Clauwaert - Gotmoor (May 2001)

Gotmoor is most likely one of Belgium's best known black metal bands alongside Lugubrum. This interview was conducted with Clauwaert. in May 2001


1.) Firstly Would You Tell us who you are and give us a short history of your Band for the people out there who haven't heard of you before.
Well, the Gotmoor Cult was born back in the year of 1996. In April of 1997 we recorded our first demo entitled 'Dicht Bi Den Heerd'. After that we had a line-up change. In October of 1998 we recorded our second demo 'Uit Den Donkeren Grond Gerezen'. And now at last we have a steady line-up consisting out of: Storm on the war bongos, Norgaath using and abusing the battle axe, Vakhnavall (the artist formerly known as Dodeweert) on the five stringed low-toned skull-crusher, and last but definitely not least, me, Mister Fist-Her (the artist formerly known as Clauwaert) screaming my lungs out.


2.) What does the Name Gotmoor Mean?
Gotmoor is the black smelly slime that you can find at the bottom of brooks.


3.) What does the music you record represent?
Our music represents a sheer full forced fist up the arse.


4.) what do you use as inspiration and influences while writing the music?
Gotmoor Plays fast black metal, so I guess we are influenced by all those other fast black bands that went before us, such as Marduk, Dark Funeral, Setherial, In Battle, Battlelust, Immortal, Zyklon B,.


5.) The first Demo was written in "ancient Flemish" was there any specific reason for this? Are Gotmoor ancient warriors?
Well Flemish is our native language and it suited with our medieval image at that time. Nowadays I use English lyrics because I find it easier to express myself in En,glish and I would like it for the main public to understand the message of hate that I try to spread. According to me life on this shit-hole planet is an everyday battle, so doesn't that make us all warriors?


6.) The Belgian scene has a very strong Black Metsal underground, why do you think it never has taken off outside the country?
Well because it sucks! The trend in the Belgian black metal scene of today is to jump on the bandwagon of the new wave of melodic black metal bands. This kind of music isn't even worthy to be called black metal, to me it's just pop music. But don't get me wrong, Belgium has some superb bands: Lugubrum, Natrach, Suhrim, Festering Christcunt,. and I sincerely hope they will make it and rise above the crap.


7.) what prompted you to re-release your demos as a CD?
The money and the free publicity, what else? We didn't have to pay a dime and our music is spread all over the globe. You must be a real dumb arse fister te refuse an offer like this.


8.)You are currently recording new music for an upcoming album, how does the new music compare to the recordings released on the demos?
The music we play nowadays is still the kind of music we played for example 3 years ago, namely fast and furious black metal. Although there are some differences: we don't use keyboards anymore, the lyrics are in English, the music is faster and more aggressive. As one could call it 'structured chaos'.


9.) Do Gotmoor play a lot of gigs? do you think gotmoor will ever gig outside of belgium?
We don't play a lot of gigs. We always have problems when we play live: a bad p.a., a shitty sound,. And by the way, we would like it for Gotmoor to remain a cult band. A recent problem we have to deal with is that Storm has to work at weekends, and it is difficult for us to find gigs on weekdays. We once played at the Crushing The Cradle (Of Filth) festival in Holland, that's outside Belgium I think, or isn't it?


10.) And finally what are the plans for the future of Gotmoor?
This summer we are going to record a full cd. The latest news is that we might get a record deal with a major label. But I can't tell you anything more about it, because it isn't certain at this moment.


11.) Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule, Any final words you'd like to send out to the readers?
Well thank you for the interview and to our fans out there. Thanks for the support, we might have lost a battle but we will win the war! Vengeance will be ours!!!

e-mail: gotmoor1@hotmail.com

snail:

Gotmoor c/o Storm
Pelkemstraat 86
9250 Waasmunster
Belgium