BRUTALISM

Dimaeon are a hard working progressive death metal band from Leeuwarden, Netherlands who really enjoys a positive remark about their music. After releasing their recent EP, ‘Exit Reality,’ fans (myself included) have been bombarding them by emails and MySpace comments about how awesome it was and urging the group to progress in their musical career. As a result, Dimaeon has only strengthened their resolve to continue writing music for a full length, while continuing to draw on various influences. Guitarist Rembert shares some of the band’s philosophy and history while updating our readers on the band’s quest for future musical success…

Hello Dimaeon. How are things going?
Great, we get a lot of positive response to our latest EP “Exit Reality” and are currently writing new songs for a full-length album.

I got a chance to listen to the latest EP ‘Exit Reality’ and was very impressed. A lot is going on in those three tracks. Care to share some your influences?
Influences range from 70’s progressive rock (Pink Floyd, Van Der Graaf Generator, King Crimson) and modern-day (prog)rock/metal (Pain Of Salvation, Devin Townsend, Opeth, Tool, Porcupine Tree) and classical music (Rachmaninov) to brutal death, black metal (Dimmu Borgir, Enslaved), fusion, guitar shredding, melodic death and doom (My Dying Bride, Anathema) … This I suppose is one of the reasons why there are many different styles in the music of Dimaeon.

One track is particularly epic (and a personal favorite)- “Terra.” When composing it, or any lengthy track, do you find it difficult to come up with ways to keep the listener interested? So many music fans are used to the usual 3 to 5 minute tracks that it is like they’ve been trained to have attention music deficit disorders…
It’s a natural process; we don’t find it particularly difficult, it just takes time to create a Dimaeon track and tweak it until everything falls into place. We try not to think too much of what people will think of it. Those thoughts can get in the way of creativity.

Is there a specific concept behind ‘Exit Reality,’ or would the band rather leave that one for debate with whoever listens to it?
There is no storyline connecting the three individual tracks, but there is an underlying concept. Each track describes an apocalyptic event on a future earth. One of them-“The Blood Of Millions”- will be the beginning of the concept of Dimaeon’s first full-length album.

So what’s the story behind Dimaeon? How did you guys congregate in 2002?
Ferdinand (vocals) and I (Rembert, guitars) met at high school. We decided to start a band in 2002 and placed ads in magazines to find a drummer and bass player. This resulted in the addition of Jelle (drums) and Philippus (bass) to the band. After some changes in the following years, Dimaeon has had a stable line-up since Danny (drums) replaced Jelle in 2009.

Progressive death metal is like molding three or four different genres into one, but I’m still curious as to why that amongst all sub genres in metal stood out and became your choice of music?
We wanted to create something special and not be just another death-metal or thrash-metal band. I don’t particularly like the term “progressive death metal” to describe our music, but most people want everything labeled. The main ingredient of our music is obviously metal, and we blend it with everything we come up with, if it sounds “right” to us.

Would you care to share what got you into metal personally amongst all other brands of music? How does it bring you peace of mind? (Like for me, it helps me sleep at night; no joke haha!)
I would say it was the versatility of the genre that got me into metal. For finding peace of mind, nothing beats frying the living crap out of an overdriven amp on stage…

What is Dimaeon’s philosophy when it comes to creating music? Any particular message or experience you try to impart on listeners?
We want to make every track stand out in its own way. I always liked albums on which every track has very distinctive characteristics, but is still a coherent album like Pink Floyd’s “Animals” or Tool’s “Lateralus”. We try to make the music complement the lyrics - and the other way round - with the underlying philosophy or message open for the interpretation of the listener.

It is understood that you are still seeking a label yes? Any luck so far since the EP’s release?
Currently, we are in negotiation with a label…

When can listeners anticipate a full length album?
We have more than half of the tracks for our first full length written, we hope to begin recording in the end of 2011 and release the album in 2012. In 2011 we are releasing a split-LP (vinyl) called “Frisian Metal Massacre” with three other local metal bands.

Are there any tours in the works or ongoing to help promote the music? If you have toured before, any favorite haunts?
Not really a tour. We did a couple of gigs last fall (and some more planned in March/May), but we all have day jobs, so a real tour will be difficult to put together.

What do you like best about the fans? Is there anything your fans have done that has really touched the band and been like a sign that you’re going in the right direction as a musical whole?
When people come to have a chat after a gig because they thought it was awesome, and buy a copy of one of our CD’s. Also all the positive reviews and comments online and in magazines. We have had almost nothing but very positive comments on this one, that was a great boost for our confidence and shows us that we are heading the right way.

In metal itself, what do you think is its greatest strengths and weaknesses, and how does Dimaeon try to do its best to uphold the best qualities of the genre? There are a lot of people out there who just think metal is about ‘noise and violence’ and tend to overlook the messages behind lyrics just because someone is screaming/ growling/ etc.
In my opinion one of the best qualities of metal, and one we use a lot, is the possibility to express a lot of different emotions with just the music. For instance:  alternating calm, subtle passages and aggressive, loud parts. Can’t think of any “weaknesses…”  People who have these pre-conceived ideas about metal only being about violence et., are just short sighted idiots… You don’t have to like it, but don’t judge it if you don’t try it.

Is the area you are from in the Netherlands metal tolerable or no? Do you find it hard finding a community that accepts your music or is metal a pretty well accepted genre out there? I’m originally from the U.S., so I know that some areas can be welcoming and others much more strict…
It is a well accepted genre in the Netherlands I suppose. The metal-scene may be non-existent in small parts of the country, but rather big in most, with a lot of bands, rock/metal oriented pubs and small festivals throughout the year, not only in the bigger cities.

Last question: when not composing music or on the road, what do you do for downtime to just ‘take a break from it all?’ Also any last words to our readers?
We all have day jobs and girlfriends, so… this band allows us to take a break from it all  ;)
Give yourself a chance to grow into the music of Dimaeon and drop us a line on MySpace or by e-mail. We’d love to hear from you all!