Habitants are the living proof that atmosphere, talent and honest music can still prevail in an ailing music industry. With a solid rock history, Hans and Ren? Rutten, members of the Dutch band ‘the Gathering’ decided to start a new band in 2015. Soon they found an extra guitar player and songwriter in Gema P?rez. When the three started rehearsing in their hometown Nijmegen, they found the proper dark atmosphere and identity in a very natural way. It soon became clear to them that they needed clear vocals to contrast with the (dark) music. Hans and Ren? knew Anne van den Hoogen (vocalist Rosemary & Garlic) when they worked with her recording The Gathering’s ‘The West Pole’ album back in 2009. After recruiting Mirte Heutmekers on bass guitar, the band was complete and ready to go. In 2017 the band found a new drummer in Jer?me Miedendorp de Bie (Drive by Wire). With a mix of atmospheric and dynamic melodies and soft and heavy electronic and organic beats, the music of Habitants can be best described as film music noir. A slow rollercoaster ride from bright colorful lights to uncomfortable pit dark caves. To find this new habitat, both guitar players (and spouses) Ren? and Gema, searched and rehearsed a lot to find their unique guitar sound. Ren? built his own guitar fx pedals to find the right sound and feeling.
