About Me
Please consider this Myspace as a dedication to BIFROST (holl) seen and lived by me, original Bifrost co-founder & guitar player, original Conquered My Fears founder and todays Gail Of God guitarist.
My EXPERIENCES:
Originally BIFROST was formed in 1992. In the EARLY '90's it was considered as "untrue" in "real metal" and even BLASPHEMY to call your self "influenced by 80's thrash metal". We did NOT care less what press and 'others' were thinking by reading that BANDS such as Sabbat, Heathen, Testament, Forbidden, Manilla Road or Kreator were responsible for influences and INSPIRATION for us.
Nowadays EVERYBODY fucking screams that the 80's are responsible for their music. FUCKING trend walkers!
After several releases (on the left side in following order) and bandmember switches, the band FOUGHT her battle well. With an average of 40 gigs a year BIFROST was soon known as one of the most ACTIVE, keen, tight and well viewed live bands on STAGE in The Netherlands. After the second release (1995) the band played several years the SAME live set from their 2 albums. This was getting a bit boring and with the DEPARTURE of second guitar player Roger Hermans, the band was inactive ALMOST a year, searching and auditioning a replacement. 1997 was the year that BIFROST would DIE its first death. We did a 'farewell' gig at Geleen (holl) as headliners on a festival in '97. After this SHOW, the band broke up for real. No bandmembers were in TOUCH with eachother hereafter on a private basis, except vocalist Guido and guitarst Jean which brings us to the following:
Conquered My Fears made her very first BATTLE when founder Jean Winants created this banner at Winter 1997. Ofcourse Guido Heijnens soon FOLLOWED as vocalist together with personal friend Kasper Ramaekers on bass guitar and Sjoerd Rokx on drums. Danny Maas soon auditioned and filled in his parts as second guitarist thereafter. After WRITING new songs in Winter 1997/1998 and still rehearsing Bifrost tracks to GAIN play-time, Conquered My Fears did ONE gig at Fenix/Sittard (holl) with Rotting Christ and Old Mans Child (04-17-1998). Due the FACT that the musical core from Bifrost was still in this band and STILL playing lots of Bifrost tracks, the band changed their name back to Bifrost and released their 3rd album in 1998. Unnecessary to mention that this album was MEANT to be Conquered My Fears' debut.
When original vocalist Guido 'HammerHeart' Heijnens left the band early 2000 the band FINISHED their tour at that time whereafter guitarist Jean Winants also left Bifrost. The REMAINING members did not care for Bifrost's future and dropped out of the SCENE that stamped the Bifrost ERA as ended, permanent.
Late 2005 Jean Winants decided to contact Danny Maas (guitar on Bifrost's 3rd release) to see if the FLAME was still alive. Together with original Bifrost bass player Rob Wendler, Eternal Agony (rip) vocalist Jean van Hees and regional drummer Maurice Lahoye they made a few tracks and recorded an 5 track EP at their rehearsal room. As for yet, this EP is unreleased and with Jean W. his DEPARTURE from the rest of the band, this band will continue under another banner! The search for a second guitar player has begon to replace Jean W. to continue their path to recognition. In the mean time, Jean W. took ASYLUM with Dark Electro Trance band Gail Of God.
Since I play, write, arrange, compose and LIVED 'metal' for over 15 yrs now, I thought it was time for a CHANGE and departed the remaining guys from what was called Conquered My Fears. Due the fact that my music collection reaches MUCH further than metal and related genres, I gave myself the opportunity to EVOLUATE in my musical carreer and took SHELTER with DarkTrance company Gail Of God.
Gail Of God released two albums earlier but is also undergoing musical TRANSFORMATIONS right now due to lack of interest in their older material, promote it live again. Perfect for BOTH parties to contract cooperation. Already abovementioned, Gail Of God creates an unique NEW musical sound, which can be best described as DarkTrance. Catchy songs with a constant groovy danceable beat using - black - metal guitar influences to mark the dark, ambient and mystery. For me this band was the perfect fit to fulfill my needs and wants after being a active metal SLAVE for the past 16 years. Metal and all related styles will always be a part in my life but on a more passive way of life. I have enough experience, influences and inspiration for Gail Of God to GIVE. I hope that you all give the new Gail Of God the reason of doubt and experience that your body will MOVE on itself while listening to their new tracks! I sure as HELL did!!!
Gail of God @ Booch? fest / Heerlen (holl) 2007. Audience heads: 5500.
DISCOGRAPHY
1993 - Western Magick tape
1993 - Midwinter Celebration live tape
1995 - Pagan Reality - full length CD (NEP Records - Germany)
1996 - The Wildest Fire - full length CD (NEP Records - Germany)
1998 - Mythistory - full length CD (HammerHeart Records - Netherlands)
1999 - Mythistory - vinyl LP (Painkiller Records - Belgium)
2000 - Heathen Inquisition - EP/7" p.d. (Near Dark Productions - Sweden - unreleased)
2006 - Unnamed release - EP - unsigned/not yet released
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING BANDS AND PERSONS FOR THEIR PAST AND PRESENT SUPPORT, FUN, REASON, STAGE EXPERIENCES, BEING TOUR-MATES, SHARING THE STAGE WITH BIFROST, BOOZIN', OR JUST FOR BEING ALIVE:
Pat & Callenish Circle, Sinister, God Dethroned, Denial Of God, Jan and Countess, Shadowbreed, Rotting Christ, Samael, Old Mans Child, Radamanthys, Hartmutt at Barbarian Wrath records, Defcon One, Ingo at Maze, Marlies & Nico at Morrigans Pit/Nico's Photopit, Thou Art Lord, Christophe Szpadjel, Pulverizer, Emperor, Rob & Dead Head, Ancient, Demon Joker Junior, Wim Baelus, Thyrfing, Cheryl-Ann at Witches Brew records, Wilbert at Desensitised, 'Grimar' at Battered/Einherjer, Thie at Retribution, Desaster, Opera IV, Ancient Rites, Lost In Misery, Right Direction, Michael at Volbeat, Kasper Ramaekers, Roman Hodl at TMR Music Promotions/Arnhem Metal Meeting, Alain at Chemical Breath, In The Woods, Cruachan, Peter van Ool at HammerHeart records/Karmageddon Media, Sabbat (jap), Marcel Banzinger, Maurice Persoon at Close Combat/Firma 33 AntiSocial Merch., Maarten Wijler, Occult, $400 Suits, Laurent Piette at Painkiller records, Heavy Metal Club Meerssen, Horst at Lords of Metal (.nl), Aeternus, The Breda & Zutphen bangers - 1998 era -, Rebaelliun, Gail of God, Bal-sagoth, Cirith Gorgor, Vreid, Mr. Busi at Disharmony, Goddess Of Desire, Izegrim, Inquisitor, Dave at Right Direction, Frode at Metal Fortress Entertainment, Laurent at Painkiller records, Roel van Reijmersdal at VIC Records, Noel and Paul at P's Sound Maastricht, Annita Roodt, Bateria VP, Steven van Tienhoven, Foul Tactic, Backfire!, Second Life Community, my love and wife Natascha, and last but most certainly not least: Isabelle for Conquering My Fears! (despite the distance, you're always with me).
Personal tribute to the Man in Black:
