Interview with Ambrotos
Tell us about your latest release: the main concept; what fans should expect; what were/are your goals with it:
Our latest release is entitled Cosmic Annulus (EP). It is about to be released the 15th of March 2019. The title song is already available in our Bandcamp and YouTube channel. Fans should expect a melodic but powerful black metal. Our goal is to create quality music that we and the fans will enjoy. At the same time, we looked into educating ourselves and the interested listeners on Pre-Socratic philosophy and its ideas that shaped our modern world. More specifically, this EP is dedicated to Heraclitus, Empedocles and Anaxagoras (track1, 2 & 3 respectivelly). Topics vary from ethics and human nature to Cosmic creation.
Did you have a specific sound in mind when you formed the band, or did that grow and evolve as you played together?
No, we did not have any specific sound when we created the project, we had the lyrical concept in mind however, which led to the atmosphere of our music and our name (Ambrotos; meaning Immortal). Pre-socratic philosophers in ancient Ionia were the first people to question the human and cosmic nature. Their thinking was totally unconventional back then and only highly educated people of their era could understand or even discuss such topics. In this sense, they were the first heretics, questioning whatever the people around them believed.
How does your writing process normally work out?
Normally, we start with lyrics and the concept of the next release. After that we break down lyrics to individual songs. Next step is working on the guitar riffs and the preproduction of the music itself. We do rehearse and work ideas all together as well. We normally stay in the pre-production stage 3-6 months. Finally, when all ideas are set and discussed we enter the recording and production phase.
What are your ambitions and how far do you want to push your band?
Our ambition is to produce musical and lyrical quality as project. This is what makes us passionate about music. Create and present stories that educate us and our listeners.
What are your influences/musical references and the impact those same influences had in your sound?
We are mainly death and black metal fans. We also do appreciate our great local Hellenic black metal scene. We consider our material quite original but at the same time you can find references from the Greek and European underground black metal scenes.
What’s next for you?
We are about to release our 2nd EP “Cosmic Annulus” through Sleaszy Rider Records and at the same time we are working on the pre-production of our 1st full lneth album, most probably to be release towards the end of 2019
Answers by: Kostas