Babis Paleogeorgos
Dreamlord
Hi! Thank you for having me! Everything is great!
For us, it was a combination of things. First and foremost, it was line-up changes. People came and went for many years, as they would have different priorities, time to invest and different musical visions. Also, life itself got in the way, with military obligations, which are mandatory here in Greece, work, people having to work abroad for certain periods of time, not to mention that, essentially, the band was in hiatus from 2007 to 2012 so it really, is a combination of different unfortunate circumstances, that prevented us from coming out earlier.
There were some other offers on the table, for sure. But No Remorse Records, apart from being a well-respected label in the scene, really showed to grasp the meaning of the music and understand the vision of the band, so it really was a no-brainer to team up with like-minded people.
Absolutely! It is so much easier for an artist to reach larger global audiences, compared to 20 years ago. In the '90s, when we started, you would record, put everything in an envelope, (bio, cassette, photos), mail it and hope for the best. The directness of the internet and social media, is an amazing tool for promoting a more DIY approach to marketing one's music and we absolutely love it.
You are absolutely right. The overall theme of the album is certainly inspired from the tragic last decade Greece experienced, but certainly echoes the global situation. I mean, Greece went through a catastrophic decade, where the everyday hard-working folk went through devastating financial depression, whereas the elites responsible for the mess, not only did they not pay, but went on to improve their status. Not only Greece, though. There are people all over the world who work hard, and can barely survive. Wars are fought for financial gain, people are killed everywhere, so that the arms industry can sell more weapons, people are displaced by corporations all over the globe. The planet is dying and we are interested in reality TV and how many inches our TV screens get. Consume and everything will be fine, you know? It's ridiculous…
We wanted the artwork to complete the lyrical themes of the album. And I think that Digital Grief Studio, the masterminds behind it, really hit the nail on the head with this one. We had lengthy discussions about the theme of each song and we incorporated, I think, most of the elements into it. I wouldn't say it really mirrors disappointment, at least what we wanted to offer, was a glimpse into the future if we do not change our ways. We are in the 11th Hour, so to speak, and unless we change, all we have to anticipate is destruction, death, extinction. And all the material possessions, we so crave will go up in flames, just like the money on the cover.
This is a very good question that really has one answer. We play the music we like to listen to. A good friend of mine told me the other day, that sometimes you do not have to re-invent the wheel, just give it a good kick to keep rolling, and I think that this is what we are doing here. That being said, I am not a "purist", each band expresses itself in the artistic manner that it chooses, and that is absolutely fine in my book.
Really, this is the music we love, and we enjoy playing. Of course, as we not start timidly bouncing ideas for the second album, more influences pop up, maybe the style will be a little bit different, next time around, you can never know. But that is the beauty of the journey. "Disciples Of War" is the evolution of our music over the years, from more straightforward riffing to more layering of the sounds, harmonies, transitions. So we always like to push that, as much as we can.
It's music from the heart. It is music that resonates with us, and we hope it does with other people too. The more, the better!
It really was a combination of the 2. Some songs started with a simple jam in the studio, others with someone bringing a basic structure and the whole band building on it and some, one member bringing the whole song pretty much ready to the studio and fine-tweaking it in the process. We always try though to have everyone involved. In the end of the day, this is a band, and 4 brains are better than just one.
Personally, I write the music first and then the lyrics. Usually, it starts with a cool riff that might pop up, while I'm practicing guitar and immediately I will record it on my PC. There is a whole catalogue of riffs that I have, which eventually I will try to sort into a song. Usually, this is the moment I come up with the vocal melody, too. The lyrics usually pop up if I watch something on the news, or something happens that triggers an emotion inside me, it usually is very spontaneous, though.
Absolutely. The original inspiration for this song was the War on Terror. And particular, it touches the issue, from the perspective of a simple soldier, who enrolled in the military as a reaction the horrible terrorist attacks against innocent civilians. People who start with a noble sense of patriotism to defend their way of life, but somewhere along the way realize that they are just pawns of corporate and political greed. They end up committing horrible acts themselves, and when they return home are usually scarred mentally and discarded by the rest of society. It's the reason many veterans, upon return, become the biggest anti-war activists. The sad part is that innocent civilians are caught in the middle of all the political games. And it is not only the U.S.. Any country in the same position, sadly, would do the same.
It's like asking a parent which of their children they like the most. I love 'em all. That being said, I believe that, lyrically, "Uncompromised" has to be the one. Because it talks about the filthy role mainstream media play in the whole situation. It really is a propaganda we must deny, at some point.
We go out, give it a 100%, try to get everyone into it and bouncing around, and keep it real and to the point. We treat our shows as a party where everyone's invited!
It was an amazing experience to share a stage with them, and really, for me personally, to get a glimpse of how an established band operates. The attention to detail they showed was extraordinary. In the sound check, the stage setup, the lights. Absolutely amazing and a great honor to see it at work from real close. Unfortunately, even though we sort of said hello with Jeff, there was no time to really sit down and talk, but he genuinely seems like a cool guy!
The next year will be playing live and promoting "Disciples Of War", for sure. The plan is to be able to play a few festivals in the summer, also. But we already have plenty of ideas for new music, so I expect to be in the studio soon for the follow-up.
We are open for every possibility! Keep an eye out, you never know!
Thank you very much for having us, it was a great pleasure! I would like to wish you and your audience a very METAL 2020! All the best!
More results...
