Acid Death are back 3 years after their reunion album “Eidolon”. All this time they worked hard in order to present a tighter and more technical extreme metal album and so they did. The band’s songwriter, bassist & vocalist Savvas Betinis talked to Grande Rock about the new album, the band’s new era and their future plans…
Hi Savvas. Three years have passed since your album “Eidolon”, the first after the band’s reunion. What happened on the band’s camp during those 3 years?
S: Hello and thanks for this presentation! Yes, three years. Three years full of energy and activity. We had some great shows, touring in Greece and Europe we created the songs for the new album, we changed record label... I dare say that things worked really good although that the difficulties in many cases were big. But anyway, we are more than happy to have “Hall of Mirrors” album out on September 11th 2015!
When did you start working on “Hall of Mirrors” and what did you have in mind for this album?
S: Actually we started working on the new album from December/2012, it was the season that John Anaglostou (lead guitars) joined the band. Of course the thing we had in mind was to create a new album that will be better from everything in the past. It was really important that we had no old material in hands, so we started processing from “blank screen”, something that shows band's progress in these three years.
I won’t ask you if you think that this is your best work to date, cuz it’s very banal. Instead, I’ll ask if you believe that “Hall of Mirrors” is your most focused and “technical” work till now.
S: Yes. It is our most focused work, maybe less technical from “Pieces of Mankind” but really good-balanced and well processed than everything we have recorded in the past.
What has changed in the songwriting part – if it has – or what is that part that you took extra care of this time?
S: Actually the way that we compose remains the same since the beginning. Usually one has the basic idea and all the others add their personal elements. But this time we gave extra attention to the album’s production. We wanted a clear and modern sound having also in mind the way that a Death Metal album should sound. For first time we work with the producer Fotis Benardo (SixForNine, ex Septic Flesh) & co-produced “Hall of Mirrors” and things worked really fine. We are proud for the final result.
And how did you come up with the title “Hall of Mirrors”? Where is that “hall” and what does it declare?
S: It could be a real story of a man who is nursed in a mental clinic... Or the explanation that there is about madness, “Madness is to act always in the same way, waiting for different results each time”. The “Hall” could be everyone’s mind...
How is the cover art related with the album title?
S: It shows a huge hall full of mirrors that could be a man’s mind and a hand that keeps a key out of one mirror, offering it to a man who is a part of this huge hall. It is a really “to-the-point” artwork designed by John Nakos from Remedy Art Design.
Do give us a hint about each track…
S: “Hell’s Maw”: Intro of the album- a hellish punishment…
“Mental Slime”: What happens in today’s “happy” society…
“Truth Revealed”: A true story of a serial killer with an angel’s face…
“Life and Death”: Life and Death are “discussing” as old, good friends in a room…
“The Unfair Fight”: It could be the story of Spartans…
“Hall of Mirrors”: Madness’ definition…
“Taste of the Erratic”: A mentally sick person apologizes for his sickness...
“Ghostship”: A dying drug-user…
“Planes of the Eternal Dead”: A dark lord who stands proud…
“Supreme Act of Heroism”: Is Suicide a solution?... Who knows...
How did the cooperation with Fotis Benardo (SiXforNinE, ex-Septic Flesh) occur? You preferred to record, produce and master here in Greece instead of doing it abroad. How come? (it’s a “trend” to record/produce albums abroad these days…)
S: Fotis loved the album from the very first days we stared recording it at Devasoundz studios. The first decision was to finish the recordings here in Greece and to mix/master it in Austria at Noisehead records’ studios. 2 days before leaving for Austria we receive a mail that informed us that Noisehead records closes. As you understand all the plans changed immediately. We had to mix the album and to find a new label. When we asked Fotis if he is willing to undertake the job and some kind of guideness for the entire production he answered “We start right now!”. He gave his 100% on album’s production!
Do tell us a bit about the guest appearances by Manthos “ManSter” Stergiou (Tardive Dyskinesia), Nick Melissourgos (Suicidal Angels), Jon Soti (Floating Worlds) and Iliana Tsakiraki (Enemy Of Reality) w/ Nadja on the album?
S: It was a thought we had in September 2014 during the album’s recordings. The thought was to have some guests but not just “famous” persons who will add some music parts taking their money and “bye-bye!!”. We wanted to have friends musicians who know us and we know them and appreciate our job. So, Manthos Stergiou from Tardive Dyskinesia does the vocals on “Hall of Mirrors” together with me, Nick Melissourgos (Suicidal Angels) plays the second guitar solo in “Truth Revealed”, Jon Soti (Floating Worlds) sings the male melodic vocals on “Life and Death” and Iliana Tsakiraki (Enemy Of Reality) together with Nadja V sing in “Taste of the Erratic”.
I remember that you were on a search for a music label so as to release “Hall of Mirrors”. What happened with NoiseHead recs and how did the cooperation with 7Hard recs come about?
S: Well, as I told you Noisehead has to close in December 2014. Actually this gave us the opportunity to find a bigger label. 7Hard signed us for 5 years, they released the album in time, and they have a really good distribution profile. We have a really good cooperation with them and we feel that this will continue over the following years.
Have you booked any live shows yet –If yes do tell us when and where…
S: Not yet. Actually we are waiting for “Pieces of Mankind” and “Random’s Manifest” to be re-released. They are Acid Death’s first 2 albums and they will be released in late October/early November and after that we will start the shows, first in Greece and after we’ll try to find a slot to a European tour.
What are your expectations from “Hall of Mirrors” and which are your further plans with Acid Death?
S: “Hall of Mirrors” is the band’s 4th full length album and 6th official release. It is an album that made by four musicians who gave all their love, passion and energy to it. We hope this album to be loved by the people out there. Acid Death of course will continue to create music and we believe we have many things to offer out there. At this moment this is our new-born “child” and we want to see it growing day-by-day.
Do you believe that the long hiatus at the begging of 2000 worked for the band’s own benefit at long last?
S: Yes. It was so strange that in 2010 before re-staring Acid Death we found a bucket of articles written over the past years, reviews for the previous albums we have never seen till 2001, a general positive air on what we have done till the break. Although the absence there were many out there who believed that Acid Death was a rather underrated band.
Since you’re one of the oldest members in the Greek metal scene what do you believe has changed for the better & for the worst during these years? Was the early 90s a better time for a band or things are more improved nowadays?
S: The truth is that the Greek scene has progressed tremendously since the early 90s There are many really good bands that are constituted by really talented musicians. The big problem is that there is no “big” hand that will pull the entire scene from the underground. At early 90s the band quality was lower for sure but the entire discography was in a better position than today. Today we have really good bands that most of all are working with a rather D.I.Y way with really good results but the discography is in a really hard way. I wish this could be changed... but I don’t think so…
Time for our “weird questions”!!! How did you come up with the name Acid Death initially?
S: It was back in 1989 when we were searching for a unique name, which could describe also our music in general. Of course the originality isn’t our guide but fortunately that name seems to work fine till now.
Which is that Greek band which has helped the whole Greek scene go further when they first made an opening to Europe and the US?
S: In my opinion the first wave of Greek scene had the privilege to have the first bands which gave that “extra push” to the entire thing. Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh, Nightfall, Necromantia, Varathron were the first Greek bands that were known abroad. Of course, no internet, no email, no mobiles, no “today’s civilization” as it is nowadays. Things were totally “Death Metallized” but these guys made to do a first step.
Which is the most underrated Greek band of all time?
S: I can number many Greek bands that never made to do a big step although they had the specifications... Many reasons for it...
What’s missing for the Greek metal scene and hasn’t grown bigger like the Italian one over the years?
S: At first the support from the Greek fans. In every scene or movement there are the people who support it and its “ideas”. In our case there were and still are many cases that the musicians-base was bigger than the fan base. The Greek fans prefer to support the big known names from abroad even in 2015 instead of giving attention to their next door band that may keep a real treasure hidden. Of course this is known everywhere, especially today with the help of the internet, so no one wants to “invest” to a movement that has no followers even in its “home”... That’s the truth.
