Emerging from the dark heart of Tilburg, Netherlands, AntropomorphiA have carved their name deep into the foundations of death metal since the early ’90s. Known for their unholy blend of brutality, atmosphere, and blasphemous precision, the band resurrected stronger than ever with albums like Evangelivm Nekromantia, Rites ov Perversion, and Merciless Savagery.
In 2025, AntropomorphiA return with Devoid of Light, their most menacing chapter yet — a descent into chaos, nihilism, and pure sonic extremity.
Joanna Gonas spoke with Ferry Damen and below you can read the beautiful conversation!
Ferry Damen: Hi Jo, Thank you for the interview!
Metal War: “Introduce yourself in three words — but only with things other than your instruments (personality traits, fears, obsessions). Then tell us which of those three shapes the music you make the most.”
Ferry Damen: I have nihilistic misanthropic traits and I’m drawn to what people would consider, darkness. My biggest fear is to become content in all facets of life, because to be content means to stand still. My obsessions are many. All of these elements shape the music I write.
Metal War: ‘Devoid of Light’ was written over about two and a half years, with gaps and struggles along the way. Looking back, what was the moment when you realized the album was going to be different from everything you’d done before — what changed in mindset, in sound, in ambition?”
F.D: To be honest during the writing of the first song, which was also the last song to be fully finished (Cancerous Bane).
It had a commending feel and was unrelenting while keeping its melodic sensibilities, that echoed through in the other songs which makes the aggression and malefic atmosphere on Devoid of Light more palpable.
I can’t give you a reason as I do not premeditate what I’m going to write.
Devoid’s predecessor Merciless Savagery was already a darker and a more melodic album, we never go; well this worked last time so let’s copy paste that frame and work off it.
I think ‘Devoid’ is the result of a natural progression.
Metal War: “Dutch death metal has a rich history. How much of AntropomorphiA’s identity comes from being from Tilburg / NL — is there something in the environment, culture, local scene, audience that seeps into your songs or your vision?”
F.D: I’m Dutch and I think it starts and ends there. In the late 80’s early 90’ there was a big musical scene in Tilburg but during those early years most of our band members, including me, lived in Kaatsheuvel. We didn’t give a shit about the Tilburg scene, we always did our own thing musically and as a band. We said things how we saw them, got into fights and that rubbed people in the scene the wrong way. I think that fuck you attitude is what gives us our identity more then being from a certain place or country.
Metal War: “The lyrics often deal with despair, pain, nihilism. Yet metal also can be cathartic, even hopeful in its confrontation with darkness. Is there a track (on Devoid of Light) where you tried to inject something different — a moment of fragile hope, or beauty amid decay?”
F.D:‘Devoid of Light’ is in some ways like an autobiographical bleeding wound, it’s bleak, carries loss and depression. While it also deals with doctrines that behold this cesspool of excrement we call earth and carries a diabolical, nihilist and misanthropic side. So the short answer is NO.
Metal War: “When composing riffs / songs, do any of you ever deliberately write parts that discomfort each other (guitar vs drum vs bass) so that tension arises naturally? If so, can you point to a specific song on the new album where that tension excited you?”
F.D: For me songwriting is a natural process in which there are no rules, the song tells you where to go and when it’s finished. I’m not such an accomplished guitar player to address writing music in such a way.
Metal War: “Visuals, artwork, layout — the way an album looks often frames how people hear it. What non‑musical elements of Devoid of Light (artwork, layout, video, stage setup) were most important for you, and is there one you wish you could’ve pushed even further?”
F.D: They are all equally important, it all compliments each other and is connected to each other. Because of that importance we like to do everything, (from album layout, artwork, videos to its merchandise designs) or at least most of it ourselves that way we keep full control over it and that way you never have the feeling of, what if..or I wish that. So everything we did for Devoid is exactly how we wanted it.
Metal War: “If you had to describe Devoid of Light as a place — not a concept, but a landscape (weather, terrain, sounds in the air) — what place is it and why?”
F.D: A barren wasteland with a constant agonizing 50 degrees celsius, that changes overnight into an all devouring ocean. Why? listen to the album…
Metal War: “In the moments when the songwriting lagged (hiatuses, slow periods), how did you keep the vision alive? (“Devoid of Light” had gaps.) Did those pauses change the way you wrote or what you wanted to express, compared to when everything is flowing?”
F.D: The gaps weren’t due to lack of inspiration. I mean COVID was one of them and being without a place to live for 8-9 months was also one. During those periods the determination and motivation never went anywhere, it only fueled the hunger. But gaps aside, we weren’t planning on putting any pressure on its release. We wanted to make sure we had the best material, the gasps only prolonged that process. No, it did not change the way I write as I always write in parts, the music presents itself when it does, I am not a musician that can step into a studio and write an album being there.
Metal War: “Your music has gotten darker, more textured over time. Is there a point at which you fear becoming too obscure, too atmospheric, that you might lose the intensity or raw energy? How do you negotiate that balance?”
F.D: We always do things with in mind, does this make sense to us, does it feel good to us and as long as the answer is yes, it will never be ‘too’ much of anything.
Metal War:“Tell us about the track Cancerous Bane — both lyrically and musically: what germ of idea started it, and what was the hardest decision you made while shaping it (cutting part, adding something)?”
F.D: Cancerous Bane is written in memory of a friend of ours, Michiel Eikenaar (Nihill, Dodecahedron). It was the first song/riff I wrote right after his passing and it became consequently the first riff I wrote for this album. Over time there were several versions and where I normally am judge and jury, this time for me the most important thing was; what would he think and say of it, musically. So I took the time to and let it follow its natural course. Every time I worked on it, I felt like it was it’s own beast, it would not be tamed or forced in a certain direction. It had control of the path it was going. In the end it ended up to be the last song to be finished for the album, just a few days before we started recording actually.
Lyrically I won’t explain my meaning of it as it might differ from others and I like people to see in it what they want to see in it.
Metal War: “Looking ahead: when you bring Devoid of Light to life live, is there anything you plan to change in songs, arrangements, performance to capture the atmosphere better — or something radical you’d like to experiment with for the stage?”
F.D: I don’t want to plan these things out. I’m not like Ronnie van Zandt (Lynyrd Skynyrd) who planned out every ‘jam’ of their live shows in the rehearsal studio. I think if we are at that place on stage it will reveal itself to us.
Metal War: “What comes after ‘light’ for you? If Devoid of Light is a statement, what would the next un‐said statement be — what themes, sounds, ideas are you itching to explore but haven’t yet?”
F.D: The little music that has come to me in the last few months is more threatening and even darker, if that will become the path to walk upon only the future will tell.
Thank you very much for your time.
Metal War Team
Interview – Text: Joanna Gonas
