Abyss - Biography
Biography
The story of Abyss began late 1983. After the split up of local heroes as Aggressor and Headbanger, both founding members , Peter van Loo and Wim den Boer, decided to form a new Metal Band; ABYSS
Peter and Wim completed with Hans Kuurstra (former Aggressor), Edwin Twigt (former Aggressor roadie !)
and Edwin van der Nat the first Line-Up of the band and started rehearsing in November 1983.
Soon a number of songs were written. Unforgetable ones like: Motorjugend, Ready To Bite, Call From Beneath and The Nun's Tale. The band had a big unfluence from bands such as Judas Priest and Black Sabbath, as well as the early Metallica.
As usually, starting bands are always looking to improve and as a result of that, the band felt, that some members were not capable of handling things within the band, and were fired. The first one to leave the band in March 1984 was Edwin van der Nat, he was replaced by former Headbanger Rick Ritman. The first stage appearances were coming on and the band started rehearsing again. The first gig was scheduled for May 1984 at the Quinto's Festival in Krimpen (Near Rotterdam).
Just one week before the first gig, the band decided to fire Hans Kuurstra, and "upgrade" him to be the band's sound technician. A replacement was found in his former Aggressor colaborator Remko de Winter. With only one rehearsal the band went on stage !
The first gig was a smashing performance ! People still talk about the bass guitar being smashed by Wim, the incredeble crosses in flames on stage and the guitarists crushing solo's.
Right after the famous Quinto's gig, Edwin Twigt decided to leave the band. Study and playing in a metal band was not a good combination, and he picked up where he had left, as his study was concerned. A replacement was quickly found in the higly talented Diederik Stoep. At that time only 16 years old, but already a hell of a drummer.
At that time, the first sudio recordings were made. In November 1984 they recorded the legendary "A Frightday Night With.....". The tape was recorded at the Note in Hoogvliet (Rotterdam) and contained "Ready To Bite", "Strange Feelings" and the very up-tempo "Blazing Metal". The demo was critsized very possitive by the Dutch Metal Press, with a lot of gigs as a result.
One of the most memorized moments took place in October 1985, when the band supported the Belgian band KILLER.
Again, succes stood a long lasting relation in the way, and Remko and Diederik started rehearsing with other people, with as result, that they left the band early 1986 to go their own way.
Peter and Wim were getting used to these devolpments, and so they started searching for new ABYSS members. Wim had heard of a great drummer in the neighbourhood. The only problem was, that he was playing with friends and had no intention at all leaving them to join another band. The only way to solve the problem was, that Wim should join their band, as they were looking for a bass player. The name of the drummer was Dirk Bruinenberg, and again was very young at that time, around 15 years, but very talented. After rehearsing for about 3 months with his band, Wim could convince Dirk, that ABYSS would be a much better opportunity for him. As ABYSS were also looking for a guitarist, Wim and Dirk took Ramon van Rijthoven along with them.
Peter, Rick, Wim, Ramon and Dirk started rehearsing for upcoming concerts. The first one took place in April 1986 in Sliederecht, The Netherlands. Some famous memories were grounded there. One of them is, that the manager of ABYSS , at that time, Jolle Bosma, eating like a beast in a local Chinese restaurant. The band, manager and roadies sitting all around a round table with a turning plate in the middle. If someone was trying to take some food from the plate, there was always somebody swinging it round like it was a roulette. The Chinese must still be cleaning at this time.
Another nice detail was, that Dirk played on the drumkit of ABYSS's support act Jawbreaker, and that the whole band was watching and warning Dirk not to break anything, which, ofcourse, he did...........
As the band were not very satisfied with the guitar playing of Ramon, he was kindly but firm asked to leave the band in July 1986. The band, however, had some gigs planned for that summer, so a solution had to be found. Remko de Winter was asked to return for a couple of shows. He fortunately agreed and so the band were very happy.
Some of the songs played that night: "Cry Of The Werewolf", "Face The Darkness", "Paralized", "Speed Breaker" and "The Trial". Also some covers were added that night: "Pictures Of Home" (Deep Purple) and "The Zoo" (Scorpions).
