DYSTHYMIA
Along with the presentation
of Dysthymia's extremely interesting demo entitled "Mind..Will..Action"
an interview with the band was essential. So, here we have Dysthymia talking
about their music, their future and a whole lot more aspects regarding
the band and not only. Check it out.
1.FIRST OF ALL POINT OUT THE MOST
IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO THE
READERS... BY THE WAY, I SUPPOSE YOU ARE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT YOUR BAND
NAME IS A GREEK WORD RIGHT? WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THIS?
The group was started at the beginning
of 2000 by five boys, aged around 16, and called itself TEARS OF EVIL.
The five presented themselves in their first live performances with covers
of more famous metal bands. Because of the need to gradually gain more
experience and professionalism on stage and because of a change in the
line-up the band felt the urge to move on: thus originated their own songs
that deal with introspective themes of a philosophical-metaphysical nature,
centered around the theme of mind-will-action. Opaque tones emerge and
pervade all lyrics, as a mellow depression, vague but constant. It
is exactly this feeling of gloomy sadness (DYSTHYMIA) which gives the group
its new name. The new pieces that originate with great spontaneity are
subsequently tried out live to test the impact of the sound and the reactions
of the audience. The songs could be defined as a mix of American and Swedish
technical death metal, with some traces of thrash and black…
2.YOU RELEASED QUITE A WHILE AGO YOUR
FIRST DEMO TITLED "MIND...WILL...ACTION". TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT IT.
WHERE WAS IT RECORDED? DID YOU HAVE THE HELP OF APRODUCER? IF YOU HAD THE
CHANCE TO CHANGE SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? IF I ASKED YOU TO PRESENT
IT YOURSELVES TO THE READERS, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?
Yes,the demo “Mind..Will..Action”
was recorded in April in 2003 at “GRM Studio” in Certaldo,a little town
near Florence.We didn’t have the help of a producer,because it was our
first work and we wanted to make it with our own hands:we thought that
it was too early to record it with a help that in the beginning everyone
could avoid.We think that the first work must be an honest and genuine
work,with its own feelings,its own fascinations and its own mistakes.The
only thing that sould be changed is the sound:it should be more aggressive
and powerful,to underline better the impact of the songs. Apart from the
music much care has also gone into the artwork, an 8-page booklet (with
lyrics and photographs) and a cd, printed professionally. We think
it’s a really good work:it contains 6 pieces lasting 29 minutes all together;29
minutes of quite good death metal.
3.WHICH ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW SONGS READY? CAN YOU GIVE US ANY INFO ON THIS SUBJECT?
Unfortunately we can’t say much
things about our future…We have already written some new songs and some
of them are already played in live settings:the response was very good;we
would record the follower of “Mind..Will..Action” (that will include
these new songs) in the end of 2004, maybe “under the lines” of a record
label…
4.YOUR ARTWORK IS WEIRD. IT'S A GATHERING
OF DIFFERENT PICTURES. A FEMALE EYE, A BARREN LAND, A
CHILD'S FACE AND SOME OTHER THINGS
I CAN'T FIGURE OUT. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SUGGEST WITH THIS?
It’s the interpretation of our
music through the imagination of Giacomo,our singer. While he was listening
to our songs he was sitting in front of a his pc…This weird image came
out like a game,but if you close your eyes listening our demo,it seems
that images like these in the cover sorround you…It is simply strange and
fantastic at the same time!!
5.WHERE ARE YOUR LYRICS REFERRING TO?
THEY MUST BE BASED ON HOW YOU SEE SOCIETY NOWADAYS. WHAT INSPIRES
YOU TO WRITE? HAVE YOU ARRIVED TO ANY CONCLUSION ON THE WAY HUMANS
BEHAVE AFTER ALL? THE LYRICS ON "ODE ON MELANCHOLY" WERE WRITTEN FROM SOMEONE
ELSE. DO YOU WANT TO TELL US WHO THIS PERSON IS AND WHAT INTRIGUED YOU
IN HIS LYRICS?
All the lyrics are written by our
guitarist,Stefano.They would be a strong criticism on the society nowdays.At
first reading you see only a little story of an hypotetical Armageddon
(“Mind..Will..Action” is a concept-album..). deeper,behind the lines you
can find hidden meanings of words and phrases.In it there are invections
against the world leaded only by money,against extremism in religion,against
all that inclines human nature to evil.It should be a reflection
of all these themes… The extreme conclusion is that evil nature of men
wins against good ambitions,dreams and honestly: it’s a pessimistic view,but
in this world we have to wait everything! “Ode on Melancholy” was written
in 1819 by a famous English poet named Keats and we wanted to included
it in the demo because of its themes:melancholy,obviously!!
6.YOU PARTICIPATED IN ATLANTIDA COMPILATION
VOLUME 22. WHAT DO YOU THINK A COMPILATION CAN OFFER TO A BAND? WHAT HAVE
YOU GAINED FROM THIS? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE BUYING
COMPILATION CDS? HOW WAS THE SONG "ODE ON MELANCHOLY" CHOSEN TO REPRESENT
YOU IN THIS COMPILATION?
Yes,we have participated in “Atlantida
Comp. Vol. 22”…We think that compilations in metal underground are a good
way to publish ourself: We have had a lot of mail from people that have
never listen to our music,and they said that “Ode on Melancholy” is a very
good song. We have chosen it because when we were asked to participate
in it,this was the song that was played countinuously in our hi-fi;only
this!!
7.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR LIVE SHOWS?
WHAT SHOULD THE METALLERS EXPECT FROM A DYSTHYMIA LIVE SHOW? DO YOU PLAY
ANY COVER SONGS? IF YES, WHICH ONES?
Yes,we have planned a little tour
with Adimiron,Enemyinside and Disguise:we will play toghether in Austria,Slovenia
and Croatia in the first days of March. The metallers have to expect a
lot of emotions like rage,hate,sadness but also love,happyness and frienship:we
play with our hearts our music,trying to send our feelings to the others.In
live shows we play often some covers of Death,Slayer and Carcass:in this
time the most played is Heartwork.
8.WHICH IS, ACCORDING TO YOU, THE BEST
AND WHICH THE WORST PART IN YOUR MUSIC? WHICH DO YOU THINK IS YOUR TRADEMARK
AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER TO THE SCENE?
Excuse us,but the answer at this
questions it’s yours:if you have any comments or suggestions please tell
us;we are the writers,but you are the audience,the most important part
is yours!!Apart from everything:I think that our trademark is the good
mix of different kinds of metal;the alchemy that comes out spread perfectly
our feelings…Yes,I think that the best thing in our music is the atmosphere
connected with impact.
9.ARE YOU SATISFIED BY THE FEEDBACK
YOU GOT THIS FAR? IS THERE A COMMON STATEMENT YOU READ IN ALMOST ALL THE
REVIEWS YOU RECEIVE? ARE YOU IN TOUCH WITH ANY RECORD LABEL?
Yes,we are very satisfied by the
reactions of the people who listen to our music..,but at the moment we
aren’t in touch with any record label…
10.YOU NAMED YOUR DEMO "MIND...WILL...ACTION".
WHY? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SUGGEST WITH IT? DO YOU WANT TO SAY THAT THIS
IS THE PROCEDURE FOLLOWED BY HUMANS? FIRST THEY USE THEIR MIND, THEN THEY
HAVE A WILL AND FINALLY THEY ACT? OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE?
You have seen the meaning of the
title very well,but don’t forget:mind,wills and actions are covered by
dark intentions (remember: evil nature of men wins against good ambitions,dreams
and honestly..).
11.WHICH WORDS DO YOU THINK COULD BEST
DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC?
12.IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT
WOULD IT BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
The emotions would be a feeble
hope suffocated by melancholy and the paint that I think would be the best
representation of it is our cover!!
13.IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET AN
IMPORTANT PERSONALITY (DEAD OR ALIVE), WHO WHAT THIS BE AND WHAT WOULD
YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?
Chuck Schuldiner..of course!!!The
only things that we would like to ask him is if he is aware of the fact
that he will be forever an idol and an example of good musician,man and
poet.Extreme metal could be very different without his words,his music;in
a word:his art!!!
14.LET'S SUPPOSE THAT WE LIVE IN A
WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN SUCH A CASE?
I don’t really know:after being
a musician we are all great fans of all kind of music.The music has the
power to give strenght and happyness to all people who listen to it.It’s
one of the most powerful and less lethal weapons in the world!!!
15.THE WAY, WHY DO YOU THINK THERE
ARE SO FEW WOMEN LISTENING TO METAL? WHAT DO YOU THINK REPELS THEM IN HIS
MUSIC?
We think that metal is often too
strong to be appreciated by women;most of them consider it only noise.
Metal is great poetry.
16.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK
YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?
Thank you for this interview and
for the attentions to DysthymiA. A big “hello,see you on stage!!” to all
of you.Please check out our web-site: www.dysthymia.it
For any contact: [email protected]
We are happy to collaborate with
you…
Thanks a lot again,”Behind the
Veil”!!!Stay Metal!!!
Christine Parastatidou
|