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Lia:
Thank you very much… Gus:
You’re welcome… You
have released a new album almost one year after “Regressus”. What made
you enter the studio so soon in order to record “Never Ending”? L: So soon…? G: Well it’s not very soon, because we have recorded “Regressus” in
2002 and it took us about a year to release it cause we were looking out
for a good music company to work with. So it was a natural thing to
release a new album after two years from the recordings of
“Regressus”. You know something… Lia and I cannot leave the time
passing by without doing anything... even if it is small time period or a
big one. L: I believe that the release of “Never Ending” came on a good period. Well
before we go on to the new album can you tell me why you decided to call
the band Mystic Prophecy? L: I called the band, on its begging, Mystic Prophecy without any profound
reason. I liked how those two words are combining and sounding as well. It
has to do with any mystic prophecies that you have read or heard about? L: No, but I tried afterwards to make a concept that would deal with the
band’s name. Well… let me think of it better… well the Mystic
Prophecy is our band… How Gus and I got together and in general our
efforts to succeed. Ok…
What is “Never Ending”? Never ending evil, never ending pain, never
ending suffering… tell us some things about the album’s title. L:
Well that’s the point! Everyone must see it from his point of view.
Basically there is a concept idea behind our three albums. It was a monk
who was heretic and they kill him for that… then he is back for
revenge… in the first album he haunted their dreams… on the second
album he is back in real, “Regressus” means the return and on the
third album he delivers his soul to the seven horsemen… as it is
described on John’s Revolution. So he must get the power to return and
to kill all those people who tortured him when he was alive… but as it
was proved afterwards that monk was the soldier who pinched with his spear
Christ on the cross and he also took his cloak. Then God cursed him to
live forever… the that’s why the forth cross on the artwork symbolizes
humanity that betrays every day itself with wars, the atmosphere’s
pollution and things like that. We say that people are very clever species
with conscience but on the other hand we only care for ourselves without
giving a shit for what’s happening near us. Please
make a comment about each one of the songs of the album… L: Oh… it’s difficult but I’ll do my best… G: You wrote the songs so, you will talk about them… (laughs for all of
us) L: Ok. “Burning Bridges”: Talks about someone who cuts all the
connection that he has with his past and he also burn his feeling for what
he had lived till then in order to go on… no matter if he takes the
wrong or the right way in his “new” life. “Time
Will Tell”: Talks about that time will indeed tell about the future of
mankind. “Under
A Darkened Sun”: people are living under a darkened sun… we live under
the pressure of death every single day. “Dust
Of Evil”: The dust of all evil things that remains for thousand years in
our world and torture us. “In
Hell”: Whatever happens during this life, or the one we wish it existed,
is the same hell we live in every day. It talks about how could hell be,
if in normal life only lies and death follow us. I live this thing open so
that anyone can think whatever they want. “Never
Surrender”: Gives a good and clear message. Never quit trying in you
life for any reason. If you insist you will succeed in the end and
that’s for sure. I wrote that song for myself and for Gus cause we have
been through many difficult times all those years…we left our country in
order to go somewhere else to make our dreams come true and that was no
easy at all. We left our ego aside and we listen to other people in order
to make our first steps and without giving up effort a single time. You
always learn things in your life no matter how old you are. You must
always listen to other people that know better than you in order to become
better not only as a musician but as a person as well. For me a good
musician and a good person is the same and must be the same. Of course you
must be gifted to play music or else forget it! “Wings
Of Eternity”: Talks about the “wings” that every man has and with
them must fly away and go forward only. The past is left behind and we
must go on forward. “When
I’m Falling”: Is a kind of an autobiographic song. When I’m starting
something good I must always reach the bottom, with no help at all and
must go through many hard times to get it over. We always have so many
obstacles in front of us… When you want to succeed in you life, in any
part of your life, you must sacrifice many things in order to achieve it. “Warriors
Of Lies”: Talks about the evil that is cheating on you in order to take
you by its side. People fool not only themselves but also all the others
around them especially when someone says to you how good you are and then
he gives you the illusion that you are unique person although that is not
true. And
what about the prayer at the end of the song? L: listen to it very well and you will understand many things. I
did and I noticed that a part of the prayer is missing. L: You are absolutely right. Indeed a part is missing… that part is what
we do not do in our ordinary lives… Not many people have notice that a
part is missing … some haven’t noticed it at all!! Ok,
I won’t say anything else… it’s better to let the fans listen to it
well and draw their own conclusions about it. Tell me about the last two
song of the album. L: “Dead Moon Rising”: The moon is part of the earth… but the moon is
“dead” there are no signs of life on it… that’s the life of some
people who have no hope at all. They live neat to so many people but they
still feel “dead” and all alone! “Never
Ending”: is the end (?)… but as you also said before there is no end
to the suffering and the pain of our work. So
you won’t continue the concept in the next album as well? L: No, not at all…
L: Mark and I are working on some songs and Gus whenever thinks that
something is not fitting to his other bands he brings it to us. G: It’s so early to say something about the new album, I believe. L: I do not know when the next album will be released… maybe after two
years? We will see. We must start touring cause we all love giving live
shows and not only recording albums. After all we have and some other
bands that we must take care of! Gus has his own band, Firewind and I also
have Valley’s Eve. By
