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| This interview was made in collaboration with Last Cathedral Records |
After returning in 2023, Dutch Death/Doom Metal band Sad Whisperings continues to develop its dark and melancholic sound with their new album The Hermit. In this interview, Chris Oldenburger, drummer of the band, talks about their musical evolution, influences, the Dutch Doom/Death scene, and their contribution to The Silent Remains compilation.
Asmoth: Since Sad Whisperings returned in 2023, how would you describe the musical direction of the band today? Do you see your music primarily as Death/Doom Metal, or do you feel that this label no longer fully describes what you are creating?
Chris: Death/Doom is still the foundation of Sad Whisperings, and I don't think we should deny our roots. The atmosphere, the heaviness, the melancholic melodies and the contrast between aggressive Death Metal and slower Doom passages are still very much part of our identity. At the same time, I feel that the music has naturally developed beyond the way the band approached it in the early nineties.
With the new material, we are less concerned with staying inside a particular genre framework. There is still plenty of Doom, but there is also a stronger Death Metal influence, more variation in tempo and rhythm, and some elements that could be described as Gothic, Thrash or even progressive. The keyboards and atmospheric passages have also become an important part of the overall sound. Several reviews have picked up on that combination: the music can move from very dark and atmospheric passages into much faster and more aggressive sections without losing its identity.
So if someone calls us Death/Doom, I'm perfectly happy with that because it describes where we come from and a large part of what we do. But I wouldn't want the label to become a limitation. I'd rather see Sad Whisperings as a dark and atmospheric metal band with Death/Doom at its core. The important thing for us is the mood and the emotion of the music, not fitting everything into one particular box.
Asmoth: Sad Whisperings has always had a strong connection to dark and melancholic atmospheres. When you compose new material today, what comes first for you: the atmosphere, the riffs, the melodies, or the lyrical themes? Has your approach to songwriting changed compared with the band's earlier period?
Chris: The riffs and the atmosphere usually develop together. Sometimes a guitar riff is the starting point, but very often the mood of a song determines what kind of riff or melody Alex and Jurgen want to write. They don't sit down thinking, "I'm going to write a Death Metal song" or "I'm going to write a Doom song." It's more about finding a certain feeling and then building the music around it.
The atmosphere is still extremely important. That's why elements such as keyboards, quieter passages, melodies and even space within a song can be just as important as the heavy riffs. On The Hermit , for example, we deliberately use contrasts: an atmospheric or almost ethereal passage can suddenly give way to a heavy riff or a much faster section.
Compared with the early days, I think the songwriting has become more open and dynamic. The old Sad Whisperings was very much rooted in the early Death/Doom sound of that period, with the influences of bands like Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and the Dutch Doom/Death scene being quite obvious. Today we still have that DNA, but we have more experience as musicians. And perhaps more importantly, we don't feel the need to restrict ourselves to the musical language we had thirty years ago.
The long break has also had an effect. We are not trying to recreate 1993. We want the new material to sound like Sad Whisperings today: dark, heavy, melancholic and atmospheric, but also energetic and sometimes aggressive. In that sense, The Hermit is a continuation of what Alex started back then but it is definitely not simply a trip back in time.
Asmoth: Your music combines the heaviness of Death Metal with the slow and melancholic character of Doom. What do you think is the most important element in creating the emotional impact of a Sad Whisperings song, and which bands or artists continue to influence the way you approach this combination?
Chris: For us, the most important element is contrast. You need the darkness and weight of Doom, but you also need the aggression and energy of Death Metal. When those two sides are placed against each other, the music becomes much more emotional and exciting. A slow, melancholic passage can have a much greater impact when it is followed by an aggressive riff (and the other way around). We also use a lot of keyboards, melodies and quieter passages to create atmosphere and tension. The goal is not simply to make the music heavy, but to make the listener feel something.
That emotional aspect has always been important to Sad Whisperings. Even in the early days, the band was interested in combining brutality with melody and atmosphere. Today we have more possibilities and experience, so we can play with those contrasts in a more deliberate way. I think you can hear that clearly on The Hermit, where atmospheric openings, keyboards and melancholic leads regularly develop into much heavier and faster sections. Personaly I think that this variation is an important part of the character of the album.
As for influences, Paradise Lost, Anathema and My Dying Bride are obviously very important, especially their early work. They were a major inspiration when Sad Whisperings started in the early nineties, and that connection is still there today. The Dutch Doom/Death scene, including The Gathering and Gorefest, was also influential on the band. But the influences have never been limited to those bands. Nowadays we also take inspiration from bands such as Coroner and Opeth, each for different reasons. I think the key is not to copy any of those bands, but to draw inspiration from the elements that speak to us and transform them into something that feels/is uniquely ours.
