1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
KEITZER:
Basically not too much besides playing some really great shows like Grind here - right now, Draeschfeschd, Grind The Nazi Scum, to name a few. We could introduce some songs of he upcoming album that all gained very positive reactions. Besides we’re slowly getting back to writing new songs.
2.You have a new album coming out in July, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction of the new recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
K:
Well, I’d say it’s the most versatile and metallic album we ever did. The riffs are partly more metallic, sometimes even leaning to black metal or thrash, adding again some more melody and heaviness to the songs. We always try to write albums where there’s enough diversion between the single songs. We have melodic songs that are more mid tempo-orientated, we have short full speed ahead grind songs and we have fast death metal tracks. It is really important to us to not get bored by ourselves and not to bore the listener. But the writing process is always pretty natural; it’s just the way it turns out in the end. Another main difference may be the production. Jörg Uken form the Soundlodge really knows his game and engineered a real thick metallic sound. We can say that it’s in our opinion the best recordings we ever had.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album?
K:
The Last Defence is not a concept album in itself, means no cohesive story, but as a whole it embraces the madness of war from the medieval, crusade-era point of view. But you can also transfer that theme to any era, of course into ours more than ever, seeing what’s going on the for last decade in our world. It’s about the senselessness of war and how f.e. greed and hunger for power disguised in religious fanaticism (“Crusade”) can infect the whole world with hate leading to war, inevitably leading to misery and death. Like f.e. “Todgeweiht” (german for moribund) says that whenever you chose to march to war for whatever reason, you’re already dead. There’s no honor to find there, all it does is leaving the world drowning in oceans of blood...
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Keitzer'?
K:
Keitzer is the misspelled Dutch word “Keizer” (emperor). As some of us are Star Wars Fans, it’s inspired by Emperor Palpatine. We took the Dutch translation because we lived real close to the Netherlands back then. The T is because it sounds so much harsher. We started out as a side project, but the name really grew on us, as well as it’s now our main band.
5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
K:
Oh man, hard question. One of the best shows we just played at the Grind the Nazi Scum Fest. The Most memorable shows are always the ones where everything fits, both a good musical effort and an audience that goes nuts. Obscene Extreme 2008, Maryland Death Fest 2008, Bologna, Italy in 2003, Magdeburg 2002...too many to mention but that are still present in our minds. Well, how would I describe our performance? 5 guys beating the shit out of their instruments/throats. We present a highly energetic, tight live show, that when the sound is right just blasts the flesh off your bones, ha-ha. When we deliver good, we leave behind open mouths at times...
6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
K:
We’d like to tour in fall, but it’s not sure if we’ll make it. Some of us have families, we all have a job and private life, makes it hard to tour for longer. But who knows, all’s possible.
The next show we’ll play is in Cologne, Germany supporting Misery Index on 7/24, and then already confirmed is a grind-fest in Arnhem, NL on 22/11. Till then we’ll play some other shows, but they’re not confirmed yet. Maybe some short weekend tours. The Festival summer is almost over, but hopefully we can play some Big European Open Airs like PartySan, Brutal Assault, Play Fast or Don’t, Protzen etc. next year! We’ll keep you posted...
The next show we’ll play is in Cologne, Germany supporting Misery Index on 7/24, and then already confirmed is a grind-fest in Arnhem, NL on 22/11. Till then we’ll play some other shows, but they’re not confirmed yet. Maybe some short weekend tours. The Festival summer is almost over, but hopefully we can play some Big European Open Airs like PartySan, Brutal Assault, Play Fast or Don’t, Protzen etc. next year! We’ll keep you posted...
7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of underground metal?
K:
It’s always been pretty good. It seems that people over the globe appreciate what we do. It really honors us when somebody drops a line or posts on social networks that they like us, or order shirts and records directly from us. It means a lot to us, at least one of the reasons we’re still here after 15 years...
8.One of the members runs 7 Degrees Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
K:
7Degrees Records is my (Simon-Bass) DIY-vinyl-only-label. Focusing on anything grind-related, I put out bands like my own, Zodiac, Mörser, Dephosphorus, Gadget, Wake, Theories, Cloud Rat, Who’s my savior, Standing on a Floor of Bodies and many more...
It started with releases of Keitzer in 2008 and I carried on till today. It’s mainly a hobby, but it’s growing steadily, getting known more and more in the grind/hc/metal underground. It eats almost all of my spare time. The next release will be the Vinyl Edition of the KEITZER -THE LAST DEEFENCE LP. Very important for me is to deliver good records, packed in an appropriate way, adding some goodies like download codes, posters, Screen-printed covers and records and so on. So artwork and packaging is really important for me. I only put out bands that I really like, mostly unknown ones, which I think need to be heard. Also I just set up a new website with a proper Mail-order store where almost all the discography is available (www.7degrees-records.de). Plans are to get a distributor soon to get the bands around better...
9.What is going on with the other musical projects these days that some of the band members are involved with?
K:
Christian (vocals) is one of the 4(!) Singers of the mighty MÖRSER, besides that nobody really has time for other projects. As far as I know, Mörser just recorded a new Album, which should be out soon as well. That record will destroy, totally.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
K:
We’ll stay true to our musical style, developing further and growing in musical and songwriting skills. Can’t really tell where that may lead us...
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
K:
Always a big influence has been Bolt Thrower, old metallic/grind bands like Mörser, Systral, Unruh, Reversal of Man, Acme... otherwise I can’t really tell. We all listen to so much diverse musical styles and genres, not only to metal and other extreme music, that it’s just to blurry to really tell that band and this music had an influence in the songwriting. Personally I listen to a lot of Doom/ Stoner/70s Rock, besides a lot of grind, classic metal/ metal classics, Thrash, Death, Black, Crust...the other guys are pretty much the same with other weights on the different genres...
12.What are some of your non musical interests?
For us all I’d say Family, Label, Soccer, Fishing, Beer, Weed, good times, and last but not least our jobs kill a lot of leisure time ;)
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Stop the downloading madness and go buy the new KEITZER album. The best metal LP since “Number of the beast”!!
Seriously, show some appreciation and support to the bands and buy physical.
Band links:
General and Booking:
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Merch:
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ORDER LINKS FOR “THE LAST DEFENCE”:
LP: 7 Degrees Records:
CD: FDA Rekotz:
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