Astarte
SIRENS is the most
complete and mature album that gave us ASTARTE till now. The melodies and
brutality are equal balanced and the whole album has a classic heavy metal
atmosphere. Something that makes this release easily to be listened by
many people with different tastes. We had a chat with Tristessa and here
what she said about her album...
1.HELLO TRISTESSA! NOW THAT "SIRENS" HAVE
BEEN RELEASED, ARE YOU ANXIOUS ABOUT HOW THE METAL FANS WILL RECEIVE IT?
WHAT DO YOU EXPCT FROM IT?
-
Music for sure has to evolve!! I perceive music
as a liquid surface where nobody is sure what to expect. Every new album
every new step has to be different. The word “Difference” is dangerous.
The word risk is my favorite and the fact that I love what I do for Astarte
is a good chance to take that risk. I have work very hard for this new
album, and this for sure is obvious. So, what I expect? Much more feedback,
new fans and a new opening for the future of Astarte.
2.HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE
ALBUM? ARE ALL THE COMPOSITIONS INCLUDED HERE YOURS OR DID YOU HAVE THE
ASSISTANCE OF SOME
OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL?
-
The new album compositions started from May 2003.
In September October we finished the studio recording. On November I went
to Finland for mix and Mastering in Tico Tico studio. Finally we had a
big delay with the completion of artwork, which finished at February 2004.
And now here we are!!!! All compositions are mine. I compose all ideas
starting from drums, then to both rhythmic and lead guitars and bass and
finally to vocals and keyboards. All ideas and directions are mine and
in the album I play the bass, lead and acoustic guitars.
3.LATELY YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH MANY PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY
WHEN THE CONTRACT WITH YOUR PREVIOUS LABEL, BLACK LOTUS, EXPIRED AND THE
OTHER BAND
MEMBERS LEFT THE BAND. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT
OF DISBANDING ASTARTE AND IF YES, WHAT MADE YOU CONTINUE?
-
Me, disbanding Astarte? Never!! But some others
act in bad faith behind my back and tried to stop my new direction with
the new Label AVANTGARDE. I faced some internal band problems but now with
the new members and the release of the new album I have fixed all obstacles
and further typical problems. I will avoid making references and a further
comment for Black Lotus, since our contract and corporation has expired
from February 2003. For some reasons something that cannot be solved must
take an end. Changes are sometimes unavoidable and good for the future.
4.NOW YOUR NEW ALBUM IS RELEASED FROM AVANTGARDE
MUSIC. HOW DID THIS COOPERATION OCCUR AND HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO SIGN A
CONTRACT WITH THEM? WITH WHAT CRITERIA DID YOU SELECT THEM AND ARE YOU
STILL SATISFIED?
-
When the contract with B.L expired I immediately
start to search for a new Label. Out of all, AVANTGARDE was the best choice
for us. Our deal was completed straight and fast. Until today both sides,
me and Avantgarde, we have made good deals, and both we are truly satisfied.
5.WHICH WERE THE REASONS THE OTHER 2 FEMALE BAND
MEMBERS LEFT THE BAND? HAVE YOU FOUND NEW MEMBERS AND WHO ARE THEY? HAVE
THEY PLAYED IN OTHER BANDS BEFORE?
-
Nemesis quit the band in Decembers 2002 for her
personal reasons. Kinthia afterwards was not able to follow the new direction
with the new Label, with new openings, more obligations and further exposure…
She could not follow. It was normal to be replaced. Hybris in now the new
guitar player of the band she is professional and she plays the rhyth guitars.
Katharsis is the new keyboard player. She was ex-member of On Thorns I
Lay.
6.LET'S MAKE A COMPARISON. I WANT YOU TO TELL
ME WHICH ARE THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR PREVIOUS ALBUM
AND "SIRENS".
-
The main differences are the new compositional
attitude that now is straight and dynamic. It is the fastest album of Astarte
but at the same time it has the atmosphere of sadness, which we had in
the previous albums. The production also is another part that makes it
even radical. The music style is now even Black Death with some Thrash
references.
7.ON THIS ALBUM YOU SING FOR THE FIRST TIME ALL
THE SONGS. HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN THE ALBUM WAS COMPLETED AND YOU HEARD
YOUR OWN VOICE IN IT?
DO YOU AGREE THAT YOUR VOCALS ARE MORE DEATH
ORIENTED?
-
For the work that I did in order to practice my
self and to put the lyrics on the tracks I was very satisfied. I worked
very very hard on this. My vocals are more brutal and that has helped me
to add a more aggressive atmosphere to the album.
8.YOU HAVE SOME GUEST APPEARANCES. CAN YOU TELL
US WHO THESE GUYS ARE AND IN WHICH WAYS THEY CONTRIBUTED IN "SIRENS"? HOW
DID THESE COLLABORATIONS HAPPEN?
-
Shagrath from Dimmu Borgir sings in the song “The
Ring Of Sorrow”, Sakis from Rotting Christ in the song “Oceanus Procellaum”
and Nicolas sic Maiis fro LLOTH in the song “Bitterness of Mortality”.
Those guests took place in order to modulate the appropriate song and to
add the unique atmosphere of each singer. The collaboration with Shagrath
occurred after a conversation we had in the telephone where he agreed by
first place if of course he would find the time and the right conditions
to make it. With Sakis the collaboration was also very important since
we know each other for a decade ago and this album was the right one to
make this chaotic singing dialogue!
9.WE SEE YOU ON THE FRONT COVER AS MEDUSA. WHO
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PAINTING? HOW IS IT CONNECTED TO THE MUSIC AND
LYRICS?
-
She is a mix of Medusa, in the snake hair and
a siren in the body. A female monster. The whole idea is mine but the painting
and all artwork is created from Graal. The idea of this monster is depicted
in the song entitled “Sirens” and the whole idea reflects the band where
we are a female band and we sing, as Sirens. In a way we seduce with our
music and we mesmerize the minds of our fans. In other words we act as
the Sirens. It was an inspiring idea, which is rooted from Greek Mythology,
and it has straight reference to female existence and to music.
10.YOU'VE TOLD ME THAT YOU ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT
BAND UNDER THE NAME "LLOTH". WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO WITH LLOTH AND
WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT TO HEAR NEWS FROM THIS BAND? DO YOU HAVE ANY SONGS
READY? CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INFO ON THIS FIELD?
-
I have reformed LLOTH not as a project but as
an official band. The line up is: Nick Sic Maiis(vocals), John and Spiros
(guitars), Dinos(drums) and me in bass. We play Death sick Metal with experimental
and brutal sound since there are 7-string guitars and 5 string bass. Right
now we are about to complete our new songs and we will start out Live shows
this summer in the 16th of July in the Rock Summer Fest in Livedia. At
this point I want to add another band that I play, called INSECTED. This
month we have finished the recordings for our promo cd entitled “Killing
for Recreation” and the song titles are : Locked up, unfold the Conspiracy,
Rejection of Light and Cut the Strings.
11.SINCE ASTARTE IS A FEMALE BLACK METAL BAND,
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU KNOW ANY OTHER FEMALE BANDS ESPECIALLY IN THE
EXTREME METAL GENRE. IF YES, COULD YOU NAME THEM FOR THE READERS?
-
I have not many information about other female
bands. I only have heard about Ebon Site and Witches but still I have not
listen to their music.
12.WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO WITH LIVE SHOWS?
WILL WE SEE YOU AFTER ALL?
-
For the moment there are no plans, but I do not
exclude the possibility to play in the future.
13.IS IT TRUE THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PERFORM
LIVE IN A BIG SUMMER FESTIVAL LAST YEAR IN ORDER TO SUPPORT YOUR PREVIOUS
ALBUM AND THIS DIDN'T OCCURE DUE TO SOME PROBLEMS YOU HAD WITH YOUR PREVIOUS
LABEL?
-
No the Label was not involved on this. But the
truth is that in the past they have tried to hide from us the proposal
that we had to play in Waken. We find it out accidentally.
14.WHICH WORDS DO YOU THINK COULD BEST DESCRIBE
YOUR MUSIC AND THE BAND IN GENERAL?
-
Black Metal sadness, aggression and allegoric
harmonies. Blackness comes out from human instinct, we touch the extremes
of our selves.
15.WHICH IS, ACCORDING TO YOU, THE BEST AND WHICH
THE WORST PART IN YOUR MUSIC? WHICH IS YOUR TRADERMARK?
-
The best is the creation period. When new songs
come out. I cannot find worst because even if I have faced bad moments
I have learned and this makes me even skilled and stronger. Music is a
never-ending place of knowledge. Our trademark is “The First Black Metal
Female Band”
16.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK YOU ANYTHING
AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION? LEAVE A MESSAGE...
-
I want to thank you for this interview. I want
to thank our readers and send all Darkest Hails to all those wh realy believe
in us and our music passion.
Nikos "William_Kidd" Parastatidis
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