DANCE WITH DRAGONS – Interview with the band
Interview by Miriam Cadoni
Once upon a time there were concerts and the post-gig atmosphere where you could meet freely bands for a small chat. And it was in one of these occasions that back then, I had the chance to meet the Dutch symphonic metal Dance with Dragons.
Finally, shows are back and so the local concerts. Before the upcoming concert, I met the symphonic band band Manora at the end of this month. Let’s learn more about it together.
Hi everybody, welcome to Femme Metal Webzine, how is life treating you?
Everybody: It’s great. This afternoon there’s a lot of fun people and awesome music.
Dance with Dragons is a new band and I discovered you thanks to your new demo “Around”. Some member has a quite familiar face from the Dutch scene such as Sanne from A New Dawn. Would you like to spend a few words on how did the band get together?
Sanne: Probably, it’s better that someone else replies to this question because the band existed long before I’ve joined Dance with Dragons and Pim is one of the senior members [laughs].
Pim: Actually, the band started under a different name and a cover band. In that time, we were just a student band and then, we started writing our own material. Both me and Wouter are the founding members of the band, and we are only ones from the original line up.
Sanne: Indeed, one-time Mytheon (the old’s band name) has played with my old band A New Dawn. That where our path crossed.
Pim: You know, the metal scene here in The Netherlands is so small that we know practically with each other. This brings me to how Sanne started with us. Unfortunately, our previous singer decided to leave the band and then, our quest for a new singer began. And, by a struck of luck, I’ve met once again Sanne in a concert of a fellow’s friends. From there on, it’s where everything started.
Sanne, what did you learn from your experience? And, how is your past knowledge helping you?
Sanne: Well, I think what I’ve learned the most is how to handle a live performance. Back in time, when I was a singer in A New Dawn, I played almost 100 concerts in a year. Then, what I also bring in Dance with Dragons, it’s my vocal style. I remember, while auditioning, saying that I would like to sing something that’s suitable to my vocal characteristics.
Instead, what can you share about the production of the promo?
Pim: Well, it dates back to 2014 and when the whole material was mixed and mastered. It wasn’t anything fancy [laughs]. It’s a homemade product because each of us (excluding Sanne that at the time wasn’t still part of the band) just recorded everything separately at home. Though, only the vocals with old singer where professionally recorded in a studio. Indeed, it’s always a slow process.
Sanne: Since this material is quite old, we’re already and slowly working on new songs. Then, of course, we’ll also record this material.
Pim: We’re happy about this material and we’re planning on which is the best solution for releasing it.
Besides this upcoming full-length, which are the next important plans for Dance with Dragons?
Everybody: We would like to play more gigs.
Pim: Mostly, for us, is a hobby. So, we use our spare time for the band and unfortunately, we are busy with our primary daily-work routine. As all of us has mentioned, we would love to play more gigs but for reaching that goal, we need to have more material to play. But we are already busy on that side.
Unfortunately, this was my last question. Please be free to conclude the interview as you please.
Everybody: You can find us on the social medias and please have patience with us [laughs] and I hope you to see you all at the next gig.