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REFLECTION is one of the few bands
that I know,who haven't given up playing the music that they love. And
what do they like to play you might ask? Epic heavy metal from the heart.
I think that you should read this interview, because REFLECTION are veterans
of the greek metal scene, and they speak words of experience aknowledging
the positives and the negatives of our scene.
1.GIVE US A SHORT BIOGRAPHY
OF THE BAND. INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS.
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REFLECTION WAS FORMED BACK IN 1991
BY STATHIS PAVLANDIS (GUITARS), JOHN TOLAKIS(BASS), CHRIS KAPPAS (VOCALS),
AND JIM PANOKOSTAS (DRUMS). AFTER 10 YEARS OF SERVING THE PATHS OF EPIC
HEAVY METAL AND WITH THE NEW LINE UP BEING HERE FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS (GEORGE
PAVLANDIS - DRUMS, JOHN PSARAKIS - GUITARS, STATHIS PAVLANDIS - GUITARS,
JOHN TOLAKIS - BASS, CHRIS KAPPAS - VOCALS), THE BAND IS STRONGER THAN
EVER. FROM THE EARLY ATTEMPTS OF “BEFORE THE END” (JAN/1992) AND THE VERY
SUCCESSFUL “WHEN IMMORTALS…DIE!” (FEB/1993) DEMO TAPES, TO THE 3 TIMES
SOLD OUT “SIRE OF THE STORM” 7” E.P. SINGLE (MAR/1995) WITH DARK SIDE RECORDS,
“THE FIRE STILL BURNS” CD (JAN/1999) AND THE NEWLY RELEASED SPLIT CD SINGLE
“REALM OF THE NIGHT” WITH INNER WISH (NCM MUSIC, MAR/2001) AND “THE FIRE
STILL BURNS – 2001 EDITION” (APR/2001) BY SECRET PORT RECORDS, REFLECTION
HAVE PASSED THE TEST OF TIME AND PROVEN THAT THERE IS STILL A CHANCE FOR
EPIC HEAVY METAL.
2.COULD YOU EXPLAIN US HOW YOU CHOSE
THIS BAND NAME AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY WITH IT?
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THIS NAME WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE WE WOULD
LIKE TO REFLECT OUSELVES THROUGH OUR MUSIC. IT IS ALSO A VERY EASY NAME
TO PRONOUNCE AND REMEMBER THUS IT WAS NOT VERY DIFFICULT TO CHOSE IT. BUT
THIS IS ALL ANCIENT HISTOTY!!!
3.TELL US A FEW THINGS REGARDING THE
RE-RELEASES OF YOUR PREVIOUS DEMOS.
WHAT WORKS HAVE YOU DONE? HAVE
YOU JUST REMIXED THEM OR HAVE YOU CHANGED SOME THINGS? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE
TO DO THAT INSTEAD OF RELEASING SOME NEW MATERIAL?
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FIRST OF ALL THERE IS NOT A RERELEASE
OF OUR PREVIOUS DEMOS. THE DEMOS IS NOT OFFICIAL DISCOGRAPHY. LET ME INFORM
YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. BACK IN 1996 AND AFTER THE VERY SUCCESFUL PATH
OF "THE SIRE OF THE STORM" 7''(1995), WE DECIDED TO RECORD OUR FIRST ALBUM.
WE RECORDED A PROMO TAPE FOR LABELS BUT NOBODY WAS INTERESTED. THEREFORE
WE DECIDED TO RECORD A PART OF IT (WITH OLD AND NEW SONGS) AND RELEASE
IT BY OURSELVES. THAT WAS OUR FIRST ALBUM "THE FIRE STILL BURNS" IN 1999.
AT THE APRIL OF 2001 AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE RELEASE OF OUR SPLIT
CD SINGLE WITH OUR FRIENDS INNER WISH, "SECRET PORT RECORDS" OFFERED US
A CONTRACT FOR THE RERELEASE OF THE FIRE STILL BURNS. WE THOUGHT THAT IT
WOULD BE A BETTER IDEA TO RERECORD ALL THE OLD SONGS (FROM THE PROMO),
ADD A MUCH BETTER COVER, PHOTOS, LYRICS AND OF COURSE MUCH BETTER SOUND
AND GIVE IT AS A PRESENT TO OUR FANS. ANYWAY THE NEW MATERIAL IS ON THE
WAY ...
4.WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT?
FANTASY OR REAL LIFE STORIES?
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OUR SONGS DEAL WITH HELLENIC HISTORY
AND MYTHOLOGY (MOST OF THEM). I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT FANTASY OR MYTHOLOGY
IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNREAL. I AM POSITIVE THAT ALL THESE STORIES HAVE
A REAL BACKGROUND BUT HAVE CHANGED THROUGH TIME TO LEGENDS OR TALES.
5.YOUR NEXT ALBUM WILL BE A CONCEPT
BASED IN HOMER'S ODDYSEY. HOW HAVE YOU DECIDED THAT AND DO YOU THINK IT'S
EASY SUCH A HUGE, CLASSICAL SAGA TO BE INCLUDED IN ITS WHOLE IN ONE CD?
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IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK ... THATS FOR
SURE!!! BUT WE WORK FOR THIS ALBUM COMPOSING NEW MATERIAL FORM 1995! IT'S
NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DID IN ONLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT IS AN IDEA THAT
WE HAVE BEEN WORKNING MANY YEARS NOW AND WE WILL RESPECT THE GREATEST EPIC
EVER.
6.HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS? DO
YOU LIKE PERFORMING LIVE?
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OF COURSE WE LIKE PLAYING LIVE. THIS
IS THE REAL MOMENT OF TRUTH. IN THE STUDIO YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU LIKE
BUT IN THE CONCERTS ... IT IS THE BAND AND THE PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT HEAVY
METAL IS ABOUT. PURE FUN. I SEE NEW BANDS PLAY A TYPICAL 70 MINUTES SHOW
WHILE ALL THE OLD "MONSTERS" OF HEAVY METAL (SCORPIONS, URIAH HEEP, ETC)
STILL KICK ASSES ON STAGE AND PERFORM 2 HOURS SHOWS. LIVE IS EQUAL TO HEAVY
METAL.
7.WHICH ARE THE AIMS YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE
THROUGH YOUR MUSIC?
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FIRST OF ALL WE PLAY MUSIC BECAUSE
WE ARE ALL GOOD FRIENDS (WE ARE MANY YEARS TOGETHER). WE LIKE WHAT WE DO
AND WE HAVE FUN PLAYING LIVE OR RECORDING OUR ALBUMS. WE ARE NOT GOING
TO BE ROCK STARS (THIS ERA IS OVER FOR MANY MANY YEARS), AND WE KNOW IT.
WE JUST LIKE PALYING. IT IS OUR LIFE AND MORE THAN THAT.
8.WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN'T
ABLE TO COMPOSE MUSIC?
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I DO NOT KNOW ... MAYBE WE WOULD MAKE
PORNO FILMS!!! SERIOUSLY IT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD NOT LIKE TO THINK ABOUT!!!
9.WHICH SONG OF YOURS DO YOU THINK
IS THE MOST IDEAL TO REPRESENT YOUR
MUSIC?
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IF YOU ASK 10 PEOPLE THEY WILL ALL
SAY A DIFFERENT SONG. I BELIEVE THAT OUR MOST REPRESENTATIVE SONG IS "WHEN
IMMORTALS ... DIE!". IT IS SOMETHING LIKE A HIT FOR US AS IT IS ALWAYS
THE LAST SONG TO OUR CONCERTS. IT IS THE SONG THAT EVERYBODY RECOGNISES.
10.WHICH ARE YOUR INFLUENCES? WHICH
GREEK METAL BANDS TO YOU LIKE AND YOU THINK THAT HAVE THE ABLILITY AND
DESERVE A WORLDWIDE CAREER?
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OUR MAIN INFLUENCE AS A BAND ARE THE
MIGHTY "WARLORD". WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT OUR MUSIC HAS ELEMENTS FROM "SOLITUDE
AETURNUS" AND OF COURSE "CANDLEMASS", "MANOWAR", ETC. WE ALSO LIKE SCORPIONS,
TEN, PRAYING MANTIS, BOB CATLEY, FAIR WAIRNING, MALMSTEEN, TALISMAN, TAKARA,
WASP, TWISTED SISTER, IRON MAIDEN, AND MANY OTHERS. FROM THE HELLENIC SCENE
THERE ARE MANY GOOD BANDS LIKE SARISSA, MYSTERY, POWERCRUE, INNER WISH,
DREAM WEAVER, AND THE YOUNG BLOOD LIKE RAGING STORM, BATTLEROAR, LOST FATE,
SACRED OUTCRY, ETC.
