CELESTIAL WORDS

CELESTIAL ODE

CELESTIAL ODE IS ONEN OF THE BEST POWER/SPEED BANDS THAT GREECE HAS. THEIR MINI - CD IS A GREAT CPMBINATION OF MELODY AND AGGRESSIVENESS (SADLY, MANY BANDS THINK THAT HEAVY METAL IS ONLY AGRESSIVENESS, BUT BELIEVE THE MELODIES ARE GIVING THE PERSONALITY TO A BAND). I WISH TO THEM TO FIND SOON A CONTRACT WITH A LABEL THAT WILL RESPECT THEIR MUSICAL STYLE AND DON'T TRY TO CHANGE THEM!

HELLO MY NAME IS MANOS XANTHAKIS AND I AM SINGING FOR CELESTIAL ODE.

1.TELL US IN A FEW WORDS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY. WHICH IS TODAY'S LINE UP?

THE CURRENT LINE OF THE BAND INCLUDES MYSELF ON VOCALS, THEMIS GOURLIS AND DIONISIS KOUTIS IN GUITARS AND KOSTAS EXARXAKOS ON DRUMS. RIGHT NOW I ‘D HAVE TO SAY THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ARE THE MINI CD THAT WE RELEASED AND 2 GIGS THAT WE DID. THE 1ST IN KALLITHEA AND IT WAS ORGANISED FROM THE LOCAL COUNSIL. THIS WAS PRODABLY THE BEST LIVE WE DID AS FAR AS THE SOUND, STAGE AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED TO IT. IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT SINCE THIS WAS OUR 1ST EVER GIG. THE OTHER GIG HAPPENED AT “AN” CLUB AND IT WAS VERY GOOD FOR US ‘CAUSE IT HAD PRESS COVERAGE FROM VARIOUS ZINES AND METAL HAMMER MAGAZINE BUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAD ENOUGH TIME IN FRONT US TO PREPARE OURSELVES. AND OF COURSE I SHOULD MENTION THAT MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE ATTENDED THIS GIG.

2.WHY HAVE YOU NAMED THE BAND THIS WAY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IS THE CORRECT CHOICE OF THE BAND NAME?

THEMIS CAME UP WITH THAT NAME A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THE BAND WAS FOUNDED. HE WAS INSPIRED FROM A SCI FI MOVIE I THINK. THE CHOICE FOR A NAME NOW, WELL IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A NAME THAT CAN DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF. I BELIEVE THE BEST TYPE OF NAMES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SURROUNDED WITH A SENSE OF MYSTERY OR THE ONES THAT GOT SOME DOUBLE MEANING.

3.WHICH BAND'S HAVE INFLUENCED YOU? DO YOU REMEMBER WHICH BAND OR SONG IN SPECIFIC YOU HEARD AND MADE YOU REALIZE THAT YOU WANTED TO DO THE SAME AS WELL?

WELL THERE ARE MANY BANDS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED US. BANDS LIKE PANTERA, ANNIHILATOR, HELLOWEEN, KING DIAMOND, JUDAS PRIEST JUST TO NAME A FEW. BUT EVERYONE LISTENS TO DIFFERENT THINGS. MYSELF HAS BEEN INFUENCED BY BANDS LIKE HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY, AYERON, MANOWAR, ACCEPT, U.D.O. , HEAVEN’S GATE etc. AS FOR THE SONG THAT MADE ME WANT TO DO MY OWN MUSIC WELL IT’S NOT ACTUALLY A SONG BUT A WHOLE ALBUM. I ‘LL HAVE TO SAY IT WAS HELLOWEEN’s “WALLS OF JERICHO” THAT DID THIS FOR ME AND MAYBE “RAM IT DOWN” FROM JUDAS PRIEST.

4.IN YOUR BIO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC TO BE A MIXTURE OF SPEED, POWER AGRESSIVENESS AND MELODY. DO YOU THINK THESE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT EMOTIONS ANGER AND MELODY CAN BE COMBINED HARMONICALLY?

OF COURSE I BELIEVE THAT. YOU SEE IT’S NOT JUST THE FEELINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT ARE IMORTANT BUT THE WAY THAT YOU MOVE MUSICALLY BETWEEN THEM. I ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT INTERESTING MUSIC IS THE ONE THAT CREATES IMAGES AND FEELINGS THAT ‘RE CONNECTED TO THE LISTENER. HAVING THAT IN MIND WE TRY TO MAKE OUR MUSIC DRAMATIC WITH VARIOUS WAYS LIKE FOR EXAMPLE HARDNESS AND BRUTALITY OF THE GUITAR RIFFS COMBINED WITH VOCAL LINES THAT TEND TO BE MORE MELODIC AND IN CONTRAST WITH THAT YOU HAVE LYRICS THAT ‘RE REFERING TO THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE AND SIMILAR SITUATIONS.

5.FILL US IN ON THE BAND RELEASES, ABOUT THE MSUIC, THE PRODUCTION...ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH THEM OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE?