The big and necesarry break between August 1986 and July 1989
After the summer tour of 1986, the band slowed down a bit and were more interested in trying other things besides Abyss. Remko went back to his band. Dirk and Wim started the "Foster Parents Band", and were joined soon by Remko. They rehearsed Doobie Brothers and Fleetwood Mac songs, for a upcoming Foster Parents Festival gig, which never appeared. Also Rick, Wim and Peter came together once and a while to write songs and talk about the future of ABYSS. Only in 1989 they decided to pick up, where they had left in 1986
Early 1989, Rick, Wim , Peter and Dirk started searching for a new ABYSS guitarplayer. Rick found Jeff van Dongen in a Rotterdam Rock Bar. Jeff coming out of Slayer alike bands, was very anxious to play in a "real" band. ABYSS was rolling again and started rehearsing. The plans were made to record (finally) a new tape, and new songs were written. Untill.....Dirk was asked to play in Vulture. Which he
did almost right away. This happened in October 1989. Abyss were at point Zero again. A new drummer had to be found !
A new drummer was found in December 1989. The former So What drummer Anton "Mel" Maurik was contracted. Around the same time the band got thereselves a new managment. Dick van den Heuvel, leading "Hill Managment". The band started rehearsing again for the tape, which was scheduled to be recorded in March 1990. New songs were written and finished. "Madness of war", "The World" and "No Secrets to hide" were written, and for the first time by the complete band.
The band started the recordings on March 31, 1990. Hans Pieters being the technician involved, they recorded the tape in the "Via Ritmo" Studios in Rotterdam.
After the recordings, the band started rehearsing for the upcoming tour. The first ABYSS gig in alsmost 4 years, took place in Capelle aan den IJssel, near Rotterdam. It was a memorable moment in the history of rock. Again, funny things happened. Even tough it was the first show in years, Jeff had forgotten about it, and was preparing to give a party that night. Ham, cheese and beers were already bought in the shop..............
The gig was a hell of a succes. for the band was it a good rehearsal for the upcoming festival season.
In the summer of 1990, ABYSS played the famous Trailerpop Festival in Rotterdam. The band were headlining, together with Urban Heroes. The crowd was going wild. It was coming home here, because ABYSS also played on the first Trailerpop Festival in 1985.
It was also on this festival, that two people of Vulture were checking ABYSS's singer. After taking Dirk from ABYSS, they also took Rick. He was asked to join Vulture, and he accepted and explained to the other members, that he prefered a more heavier sound than the more or less melodic metal from ABYSS. Well you can't force someone to stay in a band against his will, if nothing is written down. So the band waved goodbye and thanked him for 7 years of corporation and were looking for a new singer. This was a big problem.
The band rehearsed on and had to cancel a couple of gigs. Rehearsing without the vocals gets boring after a while. One of the gigs that couldn't be cancelled took place in November 1990 in the residence of The Hague. As the band still had not found another singer, they asked Rick to say goodbye with that gig. He accepted, and returned for a last time to ABYSS. Afterwards he probably regreted it, because he got a ticket for too much drinking and driving after the show on his way back home...................
After this gig, the band gathered and talked about what they could do. They decided to continue, no matter what it would take. They rehearsed, wrote songs for a new tape, as in February 1991, Anton decided to quitte.....
He was totally fed up with playing drums and wanted to quitte forever. So Peter, Wim and Jeff became a trio. Still they wanted to record a couple of new songs, and the studio was booked for May and June of that year. Without a drummer it would be difficult, but not impossible, as drumcomputers had already taken their place in music business.
But the band prefered a real drummer. When they couldn't find one, they asked Anton "Mel" Maurik to return behind his kit for the recordings. What no one expected happned, he accepted ! The 4 of them went into the studio to record the new songs, but there was still a problem..they had no singer. Jeff had sung a couple of times for fun in the rehearsing room, and they said "what the hell" and Jeff should sing.
The recorded "Hitman", "Speed Breaker" (Instrumental version of the 1984 song), "But you're gone" and "In Present Times". The demo tape did very well in the country and was even "Tape of the week" in VARA'S Vuurwerk, presented by Henk Westbroek. It was very nice that all of the people enjoyed it, but Anton had left again, and ABYSS were a trio again.
Auditions were organized and a lot of people came. The most important member would be a new drummer.
In the autumn of 1991 a drummer was found. The young and very talented Francis Hoogendijk passed all auditions and joined the band. Finally the band could rehearse in a normal way now. Only a singer had to be found. That happened in November 1991, when Nico Perrijn joined the band. It was one of the most memorable moments in ABYSS's history. The band rehearsed and started playing again in December 1991. It would be the one and only gig with Nico..
