INTERVIEW: Chris van der Walt – Vulvodynia
Although metal may still be largely populated by bands of Western origin, heavy music is now very much a global affair. With a whole host of bands emerging from every nook and cranny of the globe, be it from the Far East, the Middle East, Latin American or Africa, whatever the country, you can now pretty much guarantee there will be a scene for metal. Just look at this year’s World Metal Congress; an event dedicated to celebrating the global diversity of the music we love. Now, enter VULVODYNIA. Hailing from South Africa, a country not necessarily know for his export of heavy metal, the quintet’s brand of slamming brutal death metal has shone a spotlight on South Africa. Three years since their last outing, Psychosadistic Design, the band are ready to release their next slab of brutality; Mob Justice. Ahead of the album’s release, and fresh from a UK and European run supporting FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY (read our review of the show in Bristol here), we spoke with bassist Chris van der Walt to get the lowdown on the new album as well as discussing the growing scene in South Africa.
So you are set to drop your brand new album, Mob Justice, at the end of this month. What can we expect from this new album?
Chris: We’ve worked very hard on this album, and we are very happy with the final result. Everyone contributed to the whole process. There’s a lot of VULVODYNIA in there mixed with all the different tastes of each member. It’s not only slam anymore, definitely some deathcore and death metal stuff in there too. It’s hard, brutal and intense. The lyrics take on a lot of underground issues in, and around, South Africa.
Mob Justice arrives three years after your last record, Psychosadistic Design. How has the band developed in that time?
Chris: There’s been a lot of growth from everyone. We’re all a bit older and we’ve gained a lot of tricks and experience from the bands we tour with. There’s also been line-up adjustments, which always brings in new sounds and ideas.
Can you explain the writing and recording process for this new album?
Chris: Kris Xenopoulos and Luke Haarhoff each brought some riffs and songs for the album. We started listening to the best ideas and picked the coolest ones. From there we went into Tampora Studios and tracked everything. This also shaped the ideas as we went along. Duncan Bentley came out with all the lyrics and ideas. We sent it off to be mixed by Andrew Zink and Connor Reibling at Hollowed Studios. And finally mastered by Yannick St-Amand mastering.
Where Psychosadistic Design focused its themes on murder or aliens, this new album instead directs its attention to the horrors you face in South Africa. Can you expand on these themes and why you wanted to address it on this album?
Chris: There are a lot of scary things that happen in South Africa and we knew it would be a great idea to share some of the brutal shit that is going on around here. There’s a lot of stuff about Nyaope drug addiction, mob justice, famine, and more… The stuff people don’t want to talk about is the stuff we make our artistic playground. We spice it up with our horror inspired imaginations.
The new album features a number of notable guests, Trevor Strnad of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, Martin Matoušek of GUTALAX and Alex Taylor from MALEVOLENCE. How was it working with each of these individuals?
Chris: They are absolutely amazing to work with. So easy going, professional, and deliver outstanding results. It’s always great collaborating with other artists as they see the same song in a different way, and they definitely brought an exciting touch to each of the songs.
What do you hope to achieve with Mob Justice?
Chris: We’d like to have a great run of tours and be able to spread the ideas. Give people something to think about. The songs are a a great representation of where we are now musically, so sharing it with our fans will be a great privilege.
Mob Justice will be your third full-length album, and they say that bands find their killer sound by their third album. Would you say that this is the case with Mob Justice?
Chris: I think we definitely achieved a great sound that represents what we’re very proud of. We’ll keep pushing and always try to be better. It’s exciting to see what is still to come…
Being from South Africa, your country isn’t particularly notable for its heavy music. How is the scene in South Africa and are there any bands you’d like to give a shout out?
Chris: South Africa has a very small, but dedicated metal scene. There are still some festivals who focus and push the envelope like Ramfest. Many of the musicians here are world class, but don’t always get the opportunities that they need. There are some great metal bands in South Africa like RED HELEN, FACING THE GALLOWS, ZOMBIES ATE MY GIRLFRIEND, BOARGAZM, CREATING THE GODFORM, HUMAN NEBULA, and more…
Once the record is out at the end of June, I imagine the focus will turn to touring, what touring plans do you have for the rest of the year?
Chris: This year is super packed for us. We’re hitting the USA soon, and will be touring three or four more times this year all over the globe. Make sure to keep your eyes out for the announcements…
You’ve recently been in the UK, supporting FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY. How was that experience for you and what do you make of the UK metal scene?
Chris: The UK is absolutely crazy. Most of the shows were sold out and the crowd go wild. Crowd-killing, circle-pits, stage-diving, and all the insane stuff you can expect. They really get into it. We love playing the UK, there’s something special about watching a crowd of people destroy themselves and smile about it.
To close, we’ll offer you the chance to leave a parting message with our readers. Do you have anything to say to the readers of Distorted Sound?
Chris: Keep supporting death metal and heavy music. Go to the shows, and support the bands who are on tour. Listen to VULVODYNIA and play it to your grandmother, LOUD, she’s probably a bit deaf anyway…
Mob Justice is set for release on June 30th via Lacerated Enemy Records.
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