
-- Growing Horns gets shredded! --
14/02/2020
Stijn Daneels

Interview conducted and written by Stijn "Metal Shredder" Daneels.
In late
2017 I attended the inaugural Doomsday event (organized by my friends of Loose
License) and the opening band that night was Growing Horns, whose groovy sludge
and doom metal mix left a solid first impression on me. Since then, I’ve seen
the band perform several times and I was becoming more and more impatient to
get some recorded Growing Horns material in my hands, which eventually happened
with their “Nobility of Pain” EP (our review: https://www.belgianmetalshredder.be/reviews/186).
And of
course, getting Growing Horns shredded also had to be done! So during their EP
release party at the Elpee Music Bar in Deinze (Saturday December 21, 2019) I
got together with vocalist Dafus and bassist Wim to discuss the band’s origins,
the making of their “Nobility of Pain” EP, their spot on the Alcatraz 2020
lineup and we talk about 1984 (the novel).
BMS: Hello guys! First off, I’m very happy to be here at your release party for your “The Nobility of Pain” EP! I’ve been following your band for a few years now and it has always been a blast to see you on stage! So tell me, how did Growing Horns come to be?
Dafus: Great
to meet you again! Wim and I have been longtime friends and we always wanted to
form a band by ourselves with a sound inspired by the American sludge metal
band Crowbar. Eventually we got into contact through Didier via Facebook and he
was interested in joining us. Didier also knew a guitarist and drummer to play
along with us and so Growing Horns was formed around 2015! It was a pretty
smooth formation, overall, especially since we all shared a huge mutual love
for the sludge subgenre and especially for Crowbar.
BMS: Now let’s talk about the production of the “Nobility of Pain” EP.
Wim: Sure
thing! The songs on the “Nobility of Pain” EP function as a best-of from all the
songs we had written during Growing Horns’ first years. We specifically
selected those five tracks because they complemented each other very well and
provide an accurate representation of our sound and the atmosphere we want to
evoke.
Dafus: The
lyrics on the “Nobility of Pain” are inspired by the books I’ve read throughout
the years and I’m also a very socially conscious person who strongly dislikes
the worldwide rise of extremism and intolerance that’s becoming more and more
common nowadays.
Wim: The
making of the “Nobility of Pain” was a very natural process. We didn’t give
ourselves a deadline to produce the EP and we took our time to work out the
songs to their full potential before venturing into the studio to record.
Dafus: We
had originally planned to record the EP in September 2018 and release it that
same year. However, in July 2018 Nick, our drummer at the time, told us he
couldn’t dedicate his time to Growing Horns anymore. We all respected his
decision and so we went out to find a suitable replacement for him and
thankfully Simon joined us and we had an instant musical and personal click
with him. And then we finally entered the studio, produced the EP and the rest
is history.
BMS: And overall I’ve had a lot of fun shredding through your EP. I’ve particularly enjoyed the heavy bass throughout the songs (which gives everything a very crunchy sound) and how Dafus hisses in the background. I’ve also noticed that while your songs have clear doom metal influences, you do keep your songs shorter and tighter compared to the usual doom metal stuff.
Dafus:
Thanks for those kind, honest words! You know, I’m not a big fan of bands that
put the vocals center-stage and just rely on some catchy lyrics. For me, a
great band is a band that puts an equal emphasis on all parts of the sound. No
matter if it’s the drums, bass, guitars or vocals. For me, the vocals are just
an instrument like everything else within the band, nothing more and certainly
nothing less.
BMS: I
agree. And that’s what I’ve also noticed with Growing Horns. Your sound is very
balanced.
Dafus: And
that’s exactly what we’re aiming for! You know I believe that without that
additional bass power Growing Horns would lose much of its unique feel and
identity.
BMS: My personal stand-out track is the song “2084.” I love how the song starts off so dreary but eventually gets more intense and upbeat and how it finally cools off with that gentle piano tune. And I’m well aware that the song is inspired by George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984.” Isn’t it, Dafus?
Dafus: Your
literary mind serves you well, my friend! I consider George Orwell to be one of
the greatest writers of the past 200 years simply because how he used his books
to warn society of the dystopian future it was heading towards. A dystopia
where violence, hatred and false statements reign supreme and where normal
citizens fight and hate each other while the rich and powerful remain in power.
And that specific Orwellian theme is very prominent in the material we write
but, like you said earlier, we not only want to make people aware of this
dystopian danger but we also want to give hope that this dystopia can be
destroyed if we work and respect each other.
Wim: Yeah!
We consider ourselves a thinking man’s metal band. You can listen to our tunes
and bang your head to it but you can also sit down and think about the messages
we bring via the music we play.
BMS: Very inspiring! So, what are the future plans for Growing Horns?
Wim: While
our EP has been well-received we’re already working hard on a successor,
another EP which will continue the musical, thematic and artistic flow of the
“Nobility of Pain.” A bit like the last two EPs from American metal super group
Down (appropriately named Down IV – Part I and Down IV – Part II).
BMS: And now let’s talk about your inclusion on the Alcatraz 2020 lineup! Congratulations!
Dafus:
Thank you! It’s a huge honor for us to play on the Morgue stage of Alcatraz.
We’re huge fans of this initiative because it gives the more abstract metal
bands a chance to shine on a major festival like Alcatraz. Some of the bands
who had played on the Morgue stage last year recommended us to the Alcatraz
personnel and we’re beyond grateful for their help!
BMS: Yeah! I admire such camaraderie!
Dafus: So
do we! In fact, we’ve noticed that there’s a lot of collaboration within the
Belgian metal scene and we’re more than willing to return any favors that we
get.
BMS: What other activities do you guys do aside from Growing Horns?
Wim: I’m a
full-time husband and father of two baby kids who fully support my musical
endeavors.
Dafus: I’ve
also got a lovely wife and four children. I’m also a huge music and literature
lover (particularly books and novels which convey a message) and if I’m not
standing on stage with Growing Horns I’m attending several gigs myself.
BMS: All right! I’m almost done with my shred here! Is there anything else you wish to add before I let you prepare for your show tonight?
Dafus: I’m
beyond grateful for the large attendance that have showed
up to enjoy our release party with us. From day one we’ve had a lot of fun with
our Growing Horns project, but it’s even more fun when people enjoy your work
just as much as you enjoy working on it.
Wim: It was
great getting shredded by you, Stijn! Hope to see you and your fellow shredders
on Alcatraz as well.
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