Nico turned out to be such an 'strange' person, as well on stage as in private encounters with the band, that they could not do anything, than fire him. Pictures above are from the one and only gig with him, were taken in Capelle.
As the year was to an end, the band were without a singer again ! The "In Present Times" demo, had been sung by Jeff. As 1992 had just started, the band decided to let Jeff do the singing on stage. Auditions were held for a new guitatrist, one which was found quite quick. In February 1992 a long haired guy came walking in. His name was Eric Bos. Lot's of talent and a good attitude.
New rehearsals were planned, as well as gigs. A lot of gigs...
From this period on, the ABYSS star started rising, finally ! A complete Dutch Tour took them from Naaldwijk to Capelle and from Bergen op Zoom to Hardenberg. Next are a couple of life pics and goodies from that period.
Just when the tour had gone off, Francis was about to leave ABYSS. He was asked to join the new Rotterdam band Hangman Jury. He already needed another challenge, so he did join them.
As ABYSS were in the middle of a tour, a solution had to be found.
In June 1992 Wim went to Russia, to negociate with the Russian band Aria, about touring together in Russia and The Netherlands. Plans were made, but that was all. Wim returned after a week, and had to play to same night of his return in Krimpen, in the understatement that Francis would still be in the band. However arriving at the scene, there was good old Dirk Bruinenberg. He had just quitted Vulture and had some time left to join ABYSS.
This ABYSS period later turned out to be the most succesful of all. Many performances were done, and especially with the playing capability of these members, shows were rolling like a freight train.
A lot of new songs were written. Good critics in the Dutch and German Press led to several invitations for recordings and tours in both countries. The news spread around fast. A new metal sensation was playing in Holland. The band were invited by a German record company to record 3 songs as a kind of CD Preview. The songs would be recorded in the same studio where, for example, Accept recorded their legendary album 'Breaker'. Already in March 1992 the band had been there, checking out everything. Band relations were tested there, as several problems turned up. A very bad relationship with the Germans prosponed the recordings 'till later.
By the end of 1992, the band got a little fed up with Jeff. A lot of jaggin' in the autumn of 1992, finally let to a break in december. Jeff was fired !
A new singer was soon found: Hans Buitenwerf.
The band immediately started rehearsing for upcoming concerts and athe German recordings, which were planned for May 1993.
The band were warmed up and went to Germany in May 1993. The band happened to be recording at the same time as religious band Desicion D was. A lot of interesting talks took place in the evenings after the recordings.
The band had 5 days, 3 to record and 2 for the mixes. Dirk recorded his part on the first day, within' an hour or so.
He recorded the base of "The Praises You Sing", "Toxic" and "Free Desire". Wim, Peter and Eric recorded next day, and the last day would be for Hans. But that day would turn out to be his last day in the band. As he was waking the dogs early in the morning by walking and singing into the country side of Rotenmeer, his voice just did not seemed to get warmed up, and the vocals were recorded, but deleted afterwards.
The recordings could not be finished at that time. The base was solid, but without vocals. What to do now ? One solution was considered almost the one and only option. It was to ask Jeff back in the band, but under certain conditions. He would do the vocals and nothing but the vocals.
He agreed, and returned in June 1993
The band returned in October to Germany for the vocal recording and final mix of the tape. While all of this was happening, Dirk had done audition for Elegy. The famous dutch band, especially in Japan. He passed the auditions and would join them in december 1993, after finishing the ABYSS 1993 tour. The last concert with Dirk took place in November 1993 in Berkel.The gig was recorded and released in 2000.
Next are a couple of pics of Dirk's last concert with ABYSS.
After Dirk left, the band strarted searching for a new drummer. Again, they found a talented young guy, by the name of Raymond Moser. Only the band knew, it would take some time for him to adjust in the band. In his first few weeks, Dirk Bruinenberg even returned to the rehearsal room and guided him a couple of times.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures available of this period, which lasted only 3 months. ABYSS did not come out of the rehearsal place during this period, and they knew, it would take too long for Raymond to adjust. He was still very young but talented, so his time would come later. While rehearsing with Raymond, the band started searching for another drummer. He was found in March 1994. His name was Marco de Groot and had just left Blind Justice. Marco was a great drummer, so the band were full of expectations for the future again. They started rehearsing for the upcoming gig in Nighttown in Rotterdam.
