98-08-16 Reply – D.S.A. – Lifecycle – Inflexible – Ashlar – Caliban – Firestone – Arkangel – Reiziger – Eyeball – Congress

Introduction => 98-08-14&15&16 HardCore – The Next Generation festival

Laurent Chopard (from Besançon, France) wrote in his zine Co-existence (that he did with his mate Olivier Bresson): >>On Sunday I enjoyed ‘Lifecycle’, which I didn’t really like last year. The female vocals add a lot of extra. ‘Inflexible’ showed that metal-wise things are better in Poland than in Belgium. Style-wise, we can say that it’s successful. The Germans of ‘Caliban’ played slightly metal emo. I found it not bad but I was (like a lot of people) satured with metal. I was afraid that there would be more incidents since it was the Belgians of ‘Arkangel’ hit the stage. Nothing serious happened, except the pitiful hard-dancing duded happy to bust each other’s noses.

On a musical level, we got a long way from HC, it’s more like not too bad death-metal. On the other hand one may wonder if it’s useful to preach veganism in front of an informed and converted audience and if their “vegan revolution” doesn’t sound a bit ridiculous when you see their beautiful brand-clothing. Hopefully they’ll get there while growing up.

Finally emo! Yeah, the elders of ‘Kosjer D’ and ‘Reiziger’ gave a superb emo-rock concert which was a long way from some of the kiddy-play. ‘Eyeball’ disappointed me a bit, the audience loved it, it was very much old-school but I believe there’s much better style-wise. Guess who was closing the festival?… ‘Congress’! Yeah, some cancellations and there you go!: they call upon the local glories that are already playing every year. Well, let’s not be too mean: regarding metal H8000 style, it’s still the best.

We won’t insist too much on the ‘did-you-see-me’ attituded and the consumption at the festival, everybody should know by now; the same goes for the dirtyness of the site (Maybe it takes more SxE bands writing songs explaining how to get rid of trash in a garbage-can!) and and the bad smell in the venue. Well, I’ld better calm down because there’s at least there no cigarette-smoke. I regret (and I’m not the only one) the cancellations (‘Serene’, ‘Grade’ [cancelled for family-matters], ‘Bob Tilton’, ‘As Friends Rust’, etc.) and the absence of Swedish bands this year (let’s not even talk about French!) and on the other hand I’ll remember the good times and the people I met there. I don’t know why but this year almost the entire French scene was in the audience!<<

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‘Reply’ (Lint/Kontich/Wilrijk): Kevin Meylemans (guitar), Jimmy Wouters (drums; replaced Yannick (Muylle?) and after that Brian De Bondt – author of the anti-windmilling flyer for 96-08-16&17&18; Jimmy also did a distro called Petition Of Menes and played in ‘One For Sorrow’) who left the band because of disagreemebts), Sven Roevens (vocals; also did Hoeëmai zine), Dries Verhaert (bass) & Michael Camerlinck (2^nd guitar later on but not here). Sven & Yannick also did Constructive zine. Kevin described his band’s music as “solid, intense metallic (emo) HC”. Their split-7” with ‘One For Sorrow’ came to the world in ’99 (Funtime recs, Firestorm recs, Fallen Angel recs). In 2000 they did a CD entitled Nine Batteries To Fuel Our Dying Teenage Love Affair (on Funtime recs).

‘D.S.A.’ was a local band that played the V.V. several times (see 97-06-27, 97-10-25 & 97-12-26). They also had a track on this year’s festival compilation-CD…

Sofie – ‘Lifecycle’s singer – wrote me (May ’98) that their bassist Jürgen had quit the band a few weeks earlier (“We did more shows without him than with him.” His last show was May ’98.) and that they were no longer an SxE band. They were gonna try out a girl as bassist but apparently that didn’t work out… They also had gotten the proposal to release a 7” on SoberMind recs. Check out their many other V.V. performances…

‘Lifecycle’ with Maarten Kinet replacing Jurgen Degryse on bass (photos by ?)

‘Inflexible’, from Łódź in Poland, were: Maciej ‘Maciek’ Derfel (bass), Piotr ‘Carlos’ Wołosz (vocals), Sebastian Niciński (drums) and Piotr Szambelan (guitar). Their music was described as mosh-core and they had a tape out entitled Progress By Hatred (Youth Culture, ’97). In ’99 their album Born To Hate was released (Shing recs). The band’s members were the founders of the B.D.H.Crew (or 248 Crew), a group of people from central Poland who wanted to promote HC & straight-edge scene.

‘Inflexible’ pics courtesy of Piotr Szambelan

The Good Life promo-talk on ‘Ashlar’ went like this: “Limburg metal-core following in ‘Kindred’s footsteps, with a more metal and Cleveland (‘Ringworm’, ‘Integrity’) influenced sound”. They were Rob Moonen (vocals; “a maniac on stage”), Raoul Cuypers (guitar; later ‘Sons Of Irah’), Frank Rogiers (bass; later ‘Ekzeem-A’) and Bert Daemen (drums). That year they released a mini-CD entitled Enthroned In A So-Called Heaven.

‘Ashlar’ (+ Rudi Brans); source unknown

‘Caliban’ are (they still exist and became ‘major’) a metal-core band from the ‘Ruhrpott’ area. The line-up in the beginning was: Engin Güres (bass), Robert Krämer (drums), Marc Görtz (guitar), Claus Wilgenbusch (guitar) & Andreas ‘Andy’ Dörner (vocals). ‎That year they did a self-titled EP on Lifeforce recs (the recording of their 1^st demo) and the next year the A Small Boy And A Grey Heaven LP on the same label (from Leipzig).

‘Caliban’; source unknown

‘Firestone’ (Kortrijk) were a H8000-metal band had played at the V.V. already (96-08-16, 97-06-27). Not sure who did vocals here (Thomas Desimpelaere or Alexander Baert or Pieter-Jan or Iris Walgraeve.), Mathieu Storms (drums), Diederik Claes (bass), Matthias Desimpelaere (guitar; later replaced by Ward Dufraimont – who was also in ‘Liar’) and Lennart Bossu (guitar; also ‘Liar’, later ‘Janez Detd’, ‘AmenRa’). They released an EP entitled Element on Sober Mind recs (’98) and an LP Aim For A New Tomorrow on Genet recs (‘00).

‘Arkangel’ (Brussels metalcore) were: Baldur Vildmurdarson (vocals), David Vande Zande (drums), Numa (guitar) & Mehdi Thepegnier (bass; or was it Vince(nt) Meseeuw of ‘Length Of Time’?). Kirby Michel (guitar; ex ‘Mental Disturbance’, ex ‘Deviate’) replaced Numa later on; they became a five-piece with Julien Chanut (guitar). Their EP Prayers Upon Deaf Ears got out on Alain Herszaft’s Released Power Productions (1998) and their LP Dead Man Walking on GoodLife recs (1999). Filip Staes’ girlfriend Adina ‘Storm’ Hepworth was ‘Arkangel’s webmaster and she started working for GoodLife.

‘Reiziger’ evolved from ‘Kosjer D’; their music was described as “post hardcore” and “emocore”. I think they were an ‘indie’ band on the edge of the DIY scene… The band consisted of Sven Gielen (drums), Pascal Hens (guitar), Kristien Hendrix (bass) & Geert Plessers (guitar/vocals). The year before Bruno (Genet recs) had released their 1^st (12”) EP Don’t Bind My Hands. And I think now the split-12” with ‘Bob Tilton’ and their LP (Our Kodo) was available from the same label. Tracks for a 7” (Grab And Nailed) on the Czech label Day After were recorded (at Patrick Delabie’s 195 studio) Nov ‘99. Other show of this band at the V.V.: 97-06-14 & 97-08-15.

‘Reiziger’ (photo by Vincent Troplain)

‘Eyeball’ was a German SxE HC band with Daniel Frankowski (guitarist of ‘Spawn’) on vocals. Ingo Engelhardt (the guitarist) also played in ‘Degradation’ & ‘Upright’. The others were Tim Kriependorf (bass), Thorsten (guitar) & Jörn (drums), Peter Hoeren informs me… Christoph (‘Spawn’) used to play bass in the beginning but he soon dropped out of the band. Their slogan ‘Tri-City Straight Edge’ refers to the fact that the members came from different cities. Crucial Response recs released their Talkin’ Straight 7” in 1998 & More Days To Come LP in 1999.

‘Eyeball’; photographed by Philippe Tuffet

1998 was the year of Angry With The Sun (LP on GoodLife recs) for ‘Congress’. It featured the usual gang: ‘U.J.’, Ilja, Pierre, ‘Josh’ and Michael. They also played the Graspop Metal Meeting that year…

Brob

‘Reply’ and my friends always meant a lot to me. We played there – replacing a band – on borrowed equipment (of the guys of ‘Building’, I think). The intensity and charm of that shed behind the original Vort’n Vis has never been surpassed; it was unique, even with all the shortcomings that came with it. We played there another time [???].