the way what is happening with Valley’s Eve? Why have you delayed so
much to release a new album? L: I wanted to release a new album but the band’s line up has changed and
I’m looking for some new musicians that they will fit with the band. I
will have some spear time in the next months that Mystic Prophecy will be
inactive so maybe I will do something with Valley’s Eve. I also have a
problem with Valley’s Eve label and that thing is taking me back. We
have some songs ready and we have the opportunity to release a new album
in the next months but I do not want to release it just to say that I
released a new album with Valley’s Eve. Ok,
considering the fact that so many heavy/power albums are being released
every month… what is that element that can make Mystic Prophecy differ
from the other bands of this genre? L: First of all Mystic Prophecy know exactly how they must sound. You
can’t compare us either with Sonata Arctica or Edguy or Stratovarius. We
have our own personal sound. G: In this point I must say that Liapakis’ voice is the element that
makes a difference from the other heavy/power bands. We have some dark
“strange” melodies and a specific feeling in our songs that cannot be
found in any other band of the genre. The
production was made once again by you, Lia, huh? L: Yes, that is another element that makes us have our own sound. We have a
heavy production but without bringing on your mind an “old” production
of the 80’s. Do
you think that now is the time for Mystic Prophecy to make the big step in
their carrier? L: Only the fans can answer to that. If the fans like the album then they
can only give us the support to go on. We are ready to give them the best
that we can! Are
you satisfied by your label? G: Till now we are very excited by their support. They brought us to Greece
in order to promote our new album and they have also paid for a very
expensive video clip of “Burning Bridges”. L: Also the distributor in Greece, Cosmic Storm, has helped us a lot and I
must say that is doing a great and a very professional work. I’m very
impressed about that! We are on a big label and it depends for how many
albums do you sell in order to get more and more help in every new
release. In
which of those bands that you are participating do you prefer to play and
why? L: I do not like this question. As long as you are professional musician
then in any band that you play you must give 100% of your powers. G: If you had three children who of them you would love more than the
others? L: You must be a professional no matter where you play and what you do. For
example Gus’ heart belongs to Firewind but he also gives the 100% of his
powers to Mystic Prophecy and that’s the secret of the whole thing. He
is not trying to sound in a specific band better and worst in another
band. He gives the best of him in all the bands that he is playing. Lia,
do you prefer working as a producer or to sing? L: I like to do both things. I like to give all my powers when doing
productions and also all my powers when writing music and lyrics or
singing. Do
you think that heavy metal music can become so popular as it was back in
the 80’s? L: We ruin it ourselves! So,
it will never become so popular as it was back then? L: That depends on the bands and on the labels of course… and in general
on the whole music industry. The TV must also promote metal music… how
the small child of 14-15 years old will learn about that music if he/she
doesn’t see it on TV. Do
you consider Germany as the capital of metal music in Europe? L: Yes, I totally believe that! Maybe along with Sweden. Just consider the
fact that the biggest metal labels are based in Germany. Are
there any plans for a tour? Will you visit Greece this time? L: Well that’s a big story about Greece. They say that we do not sell so
many CDs here and they can’t bring us for a live show cause they are
afraid that the show won’t be sold out! So, I do not want to talk about
with people that only looking out for more money al the time. So,
we will have to travel to Crete or to Volos to see the band’s live
shows? G: If we do not play either in Athens or Thessalonica, we won’t play
anywhere else in Greece again. Then if we give those live shows to Athens
or Thessalonica we will talk about some smaller towns in Greece
…something like a tour. L: I believe that some guys in the smaller towns in Greece had the guts and
give us the chance to play there, the guts to support some guys from their
country that live abroad and held high the Greek flag! I
also do not have so good relations with the promoters in Greece so let
them live in their own narrow-minded world! L: The guys must demand to see Mystic Prophecy in Greece so the promoters
will be forced to bring us here. We want to make a tour in Greece… first
we will play on the two big cities of Greece and then on the smaller ones
as Gus said before.
L: No, not at all… the fans of the band made us who we are… without
them, and please write that down, we are nothing at all!! Which
is the most overrated band today? L: Who else than Metallica??!!! What
would you tell to someone to convince him to buy your album instead of
hundreds others that are being released every month? L: Whoever wants to listen to an authentic and traditional heavy metal
album then he should try out Mystic Prophecy! An album that he should
found 80’s metal elements along with fresh metal elements with power,
with good melodies and catchy refrains. If
Mystic Prophecy’s carrier was a movie… which movie would it be and
why? L: Movie... huh... maybe “From Dusk Till Dawn”! Imagine
that your wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy for
herself an expensive ring. How would you react? J L:
She has the right to do that thing!!! I do not look at her as I should do
and if she did that then I would probably entirely understand her! Maybe
I should not put your answer on the site… just imagine to read it and to
do it afterwards!!! (laughs from all of us!) L: No... put it down. There is no problem. Honestly now due to my musical
obligations I spend less time with her. Ok
Lia those were my questions. Thx very much for the great chat that we had!
Leave a message to Grande Rock readers for the end. L:
I hope to have the support that we deserve, especially from our Greek fans
and just to give us a chance. Listen to the album and decide for yourself
whether you like it or not. We have done our best in order to offer you
good heavy metal music. by Thanos Aggelakis P.S.: Thx to George for the great time that we had during the interview and Alex for helping me with the text. |
Hi
Lia and Gus… welcome back to Greece.
