SETH VAN DE LOO

Life marked by the drums

You know him surely. If not everybody, at least the most of you. He has a slimy, oblong face, as the true metal maniac – long hair and numerous tattoos, and among of them a logo of his own band, placed outside of the left arm. He plays drums since the childhood, living and breathing by brutal death metal. Took a part in a few of murderous undertakings of Dutch death metal scene, from which the most important stays however SEVERE TORTURE – a group, which had needed above 10 years to become itself the one from most important acts of European death metal, glorifying obssessionaly the murder, death, mutilation and other questions, making creep the flesh of ordinary man. But private he stays a very nice and friendly guy, so our talk, made by the occasion of gig in Berlin, surely was very nice and pleasant stepping-stone from the lyrical themes, which we all know from created by his own hand albums. Ladies and gentlemen – Seth Van De Loo.

-Seth, do you remember yet your beginnings? Except of permanent job the drummer in SEVERE TORTURE you have taken too a part in much regretted CENTURIAN, that since a short time exists again, but named now as NOX and without you. Both bands have worked once ago paralelly, so could you to explain, which of them was born earlier and how had happened, that in those second you were responsible for the vocals?
First of my bands was of course SEVERE TORTURE, where I was the drummer and this state keeps itself to this day. I have joined CENTURIAN after the origin of SEVERE TORTURE, but as the place of drummer was there already filled, cause as you know, this instrument had the one of band’s grounder – Wim, I have decided to check myself in roaring, cause there was any singer in band at those days. The effects of my undertakings you can to hear on two releases of this band, which were recorded with me. These are the demo „Of Purest Fire” and a full-lenght album „Choronzonic Chaos Gods”.

-Must to admit, very strong and very worthy kind of stuff. In the beginning of SEVERE TORTURE existence your singer was Eric De Windt, who left you quite fast for his career in SINISTER, and then he tried to check himself in Australian DESTRÖYER 666. A part of sources informs about his singing in those band. But I would accord with an official opinion, that he was a drummer. Please, explain to all of leaded in error what has he done there, which were his further vicissitudes and have you got a contact with him yet?
Eric was the drummer in DESTRÖYER 666, he played maybe two tours with them, including the one European tour of IMMOLATION before a few years. He supported PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT later a piece of time, but as I know, for this moment probably plays anywhere more. This guy has a some of life problems, maybe one day he will start with his new own band again, it would be of course the best for him, but I can’t to tell you something more, cause last time we have absolutely any contact. Patrick has lived at that time in the same town as he, but I have any idea or meets him yet and knows something more than me.

-How reminds you the beginnings of your music adventure? Much of young boys dreams to be a policeman, fireman, soldier, and you? Wanted you to be only the drummer in death metal band, and when it happened, you have felt, that your dreams came through?
Exactly. I wanted always to be a musician, especially the drummer, cause I am fascinated by this instrument yet since the times of callow youth. I play drums already 22 years, so truly can to admit, that my life is marked by the drums. I have got my first equipment from my parents when I was only 8. My parents had ever a respect for my needs and interests, supporting me wherever and whenever, so even there I have met a big understanding of them. When most of my school friends ran after lessons to play soccer, I was running home to make a drum-checks, playing and jamming intensive even by the sounds of the ROLLING STONES. Then, when I had acquainted a metal music, I have known, that’s a one kind of music, which I love and want to play forever. I have known exactly perfect in this moment, that’s simply my appointment. I wanted always to be a drummer in death metal band, so can to admit, that my dream really came through.

-Which band had reasoned , that exactly death metal became your favourite style of his music? In general, could you to explain, why have you chosen among a lot of instruments exactly the drums instead of guitar or bass?
My first death metal band, which I have heard was OBITUARY. Of course, the farther in the deeper, so automatically the list of my favourite crews was joined by DEICIDE, MORBID ANGEL, GRAVE and much of other bands as well from American, as from European school of art. Why the drums and not for example a guitar? I don’t know, maybe simply it must to be (laugh).

-Another kind of question. You are a Dutchmen, so you are the citizen of the most tolerant and liberal from the European countries in the much of aspects. Are you grateful to your destiny, that you was born and live there? Maybe that’s something within, what we can’t to see from outside, being also in the false conviction about the Netherlands? That’s still the opinion, that nobody’s and nothing’s perfect…
With this tolerance and liberality is surely not this way as you mean. Mainly that’s reasoned by a fact, that the Dutchmen can to be very narrow-minded people, being snobbish and unpleasant. If you want, I will introduce it to you by example from my own life. When we have been last time in Mexico, I have noticed and learned on my cost, that a mentality of Latin American societies is very, very different than in Europe, so that’s why I remind those voyage simply fantastic. The people in those countries are boundless friendly, opened for everyone, when you are walking down the streets, wanting to talk with somebody, each girl and every boy is happy, that you want to do it, shakes your hand, embraces you… And in Netherlands? Everybody, whom you would stop to talk about something and hold a contact will be conceited, sulky and even able to attack you by the text: “What’s up, man? Leave me alone!” Do you think, that’s all right? In my opinion absolutely NO! Of course, I am very proud, that I was born as a Dutchmen, but a some of questions in my country makes me very angry, like for example the attitude of our government, blindly gazing and exampling oneself on the politics of United States, cause much of our soldiers must to take a part in the mission on the Near East too. That’s fucking shit, it annoying me like nothing other, so I try to distance myself from these kinds of questions so far, as I only can.