In May 1994, the band headlined the 'Tocada' festival in Nighttown Rotterdam. It had been over a half year, since the band last played a live gig, and were very anxious to do so. The gig was great and the songs were sometimes played a lot faster, but the drive was there again, and everybody was very happy. However, it turned out to be the last ABYSS live gig ever......
After this gig, some people were really getting annoyed and started jagging again. The first one, was Jeff. He was tired of singing and wanted to be a guitarist again. But playing with 3 guitarists is a little too much, if your band name isn't Lynyrd Skynyrd, so one had to leave. Peter was founder and had no intensions to leave, so Eric decided to leave the band, also because he wanted to play a more rougher style than the melodic riffs of Abyss.. Nobody was found to do the singing, so Jeff played and still sang in the rehearsal room. This all got too much for Marco. First he did not appear , because his Skoda broke down, but that happened every week ! First we believed him, because he was driving this bloody Czechoslovakian Skoda ! He had just lost interest He had expected too play a lot, but not in rehearsal rooms, so he decided to quitte in September 1994.
Who would be the next drummer of ABYSS. Well it had at that time been half a year, since Raymond left, so he was asked to return again, and so he did in September 1994.
The band started rehearsing again, but the flame was slowly dying. The train was not running as smoothly as it had done before.
Hardly any new music was written, and the band played the older songs and some covers in the rehearsing room, but the spirit slowly faded.
There were no gigs planned for the end of 1994 or the beginning of 1995, and that also didn't motivate the members.
Their manager Dick van den Heuvel, did his best in finding a new singer for the band.
He finally found Ed Hage, and invited him to the rehearsing room. Indeed he was an old aqaintance of Wim, who had played with him in 1981 in a band called Reinforced Concrete, only at that time Ed was a drummer. He had a very good voice, but the damage was already done. Wim, Jeff, Raymond & Ed played one live gig in 'De Slingerick" in Rotterdam, doing a half our of Deep Purple covers. This turned out to be very succesful. Wim and Jeff needed a new challenge and left the band in March. For Peter there was nothing left than to bring ABYSS to the grave. After 12 years the story
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20090805175222/http://geocities.com/abyss_metal/Page09
Peter and Wim completed with Hans Kuurstra (former Aggressor), Edwin Twigt (former Aggressor roadie !)
and Edwin van der Nat the first Line-Up of the band and started rehearsing in November 1983.
Soon a number of songs were written. Unforgetable ones like: Motorjugend, Ready To Bite, Call From Beneath and The Nun's Tale. The band had a big unfluence from bands such as Judas Priest and Black Sabbath, as well as the early Metallica.
As usually, starting bands are always looking to improve and as a result of that, the band felt, that some members were not capable of handling things within the band, and were fired. The first one to leave the band in March 1984 was Edwin van der Nat, he was replaced by former Headbanger Rick Ritman. The first stage appearances were coming on and the band started rehearsing again. The first gig was scheduled for May 1984 at the Quinto's Festival in Krimpen (Near Rotterdam).
Just one week before the first gig, the band decided to fire Hans Kuurstra, and "upgrade" him to be the band's sound technician. A replacement was found in his former Aggressor colaborator Remko de Winter. With only one rehearsal the band went on stage !
The first gig was a smashing performance ! People still talk about the bass guitar being smashed by Wim, the incredeble crosses in flames on stage and the guitarists crushing solo's.
Right after the famous Quinto's gig, Edwin Twigt decided to leave the band. Study and playing in a metal band was not a good combination, and he picked up where he had left, as his study was concerned. A replacement was quickly found in the higly talented Diederik Stoep. At that time only 16 years old, but already a hell of a drummer.
At that time, the first sudio recordings were made. In November 1984 they recorded the legendary "A Frightday Night With.....". The tape was recorded at the Note in Hoogvliet (Rotterdam) and contained "Ready To Bite", "Strange Feelings" and the very up-tempo "Blazing Metal". The demo was critsized very possitive by the Dutch Metal Press, with a lot of gigs as a result.
One of the most memorized moments took place in October 1985, when the band supported the Belgian band KILLER.
Again, succes stood a long lasting relation in the way, and Remko and Diederik started rehearsing with other people, with as result, that they left the band early 1986 to go their own way.
