Ulcerate Fester is a band from the Netherlands that started playing a death-grind metal style and evolved into a more classic metal format in their release "Souled Out" (with a new and more melodic singer). We talked to Michel De Groot the singer of the band that told us about the evolution of the band and other interesting things.

Are you planning to reedit the "Unceasing Life" and "Contradictio Interminus" demos on CD?

No because that´s not the music we are making today. Maybe in the future as a collectors item ? I don´t know.

Did the music of the band suffer a great change when Mark joined the band?

Yeah, because Mark really had some great ideas en the sound became fatter ( 2 guitars instead of 1)

It´s been 5 years since you recorded "Sonatorrek". How do you see that debut album in retrospect? How would you compare it with the two demos and with "Souled Out"?

You can compare it to the demos, because they are death-grind-metal too but you surly can not compare them to Souled Out. Souled Out is recorded with a new singer nl. me ( Michel) and the music is more metal-like with a little stoner the new album will be a stoner-grooved based-one with a little metal influences. We go with the flow.....

Which are the main differences between your style and Vince´s style of playing?

Vince was the death-grunt man and I´m much more of a melodic singer........Fits the music better !

Why did you choose Harrow productions again to record "Souled Out"?

Harrow was an obvious choice because at that moment I was also singing in the band Harrow ( just for a short time ) and we where always very pleased with Harry and Eric´s ( Harry Wijerink and Eric de Boer: producers from Harrow studio ) approach of our music. So it was a natural choice.

How would you describe "Souled Out"? Is the follow up ready?

Souled out is a metal-based album with stoner influences....We will be recording the next one in January 2001 at again the Harrow studios. It will be called " Welcome to the Spanish Harbour " and it will be a stoner album with a bit of metal on it..............

How are the four new songs that you recorded at the beginning of this year?

If you listen to them you will hear what´s on the new album. A few of `m will be on the new album: woman

How did your music evolved since when you started as a death/grind band?

From death to heavy and from heavy to stoner-metal...Maybe in a few years we will be playing country and western ( that´s a joke ha ha )

Which are your plans of touring?

I don´t know what the new album´s gonna do it all depends on the new one....

How would you describe an Ulcerate Fester gig? Are the crowds that go to watch your shows getting bigger?

After we won the Aardshok metal bash ( May 2000) the crowds did get bigger because people wanted to see the band that won. Now we just focus on the new album and see what it will do..

Any final reflection?

I hope you like our new album !!!!!!!!!

Interviewed by Federico Marongiu

ULCERATE FESTER - DISCOGRAPHY

Unceasing Life - Demo (1990)

Contradictio Interminus - Demo (1992)

Sonatorrek - CD (1995)

Souled Out - CD (1998)

ACTUAL LINEUP

Gertin Smit - drums

Mark Portier - guitar

Erik Schoemaker - bass

Michel de Groot - vocals

Ardy de Jong - guitar