Jeroen Paul Thesseling (born 13 April 1971) is a Dutch fretless bass player, most famous for his work in the German progressive death metal band Obscura[1] and the Dutch progressive death metal band Pestilence.[2]
Jeroen Paul Thesseling | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | 13 April 1971 |
Genres | Technical death metal Death metal Progressive metal Jazz fusion |
Instrument | Bass guitar |
Years active | 1991–present |
Labels |
|
Member of | Salazh Quadvium |
Formerly of | Obscura Pestilence |
Website | jeroenpaulthesseling |
Biography
edit- Early life
Jeroen started studying violin and followed his first lessons at the age of 7. During his youth he played with classical orchestras, ensembles and attended several classical music contests. At the age of 16 he switched to bass guitar.[3][4]
- Professional career
Thesseling began studying bass in 1988 at the ArtEZ School of Music in Enschede, Netherlands. Between 1992 and 1994, he was a member of Pestilence, with whom he recorded the jazz fusion-influenced album Spheres.[5] In 1995 Jeroen started to study microtonality, which resulted in two pieces: Hafnium — study in 72-tone equal temperament (1999) — and Argon — study in 18-tone equal temperament (2000). The period following, Arabic microtonal and contemporary classical music inspired him to focus primarily on fretless bass.[6] In 2005, he recorded his first fretless work with the studio group Ensemble Salazhar.[7] Despite their highly acclaimed demo Colors the group never officially released recordings.[8] Between 2007 and 2011, he collaborated with Obscura and recorded with them Cosmogenesis (2009)[9] and Omnivium (2011).[10] Between 2009 and 2012, he rejoined Pestilence after a 15-year break[11][12] and recorded their sixth studio album Doctrine (2011). Since 2011, he has played exclusively fretless 7-string basses built by German bass luthier Warwick; they are strung with a subcontra F#-tuning (F#0–B0–E1–A1–D2–G2–C3).[13][14][15] In late 2014, he founded the jazz fusion group Salazh Trio[16] featuring legendary Cuban drummer/percussionist Horacio Hernández. Their debut work Circulations was released in December 2017.[17][18][19] In October 2019, he founded the fusion-world-metal group Quadvium with fellow fretless bass player Steve Di Giorgio.[20][21][22] In April 2020, it was revealed that he rejoined the German progressive death metal band Obscura as a permanent bass player after a nine-year break.[23][24][25] With them, he recorded their sixth studio album A Valediction (2021).[26][27] Jeroen Paul Thesseling lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[28]
Equipment
editJeroen endorses Warwick basses and has played Warwick Thumb NT series exclusively since 1993. He has played several Thumb NT6 and NT7 basses, each marking different chapters of his musical career. During Pestilence's Spheres era, he played a Thumb NT6 bass. Later on, he started using fretless Thumb NT6 basses, for Obscura's Cosmogenesis and Omnivium era. In 2011, he started playing custom shop Thumb NT7 fretless basses, which are most notably heard on the recording of Pestilence's Doctrine album, Obscura's A Valediction album and Sadist's Firescorched album. [29]
- Warwick 7-string basses (customshop)
- Warwick Thumb NT7 fretless Ebony fingerboard (2017)
- Warwick Thumb NT7 fretless Snakewood fingerboard (2013)
- Warwick Thumb NT7 fretless Ebony fingerboard (2011)
- Warwick 6-string basses
- Warwick Thumb NT6 fretless Macassar Ebony fingerboard (1993)
- Warwick Thumb NT6 fretless Ebony fingerboard (1991)
- Warwick Thumb NT6 Wenge fretboard (1991)
- Warwick Thumb NT6 fretless Asian Ebony fingerboard (1989)
- Warwick Thumb NT6 Wenge fretboard (1989)
- Recording gear
- Phoenix Audio DRSQ4 MkII dual channel preamps
- Kush Audio Electra dual channel parametric equalizer
Discography
edit- Studio
- Sadist – Firescorched (2022, Agonia Records)
- Obscura – A Valediction (2021, Nuclear Blast)
- Salazh Trio – Circulations (2017, Salazh Trio)
- Obscura – Omnivium (2011, Relapse Records)
- Pestilence – Doctrine (2011, Mascot Records)
- MaYaN – Quarterpast (2011, Nuclear Blast)
- Obscura – Cosmogenesis (2009, Relapse Records)
- Pestilence – Spheres (1993, Roadrunner Records)
- Live
- Pestilence – Presence of the Past (2015, Marquee Records)
- Compilations
- Pestilence – Twisted Truth (2020, Warner Music Group)
- Pestilence – Prophetic Revelations (2018, Hammerheart Records)
- Pestilence – Reflections of the Mind (2016, Vic Records)
- Lange Frans – Levenslied (2012, TopNotch)
- Pestilence – Mind Reflections (1994, Roadrunner Records)
Official music videos
edit- Obscura – Heritage (2022)
- Obscura – The Neuromancer (2022)
- Sadist – Accabadora (2022)
- Obscura – When Stars Collide (2021)
- Obscura – Devoured Usurper (2021)
