NIGHTRAGE
THIS
IS AN INTERVIEW WITH MARIOS THE X-GUITARIST OF THE FORMER EXHUMATION, ABOUT
HIS PLANS AND HIS NEW BAND.
1. FIRST OF ALL MAKE CLEAR TO THE
FANS THE REASONS OF EXHUMATION’S DISSOLUTION.
Marios : THE REASONS OF EXHUMATION’S
DISSOLUTION IS A DELICATE MATTER TO DISCUSS BUT IN SIMPLE WORDS I CAN SAY
THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AND ALL THESE EFFORTS AS A TEAM,
I FINALLY REALIZED THAT THE OTHER GUYS HAD OTHER PRIORITIES AND IT WAS
A MATTER OF SERIOUS DECISIONS FOR EACH ONE OF US. WHAT SHOULD EVERYONE
DO WITH HIS LIFE, SO THE OTHERS DECIDED TO QUIT PLAYING MUSIC. THEREFORE,
THIS MENT THE DISSOLUTION OF EXHUMATION. THE ONLY ONE LEFT THAT STILL HAS
THE DESIRE TO PLAY MUSIC IS ME.
2. YOU WERE A BAND WITH ASCENTING COURSE.DIDN’T
YOU HESITATE TO DECIDE YOUR DISSOLUTION? WITH YOUR DECISION YOU LEFT YOURSELF
HANGING ALONE IN THE BALANCE, STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING ONCE MORE.
M : THIS WAS THE BITTER REALITY
THAT FOLLOWED. I WAS VERY SAD CAUSE I HAD STRONG RELATIONS WITH THE BAND
BUT AFTER A CERTAIN POINT I REALIZED THAT MY AIM WAS TO PLAY MUSIC EVEN
IF I HAD TO DO THIS WITH SOME OTHER GUYS, SO I DECIDED TO MAKE MY OWN BAND,
WHERE I COULD MAKE MY VISION REAL.
3. WHEN YOU SAY YOUR OWN BAND WHAT
DO YOU MEAN? WHAT WAS GOING ON IN EXHUMATION?
M : EXHUMATION TOOK DECISIONS IN
A DEMOCRATIC WAY. THE THREE OF US, ME, JOHN AND PANAGIOTIS WROTE THE MUSIC.
WE DIDN’T HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS, EXCEPT FOR SOME ARGUES WE HAD SOMETIMES
WHEN WE WROTE THE SONGS, WHICH WERE RATIONAL AND EXPECTABLE. USUALLY WE
COULD FIND SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE THAT MADE ALL OF US HAPPY, BUT NOW I
WANT TO DO THINGS MY WAY. I HAVE SOME MORE AIMS, A BIG TOUR, A BIGGER APPROVAL
FROM THE FANS. I WANT TO MOVE AND RUN, CAUSE I LIVE FOR MUSIC.
4. YOU HAVE PREPARED A DEMO CD WITH
5 SONGS. WHY DID YOU MAKE IT? WILL YOU GIVE IT TO SOME RECORD LABELS OR
YOU’ VE DONE IT FOR PERSONAL USE, TO HAVE AN IDEA, I MEAN, HOW YOUR NEW
WORK WILL SOUND?
M: IT’S A PROMO CD
ONLY FOR THE RECORD LABELS. I’LL SEND IT TO SOME LABELS TO SEE THEIR REACTIONS.
SO FAR THERE IS A COMPANY, THAT I THINK THAT’ LL SHOW SOME INTEREST, CAUSE
AFTER ALL THE PROMO CD WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A VERY GOOD VIDEOCLIP.
5. DO YOU WRITE THE MUSIC EXCLUSIVELY
OR THE OTHER MEMBERS ALSO HELP?
M:THE MUSIC IS EXCLUSIVELY MINE,
EXCEPT FOR SOME THEMES THAT KOSTAS, GAS G, HELPS ME OUT. KOSTAS IS A VERY
GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
6. IS NIGHTRAGE’S LINE-UP STABLE AND
CERTAIN?IF SO INTRODUCE US THE MEMBERS.
M: SO FAR IN THE BAND IT’S ONLY
ME AND KOSTAS THAT HELPS ME AS A SESSION MEMBER, BUT I BELIEVE THAT HE’LL
PLAY AND DO THE VOCALS IN THE ALBUM TOO. MY AIM IS TO MAKE A STRONG LINE-UP
THAT’S WHY I AM MOVING TO SWEDEN TO FIND A DRUMMER AND A BASS PLAYER.
7. THE NAME OF THE BAND IS NIGHTRAGE.
WAS IT YOUR DECISION? HOW DID YOU THINK OF IT AND CHOSE IT? CAN YOU TELL
US SOME MORE NAMES YOU HAVE ALSO THOUGHT OF?
M: BASICALLY, WAS MINE AND KOSTAS
DECISION. I HAD MENTIONED THE NAME TRAUMATICON. I WANTED IT TO SHOW AS
A CONTINUANCE OF EXHUMATION, CAUSE I LOVED THAT BAND AND I DIDN’T WANT
THE FANS OF THE BAND TO THINK THAT THE MUSICAL VISIONS WERE LOST. SO IN
THAT WAY I WANTED TO SHOW THEM THAT I CONTINUE EXHUMATION. WE DECIDED TO
TAKE THE TITLE OF A SONG FROM OUR LAST ALBUM, TRAUMATICON, NIGHTRAGE AND
MAKE IT THE NAME OF THE BAND.
8. WHO WRITES THE LYRICS? DID YOU TAKE
UP THIS FIELD TOO? WHERE ARE THE LYRICS REFERING TO?
M: I WRITE THE LYRICS TOO AND IT’S
THE FIRST TIME I DO THAT, CAUSE THEY REFER TO PERSONAL MATTERS, IN THE
WAY I SEE THE WORLD, SITUATIONS I HAVE FACED…
9. GIVE US A SMALL IDEA HOW YOUR NEW
WORK WILL SOUND.
M : IT’LL BE A MIXTURE OF ALL THE
INFLUENCES I HAD DRAINED ALL THESE YEARS AS A METAL FAN AND A MUSICIAN.
IT’LL HAVE ELEMENTS FROM THIN LIZZY’S HARD ROCK UP TO IRON MAIDEN’S HEAVY
METAL AMONG WITH DEATH AND BLACK METAL INFLUENCES. IT’LL BE A MIXTURE OF
ALL THE GOOD ELEMENTS OF HEAVY METAL.
10. DO YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT
DOESN’T FOLLOW THE EVOLUTION IT’S DOOMED TO DIE? UP TO WHICH POINT CAN
EVOLUTION REACH? DOES MUSIC HAVE LIMITATIONS?
M : MUSIC DOESN’T HAVE LIMITATIONS,
BUT METAL HAS A SPECIFIC CORE OF FANS THAT LISTEN TO IT. THESE GUYS WANT
TO GET SOMETHING SPECIFIC FROM THE BANDS. I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT A BAND
MUST PLAY ALWAYS THE SAME THEMES, BUT PROGRESS MUST HAPPEN SLOWLY, SO THAT
IT WON’T SHOW AS A COMPLETE CHANGE OF THE MUSICAL STYLE OF THE BAND.
11. YOU HAVE RECORDED WITH EXHUMATION
AT FREDMAN STUDIOS IN SWEDEN AND YOU WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS.
WILL YOU RECORD THERE AGAIN OR WOULD YOU CHOOSE ANOTHER STUDIO, WHICH WOULD
GIVE YOU A FRESH AIR IN THE PRODUCTION, BEING AFRAID OF THOSE THAT WOULD
MISJUDGE YOU? THOSE WHO WOULD COME AND SAY THAT YOU CHOSE THE EASY WAY
AND THAT YOU CAN’T GET AWAY FROM YOUR PREVIOUS BAND?
M : THIS ISN’T TRUE, CAUSE I WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAVE RECORDED BEFORE IN FREDMAN STUDIOS WITH FREDRIK
NORDSTROM WHO IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP
AND HE KNOWS WHAT I WANT. I THINK THAT THE FIRST NIGHTRAGE ALBUM WILL BE
RECORDED THERE AND ALL THOSE WHO WOULD SAY ANYTHING BAD ARE ONLY BEING
MALICIOUS.
12. WILL ANY TOTHER MUSICIANS HELP
YOU DURING THE RECORDINGS EXCEPT FOR YOUR CURRENT LINE-UP?WILL IT BE A
CO-OPERATION?
M : THERE IS A THOUGHT TO WRITE
2-3 SONGS WITH JESPER STROMBLAND FROM IN FLAMES. HE HAS MADE THIS SUGGESTION
AND I THINK THAT IT’LL HAPPEN SOMEDAY WHEN I GET TO SWEDEN.
13. YOU COME FROM A COUNTRY WITH SMALL
METAL SCENE. DOES THIS CREATE ANY PROBLEMS? DO THE RECORD LABELS WANT TO
SIGN GREEK BANDS OR DO THEY FACE YOU WITH SKEPTICISM AND CRITISISM? DO
YOU BELIEVE THAT MOVING TO SWEDEN WILL FREE THE WAY AND GIVE YOU MORE CHANCES?
M : I THINK THAT GREECE HAS A GOOD
SCENE. THERE ARE BANDS THAT TRY BUT I DON’T THINK THAT THEY TRY HARD ENOUGH.
I MEAN THAT THERE ARE ONLY 2-3 BANDS THAT ARE PROFESSIONAL. AFTER A CERTAIN
POINT THERE IS A PROBLEM OF ORGANIZEMENT IN THE BANDS. MAYBE THEY DON’T
LOVE THAT MUCH WHAT THEY DO AND DUMP IT EASILY. I THINK THAT THE RECORD
LABELS IARE INTERESTED IN GREEK BANDS THAT BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES. IF A
COMPANY SEES THAT A BAND HAS BIG POTENTIAL, WANTS TO HELP IT. BE SURE ABOUT
THAT. EVERYONE WHO REALLY BELIEVES IN WHAT HE/SHE IS DOING WILL SOMEDAY
BE REWARDED.
14. FOR YOU SWEDEN IS THE COUNTRY THAT’LL
MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE BUT IF THE VISION FAILS AND ENTHOUSIASM WILL
BE FOLLOWED BY BITTERNESS AND DISAPPOINTMENT? WHAT WILL YOU DO THEN?
M :CERTAINLY THINGS WON’T BE EASY
THERE. WE’LL FACE MANY PROBLEMS…
15. SUCH AS?
M : WELL FIRST OF ALL SURVIVAL.
MAYBE I WON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE, MAYBE I WON’T BE ABLE TO FIND
A PLACE TO STAY, CAUSE LIFE THERE IS TOO EXPENSIVE. THE REASON I AM GOING
THERE IS TO FIND PROFESSIONALS THAT PRACTISE THEIR INSTRUMENT AND THAT
LOVE WHAT THEY ARE DOING. I AM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED FROM ALL THESE SITUATIONS
I LIVED AND I WANT TO MAKE A NEW BEGINNING.
16. DO YOU THINK THAT ATTITUDE HAS
ITS PLACE IN METAL? THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN WAYS TO BEHAVE? IF SO DO YOU
THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE?
M: I THINK THAT IT’S A BIG LIE
ALL THESE THAT SOME PEOPLE SAY ABOUT METALHEADS, THAT THEY ARE EVIL PEOPLE,
CAUSE THEY HAVE LONG HAIR AND EARRINGS. THAT THEY ARE VAGABONDS AND THEREFORE,
NOT GOOD PEOPLE. THAT’S A HUGE LIE. THERE ARE MANY GOOD CHARACTERS WITHIN
THE METAL COMMUNITY.
17. DO YOU THINK THAT ALL THIS MEANANCE
THAT SOME BANDS DRIVE FORWARD, SELLS? IS IT UNTRUE? WHERE DO YOU THINK
ALL THESE HAVE STARTED FROM?
M : THESE ALL HAVE STARTED FROM
SOME PEOPLE THAT PLAY MUSIC ONLY FOR EARNING MONEY. SOMEONE THAT TRULY
LOVES MUSIC WON’T TRY TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO EXPRESS AND DRIVE HIS WORK
FORWARD, BUT MUSIC BY ITSELF IS ENOUGH FOR HIM TO PROVE HIS TALENT. TO
TRY TO COMMUNICATE. THAT’S THE WHOLE MATTER, COMMUNICATION WITH THE PEOPLE.
18. YOU HAVE ALREADY SHOT A VIDEOCLIP
FOR A NEW SONG. WILL YOU DO SOME MORE?
M : THIS VIDEOCLIP WAS A SURPRISE
EVEN FOR ME. I DIDN’T EXPECT IT. MUCH MONEY WAS GIVEN FOR IT, IT’S A HIGH
BUDGET VIDEOCLIP SHOT WITH TWO PROFESSIONAL VIDEOCAMERAS, WITH GREAT OPTICAL
QUALITY AND I THINK THAT IT’LL BE THE KEY FOR ME TO HELP ME EARN A GOOD
CONTRACT.
19. WHY WAS IT A SURPRISE FOR YOU?
WHO PROPOSED IT TO YOU?
M : A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, SOFIA,
PROPOSED ME THAT. HER BOYFRIEND, JOHN NIKOLAIDIS, HAS A VERY GOOD COMPANY
IN SWEDEN, NAMED ICON. I SAW THE WORK HE HAS DONE FOR NEMESIS FROM KAVALA
CITY AND I LIKED IT, SO I FOUND IT GOOD TO MAKE A VIDEOCLIP TO DRIVE MY
WORK FORWARD.
20. THINK OF ALL THE SONGS YOU HAVE
WRITTEN FOR NIGHTRAGE AND EXHUMATION. WHICH ONES WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE
YOURSELF KNOWN IN THE CROWD?
M : I WOULD CHOOSE THE SONGS I’VE
WRITTEN FOR NIGHTRAGE, CAUSE I THINK THAT THERE IS A BIG ENTHOUSIASM IN
THE NEW MATERIAL AND THAT’S OBVIOUS. YES, I THINK I’D CHOOSE NIGHTRAGE’S
SONGS.
21. AFTER THE RECORDINGS ARE OVER AND
IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL WOULD YOU LIKE TO TOUR AROUND THE WORLD? ARE THERE
ANY COUNTRIES YOU’D DESPERATELY WANT TO PERFORM LIVE, CAUSE OF THE REACTIONS
OF THE FANS BEING REALLY ENTHOUSIASTIC AND WARM?
M: CERTAINLY, THAT’S ANOTHER AIM
I WANT TO ACHIEVE. IT’S MY DREAM EVER SINCE I PLAY MUSIC BUT IT’S ALSO
A MATTER OF THE RECORD LABEL. IF THE COMPANY CAN GET YOU OUT ON TOUR IT’’LL
HAPPEN. I WANT TO PLAY EVERYWHERE BUT EXPECIALLY GREECE FOR ALL THESE GUYS
THAT LIKED EXHUMATION AND NEVER GOT TO SEE THEM PERFORM LIVE. THERE IS
A CHANCE THAT NIGHTRAGE WILL PLAY SOME EXHUMATION SONGS AS WELL, FOR THOSE
WHO REALLY WANT TO.
