Oh, you’ll gonna love their style. Utrecht’s SECOND GUESSING released their debut EP in December 2014, got featured on the new “Songs For The Dead Vol. 2” 100 screamo bands compilation put together by The Death Of A Modernist, and I literally can’t wait for more music from these guys. The aesthetic judgement on their music is wrapped up in so many tropes about hardcore, screamo, and post rock that it makes it really hard to close it in just one word. The manner in which they incorporate melancholic guitars, monumental heaviness storms and soul-warming raptures is one that you won’t ignore.
Check out my interview with SECOND GUESSING and be sure to look out for the band at venues all around Belgium, Germany, and The Netherlands (with more touring plans to come soon after that). Thanks to the band’s kindness, this interview is available both in video and text formats! Enjoy!
Photo by Lisanne Lentink.
Scroll down to see the transcript of the full interview.
Hey there guys! What’s up? How are you?
We’re good, thank you for having us!
Thanks so much for taking some time with IDIOTEQ! Please introduce the band to our readers and tell us a bit more about your background and maybe other projects
Rutger: We’re Second Guessing, we’re a 5 piece scream/post-hardcore band from Utrecht, The Netherlands. We’ve been playing show for about a year now, we started out with me and Vincent and then Robert came along, and then another guitarist and bassist came along.
Vincent: And we play in OAKHEART together and we’ve played in bands together since 16 I think?
What were some of the reasons for forming the band?
Vincent: Well, me and Rutger started speaking to each other in 2013 or something like that and we caught ourselves complaining about that there were not enough bands that we would be into around. And at some point we just decided we should just form a band. That’s how it started. We got Robert along with who I played with in loads of bands.
What are your main inspirations?
Rutger: My main inspirations for me are Keith Buckley from EVERY TIME I DIE because I think he’s amazing at writing lyrics, he uses clever and witty metaphors and overall he’s a really good performer aswell, and also the bassist/vocalist of MY FICTIONS because I think the sound of his vocals are perfect in my opinion.
Vincent: I really like SELF DEFENSE FAMILY, I like the sound they have going and the whole concept behind it. And I’m really into HEAVEN IN HER ARMS, they’re just mind blowing. And my favourite guitarist is definitely Tosin Abasi.
Robert: I’ve been listening to a lot of FOALS lately, it’s something a bit different but they’re a great band. WE NEVER LEARNED TO LIVE is also one of my favourites I think, I’ve been listening to their self-titled EP a lot the last few months.
Did you set any goals for the band back in late 2013?
Robert: We wanted to try and play as many shows in our first year as we possibly could and definitely releasing the EP was probably the main goal. We worked a lot on that trying to get that done before the end of the year so that was good that it all came together.
You’ve just released your debut EP “Cycles of Disappointment”. What does this record mean to you?
Vincent: A relief, mostly. Because we had so many attempts recording it and it was good to just have it done. And for me, I was just happy to release something I had written and record it for the first time. So that was pretty cool.
What was your work process? How do you get from a loose riff or lyric to the final piece?
Vincent: Usually I write most of the instrumentals at home, then either record a demo or jam some more for some drum ideas with Robert. Then we finish it, record a demo and send it to Rutger, and then he writes the lyrics on the finished song or the basic idea. That’s how we got most of our songs.
Any plans to put it out on a physical format? How would you like to release it?
Rutger: SmithsfoodgroupDIY is releasing our EP on tape and it should be out in the next one or two months, so shout out to Maartje!
How about hitting the road? What shows do you have booked for the coming weeks and months?
Rutger: We’re currently trying to book a weekender with THE DAYDREAM FIT and OAKHEART. The dates are the 20th, 21st and 22nd of Februari. We’re still looking for bookers in West-Germany and Belgium so if you want to hook us up then send us a message!
(We’re playing 25th of February with CAVALCADES in ACU, Utrecht and 13th of May with OJNE in OCCII, Amsterdam.)
Rutger, in your spare time you like to make illustrations and drawings under the name Rainy Day. Please take us through your design process – what inspires you and what’s the creation process like?
Rutger: I don’t really have a certain type or way of how I approach making an illustration I guess. I just get an idea and try to work it out. I don’t really do a lot of sketches, which leads to a lot of work I can throw in the bin. But it is fun and I enjoy it.
What would your ultimate goal as an illustrator be?
Rutger: I’d like to make a children’s book with mostly illustrations, that’d be really cool. And maybe make art for a fantasy book. That’d be cool as well.
Are there any artists that you admire in this field?
Rutger: I really like SIN-EATER, he’s a UK based illustrator, what he makes looks a lot like those medieval etchings and I think he really has a cool style. It’s not really realistic but it’s just his own style. I also really uhm, I’m not sure what his name was but he did art for SHIROKUMA, VIA FONDO and DISEMBARKED. I think he makes cool stuff as well, he does everything with a computer though, but it’s really cool what he makes. Other inspirations are M.C. Escher and Hieronymous Bosch, but he’s like from the 17th century, or 16th?
Ok guys, back to the band – what are your plans for the future?
Robert: The plan is to play as many shows as possible and try to tour as much as possible the next year. Start to work on our next full length album and write new material. See how far we get.
What is your local music scene and independent music environment like? Tell us about your local venues, shows, festivals, zines, and all punk rock / hardcore that is worth mentioning here.
Rutger: My favourite venue is ACU in Utrecht. It’s an old squat and now it’s a socio-political cultural centre. They have a lot of cool bands that play there and great food as well. And as for local act I really like THIS ROUTINE IS HELL and THE KIDS’ CRUSADE but they moved to Berlin.
Vincent: I really like BREAK CHARACTER, THE DAYDREAM FIT, I hope we can tour with them soon, SLEEP KIT, the guys in EMBRACE THE DAY and HESPERIAN, they are cool to hang with.
Robert: MARY FIELDS is another great band from Utrecht too.
Both locally, and globally, what are some of the coolest new artists you have spotted recently?
Robert: These guys showed me SORE EYELIDS a few weeks ago, that was really amazing. They just released an EP I think. It’s absolutely amazing.
Vincent: Yeah, I’ve been enjoying that as well, SORE EYELIDS. The past year the new bands I’ve discovered that I really liked are uhm.. The new LANTLÔS album is my favourite album of 2014 and BLUE FRIEND is amazing. And it’s not really new but I’ve been into THE MERCURY PROGRAM recently, it’s chill-out music.
Rutger: This year I started listening to O’BROTHER which is a really cool band, and I still listen to them a lot. Also a band called DUSTER, which is a band from the 90’s. They’re really cool. And also a Taiwanese band called UNTIL SEEING WHALE’S EYES makes really cool music as well.
Ok guys, no one really knows what 2015 will be like, yet most people predict that it has to be better than the previous year. What are your forecasts and prognosis for music in the coming 10 years? Considering what we have seen and heard in previous years, how do you think music will change?
Robert: Eventually every band we love is going to be on Rise Records.
Thanks! Feel free to leave any final words for our readers. Take care!
Vincent: Thanks for having us, we’ll be going to be on the road soon so come check us out if we’re nearby and we’ll see you soon!
