interview: Abyssus

Abyssus (Greece)

Abyssus is a band with the blood of the old school death metal running through their veins. It’s something that you can hear immediately. It’s not a coincidence that they sound inspired by classic death metal, it’s because they are and that’s their mission, too: to keep alive the spirit of the classic sounds in the present. In order to get more information, this publication presented some questions to the band and the following is what happened. Panos (guitars) and Kostas (vocals) answer. At the end of the interview you will find the link to hear the album.

Greetings from the USA, friends! I have been listening to your album "Once Entombed.” The album is a compilation, but what are the details?

(Panos): Hello from Athens! “Once Entombed” is a compilation that came via Transcending Obscurity and contains all material from the band's early days up until our first full length album (“Into the Abyss”). After “Into the Abyss” we have unleashed 3 new split releases. But we feel again the need to write new songs whenever we can say that the composition of the new album has already begun.

What can you tell us about your band? What are objectives of your band for 2016 and the future?

(Panos): Abyssus formed in 2011 by vocalist Kostas Analytis with the vision to play old school Death Metal in the veins of mighty Bolt Thrower, Obituary, Death, Massacre, Slayer, Sepultura (old) and Celtic Frost. The morbid inheritance of Abyssus includes 1 full-length album (“Into the Abyss”), 2 EP releases ("Monarch to the kingdom of the Dead" and "Summon the dead") and 6 split releases with various bands (Morbider, Nocturnal Vomit, Death Courier, Slaughtered Priest, DreamLongDead, Blessed by Perversion, Slaughterday, Slaktgrav). We want to do some live shows in the near future and after that we would like to record our next full- length album as well additional material for a new EP and some split releases.

Who are the members of the band and what instruments do they play? Some people say that your vocalist sounds a bit similar to Obituary. Do you agree?

(Panos): Abyssus is: Kostas Analytis (vocals and lyrics), Panos Gkourmpaliotis (guitars), Kostas Ragiadakos (bass), Yorgos St. (guitars and Ambients), Nikos M. (drums). There is no doubt concerning Κostas' influence of Obituary and John Tardy (one of the best death metal vocalists ever!!!), but in my opinion the vocals resemble also Celtic Frost (Tom G. Warrior), Asphyx (Martin van Drunen) and Death (Chuck Schuldiner). So there is no purpose or an accident around that. Actually, that's the way Kostas torments the fucking microphone. We are not fan boys of Obituary. We are maniacs of hot metal that came from 80s and 90s. Bands like Autopsy, Possessed, Obituary, Asphyx, Death, Bolt Thrower, Massacre, Death Strike, Celtic Frost, Slayer, Benediction made us grab the guitar and unleash the storm. Hail Abyss.

How does the economic situation in Greece affect the metal scenes in Athens? What do you see happening?

(Kostas): The economy here sucks. The crisis becomes bigger and bigger every single day and seems endless. Unemployment and a stream of taxes have brought population to the zero point. The last months we also have thousands of immigrants arrived here, people who have left their homes due to war, and Europe has closed the borders saying they cannot accept more. We, the simple people, are trying to do our best for them to feel safe in our land, but they are thousands and in a bankrupt country such as Greece the things are not good for them, too. We are living the worst period as a nation since World War 2. Things here are very difficult if you are a musician to pay for rehearsals and is almost a miracle to have a budget to record an album. Although the scenery of poverty is damaging any hope, you can see new bands and musicians trying, through music, to reveal their pain and express their feelings, their anger for the situations they are living. Of course, the shows are few, but I believe that heavy metal is very strong in the underground, stronger than ever.

What are the topics of the lyrics of your band?

(Kostas): Actually, the main theme is war and all that he causes but not just that. Many stuff is based in history, such as "Enthrone The Insane" which is talking for Roman king Nero or "Vision of Eternal Pain" which is written based on the no-sense bombing of Piraeus from the allies. Of course, you can realize by reading our lyrics through the years, that we are also talking for the worldwide political scene or pollution, too.

Do you have other news about your band?

(Kostas): There were many splits came out, almost the same period, with the release of ''Into The Abyss" and the compilation "Once Entombed..." so now is time for us to focus on composing the stuff for the next album which we decide to be released in 2017. Probably it will be entitled "Death Revival". There is not much thing to mention than saying that we have to keep on supporting the underground and our local scenes. Thanks for the interview.

www.transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/album/once-entombed-death-metal

www.facebook.com/Abyssus-144338552349700/

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