What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
S: First I don’t like all this feeling that a record gets old some days after its release. I can understand that many records are being released every day, it is really cool to have new releases to hear... but there is no enough attention to them. Most of the new guys just “hear” something together with the “likes” they give to Facebook, the “tweets” they read and write to Twitter, the photos from the girl next door they watch on Instagram etc. This is not “music-listening”. If you think you have to have that record in your collection just pay some attention on what this record is all about.
Which are the best 3 death metal albums of all time according to you?
S: Death – “Human”, Morbid Angel – “Altars of Madness” and Atheist – “Elements”…
Which is the record you wish you had written and why?
S: I wish I could record even a single note when Death recorded “Human”... My total influence!
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
S: That's a difficult question! I would prefer to make a compilation for that reason... But it would be difficult for sure!
Fill in the phrase… “Death metal wouldn’t have evolved the way it did, if it hadn’t been for…”
S: I will re-type the phrase: “Death Metal wouldn’t have evolve the way it did if it was built for the Masses”…
What would the world be like without religions?
S: I dare say more peaceful. At least more peaceful!
Put together the best metal line-up of all time. Who plays what?
S: Chuck Schuldiner (lead guitars), Neil Pert (drums), Steve DiGiorgio (bass), Rob Flynn (vocals)... Techno/Prog/New/Death Metal!!!
What’s the worst thing you can say right after sex?
S: Honey... Do you have a cigarette?
You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie-celebrity/porn-star of your choice. Who would it be & why?
S: Mmmmm... I would prefer a Greek celebrity. Gogo Mastrokosta!
Which of the Seven Deadly Sins do you reckon is the one, that’s more likely to send you straight to Hell, in the afterlife?
S: Greed of course!
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
S: I would take the expensive ring and sell it to get the money to buy back my collection! Fast and easy!
That’s all for now Savvas. Hope things come the way you want them to and wish you success with Acid Death. Any last words, before we close?
S: Hehe, really Thank You for this presentation, “Hall of Mirrors” is here waiting for a chance from your side!
www.aciddeath.net
www.facebook.com/aciddeathgr
www.reverbnation.com/aciddeathgr
www.youtube.com/aciddeathgr
twitter.com/aciddeathgr
myspace.com/aciddeathgr
S: Hello and thanks for this presentation! Yes, three years. Three years full of energy and activity. We had some great shows, touring in Greece and Europe we created the songs for the new album, we changed record label... I dare say that things worked really good although that the difficulties in many cases were big. But anyway, we are more than happy to have “Hall of Mirrors” album out on September 11th 2015!
When did you start working on “Hall of Mirrors” and what did you have in mind for this album?
S: Actually we started working on the new album from December/2012, it was the season that John Anaglostou (lead guitars) joined the band. Of course the thing we had in mind was to create a new album that will be better from everything in the past. It was really important that we had no old material in hands, so we started processing from “blank screen”, something that shows band's progress in these three years.
I won’t ask you if you think that this is your best work to date, cuz it’s very banal. Instead, I’ll ask if you believe that “Hall of Mirrors” is your most focused and “technical” work till now.
S: Yes. It is our most focused work, maybe less technical from “Pieces of Mankind” but really good-balanced and well processed than everything we have recorded in the past.
What has changed in the songwriting part – if it has – or what is that part that you took extra care of this time?
S: Actually the way that we compose remains the same since the beginning. Usually one has the basic idea and all the others add their personal elements. But this time we gave extra attention to the album’s production. We wanted a clear and modern sound having also in mind the way that a Death Metal album should sound. For first time we work with the producer Fotis Benardo (SixForNine, ex Septic Flesh) & co-produced “Hall of Mirrors” and things worked really fine. We are proud for the final result.
And how did you come up with the title “Hall of Mirrors”? Where is that “hall” and what does it declare?
S: It could be a real story of a man who is nursed in a mental clinic... Or the explanation that there is about madness, “Madness is to act always in the same way, waiting for different results each time”. The “Hall” could be everyone’s mind...
How is the cover art related with the album title?
S: It shows a huge hall full of mirrors that could be a man’s mind and a hand that keeps a key out of one mirror, offering it to a man who is a part of this huge hall. It is a really “to-the-point” artwork designed by John Nakos from Remedy Art Design.
Do give us a hint about each track…
S: “Hell’s Maw”: Intro of the album- a hellish punishment…
“Mental Slime”: What happens in today’s “happy” society…
“Truth Revealed”: A true story of a serial killer with an angel’s face…
“Life and Death”: Life and Death are “discussing” as old, good friends in a room…
“The Unfair Fight”: It could be the story of Spartans…
“Hall of Mirrors”: Madness’ definition…
“Taste of the Erratic”: A mentally sick person apologizes for his sickness...
“Ghostship”: A dying drug-user…
“Planes of the Eternal Dead”: A dark lord who stands proud…
“Supreme Act of Heroism”: Is Suicide a solution?... Who knows...
How did the cooperation with Fotis Benardo (SiXforNinE, ex-Septic Flesh) occur? You preferred to record, produce and master here in Greece instead of doing it abroad. How come? (it’s a “trend” to record/produce albums abroad these days…)
S: Fotis loved the album from the very first days we stared recording it at Devasoundz studios. The first decision was to finish the recordings here in Greece and to mix/master it in Austria at Noisehead records’ studios. 2 days before leaving for Austria we receive a mail that informed us that Noisehead records closes. As you understand all the plans changed immediately. We had to mix the album and to find a new label. When we asked Fotis if he is willing to undertake the job and some kind of guideness for the entire production he answered “We start right now!”. He gave his 100% on album’s production!
Do tell us a bit about the guest appearances by Manthos “ManSter” Stergiou (Tardive Dyskinesia), Nick Melissourgos (Suicidal Angels), Jon Soti (Floating Worlds) and Iliana Tsakiraki (Enemy Of Reality) w/ Nadja on the album?
S: It was a thought we had in September 2014 during the album’s recordings. The thought was to have some guests but not just “famous” persons who will add some music parts taking their money and “bye-bye!!”. We wanted to have friends musicians who know us and we know them and appreciate our job. So, Manthos Stergiou from Tardive Dyskinesia does the vocals on “Hall of Mirrors” together with me, Nick Melissourgos (Suicidal Angels) plays the second guitar solo in “Truth Revealed”, Jon Soti (Floating Worlds) sings the male melodic vocals on “Life and Death” and Iliana Tsakiraki (Enemy Of Reality) together with Nadja V sing in “Taste of the Erratic”.
I remember that you were on a search for a music label so as to release “Hall of Mirrors”. What happened with NoiseHead recs and how did the cooperation with 7Hard recs come about?
S: Well, as I told you Noisehead has to close in December 2014. Actually this gave us the opportunity to find a bigger label. 7Hard signed us for 5 years, they released the album in time, and they have a really good distribution profile. We have a really good cooperation with them and we feel that this will continue over the following years.
Have you booked any live shows yet –If yes do tell us when and where…
S: Not yet. Actually we are waiting for “Pieces of Mankind” and “Random’s Manifest” to be re-released. They are Acid Death’s first 2 albums and they will be released in late October/early November and after that we will start the shows, first in Greece and after we’ll try to find a slot to a European tour.
What are your expectations from “Hall of Mirrors” and which are your further plans with Acid Death?
S: “Hall of Mirrors” is the band’s 4th full length album and 6th official release. It is an album that made by four musicians who gave all their love, passion and energy to it. We hope this album to be loved by the people out there. Acid Death of course will continue to create music and we believe we have many things to offer out there. At this moment this is our new-born “child” and we want to see it growing day-by-day.
Do you believe that the long hiatus at the begging of 2000 worked for the band’s own benefit at long last?
S: Yes. It was so strange that in 2010 before re-staring Acid Death we found a bucket of articles written over the past years, reviews for the previous albums we have never seen till 2001, a general positive air on what we have done till the break. Although the absence there were many out there who believed that Acid Death was a rather underrated band.
