THY BLACKEST INTERVIEW

DEVISER

Deviser is almost like a legend in the Greek black metal scene. A cult underground band that with its releases has set high standards for the rest of the bands. Now after a short period of silence and after the release of their 3rd album "Running Sore", they offer us a Cd containing some hidden treasures and aim high for the future to come. We had a talk with the keyboard player of the band Nick Christogiannis and this is what he told us...

1.SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO DEVISER ALL THOSE YEARS OF YOUR ABSENCE? WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE MEANTIME?

first of all, I would like to thanks Behind The Veil ezine for this interview, my best wishes for the veil ezine and all the people who work for it. Good luck. DEVISER after transmission to chaos album (mascot records) had some problems with the label and some members (health problems) Manos h.lsp records finally is the label that released after 5 years the 3 deviser cd (RUNNING SORE) also thy blackest love -the early years cd is out now from Sleaszy Rider records. All these years we were working on the new songs and we were preparing for the next release. We surpassed all the problems and now I believe we are ready for everything. The band from 17-08(chania rock festival) started a tour all over greece until 30 May (Athens mousiki skini ston aera-thy blackest live). At this moment we talk with labels for our next release. The prepoduction of the new album is ready and I'm very satisfied. 5 songs sound like hell with a lot of samples-violins -riffs and I think is something different something dreamy. It might sound like "Unspeakable Cults" 10 years after. Also "Liber Animus" is the new video clip from the "Running Sore" cd.

2.A YEAR HAS PAST SINCE THE RELEASE OF “RUNNING SORE”, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS ALBUM NOW? ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH IT OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO CHANGE?

One year has passed since our 3 cd running sore. I believe until now that this cd is a good release for us. You are never 100% satisfied of course. I would like to change the sound maybe with a new mastering, but generally I'm satisfied with the final result.

3.RECENTLY YOU RELEASED THROUGH SLEASZY RIDER RECORDS YOUR DEMO “THY BLACKEST LOVE” FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A CD FORM. HOW HAVE YOU DECIDED TO DO SO? WERE THE FANS UNABLE TO FIND IT, THUS YOU DECIDED TO RE-RELEASE IT? WHY HAVEN’T YOU REMASTERED IT AND YOU INCLUDED THE SONGS WITH THE SOUND THEY HAD IN THE TAPE VERSION?

"Thy Blackest Love (the early years)" is out now from Sleaszy Rider records. We decided to release this demo +5 unreleased songs because a lot of people ask for this demo tape. We tried to do a bio cd from 89-until now and some people can learn more about Deviser's past and future. The mastering is for the best sound quality and for the same sound level of songs nothing more. The songs have the pure and cult Deviser sign. If we'd change more things then perhaps the feeling of old black days and early years will be lost.

4.THIS CD ALSO CONTAINS 5 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS, WHICH ACCORDING TO ME, ARE GREAT SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK. HOW COME YOU HAVEN’T RELEASED THEM BEFORE? DIDN’T YOU THINK THAT THEY COULD REPRESENT YOU?

"Thy Blackest Love (the early years) includes 5 unreleased songs from the "Unspeakable Cults" period until after "Transmission To Chaos" cd. Some songs have a different style and were never used in our releases before. I think they are great songs like "Self Ignition" (my favourite) and perhaps a lot of people might learn more about us and about some unreleased jewels of past.

5.DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW SONGS READY? WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING TO RELEASE A NEW ALBUM? CAN YOU TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT IT? WILL IT BE RELEASED BY SLEASZY OR NOTHING IS YET CERTAIN?

The preproduction of the next release is finished. Now we are looking for a new label, nothing is sure yet but a lot of labels seem to be interested in Deviser. I will know soon more about this. regarding the songs now, I'm very satisfied (melodies-violins-samples-synths-riffs) everything is great, dreamy melodies-the ultimate journey in Deviser's world. The prepoduction took place at our personal studio encore in Athens. I believe tha we will enter the studio again soon (maybe Octomber 2003).

6.GENERALLY, WHERE ARE YOUR LYRICS REFERRING TO? WHICH THINGS INSPIRE YOU TO WRITE LYRICS?

