Doomed Confessionary: Peter, Huibert & Nik (Bismut)
And here’s the second one for today…
Hailing from the city of Nijmegen in the Netherlands, Bismut is a dynamic heavy psych trio that has been carving their unique path since forming in 2016. The band consists of Peter Dragt (drums), Huibert der Weduwen (bass) and Nik Linders (guitar).
Bismut released their third full-length album »Ausdauer« on October 20th, 2023 via Lay Bare Recordings and Spinda Records.
Can you say a few words about your band?
We are Bismut, and we’ve been around since 2016! A three-piece from Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Three friends making loud music: a mix of rock, metal, stoner, jazz and psych.
What was the biggest challenge for the band this year?
We released our third album this year. We recorded it in May, it was mixed and mastered in June by The Void Studio, pressed in September, and sent out in October. The vinyl release was done in tandem between Lay Bare Recordings in our hometown of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Spinda Records in Spain – and we’ve been blessed to have them. It was a tight schedule, but we made it! As always, we recorded everything live & simultaneous in the studio, but the recording was done during a time in which we were not able to see each other very often, so that made it even more of a challenge.
In the end, the recording process went fluently, and we’re very happy with the final product. We’ve also been very blessed with the great reception. The effort we have put in seems to have paid off!
What can you be most proud of this year?
I think we are proud of the new record and the steps we have made as a band. We also did some awesome shows in new places, expanding our horizons and making new friends along the way!
What was your biggest regret?
No regrets! Just making the most of it in our time on earth!
What was the best concert/tour this year and why?
There have been some great shows at awesome places this year. Our friends in Krazark flew us out to Madrid in March, where we played the support gig for their album release party, mostly on their gear that they were so kind to lend us. The venue was packed, we enjoyed our show, they absolutely killed theirs, and the crowd went wild all night. We’ll never forget that evening. Some honorable mentions, though! We played at Saaleparty, a small festival in Germany organized by (among others) our dear friends in Mother Engine. We played there together with other friends Samavayo and Rotor, which we have seen a lot this year, for example on Rotormania and Tanksgiving. We will also never forget the album release show together with Dopelord in an almost-sold-out Doornroosje!
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Where to start… Every year seems full of surprises in that regard, and it’s very nice to be part of such a creative, productive scene. So, we won’t mention the usual suspects here (but you know who you are!). We were really impressed by the raw sound power of 24/7 Diva Heaven from Berlin, who we met at Rotormania. Space Junk Mafia from Nijmegen also surprised us this year, playing some groovy instrumental tunes. Another surprise for us was Hippie Death Cult, who we shared the stage with a couple of weeks ago in Tilburg, and who completely blew us away (both as people and musicians). Such an awesome group (and check out their socials, they’re really entertaining, too). There are probably several other big surprises that we fail to think of right now.
Where can we see you live next year (concerts/tours)?
March 7th we will play Into the Shadow, which has a crazy line-up. We’re playing at Echoes of Erebos festival in Vienna in April, together with 24/7 Diva Heaven and Speck. It will be a great night! We also have some club shows planned in Germany and the Netherlands, most of which will be announced soon, and we’re in touch with some other festivals as well. Keep checking our Facebook & Instagram for updates, we announce everything there as soon as we can!
What are your plans for the next year as a band? What do you personally want the most?
We just started jamming again, which has been great. Because of the focus on the album, and some important big shows, it has been a while since we did that. It feels good to get back to making music again, which we love the most of being in a band. At some point next year we will start with building new songs from our jams. If the jams we did over the last couple of weeks are any indication, we’ll definitely continue expanding into new genres and vibes, like we did with the last two records. Of course, we’re also gearing up to play some great shows, and hopefully we will get to reconnect with friends in other bands as well as audiences across Europe. We’re already looking forward to seeing them again.
Do you already know what are you doing on New Year’s Eve?
Huibert says he will be on the couch with his wife and 3 kids, watching some cartoons and go to bed early! And maybe see some fireworks but let’s see what the evening will bring. Possibly thinking about nice memories we made this year and dream about warm weather and more sunshine!! Peter and Nik are secretly planning to surprise Huibert and prevent him from going to bed early and make him watch Star Wars.
How can people best support your band?
You can support us in any way you want. By going to our shows, buying merch, telling people about us, decorating your town with our stickers, or plain ol’ listening to us a lot and following us everywhere (which is Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram).
But the best way to support us is to support any band(s) in the subculture, and the local venues that are hosting the events! The local small shows are important for any band and keeping a good foundation for great music in the future. Without other bands, and especially without the local venues, none of this would be possible!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Please be nice and look out for each other. The world can be overwhelming, dangerous, and unpredictable. Our new record, »Ausdauer«, deals with these topics as well (although you may not be able to tell from the lyrics). The best thing in the world is to have supportive people around that will have your back no matter what.
And of course keep on reading Doomed Nation!
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well