Mystic
Moon
Mystic Moon is a new Greek
epic doom metal band that until now has only released a promo CD and they
are preparing their upcoming release. You won't need to listen to their
music many times to realize what they want to do, since you'll understand
right away the depth and substance of their music. Domenico, one of the
band's guitarist, gave us some really interesting information concerning
the band!
1. HELLO THERE! NOW SINCE THIS IS OUR FIRST
INTERVIEW I’D LIKE YOU TO GIVE ME A SHORT BAND BIO AND INTRODUCE THE CURRENT
LINE UP TO THE READERS…
Hails Christine, Hails Behind the Veil! We
are just fine and so happy to answer this interview! There have been some
member changes in the near past but I’ll tell you about present and future.
We are 5 persons that share the same dream, the same emotions, of composing
some really emotional songs, because for us, emotion is what counts. So,
Akis Bouklas is on Vocals, Jimmy Priest on the Guitar, Jimmy Asfis on the
Bass guitar, Chris Tsaparas on Drums and finally me, Domenico “Doomangel”
Pritis on the guitar. I must tell you also the song and lyrics writing
process is mostly a democratic procedure that includes all members of the
band.
2. WHICH ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS
TILL NOW? WHICH ARE THE AIMS/DREAM YOU WANT TO REALIZE THROUGH YOUR MUSIC?
Although we are for a short time around we’ve
done some important achievements, the most important of them is your next
question, the fact that you along with others find influences from these
great bands in our music. This is really important for us. Doom metal is
a very special genre, and when you are able to compose emotional doom metal
then you have to be proud! Some other achievements are the comments we
receive from fans all over the world, some good reviews (yours included)
and our participation in 2 compilations with the track “Pale Divine”.
3. YOU PLAY DOOM METAL THAT HAS INFLUENCES FROM
CANDLEMASS, SOLITUDE AETURNUS AND DOOMSWORD, ACCORDING TO ME. DO YOU AGREE?
PLEASE MENTION SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE ARTISTS AND MOST BELOVED ALBUMS.
We tottaly agree and is honor for us to find
influences fro these band in our music, the bands you mentioned along with
some other like While Heaven Wept, Lamented Souls, Solstice, Cathedral,
Krux, Memento Mori and many other are our favorite artists. About our favorite
albums I will tell u only 5 of them:
Solitude Aeturnus – Into the Depths of Sorrow
Candlemass – Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Cathedral – Forest of Equilibrium
Manowar – Into Glory Ride
Lamented Souls – Origins of Misery
4. IF YOU WERE ASKED TO WRITE A REVIEW OF YOUR
“PROMO 2005”, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TRYING TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE?
IN OTHER WORDS, WHY SHOULD THE METALLERS CHECK YOU OUT? WHAT DO YOU HAVE
TO OFFER TO THEM?
Focusing my review to the fact that Mystic
Moon is an Epic Doom metal band, I would point to their “warm” sound, just
perfect for the genre, the really emotional vocals and the whole Mourning
atmosphere of “Promo 2005”. To the ones looking for some good emotional
Epic Doom metal, Mystic Moon can be their Eden, Weeping guitars, Mourning
vocals, strong as hell rhythm section, Mournful Epic Doom Metal, give us
a try…
5. PLEASE FILL US IN ON YOUR RELEASES AND POINT
OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM. ARE YOU
CONTENT WITH YOUR EFFORTS UP TO NOW?
We just finished recording 3 new songs, “Sun
Demons (Through Fragments They Will Rise Again)”, “Babylon…As Forsaken
Ruins” and “Autumn Leaves a Silent Light”, which will be in our full demo
soon to be released entitled “Doom…Forever…Dreaming…”. “Promo 2005” was
a release just for media and fans to know as better.
6. WHAT’S THE BEST AND WHAT’S THE WORST PART IN
YOUR MUSIC, ACCORDING TO YOU? ARE THERE ANY THINGS YOU’D LIKE TO IMPROVE
IN THE FUTURE?
