FB: We are pretty amazed…by the sound that we have finally made…by the way our audience and our fans’ like the album. We didn’t expect this because it’s really avant-garde, it’s not like a common Death Metal album, it’s experimental…so we are really surprised…

OC: By how open-minded people are?

FB: Yes exactly!

OC: What are your favourite moments on it?

FB: I would say that ‘Persepolis’ is the highlight of the album, because it has this unique sound…the choirs and the orchestra who played their parts, and it’s a really nice combination I think with Metal music. What’s your favourite?

OC: Oh God! Do I have to pick just one? Okay…(after 10 seconds deliberating)…probably ‘Sangreal’.

FB: Really? I wrote the music for that myself! Thank you!

OC: Haha that’s okay…but ‘Lovecraft’s Death’, ‘Anubis’, ‘Communion’…’Babel’s Gate’…

FB: …The whole album?

OC: Yes!

OC + FB: Haha!

OC: Whose idea was it to re-form Septicflesh?

FB: All of our’s…I think it was very difficult in the beginning, but when we brought in the ideas we thought, okay, Septicflesh must re-unite! You know, four minds can make something really…powerful! That’s why we did it.

OC: You weren’t on ‘Sumerian Daemons’ were you?

FB: No I wasn’t.

OC: I know you were in Devilworx (also with Christos and Seth from Septicflesh).

FB: Yes, and I was also in Nightrage with Thomas Lindburg. I joined the band when they finished ‘Sumerian Daemons’. When we split-up we made Devilworx and then re-formed Septicflesh.

OC: When you re-formed did you feel re-freshed and a new surge of creativity?

FB: Yes I believe it was good that we all stopped for a while, because we brought really different and new ideas than on previous albums. They had more originality…really I don’t say because I play…if you listen to ‘Sumerian Daemons’, you can hear other bands, but if you hear ‘Communion’, it’s really Septicflesh…our sound.

OC: Who writes the music? I know Christos composes the orchestral sounds…

FB: We all write the Metal parts…Sotiris is bringing his ideas, Seth is bringing his and Chris and also me…we all contribute, and this is really nice. Also some of the choirs and orchestra parts, it is from Chris, but some are guided by Seth. So it’s contribution of all the band.

OC: How were the classical moments envisioned alongside the Metal aspect of the songs?

FB: Well they had already started to experiment with this on the first album, ‘Mystic Places of Dawn’. Chris studied in London, so he was seven years studying this, composing, so he is really into that, and that is why I think this combination is coming really strongly. It’s not like ‘oh I can put a choir here or an orchestra’, he knows where to put it and how to put it into the music.

OC: I’ve noticed that particularly on ‘Communion’; the way everything fits so well together…it’s as if you have a conductor in the band (which they do!), who understands what an orchestra can bring into Metal, whereas…bands like Dimmu Borgir, although I’d rather not single anyone out…

RB: They made ‘Death Cult Armageddon’…

OC: Mmm, I know, but I don’t think they have as much of a vision with it as you do on ‘Communion’…

FB: I can answer that…I hope it won’t sound cocky…Chris is a composer…

OC: …and that’s the difference!

FB: Exactly! That is why…he knows where to put a brass section and not violins into a part…and that’s my point, because he knows.

OC: Yes, it’s quite a godsend having someone like that really.

FB: Yes, exactly…that’s a big difference. We are more avant-garde than Dimmu Borgir.

OC: Oh definitely!

FB: I think a lot of bands try to do this if I’m not wrong…but the point is, who can do it right. This is the only thing. I think Dimmu Borgir do it really well, also Celtic Frost started to combine female vocals and pianos…

OC: You mean on ‘Monotheist’?

FB: Yes…but I can’t judge how good it is…I just can’t…

OC: It’s not on the same level as ‘Communion’ though is it?

FB: Ummm…I think ‘Communion’ is one level up

OC: I would agree there.

FB: Again, I don’t want to sound cocky…it’s because we used an 80 person orchestra and 32 person choir…so that means 112 people.

OC: The Prague…

FB: …Philharmonic orchestra yes. They were in films like ‘Hostel’ and making music for video games, for XBOX and Playstation. They’re very good, very professional.

(door opens and the thudding of a bass drum is heard)

FB: Nice bass drum!

OC + FB: Haha!!

OC: I notice Seth’s status on My Space at the moment is ‘Seth Siro Anton is suffering’ (which I later re-read as ‘Seth Siro Anton art is suffering’!); is that to do with touring; how is it going?

FB: Hahaha! The tour is perfect. If we compare it with the tour we did in 2003, there’s a big difference, we are much more organised. We are amazed with Massive Music, the professionals and what they do. The thing is we are already having a really good response from fans, the album reviews are good, so we’re really happy about that. Maybe the suffering is because he is doing some crazy stuff on stage and he hits his leg…he hit his leg with his bass earlier on in the tour, but now he is better. Haha!

OC: Any favourite countries so far…that’s hard to answer I know.

FB: It is yes, but okay, because of Chris, we like London, here, but I personally like Paris and um…to be honest, the country we didn’t expect to get such a good response from was Holland.

OC: How hard is it to replicate the sound of the album live?

FB: Uhh…okay, we have pre-recorded tracks that we play live…

OC: Like samples?

FB: Yes exactly, samples with the choir, and we have them in stereo. It’s the best way we can do it…

OC: It’s the only way really isn’t it?

FB: Well yes…

OC: Unless you bring in an orchestra…

FB: Haha! But…we really try to do our best! I cannot judge the band with this, but I hope you enjoy it…you will be the judge.

OC: This isn’t actually my question (it was Pete’s), but do film soundtracks act as inspiration?

FB: Of course. Probably even more than Metal bands I would say.

OC: ‘Communion’ is like a blackend Denny Elfman and are the melody lines on ‘Narcissus’ an homage to Susperia?

FB: No…maybe it was on the back of his head; it was Sotiris’s song…when you have some melodies on the back of your head…and you don’t know where from…

OC: …Sub-consciously?

FB: Yes! Maybe it was something like that, but I haven’t noticed it myself.

OC: This isn’t really to do with Septicflesh, but I first heard of Seth through his art work…how long has he been designing art work for?

FB: He started when he was 22 or 24 I think and he did Fine Art in Athens…so he’s been doing this for many years now, he’s practiced a lot and has got much better…done some covers for some big bands…Paradise Lost, Vader…

OC: …Belphegor…

FB: …yes them too.

OC: I have one more question; what do you think of the Cradle of Filth, Gorgoroth tour you're supporting in December? Considering Cradle are so commercial these days, do you think they are a strange band to be the headliners? Do you think Septicflesh will be appreciated by their rather young fan base?

FB: I believe that Cradle Of Filth are a strong name and they deserve to be headliners as they have years of experience on their back and many albums full of success. Now, as for the fans of Cradle, I really don't know what to expect. There are people who like only Cradle, and others who are open minded and like to listen to a lot of other bands too. Don't forget that on the tour we will be with Moonspell and Gorgoroth too; each band has its own identity and that's why I believe that this tour will really have a great success. Everyone will be satisfied.

OC: Thanks…do you have anything to say to your English fans?

FB: I hope they all come tonight and enjoy the show and pleasures of flesh!

Visit the band at http://www.abstrata.net/sfsite
http://www.myspace.com/septicfleshband

Interviewed by Oliver Cass

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