Peter and Wim were getting used to these devolpments, and so they started searching for new ABYSS members. Wim had heard of a great drummer in the neighbourhood. The only problem was, that he was playing with friends and had no intention at all leaving them to join another band. The only way to solve the problem was, that Wim should join their band, as they were looking for a bass player. The name of the drummer was Dirk Bruinenberg, and again was very young at that time, around 15 years, but very talented. After rehearsing for about 3 months with his band, Wim could convince Dirk, that ABYSS would be a much better opportunity for him. As ABYSS were also looking for a guitarist, Wim and Dirk took Ramon van Rijthoven along with them.
Peter, Rick, Wim, Ramon and Dirk started rehearsing for upcoming concerts. The first one took place in April 1986 in Sliederecht, The Netherlands. Some famous memories were grounded there. One of them is, that the manager of ABYSS , at that time, Jolle Bosma, eating like a beast in a local Chinese restaurant. The band, manager and roadies sitting all around a round table with a turning plate in the middle. If someone was trying to take some food from the plate, there was always somebody swinging it round like it was a roulette. The Chinese must still be cleaning at this time.
Another nice detail was, that Dirk played on the drumkit of ABYSS's support act Jawbreaker, and that the whole band was watching and warning Dirk not to break anything, which, ofcourse, he did...........
As the band were not very satisfied with the guitar playing of Ramon, he was kindly but firm asked to leave the band in July 1986. The band, however, had some gigs planned for that summer, so a solution had to be found. Remko de Winter was asked to return for a couple of shows. He fortunately agreed and so the band were very happy.
Some of the songs played that night: "Cry Of The Werewolf", "Face The Darkness", "Paralized", "Speed Breaker" and "The Trial". Also some covers were added that night: "Pictures Of Home" (Deep Purple) and "The Zoo" (Scorpions).
The big and necesarry break between August 1986 and July 1989
After the summer tour of 1986, the band slowed down a bit and were more interested in trying other things besides Abyss. Remko went back to his band. Dirk and Wim started the "Foster Parents Band", and were joined soon by Remko. They rehearsed Doobie Brothers and Fleetwood Mac songs, for a upcoming Foster Parents Festival gig, which never appeared. Also Rick, Wim and Peter came together once and a while to write songs and talk about the future of ABYSS. Only in 1989 they decided to pick up, where they had left in 1986
Early 1989, Rick, Wim , Peter and Dirk started searching for a new ABYSS guitarplayer. Rick found Jeff van Dongen in a Rotterdam Rock Bar. Jeff coming out of Slayer alike bands, was very anxious to play in a "real" band. ABYSS was rolling again and started rehearsing. The plans were made to record (finally) a new tape, and new songs were written. Untill.....Dirk was asked to play in Vulture. Which he
did almost right away. This happened in October 1989. Abyss were at point Zero again. A new drummer had to be found !
A new drummer was found in December 1989. The former So What drummer Anton "Mel" Maurik was contracted. Around the same time the band got thereselves a new managment. Dick van den Heuvel, leading "Hill Managment". The band started rehearsing again for the tape, which was scheduled to be recorded in March 1990. New songs were written and finished. "Madness of war", "The World" and "No Secrets to hide" were written, and for the first time by the complete band.
The band started the recordings on March 31, 1990. Hans Pieters being the technician involved, they recorded the tape in the "Via Ritmo" Studios in Rotterdam.
After the recordings, the band started rehearsing for the upcoming tour. The first ABYSS gig in alsmost 4 years, took place in Capelle aan den IJssel, near Rotterdam. It was a memorable moment in the history of rock. Again, funny things happened. Even tough it was the first show in years, Jeff had forgotten about it, and was preparing to give a party that night. Ham, cheese and beers were already bought in the shop..............
The gig was a hell of a succes. for the band was it a good rehearsal for the upcoming festival season.
In the summer of 1990, ABYSS played the famous Trailerpop Festival in Rotterdam. The band were headlining, together with Urban Heroes. The crowd was going wild. It was coming home here, because ABYSS also played on the first Trailerpop Festival in 1985.
It was also on this festival, that two people of Vulture were checking ABYSS's singer. After taking Dirk from ABYSS, they also took Rick. He was asked to join Vulture, and he accepted and explained to the other members, that he prefered a more heavier sound than the more or less melodic metal from ABYSS. Well you can't force someone to stay in a band against his will, if nothing is written down. So the band waved goodbye and thanked him for 7 years of corporation and were looking for a new singer. This was a big problem.
