RELEASING THE PLAGUE!!!

NATTAS

NATTAS FROM SWEDEN PLAY OLD FASHIONED BLACK METAL IN THE VEINS OF VENOM. I THINKS THIS IS THE WAY THAT BLACK METAL SHOULD SOUND. BY THE WAY THEY ARE NOT ANOTHER RETRO-METAL BAND, BECAUSE THEY PLAY THEIR MUSIC WITH THEIR OWN REFRESHING STYLE. IT'S PITTY THAT SUCH A BAND HASN'T A LABEL CONTRACT YET!

1.BRIEF US ON THE BAND HISTORY. HOW WAS IT CREATED? WHAT DID YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH NATTAS? WHICH ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN THE BAND'S LIFE SO FAR?

NATTAS was created as an answer, and sort of a tribute, to VENOM. It was like a revelation to hear those first recordings. They were a true source of inspiration, and still are actually. We wanted to create real angry metal with an attitude, and I think we´ve achieved that goal. Most significant moments? I think THE most important event was the recreation of NATTAS in –99, and the fact that we after just two months got the chance to play at a large festival with, among others, ENTOMBED.

2.NATTAS?!? WHAT DOES THIS NAME MEAN, MAYBE SATTAN? BUT, THE WHY THE DOUBLE T?HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IS THE CORRECT CHOICE OF A NAME?

Yeah! Satan is involved here. At the time we got the name it was really hip to do those ”backward messages”, so what would be the most obvious to do? Satan of course! The double-T got there because it made a better logo… Luckily, I might add now, since there is another band called NATAS nowadays. The name is important because I think you can understand quite well what a band is all about when you hear it. There´s not a chance in Hell anyone would believe CANNIBAL CORPSE played eurodisco.

3.HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC? I THINK THAT YOU SOUND CLOSE TO BANDS LIKE SACRAMENTUM AND DISSECTION? DO YOU AGREE OR NOT?

I can agree to a certain point, as far as it comes to energy and aggression, but musically I think we are more ´80-s inspired, more midtempo, more groove and, embarassingly enough, more Rock´n´Roll!

4.'TILL NOW YOU HAVE RECORDED THREE DEMOS : CAN YOU TELL ME WHICH ARE THE DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES?

Well, the first one, AXIOM, has got the most diverse sound of them. I don´t think there are two songs with the same sound and that can totally destroy the whole experience of listening to it. The songs are, in my opinion brilliant of course. BORN IN FLAMES, as the next one was named, is a strange piece of work. It is darker, more depressing and our ”signature” Black Gods is on it, still I don´t feel to comfortable listening to it today. CAST was recorded with new guitarist Darkwing, and we rushed a little to get it out since we really believed we had something to prove. It has the best sound so far and obviously more people liked it since the song Hatred was picked for a compilation released by german label Majestic Union and (Open) the Gates will appear on a an italian compilation soon too… The similarities are of course that they are all great, in their own way, and is definitely worth a purchase!

5.WHAT ARE THE LYRICS TALKING ABOUT? WHAT GIVES YOU INSPIRATION?

Mainly the lyrics deal with the darker sides of life (or death). Inspiration can come from so many things. I think the most underrated way of being inspired is just to take a look a the news one day…

6.HOW DO YOU COMPOSE YOUR MUSIC? ARE THERE SOME SPECIFIC STEPS YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW?

No, there´s not. We have tried it all I think, but most of the times someone comes up with a riff or an idea for a song, and then the whole band takes it from there.

7.WHAT KIND OF FEELINGS DO YOU HAVE WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR MUSIC?

It is definitely one of the things in life that gives you the most satisfaction! When everything sounds the way it´s supposed to do, or you are in front of an audience banging their heads… It´s just great!

8.WHAT'S THAT THING THAT MADE YOU STICK WITH THIS MUSIC WHEN YOU FIRST LISTENED TO IT? WHICH ARE THE NEGATIVE THINGS OF THIS MUSIC?

The energy! The rush you can get from music can probably never be stronger than the rush from true Metal! The negative things, I guess, is that it is quite hard to get the recognition you ´re worth when you play Black Metal. It´s easier to become a prominent musician if you play Jazz, whether or not you can actually play!

9.WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THOSE WHO ACCUSING YOUR KIND OF MUSIC,THAT IT IS POWER METAL WITH BRUTAL VOCALS?

Ha-ha-ha! So be it! The thing is that we call ourself a Black metal-band, but a lot of people are having a hard time understanding that. They think BM is supposed to sound either the norwegian way or the CRADLE OF FILTH-way. Listen to the Godfathers of Black Metal, VENOM, Goddammit, is what I have to say! We do sound a bit more ”Power” these days though since we did that guitaristchange. Darkwing has a dark past indeed. He once played support-act to EUROPE!

10.NOW, WHILE ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS WHAT OTHER THOUGHTS DWELL IN YOUR MINDS?

I think of the importance of fanzines and E-zines to the underground metalscene. I think you are doing a great job of promoting bands and true dedication is well worth applauding. So here´s one for you!

11.MANY EXTREME METAL BANDS EXPRESS RACISTIC IDEOLOGIES. WHICH ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? BLACK METAL WAS CHASED A LOT IN THE PAST. SHOULDN'T THIS MAKE THE BANDS AND THE FANS MORE SENSITIVE IN SUCH MATTERS?

I think since Black Metal is such an extreme artform, it attracts some extreme individuals as well. For us it would be plain stupid to have any negative racial opinions in the band since we´ve got one greek, one half-norwegian, one fullblood swede and one man from Poland. We really are set for the international stage, don´t you think?

12.CAN YOU DESCRIBE US A TYPICAL NATTAS LIVE SHOW?

Well, there haven´t been that many lately, since we don´t have a real live-scene in Sweden. There aren´t that many places to gig at. But what has been significant are the explosives. At one point (the festival mentioned earlier) we almost burnt down a circus-tent, and at another gig it took nearly ten minutes before the audience could see us again after the intro-effects. They had an extremely bad ventilation-system there I have to add. There are plans for a smaller european tour this fall, but I think we´ll just have to rely on our music then. The customs don´t like explosives I have heard. That will not be a problem though, since the songs are powerful enough to ensure a great performance. Our vocalist is quite insane too, so…

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

Why?

14. WHICH ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? HAVE YOU FOUND A LABEL? ARE YOU GOING TO RELEASE A FULL LENGTH ALBUM?

We are still without a label! We have a promotion agency: Dragonia Promotions from Poland, and they are doing what they can to make sure people will hear of NATTAS. Our goal is of course to release a full-lenghter in a nearby future. Hopefully some label will realize that we are what they have been missing in their catalogue and decides to put some effort into us.

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

No, I think you´ve covered most of the NATTAS-queries that may exist. Maybe I should mention the full line-up of the band? There´s Mickey on vocals, Helvetet on drums, Darkwing on the guitar and me, Ed, on the fourstringed fear: The bass! And now, teach everybody the NATTAS-slogan: Release the Plague!

NIKOS "William_Kidd" PARASTATIDIS

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