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FEHLER:
'The Dutch Hardcore Scene is a Close-Minded Bunch,If You Sound Unconventional You're Doomed!
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Here at Deaf Sparrow we pride ourselves in covering raw talent. Well, not exactly raw, but pretty fucking underground and with minimal coverage elsewhere. Needless to say. If you have an album in a big independent label, then there is close to zero chance that we will ever ask for an interview. We will leave that to everyone else. A few months ago we were super surprised by the sounds of this young Dutch trio. Their debut EP Adharma puts the metal in hardcore and the hardcore in metal. And then some more. Answering our questions is vocalist Freek de Greef. Read on and spread the word.
 - I really dig the sound of the band. There is a nice mix of styles. When you guys first got together what was your intention?
-I think our first intention was just to get together and do something with our love for bands like Crowbar, Cursed and hardcore/metal/sludge in general. In the beginning the mix of styles was more of a conscious decision and we noticed that that didn’t really work that well. With some songs on the EP we noticed that letting go of the aforementioned framework really benefited the creative process, leading to songs that feel much more natural to us.
- Who would you say is the target market for Fehler? People who are more metalheads or people who are more into hardcore? 
Since we emerged from the hardcore scene it we played our first shows in that scene. But that quickly changed when our sound/songs evolved. The Dutch hardcore scene really is a close minded bunch, when a band sounds a bit unconventional you’re doomed. Metalheads are way more open to different styles and ideas. Also they seem to be a bit more enthusiastic and loyal.
- Fehler is a trio. I was wondering, how do you guy find each other?
We’ve been together since 2007. We hooked up at a High On Fire gig after some messaging back and forth online. Not knowing each other beforehand actually gave way to a clean start of the band, something which can be very valuable in a creative context. Back then, we started as a four-piece band, with a separate vocalist but after 1,5 years we came to the conclusion that things didn’t really work out with him. We simply didn’t have the same idea about what this band should be. So in the summer of 2009 we parted ways and decided that we were going to continue as a three-piece band with me on vocals and on bass guitar.
- I don’t know why the moniker Fehler strikes me as odd. It sounds like a name, or like a last name. What does it mean and why did you pick that name?
-Fehler means ‘error’ in German. I can’t really remember why we picked it actually, I guess we were thinking about different names and decided that it wasn’t worth the hassle and just went with this one. Also, it’s pretty hard to find an English name that isn’t already taken by a dozen other bands. Fehler doesn’t really reflect what the band is about but I guess the negative connotation has a ring to it.
- There are some clear influences going on into the music of Fehler but I wanted to know how this sound reflects each of the members’ musical taste. Do you all enjoy the same music styles or do you have different likings? 
-Our drummer is almost ten years older than I am so that immediately brings some different musical influences to the table, but despite that there are enough similarities. We’re all into doom, black metal and hardcore for one but we all have our own preferences, varying from singer/songwriter stuff to brutal death metal.
- The length of Adharma is precise. It is brutal and fast and short and really pummels you. But why did you guys decide to record an EP instead of waiting to have enough songs for a full album?
-The EP was released only a few months after we had decided to part with our vocalist and I think that recording and releasing it was a good way to immediately make a change. Also, I am a recording engineer and during the summer we had the opportunity to do some recording so one and one became two.
- Adharma means 'that which is not in accord with the law'. Why did you pick this title? How does it tie in with the music?
-Well, with 'that which is not in accord with the law' one can come up with lots of connotations including heresy, unnaturalness, injustice, wrongness, evil, immorality, wickedness, vice and so on, and that is really the underlying motive that ties those songs together. ‘Adharma’ is dissonant to ‘dharma’, a concept in Hinduism to describe one’s conformity to religious law. Especially since this was our first effort, we needed a general descriptive term to account for the innate lack of lyrical and musical focus of a young band. Our drummer came up with the title and we all instantly agreed upon it.
- Please talk about the cover artwork. I did not like it but was intrigued by it. An old man. That’s it. Pretty plain. How does that play into the music?
-A friend of ours, Michiel Eikenaar (singer of Anaphylactic Shock and Nihill and graphic artist) drew this for us. Just listening to the songs and knowing our intentions he came up with this old charlatan-like guy. The background is based on a classic Roman sundial, dripping with misery. To us the artwork depicts a sort of fake prophet, prowling on the minds of the scared and insecure. You can relate this to the present world in many different ways, looking at politics, tv, media, art et cetera. We choose to release it as a digipack with a vintage/reclycled look, which feels way better than your average jewel case.
- What is your favorite song from Adharma and why? Please talk about that song and how it was built/created?
-My favorite song on the EP is definitely ‘Orchid’. Maybe my judgement is a little clouded since I wrote the intro riff but I think it is one of the most effective tracks on the album. The sample we used is from a great movie called “Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus” which is a documentary that tells of a musical journey of soul-searching through the Deep South. The sample is taken from a tale told by Harry Crews, renowned for his short story writings, and his words seem to really match the theme of the song.
- The EP has an excellent sound. Powerful, heavy. Great tones. Please talk a little bit about the recording of Adharma? Where was it recorded, how long did it take?
-As I said before I’m a recording engineer myself so we did all the recordings ourselves with the help of two of my fellow students. We recorded it in one of the studio’s at my school and mixed it there as well. I must say that I’m not fully satisfied with the result but I guess that’s a bit of professional deformation.
- What records are you listening to now?
-I’m listening to a lot of Tom Waits at the moment, as I always am and as everyone should be doing. I’m really excited about the new Kylesa record and am still listening to stuff like Torche, Keelhaul and Burning Love.
- What are the next plans for the band? Touring?
We’re hoping to do some touring at the beginning of next year but first we have to (partially) write, record and release our first full length album. That’s all we’re aiming for now and we’ll see what happens next.
- Any last words…
Check out our music. If you like what you hear, get in touch for a copy of Adharma.
MySpace
Live Photos by Niels Vinck.
Read our review of Adharma here…
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