Ελληνικά
After the release of one of the best death metal albums of the year “Into The Void”, we had a brief talk with Abyssus and their vocalist Kostas Analytis (who is also an author at Metal Invader), about all the aspects of their full length record, the Greek Death Metal Scene in general and many more.
Good evening and welcome to Metal Invader! Haha! Hope everything’s fine! How are things going?
At the moment we’re not that much active; we doing just a few interviews and compose some new pieces, while promoting in general our record.
After the release of your EPs and split records, time was ripe for Abyssus to release their first full length effort. What feelings does this situation create? Have there been any differences for you between your previous releases and “Into The Abyss”?
All of our previous efforts have acted as a school for us to see what we want to exactly do, on which path we should walk and basically to create the sound we want. We could have released the album a lot earlier, but there was no need to hurry things up. We wanted to be 100% mature and ready for its release. As a whole, the album sounds different from what we’ve already released and if you’ll pay close attention to our releases since our very first steps, you’ll realize that there’s an evolution. We are excited for this release and are already thinking about the next one.
The release of a full length album can bring changes on every level. Have you noticed any changes in Abyssus?
I think it’s too late to notice something like that. The only thing that’s sure is that every move from now on should be more attentive and meticulous.
Tell us a few things about the recording / production process of the record! First of all, how long did it take you to complete it?
When we entered the studio, we not only recorded the tracks of the album, but several more structures (drums and guitar drivers) and based on that, we chose what would ideally fit in the record. I think it took us about three weeks, maybe a little longer, but not continuously. Drums were recorded first, then guitars / bass and lastly the vocals. I don’t think that this took more than a week in total.
As a second part of the previous question, did you face any difficulties in the course of production of “Into The Abyss” or did everything flow smoothly?
The main problem nowadays is the financial austerity for every person who lives and moves in this country. Once the resources were found we had already agreed on the fact that we would use all the necessary time and by entering Unreal studios, with which we have great cooperation (in fact Kostas, who works there, is our bass player) we knew that we wouldn’t face the slightest problem and we would proceed optimally. Now that I think about it, when i was going to record the vocals, i had a serious injury in my neck and used to walk around with a collar. I recorded the vocals with the collar but, didn’t face any struggles, to be frank.
Despite the fact that the genre you serve is teemed with “pestilent” and “contagious” sounds, the production of the record is rather clean. Everything sounds crystal clear and in proper balance. Who handled the production?
We spent a high budget for our production to be perfect and as close to records that we grew up with as possible. We were searching for that for a long time and I think that ultimately, we succeeded. We didn’t want the sound of the album to be filthy; we wanted everything to sound clear to the listener in order for him to understand every note, every strike of baguette, without losing that atmosphere. Writing in a studio that other great bands have recorded, such as Planet of Zeus, Awe, Acrimonious, Dephosphorus, Dark Vision, Blame Kadinsky etc. it would be difficult to fail delivering the desired outcome, so we are very happy with it.
“Into The Abyss” was warmly embraced by both listeners and the Press, while the reviews you got were more than positive. How do you feel about that?
I would be a liar if I said that we didn’t expect good reviews, though I know I may sound extreme or “smart arse”. I don’t consider myself an artist but a follower. We compose music to satisfy ourselves, first of all. We wrote an album that we would love to listen to as average listeners, so the average death metal fan will react the same way we did. He will enjoy it. It’s not arrogance, it’s a reality.
From my perspective, Abyssus’ Death Metal carries within itself bits from Obituary, Asphyx and Autopsy (musically speaking), and maybe some hints of the Swedish scene (especially in the more melodic parts). I am wrong? If you would like to present Abyssus to someone who isn’t familiar with you, what would you say? What are your influences, in other words?
Swedish scene eh? I like it, we don’t get that often! I cannot say I disagree with you. We believe we play traditional old school death metal based on all these bands who honored and shaped the genre, like Death, Obituary, Master, Possessed, Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Benediction, Death Strike, Asphyx, etc. We pay tribute to all those bands and musicians via our music, so if someone decides to know us better, he knows from the very beginning what he’ll deal with.
Generally in your discography, but especially in “Into The Abyss” your lyrics basically deal with death and war in all its forms. In “Into The Abyss” the agenda includes Roman emperors (“Enthrone the Insane”), the Crimean War (“Across the Fields of Death”) and the bombing of Piraeus in 1944 (“Visions of Eternal Pain”). Why did you decide to be inspired by these events?
The themes of the living dead are nice, but not for Abyssus. The lyrics are important for us and don’t just exist to complement the songs. The theme of war with all the suffering it brings, and ultimately death, fits our music. We’re not rooting for any war; we simply describe situations and images as observers and under our own light. We don’t just talk about war; for example earlier, our track “Phobos” was talking about the mistreatment of refugees and immigrants. In conclusion, I read many historical texts, which certainly influence me and based on the events going on today I can confidently tell you that humanity did everything except for getting a lesson from past mistakes.
Extending my question, would you say that there’s an ideology behind Abyssus or a certain message
you want to convey to your listeners?
None specifically. Surely, however, we are not warlike or something, and certainly not politicized. We have nothing to do with such things and we’ll never have. It is not difficult in Greece to be accused of anything.
Death Metal as a genre is one of the most complex genres in music. In my mind, the selection of playing Death Metal implies stubbornness, constant brainstorming and in a sense “strategy” to build something strong (meaning the release of your material). Is it indeed such a thing? More generally, why you chose to have a Death Metal sound? It is part of yourselves?
Perhaps it is our whole selves! Nothing was done consciously. That’s the music we wanted to compose and this music we like to deliver. All of us play in other bands as well, playing other idioms, and via those bands we can express our concerns. Until now our composition procedure comes effortlessly but, like you said, there’s always a “strategy” we set in order to build something solid. We never compose or release something that we haven’t dived into deeply or if we are not satisfied to the maximum extent.
In recent years, the Greek extreme scene widens increasingly, so it is only right for its fanbase to be widened as well. Do you feel any pressure from the field, now that the competition is greater or do you keep a distance from all that and just do what you really want?
Whether we were the only band in Greece or amidst a 1,000 bands, nothing would change the way we move and think. It is honor to be a member of such a top scene globally, but we are the greatest and the strictest judges of the bands.
On the other hand, within this strengthened Greek scene not everyone can get along with everyone. Have you noticed something or is there a unity between the groups?
Certainly, there are bands that we can say that we have perfect relations with and we support each other, as well as others that do not touch us, especially as people. If everyone got along well with everyone else, it wouldn’t be reasonable. There’s not a strong unity, as opposed to what some people see or as to what some people want you to see, nevertheless though, there’s no hostility or whatsoever.
It is too early to talk about new releases, an EP or even a split?
In the coming weeks 2 split cassettes will be released, one with the uprising Blessed by Perversion that beyond being great band, they are also awesome people, and one with the Thracians Slaughterday, while the end of December the record will be released in a cassette format as well.
Got any gigs in your plans? Can we enjoy you live somewhere soon?
Unfortunately we haven’t booked anything and we haven’t had any suggestions, however I think in 2016 we will do some selective shows, so keep in touch!
The last sentence is yours! What would you like to say to our readers / to your listeners?
Listen to “Into The Abyss” and you won’t be disappointed. Finally, something personal for everyone in the days we live; respect and humanity. Thank you for the interview and your time.
