|
Even if the band InsIDeaD is around for many years they are now presenting their debut album. Chaos ElecDead is showing that the Greek aren't afraid of taking a risk and being criticized. To give you a little background about the Athenians we asked them to answer a few questions for us.
You are from Athens and Greece is known for it's enthusiastic metal fans, when did you get into metal? Which band(s) hooked you up? And made you start your own band?
Indeed, we're from Athens and as you referred above, here in Greece the metal scene is huge and the fans are enthusiastic and loyal! About me ..hmm I think that I was into the metal fan club since the age of 12, but was listening to hard rock some years before that. The bands that inspired us from the very beginning, not only as listeners, but as musicians as well, were some of the biggest classic names of the American and European scene.... Bands like: Black Sabbath, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Sepultura, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Helloween, Judas Priest and many others of course!!!
Why the name InsIDeaD? Do you feel dead at times?
I think that every human being has both sides, the alive and the dead one.. According to us, we're happy, healthy and optimistic guys in our everyday life. But I have to say that of course we feel dead sometimes, but only at some occasions and mostly when there are political and social issues involved!! The lyrics are based primarily on topics like the previous ones that I mentioned, so that's how the InsIDeaD name came to existence !! It fits exactly to our music, our lyrics, our feelings and with the ideas that we want to pass to the simple metal fans as simple metal fans we are (as well as artists).
You started in the late 90's, but your first demo was released in 2006. Why did you wait so long to record your first demo?
We started actually in the late 90's at a very young age,12 or 13 I think, so the first 4-5 years we were not able to compose something serious musically at that time. We were just learning music theory and how to be better musicians at our instruments and after that we did covers from our favorite bands... INNOCENT YOUTH!! After our first steps, we recorded 3 or 4 demos, but under the previous name that we had 'til 2006.
Another demo was released in 2007, but now 2011 your debut album is finally out. Have the songs on Chaos ElecDead been written over the years? Or did you started from scratch when you knew you will enter the studio?
To be precise, under the InsIDeaD name we have put out 3 demos... Actually promos to put it better because their purpose was only for promotional use and especially to get some attraction from the record labels. At mid-2009, we entered the studio to record our material that we got at that time with many improvements under our producer's (R.D. Liapakis - Mystic Prophecy, Suicidal Angels, Devil's Train, Eldritch, Winters Verge, Crystal Tears etc. ) supervision even though he was living in Germany. So, somewhere in 2010 everything concerning with the album was finished and the final result was 9 songs of which 2 of them were brand new and regarding the other 7 songs, we took their main structure and with some improvements as I said before and some new ideas we composed them at their current form!! I think that most of the new bands ,when they start to record their first album,usually the biggest quantity of their songs preexists.. possibly in another form or something similar to that. And from the second album onwards things change and that happens mostly 'cause of the experience that you earn from the first album!!! ;-)
You worked with producer R.D. Liapakis, how was it to work with him?
The cooperation with R.D. Liapakis (Mystic Prophecy, Suicidal Angels, Devil's Train, Eldritch, Winters Verge, Crystal Tears etc. - http://www.myspace.com/rdliapakis ) and all the work that we have been doing with him 'til now, maybe it is the most determinant thing that happened to us!! We feel very lucky guys because of that and we feel like it was meant to be!! Dimitris helped us also with all the things that we have to do with the album and its final form and not only with the mix and the master of it (at Music Factory and Prophecy studios - http://www.myspace.com/musicfactory_prophecy ) which ultimately is the area that he is known and specialized. Last but not the least, he gave us the right directions for being able to sign with a serious label and after all with his advice, we managed to sign with Massacre Records!! So, a big thank you or as you can say it in Greek efharisto to our friend and producer Dimtris, because without him everything would be different!!
Why the title Chaos ElecDead? A reference to your home country? To the developments in Greece within the last 2 years?
The album's title is general and it has to do with reality at international level or otherwise with chaos in the life of mankind which does not look neither skin's color nor flag's color. Every country has and lives with its own problems which mostly are created for serving the needs of the few and the one's who control everything concerning our lives, our planet, our rights, even our minds. The only thing that changes every time, is.. 'Who will be the next' to be sat down under the tiny lens of the 'one global government' that exists in reality and its media.. Which are due to a huge level for the propaganda and the misinformation of the people and the creation of a situation which is called chaos!!! So,that's why the title.. A reference to our home country.. called Earth!!!
You choose the title track for the first video. Why the guy in a suit with clowns make-up? At the end he commits suicide by jumping from a high wall.... Tell us a bit more about the concept of the album, about the video shooting!
The guy in the video represents the -two faces- reality of our society. The first face which someone has in his everyday life, the one that he wants to be seen by the others, and the second one that shows his real side of himself and how he can feel deep inside him. The suicide is something like an illusion, something metaphorical. Lets say that someone instead of killing himself at once, he chooses (many times without awareness) to kill one piece of himself at time, living a way of life that he doesn't truly want! The concept of our album deals exactly with that context, around social and political issues but also the thoughts and the introspection of each one of us and which are the results of them.
Will you do another video? Which song(s) would you choose?
I think that we'll do another one.. But we haven't decided yet which one will be the appropriate song for the second video clip.. So, just wait for a couple of months and in due time, you'll watch it on YouTube!
You combine different genres, thrash riffs and shouts with melodic parts with clean vocals. It's a walk on the razor's edge.... I guess, not everybody get the mix and you got criticized by some... Something you expected? Are you satisfied so far with the feedback you got?
We knew from the beginning of the composition of our songs that might raise concerns and that might be difficult too for the listeners, to accept the mix of those different styles that someone can understand as he listens to the songs. We surely believe in this album even though we knew that it would be very risky as a first step in the music industry. The truth is that in this album we recorded our thoughts, our feelings and the way that we understand the meaning of playing music and to express yourself through that!! So far, we're ok with the feedback that we've got.. I could say that it was a little bit expected for us. We all know that every start has its own difficulties.. So, nothing ends here, we have too many things to do and to give which will be seen from now on!! This is the start of a route of which we are responsible for and we'll try very hard to make it a very promising one too!!
When you started there was no social networking... Did it make things easier for a band? How important is social networking for you?
When we started, we hadn't got any internet access, not at all. It is something that it's a lot different nowadays in which anybody can do whatever he wants with its use. Things were surely more difficult then for a band and specially from a distant country compared to others. We didn't know what exactly to do and if we did sometimes, we didn't know how.. How the whole system was working, with whom we had to speak and if we could trust someone,who might be the right one?? And many other never ending questions like those!!
So,you can easily understand how important is social networking for all the bands 'cause you can do whatever you want quickly, directly, easily and without any serious charge.. At least the most of the times. Also, it is one of the best ways to maintain updates of your band!!
What about live shows? Anything on the way?
We had our release party / show of our new album a couple of weeks before, in which we played most of the album's songs, one totally new and a couple of covers. I just mentioned that because it was really great and are very happy about that!! So,now we're doing many rehearsals, preparing ourselves for supporting Dark Tranquillity's concert here in Athens and after we have some other gigs in festivals and clubs in other big Greek cities. We'll see what will be next.
Anything you want to add? Any news to share?
On behalf of all, I want to thank whoever believed and still believing in us, of course you because you gave me the opportunity to say and explain some things about InsIDeaD and finally our record label Massacre Records for its amazing cooperation, and our producer and friend R.D. Liapakis. Stay tuned and you'll have news from us the soonest possible again!!
|
|