Since you’re one of the oldest members in the Greek metal scene what do you believe has changed for the better & for the worst during these years? Was the early 90s a better time for a band or things are more improved nowadays?
S: The truth is that the Greek scene has progressed tremendously since the early 90s There are many really good bands that are constituted by really talented musicians. The big problem is that there is no “big” hand that will pull the entire scene from the underground. At early 90s the band quality was lower for sure but the entire discography was in a better position than today. Today we have really good bands that most of all are working with a rather D.I.Y way with really good results but the discography is in a really hard way. I wish this could be changed... but I don’t think so…
Time for our “weird questions”!!! How did you come up with the name Acid Death initially?
S: It was back in 1989 when we were searching for a unique name, which could describe also our music in general. Of course the originality isn’t our guide but fortunately that name seems to work fine till now.
Which is that Greek band which has helped the whole Greek scene go further when they first made an opening to Europe and the US?
S: In my opinion the first wave of Greek scene had the privilege to have the first bands which gave that “extra push” to the entire thing. Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh, Nightfall, Necromantia, Varathron were the first Greek bands that were known abroad. Of course, no internet, no email, no mobiles, no “today’s civilization” as it is nowadays. Things were totally “Death Metallized” but these guys made to do a first step.
Which is the most underrated Greek band of all time?
S: I can number many Greek bands that never made to do a big step although they had the specifications... Many reasons for it...
What’s missing for the Greek metal scene and hasn’t grown bigger like the Italian one over the years?
S: At first the support from the Greek fans. In every scene or movement there are the people who support it and its “ideas”. In our case there were and still are many cases that the musicians-base was bigger than the fan base. The Greek fans prefer to support the big known names from abroad even in 2015 instead of giving attention to their next door band that may keep a real treasure hidden. Of course this is known everywhere, especially today with the help of the internet, so no one wants to “invest” to a movement that has no followers even in its “home”... That’s the truth.
What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
S: First I don’t like all this feeling that a record gets old some days after its release. I can understand that many records are being released every day, it is really cool to have new releases to hear... but there is no enough attention to them. Most of the new guys just “hear” something together with the “likes” they give to Facebook, the “tweets” they read and write to Twitter, the photos from the girl next door they watch on Instagram etc. This is not “music-listening”. If you think you have to have that record in your collection just pay some attention on what this record is all about.
Which are the best 3 death metal albums of all time according to you?
S: Death – “Human”, Morbid Angel – “Altars of Madness” and Atheist – “Elements”…
Which is the record you wish you had written and why?
S: I wish I could record even a single note when Death recorded “Human”... My total influence!
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
S: That's a difficult question! I would prefer to make a compilation for that reason... But it would be difficult for sure!
Fill in the phrase… “Death metal wouldn’t have evolved the way it did, if it hadn’t been for…”
S: I will re-type the phrase: “Death Metal wouldn’t have evolve the way it did if it was built for the Masses”…
What would the world be like without religions?
S: I dare say more peaceful. At least more peaceful!
Put together the best metal line-up of all time. Who plays what?
S: Chuck Schuldiner (lead guitars), Neil Pert (drums), Steve DiGiorgio (bass), Rob Flynn (vocals)... Techno/Prog/New/Death Metal!!!
What’s the worst thing you can say right after sex?
S: Honey... Do you have a cigarette?
You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie-celebrity/porn-star of your choice. Who would it be & why?
S: Mmmmm... I would prefer a Greek celebrity. Gogo Mastrokosta!
Which of the Seven Deadly Sins do you reckon is the one, that’s more likely to send you straight to Hell, in the afterlife?
S: Greed of course!
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
S: I would take the expensive ring and sell it to get the money to buy back my collection! Fast and easy!
That’s all for now Savvas. Hope things come the way you want them to and wish you success with Acid Death. Any last words, before we close?
S: Hehe, really Thank You for this presentation, “Hall of Mirrors” is here waiting for a chance from your side!
www.aciddeath.net
www.facebook.com/aciddeathgr
www.reverbnation.com/aciddeathgr
www.youtube.com/aciddeathgr
twitter.com/aciddeathgr
myspace.com/aciddeathgr