Ultimately, we want the songs to have both weight and atmosphere. If a listener can feel the sadness, anger, tension or darkness in a song, then we've achieved what we wanted. For us, that emotional connection is more important than whether a particular riff can be classified as Death Metal or Doom Metal.
Asmoth: You have been part of the Dutch Metal underground for several decades. How do you see the evolution of the Doom and Death/Doom scene in the Netherlands, and do you think the current underground offers enough opportunities for bands playing slower and more atmospheric forms of Metal?
Chris: The Dutch Doom and Death/Doom scene has changed quite a lot over the years, but I think the interesting thing is that it has never really disappeared. When Alex started Sad Whisperings in the early nineties, there was a very strong underground movement around Death/Doom, with bands such as The Gathering, Celestial Season, Officium Triste and many others developing their own interpretations of the style. There was a real sense of community, with small labels, tape trading, fanzines and underground shows playing an important role.
Today, the underground is very different. The internet has made it much easier for bands to release their music and reach listeners worldwide. At the same time, there is so much music available that getting noticed can be difficult. On the positive side, there is much more openness towards bands combining Doom with Death, Black Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge, Gothic or more experimental elements.
I definitely think there are still opportunities for slower and atmospheric Metal. Dutch Doom Days is a great example. It has become an important platform for both established and newer Doom and Death/Doom bands, showing that there is still a strong and dedicated audience for this kind of music. There are also plenty of other festivals and venues supporting underground Metal.
So yes, there are opportunities, although it isn't always easy to find the right audience. But the people who connect with this type music are often very loyal. That's one of the strengths of the underground: it doesn't necessarily follow trends. There will always be people who want music that is dark, heavy, emotional and takes its time.
Asmoth: Sad Whisperings contributed “Heart of Darkness” to The Silent Remains, the first compilation released by Last Cathedral Records. What made this particular song the right choice to represent Sad Whisperings on this compilation?
Chris: We chose “Heart of Darkness” because it captures different aspects of the Sad Whisperings sound very well. It combines the heaviness and aggression of our Death/Doom background with the melancholic and atmospheric side of the band. It is dark and heavy, but there is also a melodic and emotional layer underneath it. We felt that this combination would give listeners a good idea of what Sad Whisperings sounds like today.
For this compilation we also wanted a song that could stand on its own and hopefully make people curious to hear more from us. “Heart of Darkness” seemed like the right balance between our old roots and the direction we are taking today.
Asmoth: The Silent Remains brings together twenty bands from different parts of the Doom Metal underground, with a strong focus on atmospheric, Death/Doom, Epic and melancholic Doom. How do you feel Sad Whisperings fits into this particular musical landscape, and did discovering the other participating bands introduce you to any artists you had not heard before?
Chris: We feel quite at home in this landscape, because there are several points of connection between our music and the other bands on this compilation. What stands out is the broad spectrum within doom metal: from atmospheric death/doom to more epic, traditional and melancholic forms of doom. A common thread is the emphasis on atmosphere, heaviness and melancholy rather than speed or aggression for their own sake.
Like several of these bands, we use heaviness as a way of creating a certain emotional and immersive atmosphere, with darkness, solitude and introspection playing an important role. At the same time, there are differences in how that atmosphere is achieved. Some bands lean more towards death/doom, with heavy riffs, harsh vocals and a darker atmosphere, while others have a more epic or traditional doom sound. And it is precisely that variation in approach that makes this compilation so interesting to me.
I’ve known bands like Mirror of Deception, Befallen and Ophis for quite some time, and Fvneral Fvkk, Anchorite and Voidhaven have also been on my radar for a while. But honestly, most of the bands were new to me. What a great discovery this has been, though. Of these newly discovered bands, Doom of Death, Death of Giants, and Black Flow in particular are right up my alley. I feel honoured to be part of such a great line-up.
Asmoth: Beyond the music, The Silent Remains was created to support nina+nico e.V., an organisation that has been helping people affected by sexual, psychological and physical violence for more than 30 years. How important is it for you as a band to participate in a project where the music is connected to a concrete social cause, and what would you like listeners to take away from Sad Whisperings' contribution?
Chris: We think it is a very good initiative, and we are happy to be part of it. Music can bring people together and if it can also contribute to supporting an organisation that helps people who have experienced violence, then we are very happy to be part of that.
Most of us have partners and children, so this is also something that feels quite close to home. We all want the people we love to feel safe and protected, and violence can affect anyone, sometimes in ways that are not immediately visible. That makes the work of organisations like nina+nico e.V. particularly important.
Of course, our contribution is just one song on a compilation, but if that song helps raise awareness or encourages someone to support the organisation, then it gives the song a purpose beyond the music itself. We hope listeners will enjoy “Heart of Darkness” but also take a moment to think about the reason behind the compilation and the people it is intended to support.