RECORDINGS WERE DONE AT POWER 361 WHICH IS THE STUDIO THAT WE USE FOR REHEARSING. THE OWNER OF THE STUDIO IS GEORGE STRATAKIS AND HIS ALSO OUR GUITAR INSTRUCTOR AND FRIEND FOR YEARS. HE IS INTO DIGITAL RECORDING SO IT WAS LOGICAL TO RECORD THERE AND HAVE HIM TO PRODUCE AND TO DO THE MASTERING. AS FOR THE RESULT YES WE ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT, YOU SEE THIS ISN’T A JUST A DEMO WE ‘VE SPENT MORE THAN 150 HOURS FOR RECORDING AND MIXING TO GET THE RESULT THAT WE WANTED. IT IS OUR DEBUT ALBUM AND WE ‘RE VERRY SATISFIED WITH IT.

6.HAVE YOU COMPOSED ANY NEW SONGS? ARE YOU THINKING OF RECORDING A NEW ALBUM? WHEN WILL IT BE RELASED? COULD YOU GIVE US SOME INFO?

RIGHT NOW THERE ARE ABOUT 6 NEW SONGS BUT IT’S GOING TO TAKE US SOME TIME BEFORE WE MOVE TO RECORDING MODE. I CAN’T SAY WHEN THE NEXT CD WILL COME OUT, WE DON’T PUT OURSELVES A TIME LIMIT AND WE DON’T WANT TO RUSH ANYTHING.

7.WHAT ARE THE LRYICS TALKING ABOUT? DO YOU LIKE TO WRITE FOR IMAGINARY OR REAL LIFE SITUATIONS? WHAT INSPIRES YOU AND WHAT TAKES AWAY THE INSPIRATION?

WE ‘RE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING LYRICS WITH EPIC OR FANTASY SUBJECTS. REAL LIFE SITUATIONS ARE MUCH MORE INSTENSE AND SAVAGE SO I WRITE ABOUT THEM INSTEAD. I USUALLY GET INSPIRATION FOR THE PAINFUL SIDE OF LIFE THINGS LIKE WAR, ABUSE, HATE, RACISM ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PROVIDE ME WITH FUEL FOR WRITING. THE ONLY THING THAT CAN WASH OFF INSPIRATION IS MYSELF. I MEAN IT ALL DEPENDS AT THE MOOD THAT I AM IN. I CAN’T WRITE ALL THE TIME. SOMETIMES IT COMES AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T.

8.HOW IMPORTANT IS FOR A BAND TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO PERORM LIVE?

YOU CAN’T SAY THAT YOU ‘RE IN A METAL BAND AND NOT BE ABLE TO PERFORM LIVE. IT’S SOMETHING THAT I WAS DREAMING OF SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER. IT’S AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO OFFER YOUR MUSIC TO THE AUDIENCE AND WATCH THEIR REACTIONS. HOWEVER THIS AMAZING MOMENTS USUSALLY GET’S FUCKED UP DUE TO LOUSY CIRCUMSTANSES THAT THE BAND HAS TO ENDURE IF WE WANT TO PERFORM. AND I CAN’T BLAME ANYONE ELSE BUT THE CLUB OWNERS THAT WITH THEIR IDIOTIC FUCKED UP BEHAVIOUR, RUINED EQUIPMENT NOT TO MENTION THE BAD SOUND THAT COMES FROM INEXPERT SOUND ENGINEERS DO THEIR BEST TO DESTROY EVERYTHING. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS PERMANENT SITUATION AT ATHEN’S CLUBS AND WE WERE AWARE OFF FROM THE BEGINNING.

9.WHAT HAS THE PRESS AND THE FANS SAY FOR YOUR MUSIC? HAVE YOU SENT IT TO A LABEL?

AS FAR AS THE GREEK MAGAZINES GOES WE GOT A VERY GOOD REVIEW FROM THE METAL INVADER(RIP) AND A STRANGE REVIEW FROM METAL HAMMER THAT DESCRIBED THE CD AS TYPICAL, WITH SCATTERED MELODIES THE REVIEW WAS 3½ LINES AND THAT CERTAINLY ‘RE NOT ENOUGH TO DESCRIBE OUR MUSIC, BUT I MUST ADD THAT WE GOT SOME GOOD REVIEW ABOUT THE GIG THAT HAPPENED IN “AN” CLUB 4 MONTHS AGO. THE REST OF THE REVIEW ARE MOSTLY FROM WEBZINES AND FANZINES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, SOME OF THEM ARE GOOD AND PRAISE THE WHOLE RESULT AND SOME LIKE ONLY THE MUSIC.

10.HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC? WHICH SONG OF YOUR DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IDEAL TO REPRESENT YOU?

