DD: What�s the most dramatic moving event that you�ve ever written a song about?

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Pim: Poeh! Ehm, Pretty difficult to say, most of my lyrics are made up stories. For example when a friend loses a relative or something like that. A kind of made-up stories that have a real-life base.

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DD: So things like that are a source of inspiration for your lyrics.

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Pim: Yeah, the sad things in daily life are the biggest source of inspiration for my lyrics.

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DD: Are you planning on using more fast parts like in the track "In Pouring Rain" from the last album Reason?

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Pim: Yes, we have always used fast parts on our older albums, this one is pretty slow considering our work. So in the future that will stay. Slow and here and there some tempo-changes to make it sound more attractive and dynamical.

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DD: Do you think your funeral doom has a positive or a negative influence on depressed metalheads?

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Pim: Not the slightest idea, depends on the person. Some people might get a more positive look on life while listening to depressive music, while it can be the other way around as well. Hard to say.

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DD: What are the reactions you get in general?

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Pim: In general we get good response, especially when we play live. We try to be more live between the songs, because it�s not that all that serious. We�ve chosen for this style of music, so it�s hard to sing about happy things, but between the songs a joke is never out of place.

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DD: How much percent of the doom metal fanatics do you guess listen to doom while being stoned?

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Pim: I don�t have the slightest clue, I�m the only one in the band who smokes weed now and then. But most music impresses more while listened to stoned.

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DD: What�s the biggest progress within Officium Triste since the release of Mountains Of Depressiveness in 1996?

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Pim: Composing the tracks probably, the song writing you might say. Keeping the right pass as well. We also haven�t had much line-up changes so you know each other real well when it comes to playing together. Our drummer lives in Germany, so it�s hard to rehearse often, but even when we have to perform without a rehearsal before the performance we play pretty good.

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DD: Are there any bandmembers of Officium Triste involved in any side projects?

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Pim: There is something, me and our guitarist Johan have an idea that hopefully will be realized this year. It�s a bit of a Goatsnake/Burning Witch/Whispering Gallery idea, less melody, a more of an in your face approach. But that�s still an idea and I hope we can record something later this year.

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DD: Your drummer does the synthesizers on the album, how does he do that live?

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Pim: You can program the synthesizer, all you have to do is insert a floppy. The synthesizer stands behind him, and he wears headphones that have a clicktrack so it all works perfectly.

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DD: Do you have anything to add to this interview or any�remarks?

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Pim: Not really, listen to our new album and come to our shows if you can.

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DD: Are there any plans for a Dutch tour?

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Pim: There aren�t any concrete plans, although we want to do a package with Whispering Gallery later this year, like Oktober, November, December. In that stage of the year we want to do a lot of shows, we�ll try to play in your neighbourhood too.

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DD: That would be great! Thanks for the interview!

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Pim: Pleasure was all mine, good luck with your webzine!

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DD: Thanks, bye!