Saturday, April 2, 2016

Revolted Masses Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

We released our official video clip for the track "Waltz for the Fallen", for which we collaborated with the director Jim Evgenidis (Icon Filmworx), and a music video for "Bloodshed in Eden". Both tracks are featured in our new album. Also, we gave a very succesful release live show in Athens, together with other local bands that also released their records the same day.

2.In November you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

We would describe our sound as extreme metal derived from a mixture of thrash and death metal, featuring oriental melodies and groovy passages. In our new album, we tried to experiment more with new elements that appeared in our debut in embryonic form: progressive rhythms, melodic solos, oriental scales and vocal variety. Perhaps "Age of Descent" is more inclined to death metal than its predecessor, with more extreme drumming.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

We stay focused on socio-political topics, from a radical, anti-capitalist view. To be more specific, in the new album we deal with topics such as working class exploitation, media control and mass surveilance, imperialism, ecology, human trafficking and others.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Revolted Masses'?

The name refers to the people that are moving beyond their familiar ideology and practices, revolting against a rotting and expoiting system. In this sense, masses stop acting like a "mob", as each person stands up for themselves and their fellow people.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We have performed in many special places all over Greece,including a tour with some great greek bands (Chronosphere and Vermilion Days, to name a few). We believe that one of our best shows we have ever given is our release live for "Age of Descent". In our shows we try to deliver our best, both musically and regarding our stage presence. Also, we touch the current political issues that we think are of interest.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Currently, two of the band's members serve  their obligatory (for Greek male citizens) army duty, so unfortunately live shows are suspended for the moment. But don't worry, we will be back soon, and hopefully our performance will be even better!

7.On the album cover you had a picture of Kali and your music does incorporate oriental elements, does the band have a huge interest in eastern culture?

Nice remark! The figure in our cover is indeed a variation of Indian goddess Kali and other religious and political symbols. As a band we have a great interest in eastern music, and more specifically to its mediterrenean variations. It appears pretty natural to us, since Greek traditional and folk music is very popular in our country, and it is full of such elements.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer music by fans of death and thrash metal?

Our new album was given a great feedback, from the press and fans alike. We are glad that our new material is often described as of high quality, both regarding the music and the production, which was also done by us. Finally, another important fact is that many reviews find our sound distinctive and personal, which we believe is very important for a new band.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We have already began working on the material for our third album. Everyone is composing music in the band so you can understand that the ideas are really flowing and we can't predict where this will take us. The only thing that is for sure is that we want to raise our standards even more with each release.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Although we always try to shape a personal sound, we cannot deny that there are some bands that have influenced us a lot, either consciously or unconsciously. We could name Metallica, Sepultura, Pantera, Arch Enemy, Iced Earth and Orphaned Land as our basic influences. Perhaps there are more influences from Lamb of God in the new album.  We are listening to many stuff, from Ghost to David Bowie, but some really interesting releases that we are listening to nowadays are “Titan” by Septicflesh, or “VII : Sturm und Drang” by Lamb of God.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Our band has a strong political message, so it makes sense that we are also politically active as persons. Apart from that, each member has its own personal interests. One activity we do in our free time is hanging out with each other, since we are not only bandmates, but also a company of friends.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you very much for the interview! We hope that this year will bring the best for everyone. Perhaps it will give us a chance to reconsider things and make the personal and political revolution that is really needed nowadays.

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