Vengeance do what they feel like doing

They are back and won’t leave again. That’s in one sentence what can be said about the comeback of Vengeance. After the widely acclaimed album Back In The Ring (2006) and the following gigs, all signs were on green for the Dutch band. With their latest album Soul Collector the band now is ready for more. Bassplayer Barend Courbois is more than willing to talk with Furyrocks.

Barend, Back In The Ring was a successful comeback for the band. Was it also Vengeance’s last chance?
Barend: ‘I wouldn’t say so. When the album Back From Flight 19 was released in 1997 – which also embarked my entrance to the band – it put us back on the rock-’n-roll map. The following tour up to 2001 made us the talk of the town again. It took four years for Back In The Ring was released, but we tend to plan it step by step. The reactions to that album were positive, in America, Asia and Europe. That album came naturally, without any pressure. How different from Soul Collector!’

Was it difficult to record a similar successor then?
‘Absolutely! We were aware of what we had achieved with Back In The Ring and we couldn’t let that go again. We gratefully used the input of excellent songwriters, such as Mat Sinner [Sinner, Primal Fear – ed.], Angel Schleifer [Bionfire – ed.], our producer Michael Voss [Casanova – ed.] and our former guitarist Arjen Lucassen. They came with all these brilliant ideas. Leon wrote the lyrics and the result stands for itself. But it took a considerate amount of time with this album, although you wouldn’t say so, as there are only two years in between the two records.’

Didn’t you have enough ideas of your own then?
‘Oh yes, we did! But a good song is a good song and then it doesn’t matter who wrote it. It is the result that counts. Michael Voss for instance wrote Cross In The Ring. When we first heard it we were all overwhelmed by it. A real banger, which we really wanted to record, especially as it sounds like Vengeance for a 100%. To answer your question, most of the album was written by Leon and Jan. The extra help was a bonus.’

Soul Collector has indeed become a typical Vengeance album. Real ‘feel good’ rock.
‘Precisely, and that’s what it is all about. In the 80s that was the standard, in the 90s grunge and the more depressive side entered the metal and obviously you weren’t allowed to write cheerful music. That wasn’t exactly what we had in mind. We prefer bands like Van Halen and AC/DC, yes, feel good rock. We want to entertain our fans and nowadays – luckily –
the youngsters are more open-minded towards that kind of rock.’

The song MySpace Freak, what is that all about?
‘Well, about nothing serious actually. We just wrote a song about those freaks, that are on the internet 24/7, writing all stupid things on sites. Especially in the music bussiness there are all sorts of people that write nonsense on fora.’

Is that from experience, does it happen on your MySpace site for example?
‘Not at all, everyone behaves themselves normal. But there are just these freaks on the net. But as I said, don’t take the lyrics too seriously.’

A cool song is Samurai, which reminds me of Arabia.
‘I can imagine that, it is Arabia anno 2009. Written by Arjen and Leon as a sequel to that classic song. Especially its atmosphere and the slightly exotic sounds are comparible, the melody lines look one another. Only this time it’s Japan instead off Arabia.’

The album has a clear and full production. Why can’t bands like Metallica and Whitesnake seem to have those kind of sound anymore?
‘I have no idea actually. Maybe Metallica wanted to go back to the roots of their first album? It’s a mystery to me why bands that don’t have to take care of the pence give such a sound to their recordings. We on the other hand have no budget at all, but are able to fix a perfect production.’

In 2009 it is 25 years ago when your debut was released ...
‘But the band was already founded a year earlier, that’s why this year is our silver jubilee and we have given many jubilee shows. But we continu this tour in 2009, because of Soul Collector.’

Anything special planned for this jubilee?
‘We are thinking of releasing two DVDs. The first one will be an overview of the band’s history, from the beginning to the present, the second one a live DVD. But the latter might as well be a double DVD. It all depends on how well Soul Collector sells.’

The older albums aren’t for sale anymore. Isn’t it about time to re-release We Have Ways To Make You Rock and Take It Or Leave It?
‘I would think so, but unfortunately there are some major problems with the copyrights of those albums. Our old label CBS sold them to a certain person, which name better leaves unmentioned here: we worked with him on Back From Flight 19. He took French leave and won’t put the tapes at our disposal. It’s all very frustrating and this won’t be the end of the matter yet.’

Is it easier for you to make the music you wanna make, now that there isn’t a major company pulling the strings?
‘Yes, we can take it or leave it ... the downside of course is that we don’t have the financial means of earlier days anymore. But it is nice to do what we feel like doing, as that is what’s most fun of all!’

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