- Obscura – A Valediction (2021)
- Obscura – Solaris (2021)
- Obscura – Anticosmic Overload (2009)
- Pestilence – Mind Reflections (1993)
References
edit- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Obscura". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
- ^ Serba, John (2002-07-22). "Pestilence". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
- ^ Staff, Metal-archives.com (2011-04-09). "Artist Profile Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Metal-archives.com. Metal-archives.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ Staff, Bassmagazine.com (2022-03-22). "Jeroen Paul Thesseling: The 7-string fretless master returns". Bassmagazine.com. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ Beller, Bryan (2010-03-09). "Jeroen Paul Thesseling of Obscura". Bassplayer.com. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
- ^ Larson, Eric (2007-02-28). "Fretless Questions: Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Fretlessbass.com. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ Thesseling, Jeroen Paul (2005-02-18). "Biography Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Jeroenpaulthesseling.com. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net Staff (2008-01-21). "Ensemble Salazhar featuring ex-Pestilence bassist - New demo recordings posted online". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net Staff (2009-02-25). "Obscura Cosmogenesis first week US sales revealed". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net Staff (2011-04-06). "Obscura Omnivium first week US sales revealed". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net Staff (2009-10-29). "Pestilence rejoined by bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
- ^ Staff, Metalstorm.net (2009-10-30). "Pestilence rejoined by Jeroen Paul Thesseling after 15-year hiatus". Metalstorm.net. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
- ^ Amador, Valery (2011-07-01). "Warwick releases Jeroen Paul Thesseling's 7-string fretless bass". Bassmusicianmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin (2011-11-17). "Ultra Low: An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Notreble.com. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ Beller, Bryan (2012-05-11). "Machines of Death: Four Extreme Metal Bassists Lay Out Their Weapons of Choice". Bassplayer.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
- ^ Kennelty, Greg (2015-05-21). "Ex-Obscura Bassist Has A New Fusion Trio Named Salazh Trio". Metalinjection.net. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ Staff, Drummerszone.com (2017-12-18). "Horacio 'El Negro' Hernández' new Salazh Trio-album". Drummerszone.com. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
- ^ D'Auria, Jon (2018-04-04). "Jeroen Paul Thesseling and the Salazh Trio Reveal Debut Album". Bassplayer.com. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ Amador, Valery (2017-12-26). "Bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling - Salazh Trio releases debut album 'Circulations'". Bassmusicianmagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net Staff (2019-11-02). "Testament and former Obscura bassists team up in Quadvium". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
- ^ Staff, Bassmagazine.com (2019-10-31). "Bassists Steve Di Giorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling create new group Quadvium". Bassmagazine.com. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ Staff, Notreble.com (2019-11-03). "Steve Di Giorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling announce new band". Notreble.com. Retrieved 2019-11-03.
- ^ Staff, Bassmagazine.com (2020-04-29). "Fretless bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling rejoins Obscura". Bassmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net Staff (2020-04-30). "Bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling rejoins Obscura". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
- ^ Staff, Notreble.com (2020-04-30). "Jeroen Paul Thesseling rejoins Obscura". Notreble.com. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
- ^ Blabbermouth (2021-06-16). "OBSCURA Announces 'A Valediction' Album". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ Staff, Notreble.com (2021-12-06). "Obscura Releases "A Valediction" With Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Notreble.com. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
- ^ Staff, Bassmagazine.com (2020-06-03). "Bass Magazine Lockdown Check-In With Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Bassmagazine.com. Bassmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
- ^ Staff, Notreble.com (2022-04-26). "Sadist announces new album With Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Notreble.com. Retrieved 2022-05-15.