The band rehearsed on and had to cancel a couple of gigs. Rehearsing without the vocals gets boring after a while. One of the gigs that couldn't be cancelled took place in November 1990 in the residence of The Hague. As the band still had not found another singer, they asked Rick to say goodbye with that gig. He accepted, and returned for a last time to ABYSS. Afterwards he probably regreted it, because he got a ticket for too much drinking and driving after the show on his way back home...................
After this gig, the band gathered and talked about what they could do. They decided to continue, no matter what it would take. They rehearsed, wrote songs for a new tape, as in February 1991, Anton decided to quitte.....
He was totally fed up with playing drums and wanted to quitte forever. So Peter, Wim and Jeff became a trio. Still they wanted to record a couple of new songs, and the studio was booked for May and June of that year. Without a drummer it would be difficult, but not impossible, as drumcomputers had already taken their place in music business.
But the band prefered a real drummer. When they couldn't find one, they asked Anton "Mel" Maurik to return behind his kit for the recordings. What no one expected happned, he accepted ! The 4 of them went into the studio to record the new songs, but there was still a problem..they had no singer. Jeff had sung a couple of times for fun in the rehearsing room, and they said "what the hell" and Jeff should sing.
The recorded "Hitman", "Speed Breaker" (Instrumental version of the 1984 song), "But you're gone" and "In Present Times". The demo tape did very well in the country and was even "Tape of the week" in VARA'S Vuurwerk, presented by Henk Westbroek. It was very nice that all of the people enjoyed it, but Anton had left again, and ABYSS were a trio again.
Auditions were organized and a lot of people came. The most important member would be a new drummer.
In the autumn of 1991 a drummer was found. The young and very talented Francis Hoogendijk passed all auditions and joined the band. Finally the band could rehearse in a normal way now. Only a singer had to be found. That happened in November 1991, when Nico Perrijn joined the band. It was one of the most memorable moments in ABYSS's history. The band rehearsed and started playing again in December 1991. It would be the one and only gig with Nico..
Nico turned out to be such an 'strange' person, as well on stage as in private encounters with the band, that they could not do anything, than fire him. Pictures above are from the one and only gig with him, were taken in Capelle.
As the year was to an end, the band were without a singer again ! The "In Present Times" demo, had been sung by Jeff. As 1992 had just started, the band decided to let Jeff do the singing on stage. Auditions were held for a new guitatrist, one which was found quite quick. In February 1992 a long haired guy came walking in. His name was Eric Bos. Lot's of talent and a good attitude.
New rehearsals were planned, as well as gigs. A lot of gigs...
From this period on, the ABYSS star started rising, finally ! A complete Dutch Tour took them from Naaldwijk to Capelle and from Bergen op Zoom to Hardenberg. Next are a couple of life pics and goodies from that period.
Just when the tour had gone off, Francis was about to leave ABYSS. He was asked to join the new Rotterdam band Hangman Jury. He already needed another challenge, so he did join them.
As ABYSS were in the middle of a tour, a solution had to be found.
In June 1992 Wim went to Russia, to negociate with the Russian band Aria, about touring together in Russia and The Netherlands. Plans were made, but that was all. Wim returned after a week, and had to play to same night of his return in Krimpen, in the understatement that Francis would still be in the band. However arriving at the scene, there was good old Dirk Bruinenberg. He had just quitted Vulture and had some time left to join ABYSS.
This ABYSS period later turned out to be the most succesful of all. Many performances were done, and especially with the playing capability of these members, shows were rolling like a freight train.
A lot of new songs were written. Good critics in the Dutch and German Press led to several invitations for recordings and tours in both countries. The news spread around fast. A new metal sensation was playing in Holland. The band were invited by a German record company to record 3 songs as a kind of CD Preview. The songs would be recorded in the same studio where, for example, Accept recorded their legendary album 'Breaker'. Already in March 1992 the band had been there, checking out everything. Band relations were tested there, as several problems turned up. A very bad relationship with the Germans prosponed the recordings 'till later.
By the end of 1992, the band got a little fed up with Jeff. A lot of jaggin' in the autumn of 1992, finally let to a break in december. Jeff was fired !