MATT is the guy that is 100% responsible for the lyrics. Generally lyrics and music is the same for us. We try to have the same quality levels. The lyrics are about the dark side of the human mind and soul, about mysteries and unspeakable things generally. We get inspired by writters like H. P. Lovecraft, Roberd Howard, Stephen King, etc. and of course by some personal moments and experiences that we have.

7.WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A FAN TO CONVINCE HIM TO BUY YOUR RELEASE INSTEAD OF SOMETHING ELSE? WHICH ARE THE ELEMENTS IN YOUR SOUND THAT MAKE YOU SOUND UNIQUE ACCORDING TO YOU?

If he would like to try something different, something really dark, he must try Deviser. In our site http://www.deviser.org are a lot of mp3's and people can listen to some Deviser songs. Try and believe me you will not lose. If you are interested in true music and you want a journey through music DEVISER is the answer.

8.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR TOURING OR PERFORMING LIVE? DO YOU REMEMBER ANY FUNNY OR WEIRD INCIDENTS OCCURRING TO YOU WHILST YOU WERE PERFORMING LIVE?

From august 17 we are on tour all over Greece. We started from Chania rock festival with U.D.O., Anathema, Valleys Eve, etc. Patra, Thessaloniki, Athens (Tiamat-Lacuna Coil), Agrinio with Septic Flesh e.t.c. The last date of this hellenic tour will finish on 30th May in Athens (mousiki skini ston aera) Thy Blakest Live. This summer we plan to do some concerts and after this we'll enter a studio for our next album. A lot of funny things happened in our lives. The first that I rember now was in Salonica when played "Threnody" 2 times in our set because the people asked for it and in Rotterdam (baroeg) in 1994 after the show we went to a party. Everything goes well but Manos got lost somewhere in the city and after some hours we found him and we took the road for the hotel but the police stopped us to check us. After a while we arrived at the hotel at last.

9.IF YOUR MUSIC WAS AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE? IF IT WAS A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?

If our music were an emotion it might have been sadness for me or madness is more close to me, than straight hate. If it were a painting it would show a pretty dark woman in gieger style paint. Female is the genesis of universe and the end at the same time.

10.WHICH ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS BLOODY AND CATASTROPHIC WAR AGAINST IRAQ?

Deviser of course is against this war in Iraq and the new American shit idea that remind me all those nazi pigs years before. They want to free people with bombs. An old song from Exploited came to my mind here (FUCK THE USA). Deviser tried to organize an event (live concert) about this war, to give a little help in our way to all these people. Unfortanelly this event never happened.

11.IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?

If I met the creature that created the world the first thing that I would like to ask him is: Are you satisfied with this now? Something like that. I would like to have a conversation and learn his opinion about this new digital world.

12.YOU ARE GRANTED ONE WISH. WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE IN THE WORLD?

If had the oportunity to change the world with one wish I'd change all nature in the first and pure moments of its birth.

13.IF YOU COULD TRAVEL IN TIME WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIMES?

If I could travel to a historical period I would like to visit the 5th century in ancient Athens. My birth city thousands of years ago and of course some places likes Dilos, Oracle Of Delfous (Manteio ton Delfon) etc . The things that I'd miss most from our times is my instruments (my favorite nord lead), my band ,AND HEAVY METAL.

14.WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN’T ABLE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF THROUGH MUSIC?

If I weren't able to express myself through music. I'd try to find a solution and surpass this problem. I think it's very important to be able to express youself through music. You can show your character and your own world in a some notes, all your life and personal experience in some minutes on a CD.

15.WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?

I think THY BLACKEST INTERVIEW would be the right title for this interview.

16.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU’D LIKE TO MENTION

I'd like to thank BEHIND THE VEIL, all my friends in Salonica (Vaggelis Komitoudis, etc.), Christine azriel for the interview. Support the Hellenic scene. Prepare for Deviser's next attack and until then STAY HEAVY METALHEADS
NICK CHRISTOGIANNIS (http://www.deviser.org)
EMAIL: [email protected]

Christine Parastatidou

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws