“Hailing from the soul-crushing depths of the Dutch Black Metal scene, Doodswens has evolved from a raw underground duo into a ritualistic force of darkness. With their upcoming self-titled album, ‘Doodswens’, set to be released via Svart Records, the band enters a new era where the ‘wish for death’ transforms into a spiritual fire. Today, at Sound Stories by Jo and metalwar.gr, we connect with Inge van der Zon to discuss the evolution of their sound, the transition to her new vocal role, and the relentless journey through the shadows.”

12+1 questions

Jo: Welcome to Sound Stories by Jo and Metal War! Your upcoming sophomore album is self-titled. Usually, this acts as a “rebirth” or a definitive statement of a band’s identity. Why did you feel that Doodswens (the album) is the ultimate representation of Doodswens (the band) right now?
Doodswens: After everything we’ve been through, where we’ve grown, processed and evolved as a band, this now feels like the final form of Doodswens. With this lineup. R. I. P. With me on vocals, this is where everything comes together. This is what Doodswens is and stands for.

Jo: On this new record, you’ve taken on both drums and vocals. How has this dual responsibility changed your physical and spiritual connection to the music during the recording process?
Doodswens: I feel more connected to the music now, on a deeper level, especially because the drums are intensifying the vocals and the vocals are pushing the drums. For the album, we recorded everything together in a studio, in one room, in one take, no click tracks, no guides, no backing tracks, no post-editing on that part. But for the album, we didn’t keep the original vocal takes from that session. Instead, we re-recorded them to fully serve the idea and intention of this album. And for the sake of the immortalized end product that an album is. So on the album I recorded some separate vocals on top of our instrumental tape, but I had drumsticks in my hand and was waving my arms while I was doing that.

Jo: The first single, Driven by Death, suggests a shift in meaning—from a “wish for death” to being “driven by death.” Is this a sign of a more “empowered” or “active” philosophy behind the band compared to the raw despair of Lichtvrees?
Doodswens: There is a more empowered philosophy on this album because of overcoming previous battles that in Lichtvrees were still lost. However, this album faces new battles and confrontations where also not all of them can be won and will stay an eternal struggle forever. So in that way, it’s still also very bleak and despair, but it’s about not giving up and continuing that fight. Even after having won a battle, being ready to face the new battles that will show themselves on your path.

Jo: The video for The Black Flame is incredibly cinematic and ritualistic. How important is the visual aspect—specifically the collaboration with Mothmeister—in conveying the “unseen” forces you channel in your music?
Doodswens: For me, the visual and artistic representation go hand in hand with the music. It’s just a continuity of conveying the art, message, deeper forces and energies at play. And for me, a collaboration like Mothmeister is exactly the kind of collaboration that we die for, where everything just coincidentally comes together and falls into place, where the right people meet you on your path, very unplanned, but very meant to be. And especially with them, we had already before shooting the video clip a very meaningful meeting, and then also the items they gave me to borrow or modify, had such crazy and special, iconic history, stories, and meaning and energy. All of their items are real, and have been used by real death cults or voodoo tribes. And having that energy present in something like the story of the video clip is very meaningful to me.
Our art is about conveying energy. Through sound, smell, image, feeling and thought.

Jo: You are continuing your journey with Svart Records for this release. How has this partnership helped Doodswens evolve from an underground Dutch duo into a recognized force in the international Black Metal scene?
Doodswens: Svart helps us press and distribute mostly the vinyls. They also do CDs, but they’re especially good in vinyls. So they help us distribute and press the vinyls on a way bigger scale than we could have ever done ourselves. And also they’re very nice and passionate people that always helps to have that energy in your team.

Jo: On stage, you are now supported by R. and P. on bass and guitar. Does this expanded live setup allow you to create that “atmospheric wall of sound” more effectively than before?
Doodswens: Yeah, definitely the sound is more impactful now that we have a very good bassist with us, but R. and P. are not just supporting the sound, they are supporting the entire force and energy that we now have within our unholy trinity, with the three of us together. Also in the writing process, creatively, spiritually, they play a big role. That’s also why it very quickly became clear to me that this is not just a live lineup, that this is an actual band, combined effort of creating now.

