RYAN VAN POEDEROOYEN Discusses New DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND Album, NON-HUMAN LEVEL Project

Nocturnal Horde recently conducted an interview with DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND drummer Ryan van Poederooyen. A couple of excerpts from the interview follow:

Nocturnal Horde: Are you going for any new styles on the new DTB record? The approach you took on "Accelerated Evolution" was outstanding, very groovy…do you think you’ll be going for the same thing, or just something completely different?

Ryan van Poederooyen: "Devin has told me to go more progressive on this album. My whole drum setup will be totally diferent from 'Accelerated Evolution'. On 'Accelerated Evolution' I had a four-piece drumkit with a couple crash cymbals, Hi-Hats, a Ride and China cymbal. For 'Synchestra' I'll still be using a four-piece drumkit but this time it will be loaded with cymbals! Devin told me to go nuts with the cymbals, so I just finished putting an order in with Sabian for some cool new splashes and effects cymbals that I can add to my 'already big' cymbal collection. On that note, the drumming on 'Synchestra' will be more technical. I'm doing crazier fills, crazier beats, crazier double kick and being more creative overall on the drumkit. This album will represent my style a lot more than 'Accelerated Evolution' did. All the songs will still have tons of groove but the groove will be mixed up a lot more with progressive drumming."

Nocturnal Horde: How is it working with Townsend? Does he demand alot of you?

Ryan van Poederooyen: "Devin is amazing to work with. Especially now, because we understand eachother musically a lot better then when we recorded 'Accelerated Evolution'. He knows what I can do on the drums. He also knows that I like a challenge and Dev's always up for presenting a challenge to the musicians he works with. I don't find that he demands a lot from me but I do find that he expects a certain level of musicianship, professionalism and creativity from the people he works with. I wouldn't be in the DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND if I didn’t meet all those expectations. In the end, Dev has things he wants to challenge you with that can be demanding but in a good way. A way in which you can become a better musician....I like that!"

Nocturnal Horde: Onto NON-HUMAN LEVEL. I read on the Christofer Malmström [DARKANE guitarist] site that the album is near completion, you provided the drum tracks some time ago, and according to Christofer they sound fast, aggressive, technical and goddamn great. How do feel about them yourself?

Ryan van Poederooyen: "NON-HUMAN LEVEL is probably the craziest thing I've ever recorded! Lalu was pretty crazy too but in a different way. With NON-HUMAN LEVEL, I was challenged with a style of music that I had never really recorded before... thrash metal! Tons of super-fast double kick, thrash polka beats in almost every song, crazy time signatures and fast single-stroke tom fills! I'm very proud of this album because I prepared for this album more then any other album I've ever done! It definitely pushed my drumming to a new level."

Read Ryan van Poederooyen's entire interview with Nocturnal Horde at this location.