22. YOU ARE WORKING IN AN EVERYDAY
JOB SO YOU CAN BE ABLE TO LIVE. WOULD YOU WANT SOMEDAY TO LIVE FROM YOUR
MUSIC? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS WOULD MAKE YOU FACE MUSIC ONLY AS A WAY
OF MAKING MONEY AND, THUS, BECOME PART OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
M: I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT FIRST
OF ALL I AM A METAL FAN AND THEN A MUSICIAN. IT'’S THE BEST FOR A MUSICIAN
TO BE ABLE TO LIVE FROM HIS MUSIC, SO HE’LL BE ABLE TO DEDICATE MORE TIME
TO IT. THAT’S THE BEST BUT THERE ARE MANY GUYS WHO PLAY MUSIC ONLY FOR
MAKING MONEY AND THAT’S BAD, CAUSE THEY GIVE US ALL A BAD NAME. REGARDING
ME I PLAY MUSIC BECAUSE I LOVE MUSIC.
23. MENTION SOME NEW RELEASES YOU HEARD
AND LIKED.
M : I LIKED NEVERMORE’S LATEST
CD. I THINK IT’S VERY GOOD. FROM THE THRASH GENRE I LIKED CARNAL FORGE
FROM SWEDEN, THEY ARE VERY GOOD. ANNIHILATOR I THINK WILL RELEASE A VERY
GOOD ALBUM, SO I AM WAITING ANXIOUSLY.
24. TELL ME YOUR MEMORIES FROM YOUR
CO-OPERATION WITH HOLY RECORDS.
M: I THINK THAT WE STARTED
OUR CO-OPERATION WITH HOLY VERY GOOD. WE WERE VERY ENTHOUSIASTIC, THEY
HAD PROMISED US MANY THINGS, THROUGH TIME, THOUGH, I REALIZED THAT UNFORTUNATELY
IT WAS A SMALL COMPANY AND COULDN’T DO WHAT IT PROMISED. I CAN SAY THAT
FROM A POINT ON I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH OUR CO-OPERATION BUT I DON’T BLAME
THEM. NO HARD FEELINGS. THEY DID THE BEST THEY COULD. THEY DID SOME GOOD
THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN “DANCE ACROSS THE PAST” ALBUM. THEY PUSHED IT INTO
MARKET, THAT’S WHY IT SOLD MANY MORE COPIES THAN THE PREVIOUS. THEY ACHIEVED
TO GET US A LISENCE IN JAPAN AND THEY LOOKED AFTER THE LAY OUT OF THE CD’S.
THEY WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL IN THIS AREA, REMEMBER THE CROSS SHAPED CD.
25. CAN YOU PICK OUT SOME PEOPLE FROM
THE GREEK METAL SCENE AS MUSICIANS AND AS HUMAN BEINGS AS WELL?
M : I PICK OUT SAKIS FROM ROTTING
CHRIST, WHO IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND BESIDES THAT EH IS A VERY
GOOD MUSICIAN TOO. I THINK THAT HE AND HIS BAND MAKE A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR
THE REST GREEK BANDS TO FOLLOW.
26. SOME GUYS FROM THE METAL SCENE
OF THESSALONIKI?
M : FROM THE METAL SCENE
OF THESSALONIKI I WOULD PICK OUT BREAKING SILENCE WITH GEORGE ON VOCALS,
A VERY NICE GUY AND GOOD FRIEND. DINOS FROM LESS THAN HUMAN, WHO ARE A
VERY GOOD BAND AND SOME BANDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND SUCH AS HOMO IRATUS,
WHO ARE WORKING PROFESSIONALLY AND I AM GLAD FOR THEM AND ALSO PSYCHO CHOKE.
THESE ARE THE BANDS I CAN PICK OUT AT THE MOMENT.
27. THE LAST WORDS BELONG TO YOU.
SEND A MESSAGE TO THE READERS OF THE NEW MAGAZINE BEHIND THE VEIL.
M: I THANK BEHIND THE VEIL VERY
MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW. IT WAS MY HONOUR AND PLEASE EXPECT NEWS FROM NIGHTRAGE
SOON, CAUSE WE WORK REALLY HARD. I HOPE THAT YOU’LL LIKE OUR UPCOMING ALBUM.
THANK YOU ALL!!! FOR
BAND CONTACT SEND YOUR EMAILS TO: [email protected]
Christine Parastatidou
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