ATMORAN

“As long as we think it’s awesome, we really don’t care.”

“If you’re going to make an Italian dish, it all comes down to using just a few ingredients that create an explosion of flavor.”

“We want to make music that the four of us have written ourselves, not music created by ten producers telling you what you should or shouldn’t do.”

“I prefer writing about things that bother me, things I’m struggling with, or experiences I’ve been through. It can be difficult at times, but it gives me a lot of strength.”

“Some people want to make it seem like they’re very close to the light, while secretly it’s as dark as it can possibly be.”

“We hadn’t released anything for quite a while because we went through a difficult period as a band. Thankfully, we got through it, and that’s why ‘We Fight Back!’ felt like the perfect title.”

“Back then, we were still trying to figure out what we really wanted. Now we’ve found the right chemistry.”

“When you finally hold the vinyl in your hands… that’s when a little boy’s dream came true.”

“As long as we think it’s awesome, we really don’t care about rules.”

“We usually start with a riff… then we keep adding pieces until the whole puzzle is complete.”

“We’d never written an instrumental track before, but ‘Penumbra’ turned out exactly the way we imagined it.”

“We hope the album creates a desire for music that truly comes straight from the heart.”

Dutch thrash metal outfit Atmoran took their time before unleashing their debut full-length ‘We Fight Back!‘, and the result is an album that perfectly reflects the band’s renewed spirit.
Forged through difficult years, lineup changes and creative evolution, the record delivers razor-sharp riffs, powerful grooves and lyrics inspired by personal struggles and real-life experiences.
In this exclusive interview with Fok ‘bs‘, vocalist Frank talks about the band’s comeback, songwriting without compromises, the importance of authenticity, and why making music from the heart will always matter more than following trends.
‘We Fight Back!‘ is a title that sounds like a declaration rather than just an album name.
At what point did you realize this phrase represented the entire record instead of only one song?
“We hadn’t released anything for quite a while, and that was because we went through a difficult period as a band. Thankfully, we got through it, and the positivity is completely back. That’s why ‘WE FIGHT BACK!’ Felt like the perfect title.”
Thrash metal often thrives on urgency, but your album never feels rushed.
How do you decide when a riff has enough impact without adding unnecessary complexity?
“Very simple: we do what we enjoy, and we do it all without any rules. So whether it’s enough of this style or enough of that style… we don’t really care. As long as we think it’s awesome.”
Many modern bands try to reinvent thrash by adding countless influences.
You seem to focus on sharpening the fundamentals instead.
Was restraint an intentional creative decision?
“It wasn’t really a conscious decision, but it’s definitely something we love! It’s a weird comparison, but if you’re going to make an Italian dish, it all comes down to using just a few ingredients that create an explosion of flavor!”
Across the album, there is a strong feeling of confrontation.
Did you consciously write from a position of resistance, or did that attitude naturally emerge while the songs evolved?
“That is a conscious choice! I prefer writing about things that bother me, things I’m struggling with, or experiences I’ve been through. It can be difficult at times, but it gives me a lot of strength. And with a vivid imagination, I complete the whole picture in my head!”
The record balances groove and aggression very effectively.
When writing together, do you begin with something that makes people move physically, or with something that creates emotional tension?
“We usually start with a riff! From there, we try different ideas, like tempos and various drum patterns. Once we’ve found the perfect combination, we’ve completed the first piece of the puzzle, and then we move on to the next one. That’s how we keep building the song with new ideas until the whole puzzle is complete!”
‘Penumbra‘ suggests living in the space between light and darkness.
Does that idea also reflect how you see people, not as heroes and villains, but as something far more complicated?
“From experience, there’s definitely a middle ground. But in some cases, things get pulled toward the darkness… and in others, toward the light. Some people want to make it seem like they’re very close to the light, while secretly it’s as dark as it can possibly be…”
‘Wholesale Massacre‘ is one of those titles that immediately sparks curiosity.
Was the challenge writing music that could live up to such a provocative name without becoming predictable?
“Actually, it was pretty clear what it all had to become. We had several ideas going through our heads, but this is what we ended up with, and we’re very happy with it!”
Your debut full-length arrives several years after your EP.
Looking back, what kind of songs would the Atmoran of 2019 simply not have been capable of writing?
“That’s right! Back then, we were still trying to figure out what we really wanted. On top of that, we were still a five-piece band. Now we’re down to four members, and we’ve really found the right chemistry.”
Physical editions are becoming increasingly meaningful again.
When you finally held ‘We Fight Back!‘ on CD for the first time, did it feel like the real birth of the album, even after the digital release?
“The online release was already a huge moment! We’d been waiting for ages to finally let people hear it, and then we could. We proudly shared loads of Spotify and YouTube links! But when you finally hold the actual CD in your hands, it’s an amazing feeling. And then came the vinyl… and that’s when a little boy’s dream came true.”
Thrash has always reflected its era in one way or another.
Years from now, what do you think listeners will recognize as the unmistakably 2026 element hidden inside this album?
“I hope it creates a desire for real music! Not that metal is the only real music, but music that truly comes straight from the heart. We’re incredibly passionate about our music and the direction we’ve chosen. Most of the music you hear on the radio, for example, is absolutely not what we want. We want to make music that the four of us have written ourselves, not music created by ten producers telling you what you should or shouldn’t do. We want to do our own thing!”
If someone listened to the instrumental versions only, without lyrics or song titles, what emotional journey do you think they would experience?
“Enthusiasm, happiness, aggression, and joy.”
Every band eventually discovers one song that unexpectedly becomes the emotional center of an album.
Which track surprised you the most once recording was finished, and why?
“Definitely ‘Penumbra’. We’d never written an instrumental track before, so it really made you think about certain things. Is the song interesting enough? Does it carry the right emotion? Does it turn out the way we imagined it? And I definitely think it did.”
Now that ‘We Fight Back!‘ is out in the world, what is the one question you secretly hoped interviewers would ask about this album, but almost nobody has?
“Hahaha, I think your questions are pretty unique! It’s fun to do something like this for a change! But honestly… I have no idea!”
‘We Fight Back!‘ is more than Atmoran’s long-awaited debut album.
It’s a statement of resilience.
Rather than chasing trends or reinventing thrash for the sake of novelty, the Dutch quartet focuses on honest songwriting, memorable riffs and music driven entirely by passion.
As Frank makes clear throughout this conversation, Atmoran’s greatest strength lies in their refusal to compromise.
If ‘We Fight Back!‘ is any indication, this is only the beginning of the band’s next chapter.
by Fok ‘bs‘