician?
Right, this project is the first and so far only thing I have set up musically. In the past I did a few concerts and also wrote for a webzine, but I made the decision to make music myself in the middle of last year.
There was once a time when one-man bands were unique, a lot of eyebrows were raised when Quorthon went on alone with Bathory… Nowadays, it’s almost the norm rather than the exception, especially in Black Metal it’s an everyday thing. What does it mean to you to work on your own? Have you ever considered starting a “normal” full band?
Creating black metal music is not a subject of the rehearsal room for me, where I drink a beer afterwards. It is not a social activity for me. I do not want to discuss decisions or ideas with others and make compromises in this area. I also don’t want to present it live in front of others. Black Metal was and is for me more like an audio book and that’s exactly how I treat it in the recordings. I don’t want to interrupt the ideas with constant conversations. I still haven’t fully grasped the fascination for black metal on stage. The rattling of beer bottles, murmuring and laughing in the background makes me furious, but here I really only talk for myself. This project at least will always remain a living room project.
I briefly mentioned your brisk work rate earlier, with only a few weeks between the two releases, that raises some expectations. What can we expect from Verhinderer in the coming period?
There will be a first tape release in a small edition in the near future, where both releases are on one tape. Also a song from the first EP will be on a tape compilation with other Black Metal bands from all over the world.
Musically I will definitely continue to try things. The next demo, should get no atmospheric influences but rather raw almost blackened punk vibes. Otherwise, I would like to try again in winter in very raw, monotone and lengthy black metal. Let’s see…
But above all, I will continue to make my music available digitally everywhere free of charge. Everything costs so much these days and we all have little money, so I want everyone to be able to listen to my music for free anywhere, no matter how much he/she has in their bank account.
Well, Bettler, I’d like to thank you for sharing your thoughts. Traditionally, I like to leave the last words to my guest, so the honour is yours…
I really just want to thank you for the great and well-considered questions and hope that you continue to support the underground. Because that keeps the whole scene alive.
Greetings from Leipzig!
