Clemens Wijers
Clemens "Ardek" Wijers (born 10 November 1983) is a Dutch keyboardist, pianist, and composer best known as the keyboardist of Dutch symphonic black metal band Carach Angren. Prior to forming Carach Angren with his brother Ivo "Namtar" Wijers and Dennis "Seregor" Droomers, he played with Dark Mutation and Vaultage. Wijers has written songs for Rammstein singer Till Lindemann's side project Lindemann and solo album, in addition to contributing orchestration and orchestral arrangements for Lindemann, Pain, Ex Deo and Joe Lynn Turner.[1][2][3][4][5] He has also composed several soundtrack albums and provided soundtracks for short films.[6][7]
Clemens Wijers | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Ardek |
| Born | 10 November 1983 Southern Netherlands |
| Genres | Symphonic black metal, Black metal, Classical, Industrial |
| Occupation(s) | Keyboardist, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Keyboard, Piano |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels | Season of Mist, Maddening Media, Clemens Wijers Music Productions |
| Member of | Carach Angren |
| Formerly of |
|
| Website | http://www.clemenswijers.com |
Career edit
Wijers first started playing piano at the age of seven and played with a local youth choir throughout his teen years.[8][9] As a teenager, he was listening to dance music before being introduced to metal at age fifteen and joined a band as a way of combining his new interest with his classical background.[8][10] Wijers studied music at the Tilburg Conservatory in 2002 before forming Vaultage that same year, and co-founding Carach Angren together with his brother Ivo "Namtar" Wijers and Dennis "Seregor" Droomers in 2003.[8][11] Wijers is the band's main composer, while bandmate Droomers writes the lyrics and stories.[11] Wijers has stated that he is influenced by classical composers, movies and soundtracks.[12][13] He particularly enjoys video game soundtracks, having been a gamer in the 1990s and a fan of the Doom series.[13]
Alongside Carach Angren, Wijers released his debut solo album titled Worlds in 2017, which mainly featured a combination of industrial and classical music tracks.[14][15] His second solo album, Worlds II, was released in 2021. Wijers has also written songs and contributed orchestration for Till Lindemann and Peter Tägtgren's side project Lindemann.[1][16][17] He further collaborated with singer Lindemann as a producer and songwriter on his debut solo album, Zunge, and contributed orchestral arrangements for Tägtgren's project Pain on their album Coming Home.[2][3] He has also provided orchestration for Ex Deo and Joe Lynn Turner.[18][4][5] Wijers has composed several soundtrack albums, soundtracks for short films, and offers music lessons.[9][6][7][8]
Discography edit
Solo edit
Studio albums
- Worlds (2017)
- Worlds II (2021)
Studio EPs
- Parasite Twin (2019)
With Carach Angren edit
Studio albums
- The Chase Vault Tragedy (2004)
- Lammendam (2008)
- Death Came Through a Phantom Ship (2010)
- Where the Corpses Sink Forever (2012)
- This is no Fairytale (2015)
- Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten (2017)
- Franckensteina Strataemontanus (2020)
Studio EPs
- Ethereal Veiled Existence (2005)
With Vaultage edit
Studio EPs
- Hallucinate Beyond (2003)
Production, writing, instrumental and vocal credits edit
| Year | Artist | Title | Song(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Vredehammer | Pans Skygge | "Oktober" | Composer |
| 2015 | Bodyfarm | Battle Breed | "Hell March (Intro)" | Orchestration |
| Lindemann | Skills in Pills | "That's My Heart" | Composer, additional vocals | |
| Additional orchestral arrangements | ||||
| 2016 | Pain | Coming Home | Orchestral arrangements | |
| 2017 | Ex Deo | The Immortal Wars | Orchestration | |
| Utbyrd | Varskrik | Orchestration | ||
| 2020 | Lindemann | F & M | "Wer weiß das schon" | Composer |
| Additional ochestral arrangements | ||||
| 2021 | Live in Moscow | "Intro", "Credits" | Composer | |
| Ex Deo | The Thirteen Years of Nero | Orchestration | ||
| 2022 | L'Âme Immortelle | In Tiefem Fall | Disc 2 - Portrait Of A Shattered Mind Composer, piano, choir, violin | |
| Joe Lynn Turner | Belly of the Beast | "Tortured Soul", "Dark Night Of The Soul" | Additional orchestration | |
| 2023 | Till Lindemann | Zunge | "Alles für die Kinder" | Songwriter, producer, engineer, instruments, backing vocals |
See also edit
External links edit
- Clemens Wijers discography at Discogs
- Official Website
- Bandcamp
- Carach Angren Website
- Official Facebook
References edit
- ^ a b Kennelty, Greg (2015-04-24). "LINDEMANN Reveals CARACH ANGREN's Keyboardist Contributed To The Record, Posts More Artwork". Metal Injection. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b Till Lindemann - Zunge, 2023-11-10, retrieved 2023-11-15
- ^ a b Blabbermouth (2017-01-02). "PAIN: Watch Video For 'Coming Home' Title Track". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b Bowar, Chad (2021-08-26). "Album Review: EX DEO The Thirteen Years Of Nero". Metal Injection. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b Joe Lynn Turner - Belly Of The Beast, 2022-10-28, retrieved 2023-11-15
- ^ a b "Clemens Wijers". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
- ^ a b Martin, Scott (2017-09-27). "Interview: Clemens "Ardek" Wijers of CARACH ANGREN". Antihero Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b c d Kussmaul, Jake (2019-06-29). "Interview: Clemens Wijers of Carach Angren discusses upcoming solo album, 'Parasite Twin'". Music Existence. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b Kivlehan, Norrie (2020-05-11). "CARACH ANGREN "We are in uncertain times and we don't know when touring will happen again" Clemens 'Ardek' Wijers". Overdrive. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ "Biography". Clemens Wijers - Composer. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
- ^ a b "Carach Angren's Clemens Wijers Interviewed (2015)". www.rocksins.com. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
- ^ CrypticRock (2015-03-12). "Interview – Ardek of Carach Angren". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ a b "Interview: Clemens "Ardek" Wijers of CARACH ANGREN | Antihero Magazine". Antihero Magazine. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
- ^ "Worlds, by Clemens "Ardek" Wijers". Clemens "Ardek" Wijers. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
- ^ "Solo Album "Worlds" OUT NOW!". Clemens Wijers - Composer. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
- ^ "Carach Angrens "Ardek" auf Lindemanns SKILLS IN PILLS". Metal Hammer (in German). 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
- ^ Lindemann - F & M, 2019-11-22, retrieved 2023-11-15
- ^ Sanders, Connor (2017-06-13). "INTERVIEW: Clemens Wijers - Carach Angren". Distorted Sound Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-15.