PHOTO BY NONA LIMMEN
Dool
The Irresistible Urge To Create
T
his is the best album I’ve ever had a part in,� Ryanne van Dorst says. The singer and guitarist certainly has no doubts about the new Dool album, Summerland. Founded in 2015 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, dark rockers Dool embarked on an ongoing spiritual and musical journey, discovering more about themselves as a band through this new record than they would have ever thought.
“Playing live as much as we did over the past two-and-a-half years has helped tremendously in our way of communicating with one another, and in the decision making as well,� van Dorst explains. “We only got to know what Dool is capable of and what Dool actually is after releasing our debut album, which was basically just an experiment.� “The songs started growing only when we started touring the album, and with it came some sort of sense of identity, which we can now call upon whenever we need it,� she continues. “At this point we almost don’t need words to describe to each other what we mean, musically. Everything is really organic and natural, and we feel like we have the bases covered. It is great being part of something that is growing and evolving this way.�
24 NEW NOISE
INTERVIEW WITH SINGER / GUITARIST RYANNE VAN DORST BY MARIKA ZORZI
If the band took an experimental approach to their debut Here Now, There Then, Summerland is a more expansive and more varied effort on all fronts, and it well represents the band’s constant evolution. “I think that every album, even every song one writes, should come from an irresistible urge to create,� van Dorst says. “Whether that is a powerful surge of inspiration, or the need to ventilate a certain emotion or something like that. This is exactly what this album is. It is also the reason why we didn’t release anything any sooner, since it wouldn’t have been sincere. This is exactly the album that we wanted to make after Here Now, There Then.�
become some sort of tradition. I hope we can keep on doing this for a long time. We wanted someone to do a spoken word in ‘Well’s Run Dry,’ through the voice of some ancient, all-knowing figure. I wanted a deep, scary voice, so we had to think of Okoi and his characteristic, primordial sound. He did a great job there. We really wanted a Hammond solo on ‘Be Your Sins,’ and Per was exactly the right person to do that. With the little suggestions I had, he made something both haunting as well progressive as catchy. He’s an absolutely amazing musician.�
own desires and sense of beauty,â€? van Dorst says. “A customized life after death, rather than an afterlife designed by a god, a state, or an institute such as a church. In the lyrics, I try to define what this would Summerland unfortunately drops look like for me, and why I would in the middle of the coronavirus have to wait until after dying to pandemic, certainly not the best indulge in such pleasures. We also time to promote a new record. want to challenge the listener a bit, “Unfortunately, we had to cancel and have them think of what ‘Sum- both our E.U. tour and our Dutch merland’ would be to them. In order club run,â€? van Dorst says. “Also, to give them this space, I used a lot Roadburn got cancelled, where of metaphors in the lyrics, as not to we were supposed to have our be too defined, without losing my album release show. We’re in the personal meaning to songs.â€? middle of this shit storm, and it obviously is a very bitter pill to As guests, Dool invited Per Wiberg swallow. However, the album will (Opeth, Spiritual Beggars, Candle- still be released, and the music mass) on Hammond organ, backing will be around for life. I hope, in a Each track displays its own identity vocalist Farida Lemouchi (The Dev- way, it can be a salvation to people within a loose thematic framework, il's Blood), and Okoi Jones (BĂślzer) in these dark times. We, as a band, as summarized in the climactic to perform on the record. “Singing are only getting more and more title track. “Summerland is a form choirs and harmonies in the studio eager to perform live. We just have of afterlife that is tailored to each’s together with Farida has almost to wait a little longer.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł
