1.Hails Bettler how are things going with you this week?Please introduce yourself to the readers?
Hi Patrick, thank you very much for the interview. My own person does not play a major role in the project. The part that calls itself ‘Bettler’ is the driving force behind the songwriting and making music. It is a negative part of me and stands for many negative aspects, mistakes and weaknesses of mine.
2.When did you first discover black metal and what is it about this genre that drew you in?
That's a question that I don't think I've ever been asked in an interview before. As I've listened to nothing but metal all my life, it's very difficult for me to think back and pick out ‘first times’. The first time I listened to black metal was because of a family friend. He often created USB sticks for me that contained the latest music. That was back in the days before streaming. Sometimes it was also MP3 CDs. Goatcraft Torment by Urgehal was on it back then and blew me away, although I couldn't do anything with it for a long time afterwards. I was still into death metal a lot back then. But the sound was powerful and groovy. Still one of my favourite albums today.
3.Who were the first bands that you discovered?Who are some of the current bands that you have been listening to?
The first black metal band was Urgehal, as mentioned above. That's where I heard black metal for the first time. After that it was quiet for a long time and then, due to my long death metal phase, I didn't notice much and got involved. In between I always had Der Weg einer Freiheit in my ears. I only really got into black metal again in 2017. That was because I had to move to the deepest Black Forest for my training and I was very isolated. Since then, the genre has played a big role in my life. In recent years, I've been inspired by many bands in the long term. Recently I've been listening to Akhlys, Eisenkult, Koldovstvo and NONE.
4.You started Verhinderer in 2023 what gave you the idea to start this band?Are you satisified with how things have progressed with the band so far?
I have already organised concerts in the past and was part of a webzine. It was time for me to finally publish my own stories musically. I wanted to be creative and just see where the journey would take me. Everything is created with simple means. I'm quite happy because I've just been able to work with great labels, artists and webzines and I'm looking forward to going on this journey with more people in the future.
5.Who would you say are Verhinderer biggest influences?How would you best describe the music to someone who has not heard Verhinderer?
The bands from the raw black metal and black metal of the 90s have the greatest influence. Mixed with my passion for ambient and dungeon synth, the result is a mixture that describes the project quite well. Occasionally there are a few death metal influences, but these are very minor.
6.Heimatblick is the bands third full length how long did it take you to write the music for the new release?How long does it usually take to complete one song?
The entire process of creating the album took about half a year. I had already finished one song very early on, but then I had to take a longer break because I first had to sort out the direction of the new album. I had to realise what I wanted to convey at all, as my thoughts on the topics were very mixed up. From autumn 2024 onwards, however, things went quite smoothly and I was able to complete the album in January 2025. It's difficult to give a time frame for an Song. There are a lot of creative factors involved. But I would say a good 10 hours. From the idea to the music, recording, lyrics, mastering etc.
7.Besides the new Heimatblick release are the bands past releases still availible for the readers to purchase?If yes what merchandise and releases are availible and where can the readers purchase them?
I don't think there are any more recordings of the older albums from Kvlt and Kaos Productions. However, the label's work was very confusing and very unreliable, so I no longer work with them. But I might try to make a small edition of these albums again in the future. The demos and splits should also no longer be available. They were all just small editions.
8.I believe you are the only member of the band when you started out did you plan on working as a one man band or would you like to find new musicans to work with on future recordings?
I have no interest in working with other musicians. Verhinderer is a personal project and I don't want that to change. I want to have complete freedom and not have to make any compromises. But I would keep the option open to record music for another project. Who knows what time will bring.
9.If you had the opportunity to work with any musicians past or present who would you like to work with?
A very good question, but I think I'll have to pass here. I don't really honour any band so much that I can say I absolutely have to have them with me on a collaboration. I'm happy to work with small and local artists and like-minded people. I've already had the pleasure of working with Mysterivm Xarxes and in the future with von jeglichem Wort. The small projects are more appealing to me. People who want to work with me.
10.What does Black Metal mean to you?
Free, intense and individual music and characters. I consider black metal to be a diverse and appealing genre. A genre full of contrasts. There are so many new bands with good ideas and so many old ones that pay homage to the origins of the genre. It's a big part of my life and my free time. I sometimes pay so much for my hobby and get no profit at all. I always make a loss. Simply because it's my passion and the underground is alive. This is black metal.
11.Is Verhinderer the only band you currently work with or do you have other bands?If yes please tell the readers a little about your other bands?
At the moment I don't have any side projects and nothing else is planned in that direction.
12.Verhinderer comes out of the German black metal scene what is your opinion of the scene in Germany over the years?
German black metal is incredibly varied. At least in certain areas of Germany. I come from the eastern part and I can say that the German scene is quite active here. In Germany, politics is a very big topic in black metal. A lot of people think a lot about what you can and can't listen to. Although I understand the basic idea and I think it's important to distance oneself from right-wing ideas, sometimes it gets ridiculous. This results in a mixture of hate, insults and opinions. Everyone wants to say something. I find that very exhausting from all sides. But in any case, it's a scene that's alive.
13.Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Germany?Are their any new bands you could recomend to the readers?
Notable bands are primarily from the label Purity Through Fire. Mavorim and Eisenkult are probably my German favorites from the past few years. Totenwache is a must as well — also one of the many bands from the label. Lately, I've also found the band Häxenzijrkell to be incredibly good.
14.Thank you Bettler for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to do this interview. Things like this keep the scene alive. See you soon, and thanks for the support! Verhinderer https://verhinderer.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Verhinderer/61553501128858/?rdid=jR2Xj5Un4l7lAB6d&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1MdqNgYRoz%2F https://www.instagram.com/verhinderer_bm https://bsky.app/profile/verhinderer.bsky.social
