Got-A-Nerve?

03/06/2010 | THE ICE are a hardcore band formed around 2005/2006 out of Cologne and featuring some ex-members of famed German HC acts like Settle The Score, Embraced by hatred and Chip Thrills. They are out with a 8 tracks EP, that deliver a pretty personal take on modern hardcore with old school Cro-mags-esque influences and a dark metallic feel to it, released exclusively by Italian, Vicenza based, Countdown records.
Read on this interview where GAN! caught up with the guys and gave them the chance to talk about of their new EP “Touching the void”, musical influences, Cologne’s scene and more…

GAN!: Hey guys how are you?

we just returned from a trip to the alps. We took some time off to hang out together and do some band related work. So, we are all good, thanks for asking.

GAN!: Would you please introduce your band to our readers. Who is all involved with THE ICE and when did the band start?

well, we are a German hardcore/punkrock band from Cologne. The Ice is Pete on bass, Matthias on drums, Chris on vocals, Andy and me, Michael, on guitar. we are around since 2005/2006. We released two demos, a 7inch and an ep so far.

GAN!: Your first EP entitled “Touching The Void” is finally out. How do you feel and what’s your overall take on the material you recorded?

yes, after many sessions in the studio, some pre-recordings and a couple of hours of editing and mastering, we finally got the ep out. And we are absolutely satisfied with our output, musically as well as stylistically. We love the sound of the record – thanks to Christian Boche, our producer – since it is so organic. No trigger sounds, no computer effects... just pure and analogue music. We also are deeply in love with our approach to the artwork, which contributes to the atmosphere we try to get across with our songs.

GAN!: I learned off your myspace that in 2007 you recorded a demo. How the sound of new material compares to the old one?

right, we recorded and released a 5-song demo in 2007 that was released later on as a 7inch on Demons Run Amok. Well, our older recordings are a bit more straight forward, a bit more classic hardcore in a way, many people expect hardcore to sound like. Some compared our sound to NYHC legends like Judge, the Mags or even The Icemen. Our recent material is more complex and subtle, than the old songs. We got Andy as a second guitar player in late 2008 and with him, we were finally able to write songs with more layers of melody and ambience. Plus we tried to open our artistic portfolio a bit by combining elements of rock, metal and hardcore. The result is a production, that some people compare with Paradise lost, some with Leeway. we are happy about those reactions. They reflect the width of our musical influences. When we started recording the ep, we wanted to capture a melancholic, yet powerful atmosphere, that could not be found in contemporary hardcore/punkrock releases. and with the mixture of heavy NYHC riffing and some gothic rock or even popish melodies, we managed to get that done.

GAN!: Give us some insight to the album’s songwriting process, if you would, please

haha, we are not going to give away our secrets here…but I will tell you some principles we followed, during our songwriting and recording process. First, we wanted to deliver good quality. For us, that meant, we had to undergo a number of prerecording sessions, before we hit the studio. That way, we made sure, that all the good ideas went into the tracks, all bad ideas would be left out. you have to try some riffs more than once to see if they really work in a song or an arrangement. And since we wanted to write more complex songs, we had to try out a bit longer. haha…
After the prerecordings we were sure, that the songs were arranged in the best possible way. Now we worked on the vocal lines and the lyrics. Some final improvements were made, we laid down the tracks in the studio, wham…there was the new record.

GAN!: What the title “Touching the void” embodies to you? Any deeper meaning behind it?

we are all individuals, floating across the surface of this planet earth. What we all have in common is the search for meaning in our lives. It is almost like we try to fill a hole we were born with. Some people get it done, most people don’t. We think, that it is necessary to face this lack of meaning in our lives, to touch the void so to speak, if we want to be able to live a fulfilling and satisfying live. Don’t try to look for a higher meaning in live, but go out and create something out of your own motivation. Don’t wait for things to happen to you, but constantly reinvent yourself and never stop evolving. That would capture the meaning of the title and the atmosphere of the record.

GAN!: Let’s talk about the cover artwork which in my view has a particular feel to it and it’s not the run of the mill cover artwork. Who’s the author and how do you guys come up the idea? And I was wondering if there were any stories behind the album’s artwork.

we were thinking about an image that could transport the meaning of the album title. And the universe seemed to be a big enough void to be touched. It is the universe in each of us, in a way, you know?!
Well, Chris, our singer is working in design and marketing. He came up with the artwork and the whole concept behind it, as well as the symbol of eternity on the cover.

GAN!: So you guys hail from Cologne. How’s your local scene going? Any bands or venues you suggest we should definitely check out?

Cologne is not the city that instantly comes to mind, when thinking of strong German hardcore scenes. But we definitely do have some bands, that are worth mentioning. You should definitely check out KINGDOM from Cologne, if you dig the sound of Iron Age or Righteous Jams. Venues? we got the Underground and some other smaller venues like the MTC or the Werkstatt. Nohing special, though. The best thing about Cologne is, that we can go anywhere in no time, Belgium, Netherlands, Ruhrpott, Saarland… it is all just an hour or so away from Cologne, which is awesome if you want to get around.

GAN!: In the press-sheet I got from Countdown records it says for “fans of Cro-mags, Bad Brains, Metallica, Only Living Witness and Life Of Agony”. Well, that’s a good varied bunch, isn’t it? Do you find these comparisons fitting?

press-sheets are always a delicate issue. We as a band did not come up with those comparisons. Critics did. But as you know… critics, schmitics. hahaha…
Anyway, we absolutely love all of the bands mentioned in that press sheet. And we would lie, if we said, we were not being influenced by some of those bands. so after all, yes, we think that the comparisons fit.

GAN!: What are some of your influences and what motivated you to play hardcore music in the first place?

influences: see answer to the last question. Motivation to play hardcore music: it is hardcore music we played in our former bands and we still love the core. It is just the right scene for us as individuals and as a band.

GAN!: I’ve learned that some of you guys played in bands like Settle The Score, Embraced by hatred and Chip Thrills. How these past experiences influenced the forming process of THE ICE?

THE ICE is no patchwork of the before mentioned bands. We are a totally new band. We do benefit from our touring and live expertise that we earned in our former bands, though.

GAN!: You guys hooked up with Countdown records (Italian label based in Vicenza) for the release of the EP. What’s the story behind your signing? Did you know Luca already?

the signing with Countdown records was the result of several negotiations with a number of labels. We sent out our promos, got offers and chose the best offer we got. CDR is the perfect label for us, they support us in all possible ways. Andy knew Luca before we signed his label. But that was not the reason we chose CDR. We were strictly business at that point.

GAN!: We are in closing and I thank you fro taking the time to reply my questions. Anything you want to add?

yeah, thank you for giving us a chance to talk about our new record and supporting The Ice. Kalt wie das eis 2010

Check: myspace.com/theicerules myspace.com/countdownrecords

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Category: Interviews
Posted by: marcs77