11.WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE
GREEK METAL SCENE? DO YOU THINK THAT IF YOU WERE FROM A NORTH COUNTRY THINGS
WOULD BE BETTER FOR YOU? CAUSE WE KNOW THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT GREECE
HAS A HUGE UNDERGROUND METAL SCENE THERE ARE VERY FEW BANDS THAT BECAME
POPULAR. SO WHY DO YOU THINK THAT MORE AND MORE GUYS START THEIR OWN BANDS
AND TRY TO SUCCEED? WHAT HAS THE GREEK METAL SCENE TO OFFER?
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THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THE HELLENIC
BANDS IS THAT EVERYBODY THINKS THAT IS SUPER STAR. ONLY A FEW BANDS WORK
HARD WHILE MOST OF THEM WAIT FOR THE "BIG" DEAL WITH A RECORD LABEL. YOU
MUST WORK HARD TO SUCCEED, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO. ALL THE YOUNG
BANDS COMPLAIN ABOUT MONEY (FOR RECORDINGS, OR BUYING NEW MUSIC MATTERIAL,
ETC) BUT WHEN THE NIGHT COMES THEY ALL GO OUT TO BARS AND CLUBS SPENDING
A LOT OF MONEY!!! YOU CAN NOT DO BOTH! YOU HAVE TO GO WITHOUT SOME THINGS
IF YOU WANT TO DO SOME OTHER. ON THE OTHER HAND THE FANS ARE FEW. WE ALL
SAY WHAT A GREAT SCENE WE HAVE AND OUR BANDS HAVE NOTING TO ENVY ABOUT
THE FOREIGN BANDS BUT NO ONE GOES TO CONCERTS, NOONE BUYS CDs OR DEMOS!
HOW CAN A BAND SUCCEED WITHOUT THE FANS? OUR SCENE HAS A LOT TO OFFER BUT
ONLY UNDER SOME CONDITIONS.
12.DO YOU LIKE READING BOOKS? WHICH
IS YOUR MOST BELOVED BOOK AND AUTHOR?
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I USED TO READ MANY BOOKS BUT UNFORTUNATELLY
I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME RIGHT NOW DUE TO MY JOB. BUT WHEN I HAVE TIME I
TRY TO READ. MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR IS STEPHEN KING. I LOVE CARRIE AND THE
DEAD ZONE. I ALSO LIKE MICHAEL MOORCOCK AND THE ELRIC BOOKS. BUT MY FAVOURITE
BOOK(S) IS THE HOBBIT/THE LORD OF THE RINGS. THIS IS A MASTERPIECE. (HOMER'S
ODYSSEY AND ILIAD ARE NOT COUNTED BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!)
13.IF YOUR MUSIC WAS AN EMOTION, WHAT
EMOTION WOULD IT BE?
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MUSIC IS AN EMOTION!!! NO OTHER COMMENT!
14. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE
POLITICAL SITUATION DEVELOPED NOW
WORLDWIDE, AFTER THOSE TERRORIST
ATTACKS IN THE U.S.A?
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IT IS VERY SAD THAT MANY PEOPLE DIED
BUT IT IS VERY NATURAL WHEN YOU PUSH A SITUATION, SOMETIME IT WILL EXPLODE!
I DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING OUT OF OUR HANDS.
15.WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMPOSE THE SOUNDTRACK
FOR A MOVIE? WHICH MOVIE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
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"THE RETURN OF THE KILLER TOMATOES"!!!
THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE FILMS ALONG WITH "BRAINDEAD". BUT SERIOUSLY
IT IS NOT AN EASY TASK TO COMPOSE A SOUNDTRACK. I WILL NOT SAY WHAT SOUNDTRACK
WE WILL LIKE TO COMPOSE BUT I WILL TELL YOU OUR FAVOURITE AND THAT IS "CONAN"
BY BASIL POLEDOURIS.
16.YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE ONE
THING IN THE WORLD. WHAT WOULD THAT BE AND WHY?
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PEACE AND HEALTH FOR EVERYBODY. BECAUSE
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE BOTH OF THEM YOU CAN NOT DO ANYTHING (NOT EVEN MUSIC).
17.IS THERE ANYTHING I FORGOT TO ASK
YOU AND YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? A QUESTION
THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ANSWER AND SO
FAR NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED YOU?
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YES!!! WHAT IS THE KIND OF WOMEN WE
LIKE, AND WHAT IS OUR FAVOURITE FOODS!!! BUT I LEAVE IT FOR A FUTURE INTERVIEW!!!
18.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW!
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WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE
INTERVIEW, AND WISH YOU GOOD LUCK FOR YOUR ZINE.
| NIKOS "William_Kidd" PARASTATIDIS |