Anger Machine Unleashed: Iron Maiden Devotion, Thrash Roots, and a Relentless New Album (Interview)

Death By Music caught up with Thijmen den Hartigh, guitarist, vocalist, and mastermind behind Dutch thrash outfit Anger Machine, for an exclusive interview ahead of the release of their crushing new album Human Error.

1. How did you get into Metal, or who influenced you into it? What about it attracted you?

That comes from my father and my much older brother and sister. I love metal as long as I can remember. My sister told me that when I was three years old I sat before her stereo, because I wanted her to play me Alison Hell by Annihilator. When I was a little older she gave me her stereo and a bunch of singles on vinyl and my brother made me mixtapes. I was mostly into Metallica by then. The music video for One was the one that made me decide I wanted to play in a band one day.  

2. Who creates the artwork for your Albums/Singles?

The artwork for Human Error is made by Dan Goldsworthy because we really wanted that 80's Ed Repka Thrash Metal vibe. It's exactly how I visualized it in my head. I'm really stoked about that. The singles and almost everything else in the past is designed by Roberto Toderico. We really love his work. He is so creative and it's always a surprise what he comes up with and it's always awesome!

3. What band has been most influential to you and your musical career and Why?

There are a lot of them, because I get inspiration from everywhere. I teach guitar for a living so I am exposed to a lot of different styles of music. But the most influential for my musical career would be Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. The most influential for what we are doing with Anger Machine now would be Testament, Annihilator, Iron Maiden and maybe Exodus.

4. Who does most of the writing? Is it a collective effort or does one person do it?

I do all the writing on my own for both the music and the lyrics.

5. When are you planning to release a full length album? 

This Saturday on the 5^th of July and it's truly a banger! Go check it out!

6. Are there any labels or endorsements that you want to talk about ? 

Labels all the big ones like Nuclear Blast and Metal Blade. We are very particuliar about the brands that we play. I only play Jackson guitars and EVH amps, Bare Knuckle pickups, Fu-tone parts, Elixir strings, Monster cable and Jim Dunlop picks. It would be awesome to get an endorsement with some of those companies. Especially Jackson guitars.

7. Have you been on a major tour?  If so, what was your favorite place to play? 

Not yet.

8. What is your favorite band ?

Iron Maiden no doubt about it.

9. What do you feel is most important for a band's success?

I'm not going to be a smart ass here, because I don't know. What we're very determined and we don't skip corners. We're always do our best and give it our all to make the best music possible.

10. What are your biggest pros and cons to being in a metal band? 

The biggest pro is that we can make the music that we love. The biggest con would be that I find the music industry a very toxic world a lot of times with a lot of ego's. Metal should be all about the music and not about the individuals. 

11. Who came up with the name of the band?

It's actually the name of my old band that I came up with, with my bandmate at the time. I didn't want to come up with a new name and design a new logo, because that's always a pain in the ass. In the end I still designed a new logo.

12. What is your favorite song to play from your discography?  

Killer in Disguise, because I find it the best song. It's on the new album.

CLICK HERE to Check out Human Error on Spotify Now

(SOURCE DEATH BY MUSIC)