Kevin Meylemans, ‘Reply’ guitarist

I don’t have any stuff from that time (flyer etc.) but some good memories… I have been to the V.V. a couple of times…and yes, we played there too… I remember drinking my first Alpro soja choc drink there… And listening to ‘Queen’ in the car outside…and enjoying a lot of great bands there (‘Arkangel’ here, ‘Swing Kids’ & ‘The Locust’ on other occasions, and tons of more) and meeting friends…

Claus Wilgenbusch, ‘Caliban’ guitarist

The ‘Ashlar’ pic was from the infamous set where ‘Spirit Of Youth’ played a few songs – that got ‘Ashlar’ kicked from SoberMind recs even before there CD was released! [‘Ashlar’ gave ‘S.O.Y.’ the opportunity to play before their set, even though the organisation (Bruno & Hans) told them not to and hence ‘Ashlar’ was dismissed by SoberMind…]

Rudi Brans

‘Spirit Of Youth’ (Vincent Theeten & Sim Strike One); source unknown

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…

98-08-15 Sad Origin – Highscore – Opposite Force – Pray Silent – Clouded – Seein’Red – Spineless – Thumbs Down – Facedown – Earthmover

Introduction => 98-08-14&15&16 HardCore – The Next Generation festival

Laurent Chopard (from Besançon, France) wrote in his zine Co-existence (that he did with his mate Olivier Bresson): >>Saturday I saw two or three songs by ‘Sad Origin’ who played trite and uninteresting metal. Then the Germans of ‘Highscore’ impressed me with their very successful old-school HC (Olivier would have loved it!), ‘Seein’Red’ didn’t disappoint me musically but also attitude-wise (long explanations between the songs): fantastic! ‘Spineless’ with their unconvincing death-metal, ‘Facedown’ and their personal, technical HC gave a good concert in front of an active and convinced public, and finally ‘Earthmover’ who’d listened and looked too much at ‘Earth Crisis’… a pale copy.<<

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‘Sad Origin’ (from Dendermonde) played metal-core with NYHC influences (style: ‘Facedown’, ‘Chokehold’, ‘Strife’). The line-up was Peter De Bondt (bass), Wim Aerts (drums), Wes(ley) Steels (guitar) & Hans ‘Link’ Teirlinck (vocals). In 1997 they did a first demo Sober & Clean. Window Of Sarcasm (self-releases on Inner Belt recs) followed in 1998. Genet recs would release the LP A Double Edged Sword In A Triangle Of Emotions (reviewed in On Display #3 as “bad death-metal”) in  1999 (presented on the Fest of that year). Alain Herszaft put out the split-CD with ‘Misura’ on Released Power Productions in 2000.

‘Highscore’ were from Münster/Göttingen/Berlin and played energetic and intense old-school SExHC (sometimes compared to ‘Minor Threat’ or ‘Uniform Choice’). Guitarist Jobst Eggert (had been at the V.V. with his old band ‘Peace Of Mind’ on 94-11-05 & 95-03-25); the others were Sebastian Stronzik (vocals; later ‘Short Fuse’), Matthias Volke (guitar), Matthias Borgmann (bass; Chris Fold according the guestbook) and Volker Schlüter (drums). That year they released a demo (It’s For Real) and a self-titled 7” on Sebastian’s label La Familia.

‘Highscore’ (photo by Vincent Troplain)

‘Opposite Force’, a vegan SxE band from Rome, played “tough as hell in-your-face old school hardcore”. After a demo (’93), they had done an LP entitled Near on Vacation House recs (label of Rudy Medea, the singer of ‘Indigesti’) in 1994. Their LP History As We Lived It was released by Genet recs in 1999. Performing on that record were Andrea ‘Monster’ Campanelli (guitar), Cristiano Suriano (drums; also ‘Timebomb’), Marco Ciccone (bass; also ‘Timebomb’) and Simone Tripodi (vocals).

‘Pray Silent’ was a vegan straight-edge metalcore band from Switzerland (Sankt-Gallen) who released records on Genet recs (The Golden Flag 7” in ’97 and a split-7” with ‘Andromeda’ in ’99). The people in the band: Andi Grob (guitar), Attila Varga (vocals), Etienne Geyer (guitar; ex ‘Cwill’), Philipp Zimmerman (bass; replaced Jan) & Roger Cadalbert (drums). They came back the next year…

‘Pray Silent’ (photographed by Patrick Federli)

‘Clouded’ (from Kontich) were: Björn Van Loy (bass), Jeroen Verelst (vocals; also did Paradise Regained zine), Serge ‘Serch’ Carriere (drums) & Wout Bosschaert (guitar). Their 7” Inheritance was done by Genet recs (’98).

