Dim Koskinas

September Code

Finding out about SEPTEMBER CODE opened up a new hotpot in Progressive Rock / Metal. Through their new album, "Remembering Mirrors", this Greek band made a cross open examination of the human soul and its struggles within. Steinmetal had a chance to discuss the new album and the band's working progress with the band's vocalist / guitarist Dim Koskinas.
By Lior Stein
April 14, 2012
Dim Koskinas (September Code) interview
Greetings Dim, thank you for taking the time for this interview with Metal Temple magazine. How have you been?

Very well thank you!! It's a pleasure to speak with you, by the way your review for "Remembering Mirrors" meant a lot to us...so thanks again!

Recently you guys released a new album under the name of "Remembering Mirrors", as special kind of album I might add, how do you feel about it?

As a musician, I feel productive... As a person I feel almost complete with this album... Until the next one of course! My childhood dream of being in a band and releasing albums came true in slightly different way that I fantasized when I was a kid... I never imagined something like "Remembering Mirrors", in a way that we are totally satisfied with the final result.

Something that I wondered while listening, and I am sure it will interest others as well, what is the concept that lies beneath the music and lyrics of this album?

It's a relatively simple but yet complicated concept... it's about the inner battle that a person is dealing within himself / herself. Meaning that we all have a glimpse of "something" else. Spiritual is the word that exists within anyone of us. The journey begins with our hero, wanting to explore himself in a way that is far from being "obvious". He dives in himself and finds out that the part of him, who doesn't want this spirituality or change, fights him back, with great resistance. Moving through the tracks of the album he discovers, after long and hard battles, that everything he was looking for is inside him... Hence the last words of "Remembering Mirrors": all you should have done is look...  I think it's something that more or less happened, or will happen to any of us.

What influenced you to write such a concept? Is it something out of your personal lives?

Anything that we write has its source to our personal lives. Meaning that everything around us has it's blueprint upon our bodies, minds & souls... So many things occurred that formed this concept, little by little or one big strike of the universe

Musically, "Remembering Mirrors", is a highly diverse piece of music following several direction in both Rock and Metal. How do you guys formulate a ground to each song, especially with this kind of diversity?

Who knows....no I'm kidding! I think, the band's formula is that everyone allows everyone to be themselves, to express musically, in ways that each person feels at the moment. Speaking of diversity, everyone has his influences and he is kindly requested to present it!! But at the same time everyone enjoys and respects the other members' ideas, and feels great with the process of developing these ideas into complete songs.

Which path or band do you think is your strongest influence as band? 

Bands and artists that influenced us are sooooo many...that in the end, our strongest need is to mold all of our influences in words and notes. No matter how many different styles or bands each member likes, the common motivation to write good songs is what drives us.

Do you think that with the new "Remembering Mirrors" you have reached a level of musical intelligence that you have never achieved before? Do you think that SEPTEMBER CODE developed something that no one heard before?

We can't claim such a thing. Every listener can find something familiar to his ears, but the intelligence lies to the fact that SEPTEMBER CODE cannot be accused of being somebody else's' clone. We feel that in nowadays, this is the essence of song writing. And yes, we do believe that "Remembering Mirrors" stands at the top of the band's creativity... for this moment that we speak... in the future? We cannot possibly know...

I found your music highly articulate and interesting therefore I wonder if you offered your materials to labels or was it the other way around? Or do you prefer to stay independent?

We recorded, mixed and mastered our staff and then offered it to labels. Staying independent is really hard from the promotional point of view. In 00's promotion is No 1, for a band or an artist to reach to the audiences' ears. So we don't mind being independent or not, we only mind our work, to get what it's worth of.

What is coming next for SEPTEMBER CODE?

Gigs, gigs and hopefully more gigs....!!!! We are planning on a tour in Greece and later this year some shows in Europe. Additionally we are currently working in a video.

Dim, I would like to thank you for sparing a few minutes for this interview. "Remembering Mirrors" is one of the greatest Progressive Rock albums I have heard in quite some time. I wish you the best!

Thank you for your time, and your nice words! Keep up the great work of discovering music! For sure there is tons of it out there...!! Hope to see you in one of our shows!

crossmenucross-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram