Dive into the fiery depths of Boneripper’s latest creation, “World Ablaze,” in our exclusive interview with the singer WD Glashouwer-the man with Lies! shirt on the picture. As they stand on the brink of releasing their fiercely independent album, we peel back the layers of their creative process, from the self-managed production to the deeply personal lyrics that challenge societal norms. Tune in for an exclusive interview that promises to ignite a spark within.
1. The album “World Ablaze” will be released independently on May 24th. The recording conditions for this album were indeed better than when “Vengeance & Forgiveness” was created?
The recording conditions in itself were pretty much the same however for ‘Vengeance & Forgiveness’ we had a self imposed deadline because we wanted to get the record out so we could start and play shows. For the new record ‘World Ablaze’ we gave ourselves some more time to develop the songs before hitting the studio.
2. The quality ofthe new album is excellent; are you handling the production and recording yourselves? Is that correct?
Yes that's right, I (WD the singer) run a recording studio Doubleyoud.com (shameless plug hehe) and I took care of the whole process. Production, recording, mixing and mastering. The only thing that was outsourced was the cover art of the record haha. Our drummer is a graphic designer, he did everything else.
3. How do you approach the writing process for your lyrics? Do you collaborate as a group or do you write individually and then refine the work collectively during jam sessions?
All the lyrics are written by me. After they are written we test things out during rehearsal and adjust things accordingly. Sometimes there are ideas within the band for a vocal line or some adjustments to some parts but the fast majority is done by me. However I do not write any musical stuff haha, all basic song ideas come from our guitar player. These get refined and turned into songs during rehearsals. After that I’ll write lyrics to them.
4. You've released "Fear Of Death" and "Desolated" as singles from your new album. Did you choose these tracks because you believe they are the standout pieces of the album?
We choose these tracks because we feel they give a good representation of what people can expect from the record itself, going from blastbeast to groovy parts and everything in between haha.
5. Correct me if I’m wrong, but is ‘The Abyss’ a title that addresses a callto ecological awareness by dealing with the impact of humanity on Earth?
That’s right, it's mainly about the way things are going in the world right now. We are slowly heading towards our end as I see it. I’m talking about the way we are treating the earth and are heading down a path of no return. Essentially staring into an abyss, knowing what is coming but unable to stop ourselves from exploiting the earth. Slowly but surely and knowingly heading towards our demise.
6. How does the 'Xenophobic' mindset contribute to the fear and misinformation depicted in the song, and what steps can society take to foster a culture of understanding and critical thinking in the face of 'algorithmic pre-arrangement'?
Xenophobic means; the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange, and the song talks about exactly that. People who live in their own buble and are afraid of anyone or anything that will change this therefore turning to all kinds of fake news and narratives to support their version of reality. Letting themselves off the hook and keep them in their own little buble just the way it has always been.
Everything is always someone else's fault, ‘and everything is fine’. As far as the steps that can be taken against this, the first one would be creating awareness of the algorithmic loophole and educating people about what is going on around them and on their digital devices. The second would be for some kind of government to take action and do something about all the fake news and hate campaigns online but I think that is something that's not going to happen soon.
7. Considering the reflective challenge posed by ‘Hate is Hollow,’ how do you envision your listeners engaging with the song to reassess their personal beliefs and the broader societal implications of hate?
Hate is Hollow’ is more directed to racism and discrimination. The song talks about people’s urge to judge other people on the color of their skin, their sexual preference, their gender (lgbtq) and anything else that is not in line with their own beliefs. It’s about the constant need from people to dominate over others because of their own beliefs, they think they are superior, they are right and therefore have the right to force their ‘morals’ and will upon others. If anything people should realize they always judge the world around them through their own lens with their own feelings, experiences, mindset and beliefs. And those are not always right or give you the right to judge and discriminate against other people. We are all the same.
8. The lyrics of ‘Mental Warfare’ are imbued with a spirit of positive change. Can you share how you maintain a positive mindset amidst challenges and how you hope to inspire that same positivity in your listeners?
First thing I can tell you, it is hard sometimes haha. If you look at the state of the world and the chalances of life. Having said that, I feel the only way is forward. I can only try my best. I look for inspiration in reading stoic filosofie, I work out, I visit friends and family, I write lyrics and make music. Not all days are gonna be good and there will be setbacks but you can always start again. And not everything is negative, life can be very good as well. In terms of inspiring people I do the only thing I can and that's wright songs about it haha.
9. Do you consider the themes explored in ‘World Ablaze’to be a natural continuation ofthose from the album ‘Vengeance & Forgiveness’?
Pretty much, the world and my mindset have not changed since ‘Vengeance & Forgiveness’, so continuing to write about these things is the only logical thing to do.
10. In recent reviews of your upcoming album "World Ablaze," you are often compared to Hatebreed. How do you feel aboutthe comparison? Is it a major influence for you?
Hahaha, I can only take the comparison as a complement. Hatebreed is one of the best in the game. I have listened to a lot of their work in the past. Records like ‘Perseverance’ and ‘The Rise Of 01Brutality’ are classics in my book with nothing but bangers. As far as inspiration goes, I think everything you listen to will find a way into your music so Hatebreed is probably in there somewhere haha.
11. Whatis the biggest challenge you face in distributing your records as an independent artist, do you receive any supportfrom agencies for promotion?
The biggest challenge is you have to do everything yourself haha, we don’t have a distribution network or any press connections. We’ve started working with a few promotion agencies recently to help us along with getting the word out there and this is a big help. Also people tend to look up to bands who have a record deal so this can work a little bit against you as well. But we have no complaints. We like doing stuff ourselves. It gives us complete control of everything, so if anything goes wrong it;’s on us hahaha.
12. Besides the release of your album, what are Boneripper’s future plans? Do you have a release show or a tour planned for this summer or fall?
Yes, our release show is on May 31st and the day after we’ll play a festival. As for future plans, our main goal is playing more awesome shows and having a good time doing so. Meet new people and continue to make music together. That's pretty much it haha.
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As we wrap up our insightful conversation with WD Glashouwer, it’s clear, his message is one of resilience, reflection, and the relentless pursuit of growth, both personally and as a society. As we bid farewell, we invite you to delve into the full interview to discover the depths of their artistry and the heights of their ambitions. Don’t just listen to the music; let it resonate within you and inspire a world ablaze with possibility. The album World Ablaze by Boneripper's out May 24th.