WE ‘VE TRIED TO SEND THE CD TO ALMOST EVERY RADIO STATION, MAGAZINE, FANZINE, AND WEBZINE THAT HAS PRESENCE IN THE INTERNET. SO FAR WE ‘VE SENT MORE THAN 100 CD’S ALL OVER THE WORLD. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE GOT AN OFFER TO PARTICIPATE IN COLLECTION THAT WOULD CONTAIN VARIOUS POWER SPEED BANDS. WE CHOOSED “MIND’S CELLS” AND “MERCILESS ATTACK” AS THE BEST TUNES FOR THIS.

11.WHY ARE YOU GIVING YOUR CD FOR FREE? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MP3'S? ARE YOU IN FAVOR OR AGAINST? DO THEY HURT THE MUSICIANS?

I THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE OUR MUSIC KNOWN TO THE METAL FANS. CD’S ARE EXPENSIVE AND CORECT ME IF I AM WRONG BUT NO ONE IS GOING TO BUY A CD FROM AN UKNOWN BAND THAT HAS ZERO COVERAGE FROM THE PRESS. WE ‘RE GIVING IT AFTER OUR LIVES AND I ‘D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPURTINITY TO THANK TO METAL ERA AND DIONISOS CAFÉ FOR HELPING. MP3 HAS PROVEN TO BE GREAT FOR EVERYONE. I THINK THAT MP3 FILES ARE GREAT FOR ALL. IT GIVES YOU THE OPPURTINITY TO LISTEN TO NEW STUFF AND IT’S A VERY GOOD WAY TO TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT IS GOING TO DEVASTATE ECONOMICALY THE BANDS & MUSICIANS, THE SAME THING WAS BEEING SAID ABOUT THE CD FORMAT THAT IT’S GOING TO BE EASY TO RECORD THEM AND GUESS WHAT 20 YEARS SINCE THE CD CAME OUT NOTHING HAPPENED TO ANYONE. I MEAN MUSIC PIRACY IS A PLAGUE BUT PIRACY EXISTS ONLY ‘CAUSE THE CD ARE SO GOD DAMN EXPENSIVE. RECORD COMPANIES EARN A PROFIT CLOSE TO 300%-400% FROM EACH CD, NOW THAT’S STEALING.

12.WHICH IS MAN'S BIGGEST TEMPTATION?

IN MODERN SOCIETY I ‘D HAVE TO SAY IT’S MONEY. EVERYONE IS AFTER FOR THE COMFORT IT OFFERS.

13.IF SOMEDAY YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHICH WOULD YOUR BIGGEST QUESTION BE?

I AM AN ATHEIST SO THIS QUESTION HOLDS NO MEANING FOR ME.

14.GIVE US YOUR PREDICTION FOR MUNDIAL.

NEVER BEEN A FOOTBALL FAN SO IT DOESN’T MATTER TO ME WHO’S GONNA BE THE WINNER. THE ONLY THING THAT I’D LIKE TO SEE IS GOOD MATCHES, GOOD MOMENTS AND FAST PLAYING.

15.IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHY? WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIME?

I ‘D LIKE TO GO BACK 3000 YEAR B.C. OR MORE BUT NOT JUST TO SEE HOW GREECE WAS AT THAT TIME BUT TO TRAVEL AND TO EXPLORE OTHER PLACES. I DON’T THINK THERE IS MUCH RECORDED HISTORY FROM THAT TIME SO I GUESS IT WOULD FEEL ALMOST MAGICAL.

16.WHAT PROLOGUE AND TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?

CELESTIAL WORDS.

17.HAVE YOU READ AN INTERESTING BOOK LATELY OR WATCHED AN INTERESTING MOVIE?

I ‘VE READ A SO CALLED STUDY THAT WENT BY THE TITLE “VAMPIRES” AND ANOTHER ONE THAT IS BEEING CALLED “PORFYRIOS AGAINST CHRISTIANS”. 1ST ONE WAS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME SINCE NOT JUST THE CONCLUSIONS BUT ALSO THE EXAMPLES WERE CHILDISH. THE 2ND I HAVEN’T FINISH BUT I THINK THAT PORFIRIOUS (WHO CLAIMED SOME SORT OF PHILOSOPHER) HAS SOME SERIOUS HOLES IN HIS ARGUEMENTS.

18.THANK YOU!HAVE I FORGOT TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

I BELIEVE THAT HEAVY METAL IN GREECE HAS PASSED ON THE HANDS OF VERY FEW NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND I MEAN THE ONE’S WHO ‘RE BEHIND MAGAZINES, CLUBS, RADIO SHOWS etc MAYBE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAD SOME KIND OF INTEREST IN METAL AT FIRST BUT NOW THERE JUST TRYING SQUEEZE OUT AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY CAN FROM IT. THEY CHOOSE TO BE WHO IS GOING TO BE HEARD AND WHO IS NOT AND THAT CERTAINLY HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH HOW GOOD EVERYONE IS. I HOPE THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME THIS SITUATION WILL TURN ARROUND AND WILL WE HAVE INTERNET AND PEOPLE LIKE TO THANK FOR THIS.

Nick "William_Kidd" Parastatidis

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