Metal-Rules.com: Hello, how are you? First of all, congratulations on your last official album album “Eidolon” which was released one year ago and on your unofficial re-issue of ‘MisleD’. Of course I’d like to ask you a couple of questions about it below.
Hello, thanks for this presentation! Hello to all your readers!
Metal-Rules.com: Which are the main influences on the ‘Acid Death’?
At first let’s say some things about the band. ACID DEATH was started back in 1989 as a rather typical Thrash Metal band having influences from European Thrash scene. Over the years the music style changed to more technical/progressive forms. From 1996 the band was described as “That Progressive Death Metal band from Greece”. Nowadays after so many years, even including the 10 years from 2001 till 2010 that ACID DEATH was inactive, the influences come from a variety of genres, including of course American Death Metal, Progressive Rock and even some industrial elements.
Metal-Rules.com: You have only one word to describe the entire ‘Acid Death’ career? Which word would that be? And why?
Only one word….Pain! You know, we were never a “popular” let’s say Death Metal band and everything we made to do was done with really hard work…
Metal-Rules.com: What does the ‘Acid Death’ name mean for you?
I know that this band name is rather “typical” for a band in Death Metal genre…For us ACID DEATH at first is our “home”. This band name followed us all the past years, this name will follow us in the future. You know, back in 1989, when were almost kids, we wanted an easy band name that could give a tension about the music genre that this band follows, that’s the way we chose it although it was a usual one… Over the years this usual name became a real home for us, our dreams and everything we wanted to express through the music and lyrics…
Metal-Rules.com: How did you get into playing music?
Personally I am really happy that I started playing music as a bass player back in 1988. I was 16 when I bought my first bass guitar, a really cheap one, starting to play some bass parts from my favorite songs of Iron Maiden, Saxon, Sodom…Slayer…One year later, in the end of 1989 ACID DEATH was born including me on bass and vocals…
Metal-Rules.com: What do you do when you are not playing with the band?
You know, all of us have our self-occupations. It would be really great if we could survive from the band but this is not easy especially these days. Personally I am computer engineer, I work in a company as IT support. And the other band mates of course have their own “daily jobs”, but ACID DEATH is a really important part of our life and we give a really big amount of energy in this team!
Metal-Rules.com: What’s your opinion on other kinds of music?
We have many music preferences, from classic Rock of 70s till today’s Metal. It depends on the temper of any moment. We like Music as meaning not just some music kinds.
Metal-Rules.com: Which are the plans of ‘Acid Death’ for the future?
“Eidolon” was out from June 2012 and this season we are preparing our next one. Hopefully we will enter studio in spring/2014 and the new album, band’s 6th official release, will me ready till autumn/2014. Of course it depends from the pressure for giving our 100% to the new material and having in mind that most of the tracks have already been written I dare say it will be a killer album!!
Metal-Rules.com: Is there any Greek metal bands that you really like or want to share the stage?
Well, being in the scene since 1989 we had the chance to share the stage with many Greek and of course not only bands. Recently we had the chance to share the stage with Septic Flesh after many-many years… You know, this is the advantage of being active musician for so many years, keep in mind that even after ACID DEATH stopped in 2001 we as musicians continued to other projects till 2010, it is easy to share the stage with the bands you like and know over the years.
Metal-Rules.com: Well, you released your new album ‘Eidolon’.What’s different in this album regarding to the previous one? Please tell us about the approach that you have chosen to create this album and production of the album. What’s the feedback of the new record till now?
Well, the album released in June/2012 by the Austrian label Noisehead records. In fact we were really curious on the way that the old fans and the new people that would get in touch with our music would accept it. You know there are many examples of reunions without any interesting music and we wouldn’t like the idea of being in such a category. So “Eidolon” was a real challenge for us. The entire production was made by us in our recording studio here in Athens and the results were really excellent. Noisehead was the label that we trusted, of course they trusted us too to add us in their roaster, so the record was out in June/2012. The reviews and the entire feedback we had were really encouraging especially from people who had some touch with our music in the past. “Eidolon” was a more aggressive “Random’s Manifest” of 2001. And I am sure that ACID DEATH’s next one will be more powerfull one!
Metal-Rules.com: Can you tell me a little more about the lyrics, did anything particular inspire you?
We are inspired by the entire way we live. We give a rather “horrible” touch but Life is our main inspiration, describing true or phantastic stories that could be a reality.
Metal-Rules.com: How important is it to you that people pay attention to your lyrics apart from listening to your music?
It is very important for every band or musician! You know, you have two things in a song. The music and the lyrics. If someone pays less attention to one of these elements he pays less attention to the entire song. Of course this is not good…
Metal-Rules.com: And now I would like to discuss about some deplorable events. We are in the end of 2013 and three big metal personas have passed away… Ronnie James Dio, Peter Steele and Paul Grey (SLIPKNOT) and finaly Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER) . Are the last 4 years the most donsie years of heavy metal?
Wel…it is really sad to understand that…It is really sad to see your heroes die. These personalities and of course many more who died the past years were the heroes of our generation… So sad… And I will agree with you. Those 4 years were a curse for Heavy Metal and its audience.
Metal-Rules.com: Five months have already passed after Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER) passing away. What would you like to say about that?
One more hero passed away… Slayer won’t ever be the same… Thrash Metal won’t ever be the same.
Metal-Rules.com: What do you think of today’s music industry in general?
Things are really difficult. Today’s music industry faces the worst days from its beginning. Of course there are many bands out there, more from 10 years ago, of course there are many ways that a new band can promote its work but finally who cares about the music? Who has the temper to focus to a new band and understand that is going on with the songs, the CD covers, the hours and money that those guys spent to produce this piece of media (CD, Vinyl etc..) I dare say only few. You know, I have many friends that are working as Djs at some clubs here in Athens and every time I saw them they have a strange story to say about a guy that asked a song from his “favorite band” but this was the only song he knew from that “favorite band” listening it for first time at Youtube. I really hate this way of listening music or focus to the artists!
Metal-Rules.com: Is technology part of your life or are you still a “romantic”?
Of course! Technology is a good friend for every musician today. But sometimes you have to be romantic, keeping some things traditional.
Metal-Rules.com: I have beholden that heavy metal changes through the decades. Heavy and Thrash metal dominated over in 80’s, Death, Black and Power metal in 90’s and Metalcore and Nu Metal in the 00’s in general. 2010 was the beginning sign of the new decade. What do you see for the future?
Well…it is so difficult to see what will happen in the future. There are many things that are totally different now thinking what happened in the past. The way that a new fan gets in touch with the new bands e.x. as we discussed above. But I am sure that the extreme sound generally will continue to be a real “thumbs up”.
Metal-Rules.com: What’s your opinion on downloading?
Well, it depends. It depends on the way that someone uses this “facility” Of course downloading is something that exists and will exist for many years. You can download something and after your valuation this “something” will exist as physical media in your house. Also you download something because you don’t have enough money to buy it and you’d like to have it or even you download something because you are just a “thief”. You can see the differences between these scenarios…
Metal-Rules.com: If you could pick only one musician to work with, who would that be and why?
Hmmmm…..I really don’t know!! There are so many good musicians out there that is so difficult to choose only one!
Metal-Rules.com: Could you respond to the following terms in just one word or sentence:
Thrash metal: My generation.
Greece: My damned country.
Politics: Piece Of Shit
Black Sabbath: Fathers
Prison break (tv series): Just interesting (personal opinion)
Greek Metal Scene: The next big Metal thing!
Metal-Rules.com: Thank you for this interview. I wish to ‘Acid Death’ all the best!!!
Thanks one more time for your interest! All the best to your readers!