A new singer was soon found: Hans Buitenwerf.
The band immediately started rehearsing for upcoming concerts and athe German recordings, which were planned for May 1993.
The band were warmed up and went to Germany in May 1993. The band happened to be recording at the same time as religious band Desicion D was. A lot of interesting talks took place in the evenings after the recordings.
The band had 5 days, 3 to record and 2 for the mixes. Dirk recorded his part on the first day, within' an hour or so.
He recorded the base of "The Praises You Sing", "Toxic" and "Free Desire". Wim, Peter and Eric recorded next day, and the last day would be for Hans. But that day would turn out to be his last day in the band. As he was waking the dogs early in the morning by walking and singing into the country side of Rotenmeer, his voice just did not seemed to get warmed up, and the vocals were recorded, but deleted afterwards.
The recordings could not be finished at that time. The base was solid, but without vocals. What to do now ? One solution was considered almost the one and only option. It was to ask Jeff back in the band, but under certain conditions. He would do the vocals and nothing but the vocals.
He agreed, and returned in June 1993
The band returned in October to Germany for the vocal recording and final mix of the tape. While all of this was happening, Dirk had done audition for Elegy. The famous dutch band, especially in Japan. He passed the auditions and would join them in december 1993, after finishing the ABYSS 1993 tour. The last concert with Dirk took place in November 1993 in Berkel.The gig was recorded and released in 2000.
Next are a couple of pics of Dirk's last concert with ABYSS.
After Dirk left, the band strarted searching for a new drummer. Again, they found a talented young guy, by the name of Raymond Moser. Only the band knew, it would take some time for him to adjust in the band. In his first few weeks, Dirk Bruinenberg even returned to the rehearsal room and guided him a couple of times.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures available of this period, which lasted only 3 months. ABYSS did not come out of the rehearsal place during this period, and they knew, it would take too long for Raymond to adjust. He was still very young but talented, so his time would come later. While rehearsing with Raymond, the band started searching for another drummer. He was found in March 1994. His name was Marco de Groot and had just left Blind Justice. Marco was a great drummer, so the band were full of expectations for the future again. They started rehearsing for the upcoming gig in Nighttown in Rotterdam.
In May 1994, the band headlined the 'Tocada' festival in Nighttown Rotterdam. It had been over a half year, since the band last played a live gig, and were very anxious to do so. The gig was great and the songs were sometimes played a lot faster, but the drive was there again, and everybody was very happy. However, it turned out to be the last ABYSS live gig ever......
After this gig, some people were really getting annoyed and started jagging again. The first one, was Jeff. He was tired of singing and wanted to be a guitarist again. But playing with 3 guitarists is a little too much, if your band name isn't Lynyrd Skynyrd, so one had to leave. Peter was founder and had no intensions to leave, so Eric decided to leave the band, also because he wanted to play a more rougher style than the melodic riffs of Abyss.. Nobody was found to do the singing, so Jeff played and still sang in the rehearsal room. This all got too much for Marco. First he did not appear , because his Skoda broke down, but that happened every week ! First we believed him, because he was driving this bloody Czechoslovakian Skoda ! He had just lost interest He had expected too play a lot, but not in rehearsal rooms, so he decided to quitte in September 1994.
Who would be the next drummer of ABYSS. Well it had at that time been half a year, since Raymond left, so he was asked to return again, and so he did in September 1994.
The band started rehearsing again, but the flame was slowly dying. The train was not running as smoothly as it had done before.
Hardly any new music was written, and the band played the older songs and some covers in the rehearsing room, but the spirit slowly faded.
There were no gigs planned for the end of 1994 or the beginning of 1995, and that also didn't motivate the members.
Their manager Dick van den Heuvel, did his best in finding a new singer for the band.
He finally found Ed Hage, and invited him to the rehearsing room. Indeed he was an old aqaintance of Wim, who had played with him in 1981 in a band called Reinforced Concrete, only at that time Ed was a drummer. He had a very good voice, but the damage was already done. Wim, Jeff, Raymond & Ed played one live gig in 'De Slingerick" in Rotterdam, doing a half our of Deep Purple covers. This turned out to be very succesful. Wim and Jeff needed a new challenge and left the band in March. For Peter there was nothing left than to bring ABYSS to the grave. After 12 years the story
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20090805175222/http://geocities.com/abyss_metal/Page09