Jo: You’ve always been inspired by the rawness of the 90s (Mayhem, Darkthrone). In an era of high-tech production, how do you manage to keep that “lo-fi” spirit while sounding fresh and modern?
Doodswens: Yeah, this era is a big inspiration, but mostly in terms of feeling and mindset, passion, and energy, more than just the sound. And we never try to recreate or create anything. We just do. We follow our instincts and we stay very close to what feels real and what feels true and what feels good for us. And that’s the path we follow. And then we end up with something that sounds and feels good to us, which if it happens to be like the 90s sound or atmosphere, that is merely a coincidence and an end result rather than a goal.

Jo: You’ve mentioned that your music is about “confronting instead of bringing comfort”. Have you ever felt that a performance was too intense, even for you? Where do you draw the line between “art” and “personal exorcism”?
Doodswens: All the rituals and live performances are way too intense for me and they cost me a lot of energy, mental and physical, but also bringing up past trauma, reliving certain feelings to be able to portray them. However, it is also very liberating. And for me, art is pain, and the best and true way to portray and share something about darker forces is by living through it yourself. So yeah, in a way, it is a personal exorcism, but I don’t mind that, yet.

Jo: The Netherlands has a very distinct and rising Black Metal scene (Fluisteraars, Turia, etc.). Do you feel part of a specific “movement,” or do you prefer to keep Doodswens in its own isolated, dark corner?
Doodswens: There are certain movements in the Netherlands, also different regions that have a different sound and mindset, but we fall in between. We are definitely doing our own thing, living in our own little bubble, whilst being very supportive and inspired by some of these Dutch bands. We do not follow any path or feel like we’re part of any specific team. We are just Doodswens and that’s our own path.

Jo: How does a Doodswens song begin? Is it usually a rhythmic pattern from your drums, or a specific “feeling” or “visual” that dictates the melody?
Doodswens: It starts mostly, if it’s from my side, with waking up with a melody, hearing or feeling a drum beat while I’m practicing or driving my car, a certain vocal sound or line that we then expand on further and write demos of. And sometimes the idea starts with P. or R. usually with a riff. And then we keep working and expanding it into a piece as a whole.

Jo: Your early appearance at Roadburn was a turning point. Looking back, how much has the Inge of 2017 changed compared to the Inge of today who is about to release this massive second album?
Doodswens: That’s a very deep, personal, and heavy question to me, Especially if you say the I. from 2017, she died, mainly in 2018, due to some personal big life happenings and deaths. And then even in between all that, there’s been so much that it would be an insult and a shame to say that I’m the same. For me, saying that you’re the same person as you were before, especially after going through some very heavy and difficult stuff, would mean that you’re doing something wrong, because you are not evolving and learning from what’s happened before. So for me specifically, the same person doesn’t even exist anymore, basically died and had to crawl back up from the ground from nothing, build a stronger personality and belief, which I am continuously evolving, fighting for, and processing. But I think the same goes for any single human on earth. If you are not changing or evolving, you are doing something wrong.

Jo: With the album dropping on April 17th, 2026, what should we expect from your upcoming ritualistic performances? Are there plans for a wider European tour soon?
Doodswens: There’s no tour confirmed yet, however, we are very busy behind the scenes and in the books to get some things done. But we have some festival shows, like Under the Black Sun, planned. And I hope that we will one day be in Greece, as it’s a country with a lot of personal meaning and history to me. And I also just really love it down there, the people, the culture and the music. So hopefully we’ll be there one day too.

Jo (+1): If this album was indeed a “last will,” what is the one truth about human suffering that you hope remains etched in the listener’s mind after the last note fades out?
Doodswens: That life is an endless battle that ends with death. No one can win, everyone will lose. The only point is not to not give up, keep fighting, keep evolving, whilst in that sticking true to yourself and listening to your own true feelings, and then you will find your path. Which will end with death. However, the miserable, insufferable torture along the way can get more bearable by doing this.

Hail Satan.

“Doodswens continues to prove that the most profound art is born from the confrontation with the void. Their new self-titled record is a testament to their uncompromised vision and the creative power of the ‘Black Flame’. We thank Inge for this deep and honest exchange. Make sure to experience the ritual of ‘Doodswens’ on April 17th and follow the band as they continue to shape the modern black metal landscape.”

Interview – text: Joanna Gonas