‘Clouded’ (courtesy of Steven Anthonis)

1998 was the year of the split-releases for ‘Seein’Red’: they did an LP with ‘MK Ultra’ (recorded October 1997) and with one with ‘The Judas Iscariot’ (recorded April 1998), both released on Coalition recs (Jeroen ‘Beertje’ Vrijhoef & Marcel Palyama). No further introduction for the band necessary I guess… Jos & the brothers had been here already a bunch of times (90-09-15, 95-04-28, 97-03-01)…

‘Seein’Red’ (pictures taken by Vincent Troplain & Philippe Tuffet)

‘Spineless’ (from Kortrijk) played their first gig at the Vort’n Vis on the fest in August ’96 (96-08-18). They band consisted of Kristof Mondy (bass; Yoda zine; later ‘AmenRa’), Colin H. Van Eeckhout (vocals; later ‘AmenRa’), Pedro ‘Fifi’ Fioen (guitar; also ‘Congress’), Mathieu Vandekerckhove (guitar; replaced Koen Sandra in ‘97; later ‘AmenRa’) and Stefaan Buyse (drums). They played brutal sXe H8000 metal-core. After their initial demo (’96) Hans Verbeke of Sober Mind recs released the Painfields 7” (1997) and the album A Talk Between Me And The Stars album (1998) – inspired by their “near-dead-experience” (car-crash on tour)… There’s a video them playing their song Exalt The New God here…

‘Thumbs Down’ (Antwerp) played “youth crew hardcore”. They were Andries Beckers (bass; later ‘Diablo Boulevard’; or was it still Roeland De Keulenaer?), Ken (drums; from ’99 on Benjamin Buschgens – later ‘The Setup’), Raf(aël) Balrak (guitar; later ‘The Setup’) and Steven Tuffin (vocals). They were also signed to Genet recs (Going For Gold 7” – with bassplayer Roeland – in ’97, No Retreat No Surrender 7” and Crossroads LP in ’99). They also played the fest the year before (97-08-16) and earlier that year (98-05-10).

‘Thumbs Down’ (shot by Vincent Troplain & Philippe Tuffet)

‘Facedown’ had been playing at the V.V. various times (96-08-16, 97-08-15 & 97-10-12). The ‘new-school’ (metal-influenced) vegan SE-HC band from Kontich consisted of: Thomas Baeken (bass), Youri Baeken (drums), Daniel Mies (vocals), Niko Poortmans (guitar) and Geert Ceuppens (guitar). Genet recs released the Beyond All Horizons album earlier that year and the Education, Contemplation, Dedication EP in ’99. They changed their name to ‘Calibre’ when they got a record-deal with a major label (Warner Music).

‘Facedown’ (pic by Steve Lammertyn)

‘Earthmover’ (from Detroit) played pounding metal-core and were Andy Dempz (guitar; owner of Ann Arbor based hardcore/punk label +/- recs), Mike Hasty (guitar; also ‘Walls Of Jericho’), Wes Keely (drums; ex ‘Walls Of Jericho’), Chris(tian) Mueller (bass; replaced Nick Bristow), Jason/Jay Clifton (drums) and Len Adams (vocals). Releases: Abuse (7” on Autonomy recs ’95), Themes From Everyday Life (10” on +/- recs ’96), split-7” with ‘Facedown’ (Moo Cow recs ’97) and Death Carved In Every Word (LP on Genet recs ’98).

‘Earthmover’ (photo by Patrick Federli)

Brob

I liked the atmoshere at the festival. Ieper seemed occupied by (straight-edge) HC troops, and the streets surrounding the venue seemed like they were ours, haha. Until today this is my best moment on stage. Memorable line-up too. A quite unique registration of Members Of Futility: the only time we played that song live. Heydays of 90s metalcore. It gives me a lot of pleasure that influences of that 90s metalcore are emerging again with new and old bands. With my new band ‘Royal Jake’ we try to keep doing similar things. Our EP definitely has a number of musical references to my time in ‘S.O.’

Peter De Bondt, ‘Sad Origin’ bassist

Oh yeah! I remember very well. That was the first hardcore show that size any of us had ever seen/been a part of. Usually there maybe a few hundred people losing their minds. This place was packed with over 3.000 people ready to go! You could feel the place about to explode. We only had a few minutes to frantically get our gear up before we played, everything was a mess. The stage was all the way at the back, we had to plow through all 3.000+ people just to get to the stage. It was all a mess, but absolutely glorious at the same time.

Chris Mueller was not in ‘Earthmover’ at that time. That was where I came in. I joined ‘Earthmover’ for that tour, played with them for their duration. Then we started ‘Walls Of Jericho’ out of the ashes…

Aaron Ruby

excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:

additions wellcome!…