Interview with Rik van Schaaik (Vocalist of Shade Of Hatred and Rhovanion)

14/01/2017 12:54
Interview with Rik van Schaaik (Vocalist of Shade Of Hatred and Rhovanion).
 
How did your passion for music started?
I think it was around when I was 12 years old. A lot of people used to grow up with music from their parents but in my position, I didn’t had any interests in music until I went to high school. I realized that there was a lot more than the mainstream pop music and that is where it began. When I was listening to metal, the passion for guitar playing started. However, I realized that I didn’t had the talent to play guitar. Funny thing is how I started to be a vocalist. I was screaming in a mic when my friends were playing Seek And Destroy by Metallica and I really liked that so I started to do that more and more.
 
For how long are you having this passion?
I think it is like 5 years now? After a few months I was doing vocals with my first band called Druantia.
 
Which artist did you inspire to make music?
Chrigel Glanzmann has always been a massive influence for me. His stage presence is amazing and his song writing is also phenomenal. When I was starting doing vocals, Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth was a major influence for me. Especially because his vocals were in my vocal-range so yea. Even to this day, I hear a lot of people comparing my vocals with Johan Hegg’s vocals which is amazing. 
 
Besides music, what kind of other passions do you have?
Writing for sure. I’m doing that more and more. Of course it has to do a lot with music but besides writing, I like science and biology a lot and also reading about mythology.
 
What is your favourite record?
This is a hard question! It changes from time to time but the record that I listen to the most at this moment would probably be ‘Enki’ from Melechech. But if you want to know my favourite album of all time, that would be ‘Crogacht’ of Suidakra.
 
Besides being the vocalist, do you play any other instruments?
I have an Irish Bouzouki but I don’t play it enough to say that I ‘play’ the instrument. It is an awesome instrument so I really want to pick it up and play until I can say ‘I can play this instrument’.
 
Have you played in any other bands?
Before Shade Of Hatred I was in the folk metal band Druantia. Besides Shade Of Hatred, I’m currently in Rhovanion as well.
 
How do you see yourself in the future for Shade Of Hatred and Rhovanion?
I think there will be a lot of growth. A lot of people are starting to know our music so that is really awesome. I’d love to play more outside of The Netherlands as well. At the moment, there are some plans to join with a French band to do a mini -tour and there is a Belgian promoter that has a lot of interest in our band. He’s done a great gig for us with Gus G which was in Ozzy Osbourne and Firewind which was amazing.
 
 
What were your highlights of being a vocalist?
The gigs at small bar’s that were packed. Occultfest in Hoogeveen was awesome, it was our first open-air gig ever. And with Rhovanion I played Castlefest. That’s a medieval festival in Lisse and where I’ve been a loyal visitor for 6 years. Also a packed Luxor was an amazing experience. 
 
Are there any things that you would’ve done differently?
I’d like to access more vocal style’s like Khoomei (throat singing) and even some clean vocals would be cool to learn.
 
With which bands would you like to perform?
I’d love to perform with Gojira and Cattle Decapitation because those bands have a similar style like Shade Of Hatred.
 
Where do you get idea’s from during writing process?
I don’t have a great part in the writing of new songs but when I’m writing vocal lines and lyrics, I listen to Eluveitie and different mythological history.
 
When do you know when a song is up to level?
When are we’ve rehearsed it and it get stuck in your head. Or when you play that song after a few weeks at rehearsal and you play it flawless in one go.
 
How did you guys meet and how did you join Shade Of Hatred?
Shade Of Hatred was formed under an other name. It was formed at high school by Florian Bas and Yannick. I wasn’t in the band at that time. After a few line-up changes, I joined the band.
 
What was your first mistake at a gig?
I wouldn’t know my first one but I certainly know some of the worst ones. I threw my brand new wireless mic into the audience. I passed out on stage because I had a very high fever. I introduced our song ‘A Merciless Fate’ as Mercyful Fate and I screamed ‘EINDHOVEN’ at a gig in Utrecht which was awkward. 
 
Which personal aspects you like about yourself and don’t like?
I really like my grunts. And I try to be energetic as possible. I really don’t like that I haven’t got a good clean vocal style. I’d like to improve my clean vocals and writing of lyrics.
 
Have you taken any singing classes or did you learn it by yourself?
I learned the ‘False Chord’ by myself by experimenting and reading and watching a lot of tutorials. It’s a shame that the internet is full of people that don’t know what they’re doing. I’ve had singing classes of Jaqueline van Heugten. She helped me out with vocal techniques. 
 
Which artwork which has inspired you the most?
I really like the album artwork of ‘Thanatus’ and the design of our latest shirt. 
 
Are promoters asking a lot for Shade Of Hatred?
We do get some attention from promoters which is an awesome feeling!
If you are a millionaire right now, what would you do?
I’d buy an system called ‘Ear Monitor’ system. We’ve dreamed as a band to have that system. Of course, I would buy a tour bus and travel around to world to play with the band.
 
Which instrument in the band is your favourite?
Since I’m with Shade Of Hatred, I started to appreciate the drums more and more. Our drummer Yannick is very passionate and since then I’ve been listening to drums in other bands as well. In a band no other instrument is better or more important than the other. English people have a nice saying for that. A band should be greater than the sum of its parts.
 
Interview done by Dirk Kremers of httpwww.facebook.com/dutchbrutaldeathmetalthrash