DIRT FORGE – interview with the band

I have the impression that Sludge Metal and Stoner Metal have been experiencing renaissance for few years, but even if I am wrong, then undeniably this genre of music has now big success. And the evidences are the emergences of new bands and numerous concerts with such bands… Danish DIRT FORGE after about four years of existence released his full-lenght album, after a few minor releases. The men undeniably are inspired by Doom Metal and bands such as BLACK SABBATH, CROWBAR and HIGH ON FIRE. And of course this is audible in their compositions… This interview was prepared by Elevation PR & Production and thanks to our cooperation with them, this interview also is available at our portal.

Can you explain a little about your band name and music style?

First and foremost it was important for us to have a name that could be pronounced whilst being very drunk. Dirt Forge is where all our ideas, sudden whim, artistic integrity, and especially our creativity are thrown into and expressed. Stylistically we strive to come to terms with something we all feel and think, regardless of whether it meets the genre norms and esthetics. We never agree on that front anyways.

How do you think your music stands out, and why should readers give you a chance?

We’re three different people with three different musical preferences (we can’t even agree on Black Sabbath!) – it automatically creates a special and unique formula. The rest is answered in the first question.

What can we expect in connection with your album release? Do you have any concert plans, music videos or collaborations that you can reveal?

We have a release concert scheduled for May 20th at Studenterhuset in Copenhagen, Denmark in cooperation with Copenhagen Psych Fest/Children Of The Sun Festival. With us are two super cool bands – Alkymist and a yet unpublished name – and our friends in the doom metal band Gaia will be by the turntables. Furthermore we are planning a tour later this year. And to write the difficult second album.

What is your ambition with the band and what are your future goals and aspirations?

To challenge ourselves artistically, do tours, and write more music. We want have great fun and savor life. We have yet to play abroad, we want to meet new people and live the dream of a mediocre life as a musician on the road. In short, every time one goal is achieved it just creates a new one.

If you were to recommend a song for a new listener, which song would you recommend?

“Fortress Burning”. It brings together broadly all the elements that our album consists of. It has both high and low dynamics, which is something we work with a lot, it has the cool riff, the duo vocals, the dirty sound, and the very quiet and fragile pieces.

How would you describe the Danish rock/metal scene to be, currently? Are there any Danish bands, besides yourselves, that you would recommend?

Denmark is generally quite far behind on the whole scene. We are trying to sound too much like ourselves, and the mindset has got Danish metal to be content with the status quo, which is quite mediocre and characterless. It’s a bit boring and there’s miles between the cool bands. But give Alkymist, Barricade, Berserk, Bethmoora, Gaia, Grusom, Konvent, Pectora, Slowjoint, Slægt, Sons Of Death Valley, and 9000 John Doe a chance. Do we have other friends that we forgot to mention

What are some of your rituals before a show?

Not so much physical activity, but we always help eac hother with eyeliner and body paint. Yannick always takes a shit before we go on stage and there’s usually mirrors in toilets, so he’s probably the one who uses them the most. But we are not a band with that kind of cliche preparations. Mostly we just walk around in circles, hands in pockets. One boils water to have on stage, one is having a couple of hits on a joint, one warms up muscles and gets his heart rate up a little.

What is the absolutely worst thing that could happen with your upcoming release?

That one of us died.

What is the craziest/stupidest you have been exposed to as a band, so far?

Playing at a small Danish festival and being pulled off stage 15 minutes into our set due to the fact that other bands before us lacked a sense of time and playing a backline that quite literally fell to pieces when we started playing.

Which track on the album do you hate the most?

Song number nine is boring as hell, doesn’t even have a name – boring, boring, boring! Besides that we are quite happy with the other songs – of course!