That’s a really difficult question; I don’t
believe there is any musician who can point out any element of his music
as the best or the worst. I can tell you that as musicians we should all
improve day after day. As we compose we only try to be true and emotional,
there might be some strong or weak parts in our music but I cannot point
them. This is something you can do easily.
7. TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOUR LYRICS. WHICH
ARE THE THEMES THAT YOU MAINLY DEAL WITH?
The main writer of the lyrics is Akis Bouklas
and I’m his assistant in a way, things that are happening every day, dreams
or expectations, a fight. Everything from the smallest to the most important
thing can be the source of inspiration. The difficult thing is to translate
all these feelings into lyrics and I believe Akis is capable to that in
every way.
8. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR COVER ARTWORK FOR US AND
PINPOINT ITS COMMON ELEMENTS WITH YOUR LYRICS.
I will talk to you about the cover artwork
of the demo we are releasing soon. The cover is showing an angel in desperation,
sorrow. A very strong picture, our music and our lyrics are closely connected
with doom and so is the cover of our demo, when you see it for yourself
you’ll find out how doom would be if it were a picture.
9. HAVE YOU SENT YOUR DEMO TO ANY LABELS? ARE
YOU IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THEM OR DO YOU THINK THE BAND IS STILL AT ITS
FIRST STEPS?
The truth is that Mystic Moon are in their
first steps right now, but some offers came from a couple of labels, for
the release of Split cd or participating to compilations mostly. We will
try to plan carefully the route of the band, we first want to release the
full demo, the some live shows will follow and after that we will consider
what we will do.
10. HAVE YOU GOT ANY PLANS FOR LIVE SHOWS? WHAT
SHOULD THOSE ATTENDING YOUR LIVE SHOWS EXPECT TO SEE?
We are planning to go though the entire Greece
to play, so every booking agent from anywhere in Greece that is reading
this interview can contact us to discuss further. As the show we will perform
a fully Epic Doom full of emotion set, Mystic Moon live shows cannot be
translated to words, you should only come and see us live.
11. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD
IT BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
This is an amazing question but the answer
is common. Doom of course, and if I would like to translate Doom then I
would say that is the feeling soldiers have when they are marching to war,
the acceptance of their fate. Yes, these are your comments and I couldn’t
find better words to describe our music. If it were a picture it
would surely be the cover of our demo.
12. ARE YOU SATISFIED BY THE FEEDBACK YOU’VE GOT
THIS FAR? WHAT WAS THE MOST FLATTERING AND WHAT THE WORST COMMENT YOU RECEIVED?
Yes, we had received some very good comments
worldwide, I cannot recall the most flattering, there was too many, one
of them was surely yours, the one describing our music in your review,
I remember the worst, a guy told that we are like The Doors on the 45 .
Ha-ha!!
13. LET’S SUPPOSE THAT YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO INVITE
FAMOUS MUSICIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR LIVE SHOWS. WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE
AND WHY?
Mmm... Let me think... it would be Robert
Lowe on vocals, Leif Edling on Bass, and John Perez at the Guitar. That’s
enough I think, Leif Edling is the father of doom metal, Robert Lowe is
one of the best voices in metal and John Perez one of the best composers...
It is clear that those 3 musicians, along with others of course, are the
half part of Doom Metal history on stage.
14. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THERE WAS NO MUSIC IN
THE WORLD? HOW WOULD YOU CHANNEL ALL YOUR CREATIVE ENERGY?
Another good question, we might have been
poets or painters. I don’t know, but I cannot imagine this world without
music. This would be a nightmare…
15. THANK YOU! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE
TO MENTION? LEAVE A MESSAGE TO THE READERS…
We truly thank you for your support, I must
say that your questions were kind of difficult but we made it through.
We should thank Behind The Veil webzine for its support to the Underground
and to Mystic Moon and you for your review and interview.
Christine Parastatidou
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