Eschaton (Greece) 05/12/2012

I always like to talk with Greek bands and even more when the man that I have in “front” of me is an authentic and sincere personality. That is the case of K.Iakchos, founding member of Eschaton, a two-member band which exists since 2000. So due to their new album, “Unshaken”, he present us, with sincerity and authenticity in his answers, the history, the problems but also the good experience that he has gained by Eschaton.
1. Hi K.Iakchos. Firstly do you want to give some information about the journey of Eschaton until today? I think that you had some problems with the band’s members and the only one who is still a member since the first formation is you. Do you want to talk about that and the newer members?
K.Iakchos: Eschaton was started by me at the end of 2000 with the purpose to play black metal based on our influences, that is the Norwegian and the Greek of course scene, afterwards in the middle of various difficulties I managed to stabilize the Line-up in 2003 with Skylephtis and Nerteroz when we released with devotion quite a lot of material (2 demos,1 album, , 2 7”EP’S), after some time mainly the music differences played an important role in the creation of some frictions and so we were forced to change our paths firstly with Nerteroz and afterwards with Skylephtis. Finally with Orth’s arrival (2011) we gained a new push as a band in what we like to play and that’s nothing else than the Black metal exactly as we learnt it.
2. Both you and the second member of the band, Orth, play in other bands too. Do you want to talk to me about them?
K.Iakchos: Οrth’s main band is Primeval Μass which exists as long as we do, with live performances and many releases that every serious listener of this sound should listen, me apart from Εschaton I am a member of Iasma too, a band which consists of members of Εzgaroth and the musical style is close to the very early Νecromantia’s material, and I have to mention that at the moment we are preparing a very interesting release.
3. In September you released your second full length album. Give me some information about the recording and the compositions. Are you satisfied by the final result?
K.Iakchos: The recording apart from the drums was done in Made in Hell studios (total respect!) almost entirely in Chamber 319 a place that is ours so we had the comfort to work a lot for the mix. The compositions are a result of various ideas that me and Orth had for some time now, and during one year we managed to work on them and the final result has satisfied me as we hadn’t record a full album before in our space and I didn’t have the clearest image of how the final result might sound, but finally everything was ok without any stress about the time etc. and we are satisfied for that.
4. In my opinion “Unshaken” is a very good album and much more mature than the previous one especially concerning the composition but also concerning the sound’s quality (production, mix). Which is your opinion?
K.Iakchos: Look, I don’t know if it is more mature, generally I can’t easily say something like that because it would be as I would underestimate the previous albums, anything that comes out, it comes out inside a specific time representing the emotions and the excitement that we feel, in everything that I record what comes first for me is the existence of feeling, also the epic touch in the tracks is always present both in the new compositions. The sound surely is one of the most clean we have ever created. But you know, that is something that came out very spontaneously by the mix, nothing was done on purpose.
5. I know that Orth is the composer, but which do you think that your main music influences are and which emotions, thoughts or images do you want to present to the listener?
K.Iakchos: Yes Orth has taken over the most parts of the compositions, the influences of the band as I told from the beginning is a mixture of old Norwegian school with the Greek scene, nevertheless as any “healthy” metalhead has his roots in the traditional Metal sound so both in our case some of these elements came out inside the new tracks. Phrases like “..what do you want to pass to the listener” etc, is not in any case our purpose, it may sound somehow weird but firstly I play music for me and to satisfy my need to externalize some things and afterwards anything else, in our new material but also in the old, a nostalgia, the feelings are reflected in all these and of course I’m glad when this is noted by the listener.
6. By changing the main composer, wasn’t you afraid that the style of the band may be changed or the elements that older material had to be lost?
K.Iakchos: I have to tell you that two years before there was the thought not to continue, but that changed as with Orth I understood that we have a lot of elements in common and since Orth understood completely the main, first sound of the band I didn’t have any doubt that I have found the person with whom the band would continue faithful to its roots but also with elements that we always had inside us!
7. You are the one in charge of the lyrics, which was quite interesting. Do you want to tell me how do you get inspired to write lyrics?
K.Iakchos: In my lyrics I get inspired by topics and situations about which either I read or I am keenly thinking, some of them are the nature, the instinct, mysticism, the war (also with the wide meaning of the word), also the nietzschean view of things was always influencing what I am writing.
8. How the comments that you have received so far for “Unshaken” by the fans and the press are? This is your first release by Hass Weg. Are you satisfied by the collaboration?
K.Iakchos: The comments and the reviews are quite positives, the collaboration with Hass Weg is the best possible that we could have, I wish all of the “underground” labels of today to operate like Hass Weg..!, we are absolutely satisfied!
9. Have you arranged live performances for the promotion of the album? If yes where?
K.Iakchos: For the near future there are no plans for live..
10. Have you begun to compose new material? When would you like to have the next album ready?
K.Iakchos: We have begun slowly to work on tracks, there is an idea for a release between the two full lengths but I can’t tell anything more yet because it isn’t sure, the next full length though won’t be ready before mid ’13.
11. What is your opinion about the Greek Black Metal scene of the last decade? Does any cooperation and contact between the Greek bands exist? Are you in contact or do you cooperate with other bands?
K.Iakchos: There is a bunch of new bands, many of which I haven’t ever listened and I can’t have an opinion, though there are the mentionable efforts both with appearances abroad and that’s important, personally for me to notice original, sincere material with feeling are the most necessary elements in order to deal with a band. About the cooperation you are talking, I don’t believe that it exist and if it existed, it must have been for sure during times I haven’t lived, that is in early 90’s when we could clearly speak about that we call “scene” with an very tight circle of contacts and the will and the passion for creating, we are in contact with some bands and of course we would cooperate in something good, but I have to tell you that now first of all our base is the sincere and long friendship and afterwards the bands.
12. What kind of music do you listen in your spare time?
K.Iakchos: The old good heavy metal is playing all the time in my speakers. Also classic Black metal of the old days. However my ears are open and something good may stick to my head in any time!
13. Which are your future plans? How do you imagine the future of Eschaton?
K.Iakchos: There are no plans. Meaning that we are a band that we are doing what we are doing just because we like and love it since our teenage years, about Εschaton as long as we have the excitement, the interest and the time we will try to release material.
14. Thanks for the interview and for your time. Would you like to add anything for the end?
K.Iakchos: I thank you for the interview, I would like to inform that anyone who wants the new album can get it with immediate shipping from here: order@hassweg-prod.com. ETERNAL HAILS!!!