One of my favorite black metal albums from the last couple of years has to be the debut album by Wemmel, Belgium-based Aerdryk, the moniker of François Breulet.

It’s his only album so far. ‘Met De Driertand Op Mijn Huid’ is a gritty and heavily bass-driven record, with a fascination for ancient Flemish folklore and early Scandinavian black metal. And now there’s a second new album on its way, called ‘Onzuiver.’

“It’s supposed to be chaotic and disturbing”

I only know one Aerdryk release, which is ‘Met De Driertand Op Mijn Huid.’ Is this your only release? Why did you decide to start with a full album rather than beginning with a demo or EP?

François Breulet: I felt confident about the whole vibe around the album. It’s a niche, even in black metal, but that’s what I wanted. And the tracklist sounded like an album to me from the start. It just made sense. If I’m not confident in my late 30s, it would be quite a shame.

What I like about ‘Met De Driertand Op Mijn Huid’ is that it’s not really a riff-based black metal album, but rather an atmosphere-based black metal album. Why did you make this choice?

The first album is, in my eyes, a bass and synth album with guitars around it. Still, the songs were written on guitar, but it’s the bass and synth that give it its vibe. I’ve played bass for almost 25 years, but synths are quite new. I believe I started to have an interest in synthesizers while doing demos for the ‘Void’ album by Wolvennest. Synth is a Pandora’s box, as you can literally create any sound with it. I love mellotrons and Hammond sounds and got deeper into them. While I can play guitar and be as serious/professional as possible about it, I have more pleasure with synths and vocals, because it’s still a learning process for me.

Another thing I like about the album is the ‘hoover’ sound, which really reminds me of early ’90s black metal. Why did you choose this sound? Do you think it gives the album an “old-school” vibe?

I don’t like black metal when it’s overproduced. It’s a matter of taste, I guess, but black metal is supposed to be at least a little nasty. Imagine 666 by Katharsis with a good production—it’s supposed to be chaotic and disturbing. When it comes to Aerdryk, it was quite clear from the beginning that I would never go for a massive sound, but for a sound that people either love or hate. I love the production and wouldn’t change anything about the first album. It’s a very honest album, and I’ll be able to live with it until the end.

<a href="https://aerdryk.bandcamp.com/album/met-de-drietand-op-mijn-huid">Met de Drietand op mijn Huid by Aerdryk</a>

Is Aerdryk a solo project?

Yes and no. Yes, because it’s my baby, my blood, my identity, and my vision. No, because Déhà is quite present on the next album (guest vocals on one song, some bass, some synths). On stage, it will be a full band, including Hans from Oerheks, who always double-checks my lyrics, as French is my first language, not Dutch. I’m quite insecure about that aspect, even if I get better with the years. While I’m confident about the musicians, I’m a little concerned about my vocals since it will be my first time singing. But I’m also dead excited about not having a guitar or bass with me. It will be a totally new experience, and I feel I needed to put myself in a situation where I could fail. Playing guitar or bass has become totally natural, I’m getting more confident about vocals in the studio, but being a frontman? I have no clue about the result. Epic win or epic fail—no in-between. Danger is good!

Why did you choose to work mainly on your own?

Just because I can, and mainly because it offers me freedom and control. I love not relying on other people. The whole process has been easy since I don’t rely on someone else’s mood or agenda. Doing solo albums is also a way to enjoy being in bands again. I’m less frustrated if a band member is too slow, unavailable, or not in the mood thanks to Aerdryk, The Radiant Light, and a new project that will be revealed very soon. It also forced me to learn how to scream and write lyrics. I’m starting to enjoy that part of the process more and more. All the guests on Aerdryk are on the albums because I want them there, not because I need them, which feels like a more honest process, at least in my eyes.

Which music influenced you for Aerdryk?

I want this project to smell of tradition, with a little door open to weird atmospheres: Burzum, Thorns, old Satyricon, Drudkh, old Dodheimsgard, Emperor, old Enslaved. That’s my DNA regarding Aerdryk, with the soul of my grandfather around it. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He is still my good conscience and the reason why Aerdryk is in Dutch.

What does the name Aerdryk mean?

You can’t really translate the word. I discovered it in a poem by Hendrik Conscience, in which he describes his feelings while observing the fields. Aerdryk is my way of touching Flanders’ soul. There is still something very “local” in Flanders that’s hard to describe. As if, despite the centuries, the very core of the region is still alive and untouched. Which is good and bad, I guess. Aerdryk is a mysterious word—you can divide it and find the meaning, but to me, the meaning will come from the music and lyrics over time. It’s all about the folklore, my rejection of Christianity, injustice, and the Devil. Not the one with cloven hooves, but the one synonymous with rebellion, wisdom, and creativity.

You’re from Wemmel. Is there a local metal or black metal scene?

No idea. I don’t know anyone in Wemmel except my family, which says a lot about Wemmel or about me. It’s just an okay place to live, where nothing happens. Well, we have Nicole and Hugo (Nicole is sadly deceased), but that’s all. Google it, and you’ll know what you need to know about Wemmel.

Are you linked to a Brussels metal scene?

Years ago, I said to Hans C., my brother in arms in LVTHN, “Let’s create our own scene.” He now has Oerheks, Silver Knife, and plays in Haxenzirkel. I’m super proud of him. I followed him before knowing him (I LOVED Destroying Something Beautiful from Trancelike Void), and I talk to him every single day, even if it’s just a small message or horrible memes. Same goes for Déhà. That guy is the most talented and versatile writer I know. Déhà is also the “link” between Hans and me, as he mixed a lot of our music. When Hans did Oerheks, I just did Aerdryk as a response, and Déhà mixed both bands. So, I’m not sure it’s a scene, but it’s our little circle. And we have good, honest, reliable, and disciplined people around it that I love. There are also connections with other circles through common musicians, which is fantastic.

There’s also the Thousand Lost Civilizations team who supported us a lot through the years. They created something in Brussels, organized a lot of crazy good shows, and are a solid force for quality shows in Brussels and beyond (they are co-organizing a show in Chile very soon—how crazy is that?!), as they organized tours, like they did for one of my other bands, Wolvennest, in 2019.

All in all, I believe we can be proud of what we’ve achieved with a DIY attitude and the support of an underground but quality label like Amor Fati. Everything has been made in a very organic way. We focus on the quality of the music and let people decide—nothing more.

Are you working on new Aerdryk material?

The sophomore album is mixed and mastered. A part of it will be performed at Unholy Congregation at the end of November in Oudenaarde. I’m dead excited about it. Déhà did three different mixes until we finally had “the” sound. It’s a little more defined than the first one but still aggressive and trippy. I went deeper with the vocals, especially the screams. It’s still tradition versus unexpected weird sounds underneath the riffs.

What are you currently listening to?

Nothing, as I don’t have the time. New Wolvennest, Terrifiant, and more are in motion. With a full-time job, I just don’t have the time to be a part of a lot of bands or listen to music. I make exceptions here and there with some old Allman Brothers, as it quite purifies my mind, and I’m always curious to hear what my friends are doing. I also don’t want to be influenced by anything new, so I just don’t listen to it, unless Hans tells me I should. I’m not naturally skilled, so I try to be as creative as possible without too much interference. And I’ll be honest: you can take the worst Black Sabbath era, and it’s still more relevant than loads of new releases. Hail Tony Iommi!

Joeri Bruyninckx

Headline photo: Shazzula

Aerdryk Bandcamp